The book of Habakukk

The book of Habakkuk is about struggle and the questioning of God.
Habakkuk was a prophet living in the time where Israel was being punished.
Most likely he was living around the same time as Jeremiah the prophet.
how did God punish Israel? well, he used the Babylonians to destroy and oppress the israelites. This is where the questioning of God comes in. You see, Habakkuk wasn't questioning the punishment of Israel, not at all. What Habakkuk was questioning is... why would God allow the Israelites to suffer, the "righteous" to be brought down so low, and yet bless the wicked (the Babylonians). In sort why use an enemy of God to punish Gods chosen people?

How long, O Lord, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, "VIOLENCE!"
but you do not save?
Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.

Lets take "Therefore the law is paralyzed" and dwell on that for a moment.
We must put ourselves in his shoes. As I said technically the Babylonians were far worse then the Israelites, they were not God fearing whatsoever, they were immoral. Worshipers of idols, and destroyer of many nations, and innocent people (not just Israel) So Habakukk figured he had a case against God. You see the Babylonians were gaining power, they were the dominate force, and if you were to look at them with all their riches, and battles they have won against other countries, you would think they were blessed by God. Habakukk was questioning God for that

"Lord how can you bless the enemy, someone so immoral and unjust, someone who has no consideration for your laws, and oppress us? your chosen people?"

Sure we can look back at the Israelites and say... you deserved your punishment, but if they deserved it, the Babylonians deserved even more, yet they seemed to be blessed by God. So we can see where Habakukk was coming from. We could easily have plenty of those arguments today couldn't we? I mean if we are followers of God, if we are righteous, shouldn't we all be blessed with riches? shouldn't we all be well off? Why does it seem like there is so many "undeserving" people out there, who are better off? why does it seem like sometimes the sinner is blessed and we are punished? That was what Habakukk didn't understand.

So what did God tell Habakukk? basically he said..

"Well, uh..buddy..this is just the beginning, because I am going to use those same Babylonians, and they are going to rule over everyone. they are going to be a mighty nation."

wait...what? it's going to get even worse? what kind of justice is that? that's what I would have been thinking. Habakukk was no fool, after God said that he said..

"O Lord, you have appointed them to execute judgment. O rock, you have ordained them to punish"

So he knew why God was doing it, however he still couldn't understand why he chose to use the Babylonians, as he continued on he said:

"Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous then themselves"

We must also establish the fact...that even though Habakukk was questioning God, he wasn't questioning his faith. There is nothing wrong with questioning God, asking why this or that is happening doesn't make you a doubter or a fool. You are seeking gods will, and you are seeking his answer....nothing wrong with that. The Lord replied back to Habakukk and said

"the righteous will live by faith"

we must remember to live by faith, to have faith that everything happens for a reason, even if we cannot understand the logic or reasoning behind it. God also told Habakukk that Babylon would get what they truly deserved. God would treat Babylon as they treated everybody else. However it would be on his time frame.
Habakkuk new God could rescue them, he stood up and told God how he remembered the time of his for fathers, and how God rescued them from egypt. How he parted waters, how he created the earth. In the end Habakukk said:

"I will wait patiently for the calamity to come upon the nation invading us. even though I am hungry and poor, even though I am brought down to nothing, I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my savior."

All the struggles he was going through, the hard times, and the enemy coming down upon him mocking his God. Yet he is going to stand there and take it, and he is going to wait for Gods justice, because it will come. We can only pray and hope to have the strength and faithfulness that Habakukk had in those days. It rings so true now...with all that is going on in this world, with the struggles we are only just beginning to face with these hard economic times. We are only at the start of worry and trouble..However we as followers of Gods laws, and being washed of our sins by Jesus Christ, should fear nothing. We are always one step closer to the glorious day for all of us, and that is the return of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ..