Unbelievable

By Gail Peo

In Habakkuk 1:1-4, we listened to Habakkuk’s complaint that he was being forced to look upon violence, iniquity, and destruction in Judah. He wanted to know how long God would allow these wicked practices to exist. God’s answer to him was,

“Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.”

Habakkuk 1: 5

What would Habakkuk not believe? Was it unbelief that God could or would work to remove evil practices in Judah? No, it was the method that God would use to accomplish this. Discipline would come from the Chaldeans, a bitter and hasty nation, who stole dwellings not their own, and had self-determined dignity and justice. Why would God use a people more wicked than the Jews to punish the Jews? Why would God use “guilty men whose own might is their god?”

Let me remind you, Abraham was called out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to be given the promised land of Israel and Judah. (Genesis 15:7) Now God was going to use the Chaldeans to correct His wayward people? Incredible!

Other Bible passages give us insight into this enigma: Psalm 75:7; Daniel 2:20-21; Romans 13:1. These verses remind us that God puts down one king and exalts another. He removes kings and establishes kings. In fact there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.

Make no mistake, God is in control. The strength of the Chaldeans was not their own doing, but God’s plan to correct His nation Israel.