5 “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. 6 For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own. Habakkuk 1:5-6
Habakkuk has just finished complaining to God about the people of God turning their back to God in rebellion and disobedience. While Habakkuk wants to see action from God, Habakkuk is surprised that God responds by raising up a pagan army that would destroy God’s people. God raising up this wicked army shows us a few things.
1.God is involved and always responds to sin.
2.God is in control of even a powerful pagan army.
3.God treats sin very seriously.
Many people have a difficult time relating to God or his church because they imagine a God who is far away and uninvolved in the daily life we live in. The reality is that God has consistently demonstrated that he is not far away, but is actively involved in our lives. These demonstrations of God’s involvement can be clearly seen in the bible. Here are a few more…
1.In the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned, God dealt with this sin by providing consequences for sin which included being kicked out of the garden. In dealing with sin God also provided for them as he gave them clothes to wear. Genesis 3.
2.As the earth multiplied with people, sin also multiplied. God dealt with sin again by causing a flood. While God could have destroyed everyone, God saved Noah, his family and a bunch of animals. We see God again involved in the lives of men. Genesis 6-9.
3.For thousands of years a similar pattern is seen where man sin, then God corrects and puts man back on course. These corrections were never final as men would always go off course. Then Jesus is born. Jesus is born, lives a sinless life, dies on the cross for the sins of men and rises from that grave. Jesus’ perfect sacrifice was the final involvement that was needed from God regarding sin. God again gets involved in mans sin and saves men from the consequences of their sin.
God has been and will always be involved in the lives of his people because this is in his nature. The believers relationship with God is much more than a theoretical idea with no bearing on real day to day life.