December 24, 2006 - Habakkuk and Revelation 15
The prophet Habakkuk wanted to know why God had waited so long to correct the sins of His people. There was so much injustice and idolatry by this point that He could not understand why God had failed to act. Therefore, he was questioning God. The good thing is that God answered Him and showed him what He was about to do. He was about to send the Babylonians or the Chaldeans to punish His people and put an end to all of this injustice. (1:6) Then, God gave Habakkuk a glorious vision of Himself coming against His people. (3:16)
I think Habakkuk's confusion and questions came from the fact that he thought God would just remove the evil people and leave the good people. I believe that was what the prophet was calling on God to do. However, God's way was different. He was going to punish the whole country, because they had all fallen away from God. The ones who Habakkuk thought were good were not even standing up for the truth of God. They did not even have a clean heart before Him. We must be careful not to judge ourselves by other people. That is not God's standard. His standard is holiness. That is why Habakkuk felt rotten in God's presence. (3:16) We all need to be prepared to stand in God's presence.
Revelation 15 speaks of this, too. The fallen saints are worshiping before the throne of God. They are singing and praising God. They were not angry that they had been martyred for the Lord. They were thankful to be in His presence. We see these people around the throne, just as the seven angels are preparing to pour out the final bowls of God's anger onto those who would not trust Him. God is about to complete His wrath. (v.1) I can't imagine what it will be like for those who will be alive at that time, but I do know one thing. I do not want to experience His anger. I want to experience His love. Therefore, I must be ready to stand before Him as an obedient child. I must seek to be totally set apart for Him, so I am ready to see Him face to face and to worship Him.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Zephaniah and Revelation 16.
I think Habakkuk's confusion and questions came from the fact that he thought God would just remove the evil people and leave the good people. I believe that was what the prophet was calling on God to do. However, God's way was different. He was going to punish the whole country, because they had all fallen away from God. The ones who Habakkuk thought were good were not even standing up for the truth of God. They did not even have a clean heart before Him. We must be careful not to judge ourselves by other people. That is not God's standard. His standard is holiness. That is why Habakkuk felt rotten in God's presence. (3:16) We all need to be prepared to stand in God's presence.
Revelation 15 speaks of this, too. The fallen saints are worshiping before the throne of God. They are singing and praising God. They were not angry that they had been martyred for the Lord. They were thankful to be in His presence. We see these people around the throne, just as the seven angels are preparing to pour out the final bowls of God's anger onto those who would not trust Him. God is about to complete His wrath. (v.1) I can't imagine what it will be like for those who will be alive at that time, but I do know one thing. I do not want to experience His anger. I want to experience His love. Therefore, I must be ready to stand before Him as an obedient child. I must seek to be totally set apart for Him, so I am ready to see Him face to face and to worship Him.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Zephaniah and Revelation 16.