When, Lord, When?

READ: HABAKKUK 1:1-11; 2:3, 14; 3:11-19; REVELATION 21:1-5

Ever heard of Habakkuk? This book of the Bible isn’t preached on or discussed very often, which is a shame because it’s a fantastic gem in Scripture. Like the other eleven minor prophet books, Habakkuk provides a snapshot of Israel’s history, one that reveals not only God’s plan but also relates to us today.

The prophet Habakkuk prays a prayer I think many of us have uttered at some point: “How long, LORD, must I call for help?” (Habakkuk 1:2). Simple. Direct. Clear.

Lord, we’re in trouble here. When are You going to step in and help us?

God answers, but not how Habakkuk wanted. God raises up the Chaldean army, the ultimate fighting machine, to invade Judah and imprison the Israelites living there.

Huh? How is that an answer to Habakkuk’s prayer? He wanted an end to the pain, and yet it looked like God was going to make the situation worse. Enslavement by the mighty Chaldeans seemed the unlikeliest solution of all. What Habakkuk didn’t know was that the Chaldeans were merely an object in God’s plan to save His people.

Fast forward 600 years. Israel is awaiting a Messiah, one who would deliver them from their suffering. At that time, it was no longer the Chaldeans who oppressed them but the Romans. So the Israelites wanted a mighty warrior, the ultimate fighting machine who would propel them to victory. Instead, they received Jesus, a wandering rabbi and His ragtag group of followers. Their hopes ended at Calvary, where Jesus hung on a cross and died.

What they didn’t know is that the only means of deliverance—which is what they had been waiting for—was the Messiah’s death, not His army. Jesus’s work on the cross and His resurrection from the dead give us hope now and forever. He was and is our answer to the question, “How long?” • Mike Hurley

• Have you had a situation that made you ask, “How long?” God invites us to be totally honest with Him about how badly suffering hurts us and what we want Him to do about it. He sees, and He cares—so much so that Jesus came to conquer sin and death to save us. So now, we can look forward to the day Jesus will return. Then there will be no more sin or suffering or death (Revelation 21:1-5). In the meantime, we can rest knowing that He loves us and promises to be with us, strengthening us even in hard times. How does knowing Jesus give us hope in suffering?

How long, LORD, must I call for help and you do not listen or cry out to you about violence and you do not save? Habakkuk 1:2 (CSB)