Habakkuk Asks God Questions.

 

I just finished listening to a sermon by Tim Keller on the book of Habakkuk chapter 1. He spoke this in 2009, after the 2008 crash of Wall Street. Many people lost their jobs at this time. It had become a hard time for almost everyone. As I was listening, I thought it could be a sermon preached for today.

The people of Israel had become wicked. They were even doing more evil than the countries that surrounded them. God had sent them many prophets, but they would not listen to them.

Habakkuk was a prophet of God at this time and his book opens with him asking God,

“O LORD, how long shall I cry for help,
and you will not hear?
Or cry to you “Violence!”
and you will not save?
Why do you make me see iniquity,
and why do you idly look at wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me;
strife and contention arise.
So the law is paralyzed,
and justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
so justice goes forth perverted.”

I would say destruction, violence, strife and contention is the order of the day in our world and in our own country. Americans have become two sets of people who argue continually and some become violent and kill. There are record mass shootings, the rule of law is threatened and of course when you think about justice, it is sorely missing.

Habakkuk wanted to know why God wasn’t doing anything to stop it. Where was he? God answered him by telling him the Babylonians would be coming to take the country of Israel by war. Their goal was to rule the known world, which they did.

Habakkuk didn’t like to hear that and asked if they would all be destroyed. He said, “Are we like fish to be caught and killed?” He decided to wait and watch for God’s answer.

The answer is interesting, because God tells him to get pen and paper and write down what he says. He tells Habakkuk what he is saying is going to happen in the far future and the end of time. I know God’s answer is a lot to read, but it is also vitally important if a person wants to know what the Lord’s will is for people. He wants people to have love, justice and generosity, but what he describes of the world is the opposite of that.

God is saying that at times he must put an end to evil, in Habakkuk’s time and in ours. It’s because there is too much evil and too many people are being harmed. At the end of time, I think it will be a necessity because the world is dying from global warming. He will come to rescue those who believe in him.

I’m just going to copy and paste Chapter 2 of Habbakuk.

Then the LORD said to me,

“Write my answer plainly on tablets,

so that a runner can carry the correct message to others.

This vision is for a future time.

It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled.

If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently,

for it will surely take place.

It will not be delayed.

 “Look at the proud!

They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked.

But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.

Wealth is treacherous,

and the arrogant are never at rest.

They open their mouths as wide as the grave,

and like death, they are never satisfied.

In their greed they have gathered up many nations

and swallowed many peoples.

 “But soon their captives will taunt them.

They will mock them, saying,

‘What sorrow awaits you thieves!

Now you will get what you deserve!

You’ve become rich by extortion,

but how much longer can this go on?’

Suddenly, your debtors will take action.

They will turn on you and take all you have,

while you stand trembling and helpless.

Because you have plundered many nations,

now all the survivors will plunder you.

You committed murder throughout the countryside

and filled the towns with violence.

 “What sorrow awaits you who build big houses

with money gained dishonestly!

You believe your wealth will buy security,

putting your family’s nest beyond the reach of danger.

But by the murders you committed,

you have shamed your name and forfeited your lives.

The very stones in the walls cry out against you,

and the beams in the ceilings echo the complaint.

 “What sorrow awaits you who build cities

with money gained through murder and corruption!

Has not the LORD of Heaven’s Armies promised

that the wealth of nations will turn to ashes?

They work so hard,

but all in vain!

For as the waters fill the sea,

the earth will be filled with an awareness

of the glory of the LORD.

 “What sorrow awaits you who make your neighbors drunk!

You force your cup on them

so you can gloat over their shameful nakedness.

But soon it will be your turn to be disgraced.

Come, drink and be exposed!

Drink from the cup of the LORD’s judgment,

and all your glory will be turned to shame.

You cut down the forests of Lebanon.

Now you will be cut down.

You destroyed the wild animals,

so now their terror will be yours.

You committed murder throughout the countryside

and filled the towns with violence.

     “What good is an idol carved by man,

or a cast image that deceives you?

How foolish to trust in your own creation—

a god that can’t even talk!

What sorrow awaits you who say to wooden idols,

‘Wake up and save us!’

To speechless stone images you say,

‘Rise up and teach us!’

Can an idol tell you what to do?

They may be overlaid with gold and silver,

but they are lifeless inside.

       But the LORD is in his holy Temple.

Let all the earth be silent before him.”

 

At the end of his book in Chapter 3, Habakkuk accepts all that God has said. He finishes with a paragraph filled with faith:

 

“Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,

and there are no grapes on the vines;

even though the olive crop fails,

and the fields lie empty and barren;

even though the flocks die in the fields,

and the cattle barns are empty,

yet I will rejoice in the LORD!

I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

The Sovereign LORD is my strength!

He makes me as surefooted as a deer,

able to tread upon the heights.”

 

If the time of the end of the world happens while we are here, this is the attitude we must have if we want to be saved from this world of sin. We see the sin in the news every day. Everyone must choose who they want to follow, God or Man. Do we want the things of this world which will ultimately be destroyed? Do we want to do anything we can to have wealth, status and power? These are the people who ignore or use the poor for their own ends. These are the people who start wars in order to make money. These are the people who fight against the poor to have a living wage. They buy up land, apartment buildings and houses and then ask exorbitant prices so they increase the homeless population. Do you want to align with such people? This is what the Lord is asking all of us. He has left that choice to us, he cannot force anyone to turn to him and with his strength, become a good person.

 

If you would like to listen to Tim Keller’s sermon, you can find it here.

Why Does God Do Nothing? - Gospel in Life

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Does Jesus call himself, "The Son of Man?"

 

Jesus spoke of himself by the title, “The Son of Man,” more often than anything else. He sometimes called himself The Son of God, The Good Shepherd, The Door, The Bread of Life, and The Light of the World. He has many titles, but The Son of Man was his favorite.

I think it is my favorite too because he knows what it is like to be a human being on this planet. He understands our weaknesses. He is our brother during this great war between good and evil.

Jesus said, “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home.”

And immediately the man got up, picked up his mat, and walked out in front of them all. As a result, they were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”   Mark 2:10-12

Jesus said, “For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’  The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at this glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”   Luke 7:33-35

“You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”   Matthew 26:2

"Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.   Matthew 24:30

“So, if they tell you, ‘There He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.  For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”   Matthew 24:26,27

“For the Son of Man will come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.”   Matthew 16:27

“Truly, truly, I tell you, the hour is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.  For as the Father has life in Himself, so also, He has granted the Son to have life in Himself. And He has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.”  John 5:25-27

Jesus says God the Father has life in himself and has given that to him also. And he has given authority to Jesus to be the judge of all humankind. The reason? Because along with being the Son of God, he is the Son of Man, and it is this that gives him the insight to judge us. He was a human being like us and felt what it is like to be us. Therefore, he can judge correctly.

The Pulpit Commentary says this:

“Verse 27. - And he gave him (i.e. the Son, the God-Man) authority to execute judgment, because he is Son of man. He has vindicated his power to confer life upon the dead by asserting the possession by "the Son" of the Divine Sonship. He now adds, so far as the relation to man is concerned, his fitness and authority to administer justice, to preside over the entire juridical process, to lift the scales, to determine the destiny of the human race. The fitness is seen in this, that he, "the Son," is "the Son of man." The one term, "THE SON," entirely covers the twofold Sonship. The proof of his humanity is assumed to be complete. The fact of it is the ground that he who knows what is in man should be the Judge of men.

By personal experience of man's temptations and frailties; by knowing every palliation of our sins, every extenuation of our failures, every aggravation of our weakness; by gazing through human eyes with human consciousness upon our mysterious destiny, he is competent to judge; whereas by being Son of God as well as Son of man, he is entrusted with power to execute the judgment of the Eternal.

The principle involved is based upon perfect justice. The honour thus conferred on the God-Man is infinite, the consolation thus held out to man unspeakable. We are being judged by Christ, not by impersonal law. The entire incidence upon every individual of the Law is in the hands of the Redeemer. The Saviour, the Life-giver, the Voice which quickens the dead, assigns the judgment. We must be careful, in any inference we draw from this grand utterance, to avoid all suspicion of schism or rivalry between the Father and the Son. 

The Son is not more merciful than the Father. For the Father of the Old Testament pities his children, and knows their frame (Psalm 103:13, 14), and the Father of Jesus Christ loves the world, and counts the very hairs of our heads. The Son will not exercise this judgment with less regard to the claims of eternal justice than the Father; but his knowledge of humanity is, by the nature of the case, a guarantee of such application of the justice of God to the case of every individual, that man's knowledge of himself will be able personally to justify and verify it. The Divine judgment will go forth from the heart of man himself.”

 

Revelation: Faith and Works.

I am posting chapters from my sister's book, "The End is near. End Time Bible Prophecy Anyone Can Understand." E.A. James. Available at lulu.com

Continued from previous post..

          Satan, his angels, and those whose names are not written in the Book of Life will have their deeds judged by the saints in heaven.  Jesus has already judged who is and who is not to be saved, so why are we going to judge the works of those who are not saved?  We can speculate and come up with a twofold answer.  First, the punishment for their deeds must fit the crime.  Adolph Hitler was responsible for the murder of millions of people, but Joe Schmuckatelly down the street simply did not believe in God and he never killed one other human being.  Do they deserve the same judgment?  Of course not.  Judgment occurs…so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.  (2 Cor. 5:10)

          The second speculative answer as to why the saints are allowed to judge the world is to satisfy questions we may have.  For instance:  Why isn’t that TV preacher here in heaven?  When we look at his deeds we see he was not a servant of God, but instead he was a greedy and power hungry megalomaniac.  He did not have a personal relationship with Jesus; he used Jesus’ name to advance his own agenda.

Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.  Many will say to Me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?”  And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” (Matt. 7:21-23)  (Emphasis supplied)                                         

Salvation vs. Deeds

          The question now arises:  Why are salvation and deeds two separate things?  This is a topic that has been debated for thousands of years, and we will not settle the matter here in this book.  But we will try to put it as simply as possible so we have a basic understanding.  Salvation is a gift that we receive freely:  we can do NOTHING to earn it.  …the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (Rom. 6:23)  So how do we receive this free gift?  It says in John 1:12, But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.  Jesus said …This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.  (John 6:29)  

When Jesus was crucified, one of the criminals being crucified next to him asked Jesus to remember him when he came in his kingdom.  Jesus replied that the criminal would be with him in paradise.  (See Luke 23:42, 43)  This man was a criminal, and he was such a bad man that the death sentence had been passed against him.  So how could Jesus simply say yes, you will be in heaven with me?  Because this criminal believed that Jesus was the Son of God and said he wanted to be with him. 

That is all that is required to be saved:  believe that Jesus is sent of God to save you and ask him to be in your life.  Suddenly your name is written in the Book of Life and heaven is yours.  …he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent me, has eternal life, and…has passed out of death into life.  (John 5:24)

  

Revelation: Satan Bound.

I am posting chapters from my sister's book, "The End is near. End Time Bible Prophecy Anyone Can Understand." E.A. James. Available at lulu.com

Continued from previous post..

          …in Christ all will be made alive.  But each in his own order:  Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end….  1 Cor. 15: 22-24  (emphasis supplied)

          Once the saved have left the earth, the final battle between good and evil, Satan and Jesus, begins.

Jesus as Warrior

          And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.  His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 

He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.  And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.  From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.  And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”  And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.  Rev. 19:11-16, 19

          The armies assembled in the plain of Megiddo were planning to wage war against one another, but as their world is falling apart and they see the armies of God descending upon them, former enemies unite and turn as one against our God.

          These (the kings of the earth) will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.  Rev. 17:14

          Jesus and his army will prevail.

