WEEKLY
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
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For
Sunday March 15, 2020
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CONSEQUENCES FOR INJUSTICE
(The LORD’s second reply to Habakkuk)
(Habakkuk 2)
In Habakkuk 2, verses 1-5, as Habakkuk awaits in a
“watchtower” (“mismeret” in the Hebrew) for an answer from the LORD to his
second complaint in chapter 1, the LORD tells Habakkuk to write HIS answer in
large, clear letters on a tablet so that even a man who is running by can read
it, and pass the message on to everyone he meets.
The LORD warns Habakkuk
that the things HE planned will not happen right away, however, slowly but
surely the time nears when the vision HE shows him will be fulfilled. And if it
seems too slow, just be patient, because it will surely come to pass.
The LORD then
tells Habakkuk to look around at all the confident, arrogant faces of those who
trust in themselves, even though their lives are crooked. By contrast, those
who are humble and righteous will simply “live by faith”, “depending only on
GOD” for their survival. They will be
faithful to GOD, and because of their faith and patience, they will live
eternally with GOD at the end of this earth’s history. Those who trust in
themselves, on the other hand, will die by their own hand, and join satan in
the pits of Hell following the “White Throne Judgment”.
Verse 5 describes
wealth as being “treacherous”, and the arrogant as being “never at rest”, or,
“never satisfied”. It is a comparison that pits these two together, with “greed
and death”. Wealth and arrogance combined together, are like greed and death, and
neither one, is ever satisfied.
The consequences
for injustice in devastating, and in verses 6-20, Habakkuk gives us a vivid
description of the coming judgment of the Almighty GOD in Heaven, upon those who
have profited by unjust means. Here the LORD warns us, through Habakkuk, of how
terrible it will be for those who gather wealth by wicked methods of operation.
In this passage
the prophet Habakkuk tells the wicked, unjust operators of Israel, that, “their
wealth can never buy them security from GOD’s powerful wrath”. Even the
materials used to build their houses, which GOD HIMSELF created, will cry out
against them, because of their evil gains. GOD has never made a mineral, or
natural resource on this earth that is stronger than HE is.
The people of
Israel had built cities, including Jerusalem, with money gained by murder,
corruption, and all manner of evil. Here in this passage GOD solemnly promises,
that, “the wealth of those who cheated to gain it, would, ultimately turn to
ashes”. All those who work hard doing evil in order to prosper, and ignoring
their service to GOD, will ultimately find that their hard work was all in
vain.
There will come a
day when our jobs that we worshipped, and ignored GOD to perform, and our
houses, cars, and all “the things that have stolen our hearts”, and taken the
place of GOD in our lives, will be taken away, or rendered meaningless and
useless, to save us from HIS judgment. All that will be left is what man had in
the beginning, “the Word of GOD the CREATOR”, WHO will ultimately judge us, “according
to our reaction to human need”.
When all is said
and done, the day will have finally arrived, when all the earth will be filled,
just as the waters fill the sea, with an overwhelming awareness of the glory
and presence of the Almighty GOD in Heaven, WHO is our SAVIOR, through JESUS
CHRIST, our LORD. And all the earth will be silent before HIM (v.20b).
A
Sunday school lesson by,
Larry
D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official
Website
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