Friday, 17th November 2023
Alex Buabeng-Korsah
TOPIC: BEHOLD, REGARD AND WONDER MARVELOUSLY?
THEME SCRIPTURE: “Behold ye among the nations, and regard, and wonder marvelously: for I will work a work in your days, which you will not believe, though it were told you.” – Habakkuk 1:5
PREPARATORY QUESTIONS:
- What was God going to do that the prophet Habakkuk cannot phathom?
After the prophet Habakkuk had expressed his frustration at the ongoing violence and lawlessness among God’s people, He responded. His reply to the prophet was summed up in these words: “Behold”, “Regard” and “Wonder marvelously”. What is God saying by these words? Further, God adds that He will work a work in his days such that if it was told him beforehand, he will not believe it (Hab 1:5). Thus, God assured that what was coming from His side will startle, not only the prophet but everyone who will be alive to see it. He [God] has plans to tackle the orgies of wickedness in full swing within the nation. So, He admonished, “Behold”. See it with the eyes of your imagination God’s judgment being launched out in full swing.
What God does, and how He does it, including His judgment, is always unbelievable.
Beloved, it is interesting to note that God gave a gist to the prophet what He was going to do. He is going to use an unlikely instrument—the Babylonians (Chaldeans)—in His judgment of Judah. All this while that Habakkuk thought God was doing nothing, He was raising that bitter (savage, merciless) and hasty nation as an instrument of His judgement. He was going to judge the situation Habakkuk was frustrated about. The Chaldeans will come and march through the length and breath of the land of Judah and whatever is not theirs, will they take (Hab 1:6). God reminded the prophet and his people to regard (or take into consideration) the dread which was coming. Even though they are God’s people, when the cup of iniquity is full, His judgment will pour out.
Precious one, what an irony, that violent Judah is going to be delivered into the hands of a nation that makes virtue out of violence.
Like the leopard, the Babylonians are hasty for the prey and like the evening wolves, they are passionate for the spoil (Hab 1:8). This nation is so lawless that it abides by no rules in its conquest. Judah has rejected the law of his God. A lawless and unprincipled pagan nation will give her a raw taste of lawlessness. In the days of Moses, God had warned that if His people will turn away from His law, “Then the LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand. A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young” (Deut 28:49-50). And how God was going to roll out this was going to utterly daze Judah and the prophet Habakkuk.
Beloved, Jesus pointed it out that in these last days iniquity shall abound (Matt 24:13) and we are seeing it.
Men have become lovers of themselves, being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness. They are full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; being whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful (Rom 1:29-31). The other truth is that God is not asleep; there is a judgment day coming. How dreadful that day will be is still unfathomable. The dead, the small and the great, shall stand before God; and the books will be opened (Rev 20:11-12). Which books? What is contained in those books? Until then, beloved, behold, regard and wonder marvelously because Jesus is coming again to judge this world. Remain prepared.
FURTHER READING – Habakkuk 1:1-5
Call to Salvation: Today is your day if you have not received salvation by turning over your life to Jesus Christ. Click here to do so.
QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU MEDITATE ON THE WORD:
- Are you considering and living in anticipation of the coming Jesus Christ, who will judge the quick and the dead?
CONFESSION
Eternal Father, the days are evil and the times are perilous. You have said that those who will endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. I receive grace today to endure to the end. Living daily in you , with you and for you, in Jesus’ precious name. Hallelujah!
1-Year Bible Reading Plan
Nehemiah 4; Hosea 14; 1 Thessalonians 3; 1 Thessalonians 4
Comments powered by CComment