Habakkuk: Hope Beyond the HeadlinesSample

ARE THESE WOES FOR ME?

The five woes against the Babylonians (also known as the Chaldeans) were a consolation to the people of Israel that justice would come. We also have the assurance that, as God promised to bring justice against the oppressors in the time of Habakkuk, all who do evil in every generation will someday be judged.

Remember that though the Babylonians themselves were unjust, they had been sent by God as an instrument of justice against Israel. God’s chosen people had also been unjust. They were the ones who had taken advantage of the poor and vulnerable (Habakkuk 1:2-4). They, too, had been motivated by greed, pride, and idol worship. There is a reminder here for all of us. As we long for justice, we must search our own hearts. As we long for God’s punishment of the wicked, are we sure that we ourselves are righteous?

Many of the Babylonians’ sinful actions may not sound like ours, but our reading today begins with pride and ends with idolatry. Pride is where evil begins. It is the pursuit of glory for ourselves and the suppression of others to achieve that end. An idol is anything we trust in for our security in place of the living God. Pride and idolatry are in the heart of every sinful soul. It’s hard to admit, but we are more like the Babylonians than we think!

But as we read in verse 16 of the shame that will replace the Chaldeans' glory, we must remember another who was shamed: the Son of God. For Jesus, the shame was completely undeserved. As we read in Philippians 2:7 (ESV), Jesus emptied Himself of His glory. Hebrews 12:2 (ESV) tells us that he despised the shame of the cross. He did this willingly for you and me. Our hope is not in convincing ourselves that we are not as bad as the Babylonians. Our hope starts in recognizing that we, too, are deserving of the same shame! But through Christ, who took on our shame, we have forgiveness of sins. Through Christ, we are set free from shame and have the promise that we will someday appear with Him in glory. That’s really good news!

Ask Yourself:

-In what situations am I most vulnerable to seeking glory for myself?

-What, or who, have I been tempted to put my trust in more than God?

-How closely do I connect my freedom from shame to what Christ has done for me?

Pause to Pray: Lord, I confess that I tend to see the wrongdoing of others more than I do my own. Jesus, I am the one for whose sins you died. Thank you for taking my shame. Thank you for inviting me into your glory... Amen

Take a Next Step: Ask God to show you where pride might be driving you to "use" people or situations for your own glory rather than serving others as Jesus did.