A Life in Exile

Living in the hope of the promises of God can be a challenge. With all the world throws our way, it can be easy to despair. As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit to help us understand the future fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies. Still, there are days when we wonder if Jesus will ever come. He says, “soon,” and we question, “but when?”

This is where our focus passage comes into play. Habakkuk, a contemporary of the prophet Jeremiah, was speaking from the heart during another trying time.

How long, Lord, must I call for help and you do not listen or cry out to you about violence and you do not save? Why do you force me to look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Oppression and violence are right in front of me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates. This is why the law is ineffective and justice never emerges. For the wicked restrict the righteous; therefore, justice comes out perverted. (Habakkuk 1:2-4 CSB)

The Lord would answer and Habakkuk would complain again. When would relief come? The Lord speaks and tells him to write down his words. I’ll include the part that will be our lesson for today.

For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it testifies about the end and will not lie. Though it delays, wait for it, since it will certainly come and not be late. Look, his ego is inflated; he is without integrity. But the righteous one will live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2:3-4)

When you’re struggling, remember.

As we’ve seen all year, our Lord Jesus and other New Testament authors use the record of the Old Testament writings to remind us that God has fulfilled and will fulfill his promises. Many were accomplished in the first coming of Christ to earth, while others will find their final fulfillment in his return. The writer of the book of Hebrews often quoted the Old Testament to encourage the persecuted church. Today, he uses the words God spoke to Habakkuk.

So don’t throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you need endurance, so that after you have done God’s will, you may receive what was promised.

For yet in a very little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith; and if he draws back, I have no pleasure in him.

But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and are saved. (Hebrews 10:35-39)

Don’t lose hope. Jesus will return. In the meantime, what do we do? Live by faith and rest in the confidence of our sure salvation.

Live by faith, not by sight.

The Apostle Paul will refer to the effect the imparted righteousness of Christ has on our lives. What does it do for us? Enables us to live by faith. Whether we see good around us or not, we will live by faith, knowing that Christ has the victory and will soon return. When Satan is on the attack, and we are near the end of our rope, we will live by faith, knowing that God will make a way. Paul knew what it was like to be under attack and to pay the price for the cause of Christ. He wrote this to the believers in Rome:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith. (Romans 1:16-17)

He was not ashamed of the gospel, because he knew its power. He also knew that believers in Galatia needed to hear the words spoken through Habakkuk, because they were tempted to throw off faith for reliance on the flesh and law.

For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written, Everyone who does not do everything written in the book of the law is cursed. Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous will live by faith. But the law is not based on faith; instead, the one who does these things will live by them. (Galatians 3:10-12)

Faith helps us live when we do not see.

Falling back on what we know is easy when times get hard. That’s why it is easy for many to live by works-based religions rather than the faith-based life of those in Christ. Ours is one of trust. Is it blind trust? No. It is certain trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. It is trust in his fulfillment of all the promises of God. It is trust in his fulfillment of the prophecies and law. It is the ultimate trust in his victory over sin and death.

Do I need to know all the details of every moment of my life? No, because I know who holds the day planner in his hands. All he requires of me is my trust, my faith, my obedience to his Word. It’s only for a little while longer, anyway. He is coming soon.

Grace and Peace

If you missed the last Learning from the Past post, click HERE, or start the series from the BEGINNING.