The Righteous Live by Faith
[ READ ] Habakkuk 2
1 I will take my stand at my watchpost
and station myself on the tower,
and look out to see what he will say to me,
and what I will answer concerning my complaint.
The Righteous Shall Live by His Faith
2 And the Lord answered me:
“Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so he may run who reads it.
3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time;
it hastens to the end—it will not lie.
If it seems slow, wait for it;
it will surely come; it will not delay.
4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him,
but the righteous shall live by his faith.
5 “Moreover, wine is a traitor,
an arrogant man who is never at rest.
His greed is as wide as Sheol;
like death he has never enough.
He gathers for himself all nations
and collects as his own all peoples.”
Habakkuk 2:1-5
and station myself on the tower,
and look out to see what he will say to me,
and what I will answer concerning my complaint.
The Righteous Shall Live by His Faith
2 And the Lord answered me:
“Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so he may run who reads it.
3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time;
it hastens to the end—it will not lie.
If it seems slow, wait for it;
it will surely come; it will not delay.
4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him,
but the righteous shall live by his faith.
5 “Moreover, wine is a traitor,
an arrogant man who is never at rest.
His greed is as wide as Sheol;
like death he has never enough.
He gathers for himself all nations
and collects as his own all peoples.”
Habakkuk 2:1-5
At the end of the last chapter, Habakkuk dropped a second complaint on the Lord: “God… this whole thing with Babylon destroying your people doesn’t feel like justice…”
While it feels a bold thing to complain to the Lord, Habakkuk does so humbly and with complete trust that God will answer him and reveal to him true justice. He looks out from his watchpost and waits.
God responds. He doubles down: “write the vision, make it plain.” In other words, what I just told you, you can take to the bank. Not only that, but I need you to relay it to my people.
At this point, Habakkuk is likely getting nervous. “I’ve got to tell my countrymen that the Chaldeans are about to take them out?” Indeed. But then Yahweh says reveals the real answer that Habakkuk was seeking; an answer to a question that has been asked countless times across the millenia: what must we do to be made righteous or approved by God?
The righteous shall live by faith.
This simple statement that we know to be true from the story of Abraham (Genesis 15:6), Paul’s letters (Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11), among others, had been forgotten by Habakkuk’s contemporaries. In fact, their faith had been replaced by something else – pride. “Behold, his soul is puffed up!” As it turns out, pride is one of those sins that affects all of humanity, and it can slowly drift us away from the one thing that actually makes us right with God. Where pride reigns and faith falters, the enemy gains a foothold. And just as was the case in Judah before the Babylonian attack and exile, so too are we subject to the detriment of pride.
Your encouragement today is to exchange pride for faith. Humble yourself before God and trust Him to do what you cannot.
- Hayden Van Dyke
While it feels a bold thing to complain to the Lord, Habakkuk does so humbly and with complete trust that God will answer him and reveal to him true justice. He looks out from his watchpost and waits.
God responds. He doubles down: “write the vision, make it plain.” In other words, what I just told you, you can take to the bank. Not only that, but I need you to relay it to my people.
At this point, Habakkuk is likely getting nervous. “I’ve got to tell my countrymen that the Chaldeans are about to take them out?” Indeed. But then Yahweh says reveals the real answer that Habakkuk was seeking; an answer to a question that has been asked countless times across the millenia: what must we do to be made righteous or approved by God?
The righteous shall live by faith.
This simple statement that we know to be true from the story of Abraham (Genesis 15:6), Paul’s letters (Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11), among others, had been forgotten by Habakkuk’s contemporaries. In fact, their faith had been replaced by something else – pride. “Behold, his soul is puffed up!” As it turns out, pride is one of those sins that affects all of humanity, and it can slowly drift us away from the one thing that actually makes us right with God. Where pride reigns and faith falters, the enemy gains a foothold. And just as was the case in Judah before the Babylonian attack and exile, so too are we subject to the detriment of pride.
Your encouragement today is to exchange pride for faith. Humble yourself before God and trust Him to do what you cannot.
- Hayden Van Dyke
[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect:
+ What might be the significance of God’s command to “write the vision… and make it plain” (v2)?
+ What can we learn from Habakkuk’s standing at his watch post (v1)?
+ What might be the significance of God’s command to “write the vision… and make it plain” (v2)?
+ What can we learn from Habakkuk’s standing at his watch post (v1)?
[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life:
+ Is there sin to confess to clear the way for God to use me in his perfect purpose?
+ Am I holding onto something that might be in the way of truly living by faith?
+ We all struggle with pride from time to time. What in my life do I need to let go of so that I can truly rely on God?
+ When I call on the Lord, do I expect an answer? What does it look like for the Lord to respond to my prayers?
+ Is there sin to confess to clear the way for God to use me in his perfect purpose?
+ Am I holding onto something that might be in the way of truly living by faith?
+ We all struggle with pride from time to time. What in my life do I need to let go of so that I can truly rely on God?
+ When I call on the Lord, do I expect an answer? What does it look like for the Lord to respond to my prayers?
[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.churchcenter.com/groups)
Pray with me: Father, help me today to trust and rely solely on you and not myself. I trust that you do, in fact, hear my prayers. You listen and you speak to me – often through your word, through the Spirit in others and the Spirit in me. Help me to take my stand, to look out and posture myself to receive your truth. I repent of my pride and puffed up soul. In fact, Lord, your power is made perfect in my weakness. Thank you for imputing righteousness on me on the basis of faith alone in Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection. In His name, Amen.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.churchcenter.com/groups)
Pray with me: Father, help me today to trust and rely solely on you and not myself. I trust that you do, in fact, hear my prayers. You listen and you speak to me – often through your word, through the Spirit in others and the Spirit in me. Help me to take my stand, to look out and posture myself to receive your truth. I repent of my pride and puffed up soul. In fact, Lord, your power is made perfect in my weakness. Thank you for imputing righteousness on me on the basis of faith alone in Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection. In His name, Amen.
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