Habakkuk was a prophet of God, and he was different than the others. He was freely open to questioning God which did not bother God at all and God answered Him without hesitation. Habakkuk’s questions were: Why does evil in Judah go unpunished and how can God use a wicked nation like Babylon to punish His chosen people? Some believers are like Habakkuk and they want to know what is God’s reasoning for what He is doing and why, perhaps for the same reasons as Habakkuk.
Habakkuk was concerned that there was too much evil among the righteous and too much free willing power among the wicked. Habakkuk was crying out against injustice, violence, and lawlessness that he was seeing around him. Like his nation, there are nations that are given in to immorality, idolatry, power, and greed today, and some people treat others in ways that are inhumane. However, Habakkuk was aware of God’s sovereignty. So he went to God for answers.
In answering Habakkuk the Lord said, He himself will establish His kingdom. He will hold people and nations accountable. The present may be filled with chaos and wickedness, but the future belongs to the righteous the truly righteous. God will bring his people into His kingdom, give them salvation and rest and judge the adversaries of His people.
God’s rest is the sharing of His joy, the enjoyment of being established in His presence, the same joy He had when He rested on the 7th day (ESV Study Bible, Hebrews 4:8-10). In God’s rest there is peace and order. God said that people who go astray in their heart and have not known His ways shall not enter His rest (Psalm 95:10 -11). Questioning God? God has answers.
In the day of trouble, I will seek the Lord, Psalm 77
This Psalm has a corporate focus, where a body of God’s people are being reminded of what God did in the past for His redeemed who were at His right hand, whom He led like a flock. This particular community of people were laminating and one person recognized as a community that the well-being of one affected the well-being of the whole community. In this psalm the member of the community is crying out to God regarding their day of trouble.
As a member of the community, this person encouraged the other community members to unite and seek the good of the whole. They were to remember and meditate on God and His promises and His mighty deeds when things were better. Doing so would give them confidence for what God has planned for their future.
Reflection 1: So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another (Romans 12:5). A redeemed people, citizens of the kingdom. Under the kingship of Jesus, being lead by the Holy Spirit. As God’s people, adopted children we have direct contact with the Father who keeps His promises. And as a believer or citizen of the kingdom we are to lookout for the interest and welfare (well-being) of others (Philippians 2:4).
Reflection 2: This troubled world cannot affect your future. For God has plans for your welfare (well-being) in giving you a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). He says pray and call upon Him, He will hear you. And when you seek Him with all your heart you will find Him (Jeremiah 29:12-14). Jesus expands on what God said in that as believers we are to seek the Kingdom of God and not worry or be troubled (Matthew 6:33). And apostle Paul encourages believers to not be anxious about anything and in any situation pray and put their petition in with thanksgiving when presenting their request to God (Philippians 4:6).
Let not your heart be troubled, Love from the Father.
Now on the throne interceding as the king of kings
Truth, justice, hope, and divine love reigns
ATONEMENT
Arise and Awaken your souls honor and exalt the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!!
Reading: Philippians 2:10-11
At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Blooming in grace, like a cactus blooms, planted by God in fertile ground
Blossoming luxuriously, rejoicing in joyful song to angelic symphonic sounds
Like an almond blossom, buds and flowers dancing under the brilliant rays of the sun
Blossoming gracefully, in the vineyard of love, delighting and laying in the arms of the Son
Rooted in the truth of His everlasting poetic words, written at the beginning of time
Heart pulsating, spirit blood flowing, as He whispers softly “you are Mine”
Growing and blooming in grace, in the vineyard of love, planted and rooted in fertile ground
God’s treasured flower, singing and dancing with Jesus to angelic symphonic sounds
Reading: Song of Solomon 7:12.
Let us go out early to the vineyards and see whether the vines have budded, whether the grape blossoms have opened and the pomegranates are in bloom. There I will give you my love.
Watch and stay awake, meaning be prepared, for you do not know when Jesus is coming; believers must continue the work of the Great Commission. They must be like the homeowner who stays awake in preparation to catch a thief and the faithful servants who are good and found working when their master returns home, unlike the servant who is wicked and beats his fellow servants, in addition to eating and drinking with drunkards. That wicked servant will receive his or her just judgment for being a hypocrite and cut up into pieces or vice versa; either way, there will be a gnashing of teeth.
Watch and stay awake keep your lamps burning like the five wise virgins by keeping an extra flask of oil to keep your lamps burning for the bridegroom so that you can go with Him to the wedding feast. Be not like the foolish virgins who did not keep extra oil with them and missed the bridegroom and the open door to the wedding feast. Like them, one will not be able to plead by asking, “Lord Lord, open for me,” understand and know this, there will not be a secret password. The bridegroom will say, in an authoritative, powerful way, “I know you not.” Therefore, one must watch. Watch and stay awake, meaning be prepared, to accompany Him, for you do not know the day or hour of Jesus’ return only the Father does.
