In any one day, I look around, read the news, or talk with people and see unrighteousness all around. I wonder, “where can righteousness be found these days?” Well, I find plenty of righteousness because I live in a bubble of relationships with people who have put their faith and trust in God. And I also recognize the righteousness acts of unbelievers as well, after all, they too have a God-given conscience. The prophet Habakkuk (around 600 BCE) wrestled with the unrighteousness in his day and recorded God’s thoughts and words for us today. In particular God pronounced five “woes” (judgments) for the following: 1. profiting from others unfairly to to their harm; 2. profiting from evil enterprise, 3. advocating or allowing violence, 4. sexual perversion without regard to the pain and degradation of others, and 5. flat out idolatry and rejection of the living God. All of these would bring God’s judgment from a nearby wicked people. Oh how we should attend to our faith more and more. Instead of arrogance, we should become righteous through faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ. Certainly Martin Luther (the great reformer) was wise to camp out on this thought and declare the importance of Sola Fide (faith alone saves)! But remember, as John MacArthur has preached- faith that saves is never alone- its accompanied by good works!
Behold, as for the impudent one,
His soul is not right within him;
But the righteous one will live by his faith Habakkuk 2:4 NASB
Woe to him who increases what is not his—
For how long— v6b
Woe to him who makes evil profit for his household,
To put his nest on high,
To be saved from the hand of catastrophe! v9
Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed,
And founds a town with violence! v12
Woe to him who makes his neighbor drink;
To you who mix in your venom even to make your neighbors drunk,
So as to look at their genitalia! v15
Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, ‘Awake!’
To a mute stone, ‘Arise!’
That is your teacher?
Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver,
Yet there is no breath at all inside it.
20 But the Lord is in His holy temple.
Let all the earth be silent before Him.” v19-20 NASB
God, as this day begins, I am praying that those who are protesting for righteousness will be protected and heard. May messages that uphold righteousness be understood and move all us to truth, compassion, and love. I ask that those who seek to do harm, to destroy property, to agitate authorities be arrested and stopped by a firm display of law and order. We are a godless society trying to resolve problems and sin without You, O Lord. We are the worshippers of silent wood that cannot speak. My ear is attentive to You. Speak Lord, for your servant awaits.
