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October 1 - Habakkuk 3 - "How Can We Rejoice in the Lord when all seems Lost?"

MPC 1st October 2017.

Chris Hogbin

It's January 1956. Jim Elliot and his wife Elisabeth have moved to Ecuador, South America. They're going to share the gospel with native tribes. They start off spending lots time with the 'friendly' natives. They learn the language and get to know the culture. Jim and four friends decide it's time to share the gospel with the Auca tribe. These notorious Auca Indians are merciless. They've got a reputation for killing any 'white' folk who enter their territory. Spare a thought for the wives of the men, they're just trying to hang on through this wild ride. Especially Elisabeth, she's busy looking after their 10-month old.

The men plan as well as you can going into unchartered dangerous territory! And the first few days it's going okay. They're making progress. Or at least they think so. But on Sunday January 8, there's silence. No radio contact. Something's wrong. Search parties are sent out and people are starting to worry. After what seems like an eternity, a search party finds the bodies of Jim and his four friends brutally murdered; killed by the tribe they were trying to save. Left behind is Elisabeth who now has to fend for herself as she looks after the baby.

Put yourself in her shoes for a minute! She's just lost her husband; now she's a single mum, stuck in a foreign country, in the jungle; thousands of miles from home. She's lost everything. I wonder how she 'd be feeling towards God? Angry? Questioning? Surely she's gotta be asking why? If I was her I'd be thinking "I gave up everything to serve you. And you take my husband? Jim was a good man trying to serve you, and the very people he was trying to help, spear him to death... . leaving me here alone in the jungle. How can this be the best plan? How can I rejoice in you when all is lost?"

And that's what we're going to think through today. "How can we rejoice in the Lord when all is lost?" When everything seems hopeless. Maybe you can relate to that. Habakkuk certainly can; as we come to chapter 3, where he's wrestling with this exact question.

"How can we rejoice in the Lord when all is lost?"

So keep your bibles open - Habakkuk Chapter 3.

Now if you were here last week you'd remember in the first two chapters Habakkuk is wrestling with God. Ryan painted a picture for us of Habakkuk's tussle with God. Habakkuk doesn't understand the way God is doing things. And when he does, he doesn't like it.

A quick 2 minute recap. Habakkuk is a prophet living in Judah. The last remaining tribe of God's people. And as God's people, they're meant to be set apart - different from the other nations - they're meant to follow his ways. Do what's righteous, just and true.

But Judah, God's chosen people, are a mess. They neglect his law, they're violent, they're unjust, and the leadership is completely corrupt. So Habakkuk cries out to God, "why are you letting this injustice go unpunished?" In verse 2 of chapter 1 he demands,

How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you don't listen?

And in 3,

Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?

And Gods answers him; but not the way he's expecting!

God tells Habakkuk that he will deal with Judah's sin; but that's not the surprising bit; God says in chapter 1 verse 6 that he'll raise up the Babylonians to punish them. That's how he's going to deal with Judah's sin.

Habakkuk is outraged. How could God use a nation even more evil than Judah to discipline Judah for their evil? Doesn't make any sense!

So Habakkuk, full of wisdom of course, tries to show God the flaws in his plan; the mistake He's making in using the Babylonians!

Chapter 2, we saw God graciously answering Habakkuk and explaining his plan. That down the track there'll be justice for Babylon as well. At his appointed time. But for now, God asks Habakkuk to wait; to be patient, to have faith in him and his promises even when things get tough. And boy are they going to get tough.

So that's where we pick up the story in chapter 3. God has spoken, and now it's Habakkuk's turn to respond. You could say the ball is in his court!

And as I read these chapters it reminded me of a time with my boy Jesse.

Every afternoon in our place we try and keep a similar routine with the kids. Keeps us sane and makes sure we don't miss anything important... like dinner for example. And the kids thrive on routine too. So around 5 each afternoon it's time for half an hour of wholesome, educational... TV! I'd love to tell you we're one of those families that sit around and debrief the day, or play a game of family Sudoku, but no. Our place at this time is too chaotic. Telena and I catch our breath and cook dinner while Peter Rabbit looks after the kids.

But this one particular night, 5 o'clock comes around and I say to Jesse, come up to the bench and sit down until dinner is ready, we're not watching TV before dinner. He's indignant! "But dad, we always watch TV before dinner. You say we have to stick to the rules and now you're breaking them... we always watch TV before dinner." What he doesn't know is that tonight I've got a special plan for us. This is a Friday night and the mighty Rabbitohs are playing. If you know anything about NRL and the Rabbitohs, you'll know this scenario didn't happen in the last month! We normally take September off!

