Is Evil Prevailing?

Compared to many other books of the Bible, Habakkuk is a relatively obscure little, (three chapter), book in the Old Testament. But like ALL of God’s Word, it is a powerhouse of truth just waiting for discovery by the faithful who seek insight from the living, breathing truth we find in all of scripture.

Habakkuk is actually a book that describes a back and forth conversation between the Prophet and God, written about 600 years before the birth of Christ. In chapters one and two we find Habakkuk asking God the question, “WHY IS EVIL PREVAILING?” Representing the people of Israel, Habakkuk sees the utter chaos, confusion and injustice coming to the people at the hands of the Babylonians.

Have you ever asked God the question, “Why is my enemy winning!?” Have you ever looked at circumstances and situations in your life and in the world in general and thought, “why does God not intervene!?!”

As Habakkuk questions God, The Lord is faithful to respond. In essence, He let’s Habakkuk know that He will use the perceived power of the Babylonians to teach the nation of Israel a much needed lesson about their need for trust and obedience in all that He represents for them.  

As God reveals this to Habakkuk, the Prophet responds with heartbreak and questions God’s plan. He makes it clear that the people are at a breaking point and struggling to exist under such tyranny. Ultimately Habakkuk questions God’s use of evil to bring about his desired outcome from a disobedient people. And what was God’s response? He reminds Habakkuk that his job was not to question, but to trust and obey. He reassures Habakkuk that He has a plan, so Habakkuk steps back with His heart restored and presses own with the call of God on His life. 

In verse five of chapter one of Habakkuk, God begins to reveal that Habakkuk will see amazing things happen as the Lord’s plan unfolds! He says,

“Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed.For I am going to do something in your daysthat you would not believe,even if you were told, you would not believe it!”

There’s a great spiritual truth for our understanding found in this dialogue between the Prophet and His God followed by the subsequent events that God will disclose in the lives of His people. In that ancient Biblical time, like today we know that evil is at work in the world. And as painful as we know it is, we must realize that because we belong to God, there is a great good that will come from such evil as we trust and obey. If we stand firm in our Faith, we know He will be victorious in His plan which ultimately prevails without exception. We must rest in this reassurance even when it all looks hopeless and the enemy appears to be winning the battle! 

Echoing in the message of Habakkuk is God’s declaration that His people will surely live by faith. 

“See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright— but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness” Habakkuk 2:4

And then in the New Testament the writer of Hebrews declares this truth and takes in to a deeper level when He reveals God’s disappointment when we don’t trust and obey. Look at these words from Hebrews 10:38…

"but my righteous one shall live by faith,and if he shrinks back my soul has no pleasure in him."

And throughout the New Testament’s Gospel truth we see a continual reminder of this undeniable principle. Just look!

Romans 1:17 “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Galatians 3:11 "Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith."

In fact, this message is at the essence of the Cross! When we live in faith, trusting our Savior Jesus, God reveals His righteousness. And at the core of this truth is our victory over evil through Jesus who hung and died on the Cross for our sins and was resurrected in Glory! God overcame the enemy for us through Jesus, because we couldn’t do it ourselves. 

When the Bible says “the Righteous will live by Faith” we understand that we are only made righteous by what Jesus has done for us. The foundation of Faith is believing this and living in a way that declares that, “I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL FOR IT IS THE POWER UNTO SALVATION!” (Romans 1:16)

What does this look like in life application? HOW is this truth revealed in our lives as we follow Christ and demonstrate that He truly is our Lord? Here are a three ways that our Heavenly Father reveals His righteousness in our lives as we live by Faith:

1. We Look past the Storm into the Hope of the future KNOWING that God wins.

2. We never say “we don’t have enough” because in Christ, through God’s provision there is ALWAYS more than enough.

3. We depend on what God WILL do because the battle is His for His Kingdom’s sake. We just move forward in obedience as we wait, watch and prepare for His work through us.

If you belong to God, know that your enemy is His enemy and He will win for you even when the outcome looks hopeless. He will give you what you need to move forward as it’s time to move forward because He is working out a plan for His ultimate Kingdom purposes. If something or someone is standing in His way, HE WILL REMOVE IT!