“They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves. Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour. They all come for violence, all their faces forward. They gather captives like sand. At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh. They laugh at every fortress, for they pile up earth and take it. Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!” (Habakkuk 1:7-11 ESV)
God’s wrath is often seen as the unpalatable misfit among his attributes. We love to talk about his mercy, love, goodness, and grace, but when it comes to the furious wrath of God toward sin and sinners, we often meet with downcast eyes and silent mouths. If we are to worship the God of Scripture, however, and not an idol of our own creation, we must not only acknowledge the breadth and depth of God’s wrath but increase our praise of him for it.
As the Lord continues his response to Habakkuk’s first complaint, we get a glimpse into the truth of sin and its just desserts. In a sense, the descriptions of the Babylonian conquest illustrate the disposition and action of God toward sin. Just as the armies of Babylon are described as dreadful, fearsome, and swift, so is the Lord’s wrath when poured out on sin.
True as this is, it is imperative that we differentiate between the two: the former is motivated by malice, cruelty, and a desire to dominate and enslave, while the latter is motivated by God’s absolute purity and holiness—a divide which cannot be overstated. Babylon and God are nothing alike in their nature—one being the embodiment of evil and the other being the supreme good. Yet, in the providential outworking of God’s punishment of Judah, we see, in viscerally tangible terms, the just punishment that sin deserves.
As John Calvin comments, “God’s judgement ought to have been feared, because he purposed to employ the Chaldeans as his servants, whose cruel disposition and inhumanity would be dreadful.”
The armies of Babylon, however, are entirely ignorant of these sovereign and spiritual realities behind the physical actions. As the Lord says, “their justice and dignity go forth from themselves.” In other words, they are their own standard of justice. There is no moral standard by which they are operating other than what they themselves deem to be just. Though they are accountable to God, as all humans are (Hebrews 4:13), that accountability is something they neither understand nor acknowledge. While the Lord is working all things to the counsel of his will (Ephesians 1:11), Babylon is carrying out its conquering rampage to satisfy its own desire to possess life and property.
The Lord’s response continues by describing them as swift and ravenous. Their chariots are like leopards, and their appetites are like those of starved wolves. Like John D. Rockefeller would say millennia later, Babylon would have enough of what they wanted once they had “just a little bit more.” If Habakkuk had any hope that Babylon would be satisfied with anything less than complete control, those hopes were quashed by God’s response.
Not only was Babylon’s desire insatiable, but the nation possessed the power to carry out its plan. They “gather captives like sand,” scoff at kings, and laugh at rulers who would attempt to stay their hand. It is truly a dreadful combination when a ravenous appetite meets immeasurable power. Habakkuk was standing, as it were, looking down the barrel of a gun at an inexorable fate. There was no hope that Babylon would relent, nor any possibility that Judah would be able to withstand their power. All human means of protection were useless, and all that was left to do was wait for the events to come to fruition.
Nevertheless, for God’s people, there is always a “but.” Yes, their continual, unrepentant rebellion was a stench in God’s nostrils. Yes, the justice of God demands that sin be punished. Yes, the “dreaded and fearsome” nation of Babylon was on the doorstep. Yes, God assured Habakkuk that there was no earthly escape. And yes, he found himself in the most helpless and hopeless situation he could possibly imagine. Yet, Habakkuk could find comfort in the Lord’s words, “I am doing a work” and “I am raising up the Chaldeans.”
The Lord would not relent from his judgment, but neither would he abandon his people. Babylon was coming through God’s providence, not in defiance of it. Truly, there is nothing more steadying than this. The waves of judgment would soon come crashing down, but surely Habakkuk could affirm C. H. Spurgeon’s words, “I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.”
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We can only begin to understand just how abominable sin is in your sight. All of us deserve the full weight of your swift and dreadful wrath, and even the most brutal armies of Babylon pale in comparison to the judgment our sins deserve. As the prophet Habakkuk, may we run to you, and to the perfect sacrifice of Christ on our behalf, for refuge.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Prayer Requests:
- Tuesday: Pray for missionaries serving in sports ministry and community outreach.
- Wednesday: Pray for missionaries involved in teaching English.
- Thursday: Pray for missionaries serving our military and first responders.
- Friday: Pray for new missionary candidates who are attending Missionary Orientation next week.
- Saturday: Pray for the safety of missionaries working in secure locations.
- Sunday: Pray for missionaries serving at the Greater Lisbon Christian Academy and the student projects they run.
- Monday: Pray for the encouragement of missionaries experiencing ministry fatigue.