What to do when encountering injustice? 

 

 Habakkuk 1:12-17, 2:1-4; BCBC/IOUC; 3/13/2022; Rev. Paul Wang

 Introduction

When we encounter injustice in life, what should we do?  When you encounter bullies bullying women and children on the street, can you turn a blind eye and see death?  When Ukraine is invaded by Russia,   is it not okay to express condemnation?  As for the Xuzhou Iron Chain woman, can you express sympathy?  Even anger, sadness?  If you go on,   you will inevitably encounter the ultimate concern of life,  which is “God, where are you?”  Let’s look at the first point:

 How can it be

Habakkuk’s situation is different from ours today, but the mood and feeling are the same,   that is, the inner cry to God.  Lord, seeing the evil one oppressing your people is truly embarrassing!  First, You are the Lord.   What is Habakkuk’s prayer?  ”He called God “My God, my Holy One!”  He meant that God had something to do with me, Habakkuk.  God is known among the Israelites as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob!  Not only that,  but you are an eternal creator!  With You, how can we die?   Of course, Habakkuk knew your heart well, he said:  “You, Lord, have appointed them to execute judgment; you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish. (Habakkuk 1:12)”   From the perspective of ultimate concern,    no one in the world is unjustly suffering.  It’s cruel to accept this,  but it’s true!

Second, be silent?  I would like to ask,  why can’t God be silent?  Even God can ignore it.  The Israelites suffered in Egypt for 430 years before God sent Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.  The southern Jews of Habakkuk’s time were far less patient than their ancestors in Egypt.  Prophets listen to the voice of God, convey the voice of God, and also pray to God on behalf of the people!  He said, “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.  Why then do you tolerate the treacherous?  Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves? (Habakkuk 1:13)”   Perhaps we have forgotten that God is not judged before the moral and ethical judgment seat, but reigns in His own eternal kingdom!

Finally, how can it get out of control? The Prophet continued:  “You have made people like the fish in the sea, like the sea creatures that have no ruler. (Habakkuk 1:14)”  Yes, the world is in chaos!   Why did Russia so blatantly invade Ukraine?   How could the urban management oppress the people so badly?  In this broad daylight and a bright sky, how can there be a woman in chains, a woman in a cage, and a woman in a cave and now it seems that there is another woman on fire? We think that God has neglected, forgotten,  has short arms,  and is weak in power, right?  However, God said that He did not delay, but wanted all people to be saved,  and would not want anyone to perish!  After waiting so long, you still haven’t come back?  But the Lord sees a thousand years as one day, and one day as a thousand years!   Let’s look at the second point:

 Will eventually repay

According to our expectations,  the best thing is that God will send down a fire today and burn all the bad guys to death, and the problem will be solved.  I remember that the disciples of Jesus had similar suggestions,  but the Lord ignored them.  First, God knows. There is a spiritual truth that we know but may ignore.  Our prayers are known to God,  even before we say them.  These Chaldeans, who are even more wicked than we southerners of Judah, have come,   why are you ignoring them?  How could these Babylonians have repeatedly emptied their snares,  and slaughtered the people of the nations constantly, without pity?   Like these East Slavs, who are called fighting peoples, how can they open fire on civilians, blow up hospitals,  and kill orphans on the road?  I’ve been told that when we get to this state, we lose even the will to pray.   But God knows our discouragement.  And, He is waiting for us at the end of our discouragement.

Second, appeal to God.  At this point,  we can learn from the prophet Habakkuk,  who, when faced with the perishing of nation and nationality and when he was utterly discouraged,  chose to cry out to God.  He said:   “I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint. (Habakkuk 2:1)”   The precious thing about the prophet Habakkuk was his honesty and straightforwardness.   He just wanted to talk to God, he wanted to ask God questions, and he wanted to hear what God answered!  This kind of life wisdom to face God when encountering a problem is an example for us to follow!  God expects us to pour out our hearts with him,  and welcomes our inquiries in everything.  It’s just that we also have to accept God’s silence, because that’s also His answer.

