God’s surprising involvement in the world

One of the most common questions that seekers of truth ask in a Western context is ‘If God is good, why is there so much suffering in the world?’. Suffering and pain are seen as the worst enemy to be avoided at all costs. While no one enjoys such things, traditional cultures tend to recognise that suffering is inevitable and part of life. No one can entirely escape some loss, disappointment, rejection, ill-health or the like. Yet today’s secular West has convinced itself that happiness is the ultimate good that is ours by right and all suffering is therefore evil and bad. This assumption seems so self-evident that many unquestioningly consider anyone who hinders others from feeling happy and fulfilled right now as inflicting unnecessary suffering and therefore bad or evil (even if such action is for discipline or training – think child rearing today). Such beliefs are entrenched despite the fact that we may remember dark times ourselves that led to our growth, maturity or even to great passion to overcome evil and do good.

The surprise: God is involved

For Habakkuk, the troubling question will be somewhat different (see in the next post), but for the moment, it is worth reflecting on God’s ways in the world. The Lord tells the prophet to look carefully at what is happening in the wider sphere beyond the borders of Judah (Hab 1:5). So often, our horizon is too narrow as we try to understand God’s ways. He is not absent but sovereignly giving or taking away power, deposing some and raising others. In this case, He will raise the Chaldeans (i.e. Babylon; Hab 1:6), a surprising development (v.5) because Assyria was dominant for so long that their ongoing power may have seemed inevitable. Much like the collapse of the Soviet Union in the late twentieth century, which shocked most with its speed, Jews would not have seen Assyria’s collapse coming, nor Babylon’s rise to power either (see my Introduction to Habakkuk). Alternatively, living with God’s seeming absence in Judah may have led most to conclude that God was not paying attention or was even unconcerned about injustice and evil.

Unexpected: God uses wickedness

The description of what follows brings the third element of surprise because the people God is going to use are far from just. They take what is not theirs with force (Hab 1:6), are a law unto themselves (Hab 1:7) and violent into the bargain (Hab 1:9). They mock and demolish other powers in their way (Hab 1:10) and idolise their own strength (Hab 1:11). The Old Testament’s emphasis is on God’s sovereignty over events, so it does not always spell out that people act out of their volition and are responsible even if in the end things happen as God wills or allows. Thus, the Babylonians will be held accountable for their evil (v.11), but God’s purposes will also mysteriously be achieved.  

Our response to God

As we look at current events, we see much of the same picture today. Ungodly powers idolise their strength and are ready to smash those who do not comply with them and unexpected developments we could not have envisaged before are taking place. How could God be involved in any of this? While modern powers, just like ancient ones, act out of their own volition and are responsible, we must believe that God also works His mysterious purposes just as He did in Habakkuk’s time. We simply do not have the bigger picture and cannot imagine the outcome but God in His wisdom knows what He is doing. More broadly, Habakkuk teaches us that God’s ways are not our ways. Whether we face an evil political power, injustice in our society, a hurtful family member, an aggressive colleague or unkind acquaintance, we must come to the Lord in trust knowing that we have not been left alone in the universe. God is neither absent nor unaware of what is going on. On the contrary, He can use even human wickedness and suffering to shape and mould us for our good.

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