Sermons
How Long?
How Long, O Lord?
Hab. 1:1-11
Introduction:
1. Habakkuk, the prophet, is frustrated!
2. He sees the violence in the world. He sees iniquity, wickedness, destruction, strife, contention. The law is ignored and there is no justice. The wicked engulf the righteous and justice is perverted.
3. One might ask, “If God is so good, why does He allow such to continue?” “If He is so powerful, why doesn’t He intervene?”
4. Habakkuk believes that God can intervene and that He is a God of justice. He is praying to Him as deliverer.
5. He is not questioning God’s power or God’s goodness. His question is, “How long before you do something?”
6. It’s a reasonable question. Maybe as you look at the world today you are asking the same thing.
Discussion:
I. It is not an unusual question for the people of God to ask.
A. King David asked the same question (Psa. 13).
1. Note that he trusts in God’s lovingkindness (5).
2. He believes in God’s salvation (5).
3. He sings God’s praises (6).
4. How long???
5. Like Habakkuk, he prays (3-4).
B. The question becomes thematic in Psalms. Cf. Psa. 6; 35:11-17; 74:10-11;
89:46a; 94:1-7.
C. Rev. 6:10 portrays souls underneath the altar. They have been slain because of
the word of God and because of the testimony which they maintained; and they
cry out with a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from
judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
D. Like Lot, who was oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men, our
souls are tormented day after day by lawlessness, injustice and the blatant
disregard for right (2 Pet. 2:6-8).
E. How long? How long, indeed!!!
II. The Lord’s response to Habakkuk is not what you might expect. The Lord said to Habakkuk, “I am doing something in your days—you would not believe if you were told (5-11).
A. If Habakkuk is like us, he is probably looking for immediate relief. But the Lord’s
message is, “I am raising up the Chaldeans (Babylonians), a wicked and fierce
people against you.”
B. Habakkuk can’t quite get his mind wrapped around it (1:12-17).
1. “Why do You look with favor on those who deal treacherously? Why are You
silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they?” (13b).
2. Habakkuk praises God (12-13a) but questions Him.
C. He awaits God’s answer (2:1).
III. The Lord responds (2:2-4).
A. “It’s going to happen.”
B. “Just wait and see.”
C. “The soul of the proud is not right, but the righteous will live by his faith.”
1. The passage calls for endurance through a difficult time.
2. It demands courageous faith in God. It demands a faith that endures
whatever comes down the pike. It trusts in God no matter what!
D. Hab. 2:4 is quoted three times in the N.T.
1. Rom. 1:17—it establishes the theme of Romans—faith (dependence upon
God) is the means of a right relationship with God.
2. Gal. 3:11—it is quoted to establish that man is justified by faith not by works
of law but by dependence upon what God is done through Jesus Christ by
paying the penalty of death on the cross for our sins.
3. Heb. 10:38—it is quoted here as reflecting enduring faith. Faith that does
not shrink back but persistently lays in there through all difficulties, trusting
God, no matter what!
IV. We can become discouraged and lose heart when things do not seem to be going the way we expect (Heb. 12:3). We need encouragement.
A. Some may think there is never going to be any relief (2 Pet. 3:3-15a).
B. But God knows how to deliver (2 Pet. 2:4-9).
C. And deliver He will (2 Thess. 1:4-10).
D. Thus, the righteous will live by his faith. Though he die, he will receive the
crown of life (Rev. 2:10).
Conclusion:
1. Are you crying out, “How long?”
2. You are in good company. David, Habakkuk, the souls of those martyred because of their testimony.
3. God’s message—“The righteous will live by their faith. So, be faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10).
- 5-4-2025-Wayne-Galloway-How-Long.mp3 (6.81 MB)
