When I
recently reviewed Habakkuk, I must admit I was a little embarrassed that I have
privately expressed the same feeling of despaired outcry. I am referring to chapter 1, verses 2 and
3. Like no time in the past, I have felt that things have
gotten so bad that if God doesn’t act soon, there won’t be anything left of
this planet to act on.
Yes, I’m
well aware of Paul’s words to Timothy that “in the last days critical
times hard to deal with will be here.” How critical would they get? In verses 2
through 4 he elaborates: “Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,
boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal,
having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without
self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed
up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God.” But just how
critical, or to what extent, corruption would be allowed is what surprises me. In
retrospect, I guess my expectations for this were that the “underbelly” of
society would be that way, but not “respectable society.” However, one point
that should have given me a better clue is verse five: That those displaying
the traits mentioned in vss.2-4 would be “having an appearance of godliness but
proving false to its power.” In other words, a facade of godly respectability but completely hypocritical.
Today the
news is rife with politicians, police, and corporate leaders all guilty of wanton
immoral and unethical behavior. The Bible tells of
an instance when a sounder
of swine rushes off the edge of a cliff. Today, it seems the masses of
mankind are following the swine right off the edge of social structure. The
very fiber of society is collapsing like soap bubbles in a bubble bath. Indeed,
today like never before in recent history, self-willed and self-serving people full
of hatred, anger, and arrogance, seem to have the upper hand. More than any
other time in my life I feel as did Habakkuk, pleading with God, wondering, “How
much longer will this be tolerated before you act?” But apparently I’m not
alone in amongst my contemporaries. Revelation 6:10
mentions the same strong sympathies when it asks how long or “Until when?!”
Adding
to this feeling, I have noted it is not only believers that are concerned, but
even those without faith are worried for the survival of humanity and this
planet. In times past, those not making the Bible part of their life have
always retorted that “the government will work things out, there is no worry.”
But not so today. A growing number of people are truly frightened that this
whole world is on the edge of destruction.
While
we believers do not share that hopeless outcome, still we are left begging God
to act soon. Just as in times past, even when all seemed
totally lost, God did indeed work things out for the benefit of his loyal ones.
So this remains my confidence, “God is not slow
respecting his promise,” but he is patient because he wants as many as
possible to come in line with his solution for saving mankind. So just as God
promised Habakkuk, “For the vision is yet for its appointed time, and it is
rushing toward its end, and it will not lie. Even if it should delay, keep in
expectation of it! For it will without fail come true. It will not be late!” (2:3) So while
believers today may have started to feel things have “delayed,” we should all
take courage that without fail “it will NOT be late.”
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