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Saturday, 18^th November 2023

Alex Buabeng-Korsah

TOPIC: O LORD, ARE YOU NOT?

THEME SCRIPTURE: “Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.” – Habakkuk 1:12

 

PREPARATORY QUESTIONS:

1. Was it that the prophet Habakkuk was surprised or perplexed at what God was going to do?

 

 

Habakkuk lamented and when God responded with a gist of what He was going to do, the prophet could not wrap his head around it.

What? How could God think of doing this? In his earlier complaints, Habakkuk expressed impatience at God. But in his present complaint, he could not hide his perplexity. Therefore, he calls the name and character of God into question.

“Are you not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One,” the prophet questioned (Hab 1:12)? Has God not existed from eternity past? Will he not exist into eternity future? Is He not the one who has been active in time and space and yet He created both? Then he adds, “my Holy One." God is so holy that He can’t behold evil, and neither can He be united with iniquity. How then can He employ the wicked to execute His judgment? How can God permit the wicked Chaldeans to devour Judah? If their iniquities should be weighed in a scale, Judah might be found more righteous than the Chaldeans. “You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look upon vexation. Why do you look upon those who deal deceitfully,” Habakkuk questioned? (Hab 1:13). Is this not contrary to the nature of the Holy One?

It is startling sometimes how God does His things. However, is it not because we try to box Him in our human thinking.

Did not God create us all? If He wants to achieve His purpose, what stops Him from using you, or your enemy, or the devil as well? To us, we know the wicked, the more wicked and the most wicked. But to God, He knows His people who have turned from His ways and those who do not know His ways. If those who know His ways will choose to subscribe to evil and the crooked ways of this mundane world, God will use the unexpected to execute His judgement.

Further, throughout the Holy Scriptures, God has used the unconventional, the foolish things of this world, and the ‘not-so-expected’ to fulfil His purpose, so that all will know that this is of God.

He used the little boy Samuel to speak to the aged prophet Eli. He used underaged David to bring giant Goliath down. He employed the ravens to feed Elijah and a donkey to correct Balaam. What more can we say? God used a pagan king—King Cyrus—to build His temple. God cannot be predicted.

Precious One, God is eternal and of pure eyes. However, He can employ anyone and any means to achieve His purpose.

We can only trust Him even when we do not understand His approaches. Beloved, two things to learn from this text before us. First, we can easily miss God if we are expecting God to move or bring us help only in ways we know. God is sovereign. Secondly, if the people who know God’s way will choose to live like the worldly, then He will deliver them to pagans to ridicule, abuse and torment them. This calls for a careful consideration of your ways, precious one, and also God’s ways. Keep your ways pure by walking in His word, and when it comes to God, expect Him to move in any way. He is God. Remain blessed.

 

FURTHER READING – Habakkuk 1:1-17

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:

1. How open are you to God’s ways and how are you conversant with God using any one to influence and affect your life?

 

PRAYER

Dear Lord, help me to be conscious that you are eternal. Your ways are not my ways. I receive understanding to walk circumspectly, not as a fool but as a wise person. Redeeming the time because the days are evil. Glory to God!

 

1-Year Bible Reading Plan

Nehemiah 5; Nehemiah 6; Joel 1; 1 Thessalonians 5