Finally, understand the Bible.  The Israelites were led by Moses to Mount Sinai,  and God gave two tablets of stone called the Ten Commandments.   Known as the Mosaic Law,  also known as the “Torah”,  it was born to walk with the journey out of Egypt, with the elect following in the footsteps of God.  From then on, reading and understanding the Bible becomes the life of God’s chosen people. Understanding the Bible does not depend entirely on logic and reason.  The key is to walk with God, revealed to us by the Holy Spirit himself.  That’s why we encourage you to write devotional notes and prayers every day.  Of course, reason and logic are also inseparable.  No one can boast of his own interpretation of the Bible, but he can boast of the Lord’s leading, so that we can interpret His words!  After understanding the Bible,  are you still afraid that God will not uphold justice?  Let’s look at the third point:

  Live by one’s faithfulness

In the Old Testament,  with the possible exception of Abraham,  which is directly mentioned here in the book of Habakkuk,  “But the righteous person will live by his faithfulness. (Habakkuk 2:4)”  When people see injustice and their hearts are difficult to calm down,   the only thing we need is our faith in the Lord.  First, learn the truth in silence.  “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)” What we may lack in reading the Bible is the life of quiet study of God’s words.  We seldom study the dates, years, genealogy, characters, sacrifices, and provisions of the law in the Bible.  Often we just pass by, but in fact, the Bible is full of treasures and should not be ignored! When reading the Bible, like Habakkuk,  you should stand in the watchtower and watch the mystery of God’s word.  Reading the Bible is talking with God!  In other words, reading the Bible with the feeling of being in dialogue with God.

Second, you have to wait.  The reason for not being able to wait was because of strong flesh.  The Lord said to come again, we waited and waited,   but He still did not come!  Before the Bible was finished, some people waited impatiently.  So God moved Peter to say: “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. (2 Peter 3:8)”  Two thousand years have passed, and the Lord still has not come!  The person without the Spirit will say: The Lord will probably not come again!  The one belonging to Christ will say: I live every day as if it were the last day!  The Lord can come back any day, and I am waiting for Him to come any day.  Which day, I will not ask;  every day is the time for me to wait and meet the Lord!

Finally, look up with faith. Habakkuk said that only those who are humble and live in faith will wait on God.  Just as the Chaldeans were arrogant, proud, and dishonest! Our attitude of looking up to the Lord is determined by the attributes of God, do you agree?  He is righteous, holy, loving, and merciful.  When we wait and look up in faith, we must imitate the humbleness and gentleness of the Lord!  It doesn’t matter if we encounter injustice and with the mindset of resentment in the heart!  Then make straight paths for the Lord and shout out the power of the gospel, in order to save all those who believe!  Because faith is for salvation, and salvation is for the heart of Christ!

Conclusion

Well, thank the Lord!  While we encounter injustice, our hearts can be calm and stable!    When we encounter injustice, there is no need to draw a knife to help! Peter drew his sword,  and Jesus told him to put it in its sheath!   Although it is hard on the feeling, we must still believe that God is righteous, and we should also love mercy, have a heart of salvation, be justified by faith, and act by faith!

Let us pray…

 

Habakkuk 1:12-17, 2:1-4

12 Lord, are you not from everlasting?  My God, my Holy One, you[a] will never die.  You, Lord, have appointed them to execute judgment; you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish.

13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.  Why then do you tolerate the treacherous?  Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?

14 You have made people like the fish in the sea, like the sea creatures that have no ruler.

15 The wicked foe pulls all of them up with hooks, he catches them in his net, he gathers them up in his dragnet; and so he rejoices and is glad.

16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his dragnet, for by his net he lives in luxury and enjoys the choicest food.

17 Is he to keep on emptying his net, destroying nations without mercy?

1 I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.

2 Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.

3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false.  Though it linger, wait for it; It will certainly come and will not delay.

4 “See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright—but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness—