FACING THE FUTURE WITH HOPE

 

FACING THE FUTURE WITH HOPE

Michael Joseph Gowon

Habakkuk was aware of the wickedness of the Babylonians who were ruling at that time. Violence, cruelty, treachery was on the increase. In chapter 1 Habakkuk voiced his complaint to God about the injustice and wickedness he observed among his own people, particularly the Israelites. He was troubled by the prevalence of violence, iniquity, and wrongdoing. God responded to Habakkuk's complaint by revealing that He intends to use the Chaldeans (Babylonians) as a tool of divine judgment against the Israelites. However, this raises further questions for Habakkuk, as he questions why God would use a nation even more wicked than Israel to punish His people.

 In Chapter 2, God reassured Habakkuk that the Babylonians' arrogance and cruelty will not go unpunished. They will ultimately face divine judgment for their wickedness and pride. And further in that chapter God introduces the popular phrase of, "The righteous shall live by faith," emphasizing the importance of trust and faith in God's ultimate justice, even when faced with difficult circumstances and apparent injustices.

 In Chapter three Habakkuk raised a Prayer of Praise and Trust in God's sovereignty and power. Habakkuk acknowledges God's mighty deeds in history, including the Exodus and other acts of deliverance, and expresses his faith in God's ability to save His people. He finally resolved to trust in God even if it involves suffering and uncertainty. He acknowledges that, despite the hardships that may come, he will rejoice in the Lord and find his strength in God.

 We live in an age where there is little or no hope for the future. Many things are happening that points to the fact that unless we intentionally choose to live by faith, we cannot make it in the days ahead. Habakuk cried out to God asking him to intervene:

^“Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention” (1:3).

 God’s response to him was simple, and I believe it is the same response He is declaring to you and me in our difficult days and seasons. “The Just shall live by faith” (2:4).

 Habakkuk observed that in his days, “the wicked doth compass about the righteous, . . . wrong judgment proceedeth” (1:4). The people were terrible and dreadful (1:7). In the midst of all these disheartening manifestations, Habakkuk was full of hope. He saw his future from God’s perspective. He did not allow the prevailing situations in Babylon to design his tomorrow. He chose to commit himself to prayer and meditation.

“I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved” (2:1).  Habakkuk was willing to stand and watch and see. He was ready and committed to listening to God to hear what He will say to him and was willing to answer back to God appropriately. He even declared his vision of a prosperous tomorrow, or for the better days ahead.

“For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry” (2:3). With the eye of God, Habakkuk, saw the future of the earth that is filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (2:14).

 No wonder, he cried out to God for his swift intervention to revive His work in the midst of the years. “O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy” (3:2). Habakkuk then declared that he will face his future with hope and expectations, he had conditioned his heart to think more like God and not as mere man. He acknowledged God’s power and majesty. He accepted God’s ability to deliver, to provide, to protect and laid his life and his future in His abled hands.

 ^“The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. . . . .” (3:19). The hinds ‘feet is a metaphor comparing God’s strength to the strength of a hind, a type of a deer known for its speed and agility. Habakkuk was declaring that God will give him the strength to overcome his enemies and to walk in victory. Hinds are able to run quickly and easily over rough terrain. In the same manner, we must not face our future discouraged, disenfranchised, but look to it with the confidence that we will overcome all the obstacles in our path.

 God will help you to “walk upon your high places.” He will help you to achieve your goals, fulfil your dreams and make good your outstanding priorities. That verse 19 of Habakkuk 3 is a declaration of trust in God’s power and his confidence that God will help him to overcome his enemies, his inhibitions, limitations and obstacles. The truth cannot be overemphasized that in this hour really,” the just shall live by faith.”

 Like Habakkuk, let us look into our future with God’s eyes. “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity” (1:13a).  Until you chose to stand upon your watch, and set your heart, your eyes, ears and feet to do only his biddings daily, you will face your tomorrow with a lot of discouragement, hopelessness, fear and anxiety or a defeat mentality.

 Let me end this exhortation, by commanding you to take your eyes away from that challenge, and put in on God’s unfailing ability to deliver and provide succour for you in all circumstances. Habakkuk used his farming memories to explain his resolve to trust God no matter what. He proclaimed:

’’Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls” (3:17). He captured six negatives here and said, even if these six things do not come to be, he will not loose hope in the God who knows the end from the beginning. The one who was in the end before he even started the beginning. Our God is awesome. Let everything humanly speaking fail.” Yet, Habakkuk declared he will trust God for his deliverance.

“Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation” (3:18). I have made up my mind like Habakkuk, to look unto my future with hope. Our God is sufficient. He is your deliverer, your way maker, the light in your darkness.

 “And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD” (Jer. 31:17). “For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope” (Ecc. 9:4). Job declared “For there is hope of a tree, it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.” (Job 14:7). And just like it was in the days of Ezra when Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, said, “We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land, yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing” (Ezra 10:2).  If you listen to the sound of wisdom you will escape with your life and be a blessing to your generation, but if you ignore God’s bidding, then this scripture will be fulfilled on you that, “there is more hope for a fool than you” (Prov. 26:12; 29:20).