          Then another angel…swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God.  And the wine press was trodden…  Rev. 14:18, 19

And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.  And the rest were killed with the sword that came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse…  Rev. 19:20, 21

          But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.  2 Pet. 3:10

          The beast, the false prophet, and all those bearing the mark of the beast will be destroyed.  The earth will be burned and left as scorched nothingness.

          Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.  And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.  Rev. 20:1-3

            It is possible that Satan is chained up and thrown into a literal pit for a thousand years.  It is also possible that he and his minions are limited to wandering the destroyed and deserted earth for the one thousand years.  Either way it is a torment for this evil angel who has been ceaselessly active for thousands of years to have absolutely nothing to do but remember the past and plan hopelessly for the future.

The question you must ask yourself is this:  Will you see Jesus as your Savior and be thrilled to see his return, or will you see Jesus as a Warrior and be filled with fear?  The choice is yours.  Free will has been given to all of us to exercise in choosing which side we will be on when the end comes.

Greed, God and the News.

Photo by: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:RMajouji

I read the New York Times, NBC News and CBC news each day. Of course, I don't read every article; that would take hours. I have dual citizenship and therefore I read a lot of politics and how both the U.S. and Canada are being governed.

Let's face it. The news is usually depressing. Wars, refugees and elections don't lift my spirit. But I've noticed lately the news is making me feel kind of ill. My heart starts hurting then my head and stomach. What I see everywhere is greed.

The worst thing I read about the U.S. is the greed of corporations. They move their operations to other countries and don't care at all about the thousands of Americans left without a job. The thing is, they aren't losing money; they just want to make more and more money. They want to take advantage of the people in other nations like China and Mexico. They want to pay wages no one could live on. The people in China who work in those factories are prisoners - not allowed to leave, working long hours. Many of them commit suicide. And most of us have heard of children in India chained to a wall while they are forced to make goods. I have read the people in Mexico are paid $5.64 per hour.

People who used to make a good living working in factories now work lower paying jobs that usually don't have benefits and a lot of people work a few part-time jobs. Companies have found if they only hire part-time staff, they don't have to give benefits.

The pharmaceutical companies are heartless; they care nothing for poor, sick people. One company was charging so much for epipens that the government had to get involved. I don't know if that is fixed or not, but I did find out a person can get that medication and needles for themselves from their doctor and not have to buy the pen. They were so expensive, only rich people could afford them.

Well, I could cite stories all day long about how greed is making a third world country out of the United States. All the wars since 9/11 has ruined their economy - but hey, that was all about money too. Billions made by Halliburton and who knows who else, and Cheney owns refineries there right now. When ISIS took one of his refineries, I said to my husband, "Watch, he will get it back really fast." And yes, I think it took a week. 

I've got to cut down on reading the news. I can't do anything about these evil people and how they harm everyone. I need to let it go and let God deal with it. He has a lot to say about rich people who harm the poor.

"Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 

Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 

Your gold and silver are corroded. 

Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. 

You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 

Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields 

are crying out against you. 

The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 

You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. 

You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.

You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you."

What does God say to the innocent?

Patience in Suffering

"Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. 

See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, 

patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 

You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 

Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. 

The Judge is standing at the door!

Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, 

take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 

As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. 

You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. 

The Lord is full of compassion and mercy."

James 5:1-11

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”   Mark 10:23

"Therefore because you impose heavy rent on the poor and exact a tribute of grain from them, Though you have built houses of well-hewn stone, Yet you will not live in them; You have planted pleasant vineyards, yet you will not drink their wine. For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great, You who distress the righteous and accept bribes And turn aside the poor in the gate."   Amos 5:11,12

"The Lord is a God who avenges.

O God who avenges, shine forth.

Rise up, Judge of the earth;

pay back to the proud what they deserve.

How long, Lord, will the wicked,

how long will the wicked be jubilant?

They pour out arrogant words;

all the evildoers are full of boasting.

They crush your people, Lord;

they oppress your inheritance.

They slay the widow and the foreigner;

they murder the fatherless.

They say, “The Lord does not see;

the God of Jacob takes no notice.”

Psalm 94:1-7