In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, Jesus contrasts the pharisee boasting in his self-righteousness and a tax collector confessing his sins and seeking God’s mercy. The Pharisee, rather than thanking God for what God has done for him, speaks the Five I’s, revealing his ego-centric self. He is arrogantly bragging to God about his own religious piety and moral purity. However, the tax collector could not even lift up his eyes to heaven but beat his breast, a sign of remorse and sorrow when asking God to be merciful to him as a sinner.
In the sinner’s prayer in Psalm 51:1-2, the psalmist (David) seeks and appeals for God’s mercy and forgiveness. He is using the terms steadfast love and mercy to have God forgive him of his sins, inequity, and transgressions all of these words evoke God’s proclamation of His own name “ The Lord, the Lord, God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness keeping steadfast love for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin (Exodus 34: 6-7).” Therefore, focusing on God’s grace and kindness. David was pleading for mercy as the tax collector did in a humble manner and acknowledging that one’s forgiveness is based on God’s mercy entirely; furthermore, the tax collector and we, as sinners, acknowledge that we do not deserve God’s mercy and forgiveness.
This parable shows the contrast between the remorse of the tax collector as a sinner and the self-righteousness of the Pharisees; this is key to understanding the main point of the parable. The pharisee thought that he was righteous and attempted to justify himself. In contrast, the tax collector depended on God’s mercy and, as a result, received God’s gift of righteousness and was pronounced justified. The question is whether “to be or not to be a Pharisee; what is your answer?
In Daniel Chapter 10:11- 21, an angel, an attendee of God who reflected God’s glory, told Daniel he was a man who was greatly loved, and Daniel was to understand the words that the angel spoke to him. The angel told Daniel to stand upright, for he had been sent to him. Daniel stood trembling as the angel spoke the words he wanted Daniel to understand. Telling Daniel to not be fearful, for from the first day that Daniel had set his heart to understand and humbled himself before God, his words had been heard. Then the angel explained to Daniel that he came because of Daniel‘s words. The angel then further explained to Daniel that he was with the prince of the kingdom of Persia, who withstood him for 21 days. Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help him, for he had to leave the kings of Persia so that he could come to make Daniel understand what is to happen the in the latter days. The vision is for days yet to come.
Daniel turned his face towards the ground after the angel spoke to him, he became mute. Daniel, in this passage, described the angel as the man who appeared in the likeness of the children of man, who then touched his lips, causing him to open his mouth and speak. Once his mouth was opened and he could speak, Daniel felt the need to express and give a reason to the angel, who then was standing in front of him, that the vision had caused him pain and lessened his strength. He asked the angel how can he, as God’s servant, talk to his lord. For he had no strength and no breath left in him. So, the angel, who had the appearance of a man according to Daniel, touched and strengthened him, and said again, “oh man, greatly loved” fear not, peace be with you, be strong and of good courage. And then Daniel became strong, courageous, and strengthened by the angels, encouraging words and touch. Did you know that an encouraging word and a kind touch can encourage someone to be strengthened?
However, there is more to the story regarding God’s plan for the future of the world and Israel that is written in the book of truth, which the angel said he would tell Daniel. Needless to say, in Chapter 12:1-13, Daniel is curious when the end will come. The angel explained, “at the time of the end, there will be a time of trouble such as never been. The great prince, Michael, shall rise. The angel explained to Daniel that the Prince will be in charge of his people. At that time, his people shall be delivered, everyone whose name is found written in the Book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. The angel explained to Daniel that “ Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above,” and those who turn many to righteousness, “like the stars, forever and ever.” Then the angel instructed Daniel to shut up the words and seal the book until the time of the end, telling him, at that time, many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall increase (Daniel 12:4).
Whereas in Revelation 22:10-15, John’s angel told him not to seal his prophecy, that the time is near, for Jesus is coming soon and when He comes, He will bring to the rebellious judgment and to the believers’ blessings. Therefore, readers of the book of truth and the illuminating light of the Holy Spirit will acknowledge that the book of Daniel and Revelation has much to tell regarding mankind’s future. For God’s revealed words are true and trustworthy, and God sent his angels to reveal what will happen soon. A bit of advice as time is coming near, worship God and Him alone and be motivated that Jesus is coming soon, bringing blessings with Him.
Open your hearts and understand that the poor are the blessed ones. And whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered (Proverbs 21:13). Let God’s poor be glad for He thinks highly of them (James 1:9).
One day the poor will be raised from the dust and the needy will be lifted from the ash heap; And God will seat them with princes and He will have them inherit a throne of honor. “For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; on them he has set the world (1 Samuel 2:8). He is God alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; He has made heaven and earth. God rules over all the kingdoms of-the nations. In His hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand Him the poor have hope, and injustice will shut its mouth (Job 5:16).
God has written that believers are to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor (Exodus 9:22). Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen (Isaiah 32:3). For Jesus said as He lifted His eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom” ( Luke 6:20).
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