But I don't want to give the surprise away so I say to him, "Jess, you're right I do love routine but tonight we're doing it my way. I've got a plan; it's a good plan. But for now you're just going to have to wait patiently and trust my promise." You can see Jesse sitting at the bench with protest written all over his little face. You can almost feel him bubbling over with protest. But is he going to trust my plan?

That's Habakkuk. Boiling over in protest, struggling with the thought of waiting, frustrated because his plan is so much better than God's Plan. So what's he going to do? How will he respond?

Well, he does what any typical Aussie bloke does when he's boiling over with frustration... he writes a prayer song to God, like a psalm. That's what this chapter is. And you'll notice a whole bunch of weird words throughout chapter 3 like Shigionoth, which is the type of instrument used, and selah, which is talking about stanzas. This was actually meant to be sung - and no I won't sing it for you - but those words give instructions to the musicians. So this is a song. How do you think its going to start? It's no surprise, that a frustrated Habakkuk begins with 15 verses of protest to God.

Let's have a look, starting in verse 2 what's he say? Keep in mind, Habakkuk is supposed to be waiting patiently while the Babylonians invade Judah; and then God's going to act in his own time. To bring justice to Babylon as well.

He says God, I've heard of your fame! I know all the things you've done in the past! I stand in awe of all you've done! So do it again now! I don't want to wait, take down the Babylonians now.

Look at all your promises. Look at how you've been merciful in the past. Habakkuk lists off examples. He's saying, "I know what you have done in the past; do it again now!"

Verses 3-8. He describes the days of old when God came forth as a brilliant Warrior. When he defeated Israel's enemies with lightning, plagues, earthquakes and storms. Showed his power; showed his character. Intervene now! Display your power against the Babylonians. Do it again now, I don't want to wait!

Verses 9 to 13, God's arriving like a bowman; and even the rivers, and the mountains, and the sun and moon - they're all acknowledging God and acting for his purposes. And all of it, in verse 13, was to save his chosen people, his anointed one.

So Habakkuk says to God, why not do it again now? I don't want to wait.

Habakkuk is desperately trying to find some argument that will strike a chord with God, some reason to change his mind. Just like Jesse saying to me,

Trying every angle. To get his way.

Habakkuk's still going in verses 13-15...

"I remember your decisive victory over Pharaoh. I've read about it in the scriptures. I know how you re-established order and justice by crushing the leader of the land of wickedness. Egypt. We were wretched and in hiding." You saved us then.

He's spent the first 15 verses asking for God to intervene now. When suddenly he remembers. It dawns on him. Who it is he's actually talking to.

And there's a sudden change of tone.

It's not clear exactly what changes Habakkuk's heart here. Whether he just resigns himself to the fact that God is in control. Or maybe, after writing about all the times God has proven himself, Habakkuk's humbled; he remembers that this God is the God of the universe and his plans actually are best.

Whatever the reason Habakkuk stops; he stops his plea for God to intervene now. He accepts the fact that Babylon will soon rise against them.

And with that comes a wave of honest fear. At the prospect of Babylon attacking. Verse 16, his heart's pounding, his lips are quivering. Decay creeping into his bones; his legs trembling.

Because things are bad in Judah. And they're only going to get worse.

Have a look at verses 17-19. There's no food. Figs, grapes, olives, produce, sheep, cattle. No food now, and without this year's crops, we don't have seed for next year. He's saying, "today's a disaster, and tomorrow's going to get worse." Everything seems hopeless. I wonder how you'd be feeling?

Habakkuk's terror stricken, Hemmed in by Babylon. With no food to survive. He's feeling hopeless and helpless. And yet it's at this point that Habakkuk shows his true colours. In this hour of agony, he submits to the Lord; and declares his faithfulness; no matter what the consequences.

He's had his whinge, and now he says, I will trust you God, I will trust your promises no matter what.

Pick up in 17.

the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
    and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
    I will be joyful in God my Saviour.
The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
    he enables me to tread on the heights.

Habakkuk trusts in God and his promises even though things seem hopeless.

And He doesn't just trust God's plan; he rejoices in it. He rejoices in the Lord; his saviour, and his strength. He finds joy in the only thing that can't be taken away, the only solid foundation. See if Habakkuk finds his greatest joy in the Lord, it's a joy that can never be taken away.

