World Changing Words Devotional-Day 32

HABAKKUK 2:12 | ¹² "Alas for you who build a town by bloodshed, and found a city on iniquity!"

 JEREMIAH 22:13, 18-19 | ¹³ Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice; who makes his neighbors work for nothing, and does not give them their wages.

 ¹⁸ Therefore thus says the Lord concerning King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah: They shall not lament for him, saying, "Alas, my brother!" or "Alas, sister!" They shall not lament for him, saying, "Alas, lord!" or "Alas, his majesty!" ¹⁹ With the burial of a donkey he shall be buried— dragged off and thrown out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.

 Habakkuk and Jeremiah reform and deepen the simple view that obedience leads to reward automatically. Judgement delayed is not judgement forgone and it will include not just the nation’s enemies but their own unfaithful leaders, like King Jehoiakim.

 Holiness and happiness are not identical values. Suffering and loss can refine an individual soul or a nation. International politics and national success seem like final and ultimate realities but they are not. Real faith can become more evident and more genuine in hard than easy conditions. Reverses reveal motivation, are we good to get the goodies or good because we love and serve a good and glorious God?

Habakkuk rebukes a simple view of God’s work in history. What do you think?

Tags: judgement, real faith