Now none of this is easy for Habakkuk. This is not a happy laughing joy, but a deep joy knowing that God has a plan. Because on the outside, life sucks. The Babylonians are still there. There's still no fruit on the vines. Having a deep joy in the Lord doesn't mean he's always going to be happy, or that he's never going to worry.

Habakkuk is in a world of pain. But in this pain, he surrenders himself to God's plan. And that's when he goes on to say he has a deep joy in the Lord. He can rejoice in what the Lord has done, and what the Lord will do. Even if everything is taken away, he still has God and his promises.

And this is what God meant back in chapter 2 verse 4. The righteous person lives by trusting God's promises. By faithfulness.

Habakkuk was learning to live by faith. Even when everything else is taken away. No matter how hard things get, he's going to keep believing, keep trusting the promises of God. And he can rejoice in this. He can draw future confidence from God's track record of saving his people and keeping his promises. Evil has not triumphed, God will keep his promises to rid the world of injustice and save his faithful people.

That's a big ask isn't it? But we're called to the same. Trust God's promises.

Habakkuk looked forward to a day when this promise would be fulfilled. We have the benefit of looking back and seeing how God's biggest promise has been fulfilled.

See, hundreds of years after Habakkuk, evil and injustice were flourishing as they had so often before. God's anointed one was under threat again... this time in Jesus. And God didn't intervene. It looks like evil has triumphed when Jesus is nailed to the cross. But God has a far better plan. Because Jesus was raised from the dead; and at that point was fulfilling God's promises to save his people and deal with evil once and for all.

And if you can trust that. Then nothing else matters. If you can trust in the Lord regardless of what else is going on, then you can rejoice because his promises are far better than anything you could come up with.

And this is where the rubber hits the road.

And that's really tough, isn't it? There are so many things competing for our greatest joy. But if we find our deepest joy in things other than God, then our joy will ultimately be taken from us. And you see it happen all the time. When people find their greatest joy in loved ones and they pass away, their situation is utterly hopeless. People will die, homes come and go, bodies decay. Where do you look to find your joy, where do you search for joy? Could it be in financial security, maybe in sport, your social status, furthering your career, or maybe even food. Now these might be good things in and of themselves, but they can't be the greatest joy in your life. They cannot give us true joy and will ultimately be taken from us. But if you trust in Christ, if he's your greatest joy, then joy can be taken from you, but your greatest joy serves as the firm foundation that can be rebuilt upon. All those other things we mentioned can be taken away in an instant, but not Christ.

And I don't feel qualified to speak on this from much experience. But we can learn from Paul here. If anyone has been through suffering, it's him. In Corinthians 11-12 Paul says this.:

I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.

And a little further on he says these words,

That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.

Paul can delight, he can rejoice, because he knows that it is for Christ's sake. He is the main thing. Nothing else comes close. Paul is saying, "I will trust you; I will rejoice in you... even when all seems lost."

And you know what, there is going to be a time when you feel like Habakkuk. A time when today is tough, and you can't see yourself even getting through to tomorrow. For you this morning it could well be today. A time when all seems lost and the future seems hopeless.

But if you have Jesus as your greatest joy, surrender to his plan, then nothing can take that away. The joy of eternal security far outweighs anything this world can throw at you.

And that's how Elisabeth Elliot gets through her horrible situation in the jungle. That's the reason she rejoices in her suffering. That's the reason she stays with the Aucas, to share that joy with the tribe who killed her husband. Two years after Jim's death, she actually moves in with the Aucas. Through her ministry, the man who threw the spear that killed her husband came to know this joy; and spent his life sharing it with others.

By trusting in God's promise and having him as our greatest joy, we can rejoice in the Lord when everything else seems hopeless. Can you say this? Can you say this morning, Lord I'm going to trust you even when all seems lost?

Habakkuk certainly couldn't at the start. But after whinging and complaining, he remembers who God really is. A good powerful and faithful God with a proven track record of keeping his promises.

Even though his situation seems hopeless, he can say, God I trust you. I can rejoice in you and your plan... even though all seems lost.

And you can too. God promises to deal with evil and save his people through Jesus. And you can trust that. Because Jesus has come and died on the cross. Evil has been defeated, our sins have been wiped away; we look forward to eternal life. Death has lost its sting. And that's something we can rejoice in, even when all seems lost.