THE NEW EWE

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'"

Luke 15:4-6

August 17, 2022

LIFE IN THE FOLD

For the past couple of Wednesday nights, I have taught from Habakkuk in our Bible study at church. It's a short book, only three chapters, and often overlooked. But there are a few things that we can learn from Habakkuk.

Habakkuk was living in Judah during a time when they were at their lowest point. The Israelites were once again doing the same wicked and sinful practices as the ungodly nations that surrounded them. They were worshipping idols and false gods and indulging in various kinds of sin. They had gone from a period of living under a godly king, Josiah, who brought the people to a place of repentance and tearing down idols and re-establishing worship to the true God, to once again having an evil king ruling over them. They quickly forgot all that they had learned and heard and practiced during Josiah's reign, and once again had reverted back to living lives filled with sin and evil.

Habakkuk had been crying out to God, and it seemed as if God had been silent and not answering him. In fact, in his prayer, he said that God wasn't listening.

We all know that God hears our every prayer, but have you ever felt as if God were not paying attention or hearing your prayers? I have. There have been times when I've cried out to Him, over and over again, yet it seems as if God is silent and not answering.

But this time, God answers Habakkuk. At first, it seems as if God is going to do something absolutely amazing. God tells Habakkuk, "Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it." Yay!!

But then God continues telling Habakkuk that He was raising up the Babylonians, who were a cruel and violent people. They were going to come and conquer Israel. What?! That definitely wasn't the answer that Habakkuk was looking for!

God tells Habakkuk something important: "The righteous (just) will live by their faithfulness (or faith) to God."

Habakkuk had a deep understanding of that and "got" it! He trusted God's answer and didn't argue or try to get God to change His mind. Yet he didn't try to act brave, as if this wasn't troubling news. He said that his lips trembled with fear. His legs gave way beneath him and he shook with terror.

That would have been a normal reaction for any of us! If we received a word directly from God that America's worst enemy, who was cruel and violent, was going to invade us and bring destruction, we would feel terror and fear, too.

Here is how Habakkuk chose to accept God's word: "I will wait quietly for the coming day." He sang a prayer, like a psalm, to God. The last chapter of Habakkuk is a prayer, but at the end of the chapter says that it is to be sung with stringed instruments. Even with God's response to his prayer, Habakkuk chose to completely trust God's answer and accept that this was to be His judgement upon Israel. He chose to completely put his faith and trust in God.

His prayer said that even though the trees had no blossoms and there were no grapes on the vines; and even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, "yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength!"

Wow!! That is a strong faith and trust in God! Habakkuk was willing to accept God's judgement; saying that he would rejoice in the Lord and be joyful in the God of his salvation. How many of us would be able to be joyful and rejoice in the Lord if we knew something like this was coming our way? I want that kind of faith in God!

When this was written, Jehoiakim was king of Judah. Let's see what Daniel 1:1 says: "During the third year of King Jehoiakim's reign in Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it."

This was the time when Babylon took some of Judah's strong, healthy, and good-looking young men captive. They were to be intelligent young men who could be trained in the language and literature of Babylon.

Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were all taken captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. We are familiar to their stories. Even though they were captives, God raised them up to be godly leaders in Babylon.

King Nebuchadnezzar took special notice of Daniel after he interpreted the king's dreams. He said to Daniel, Truly, your God is the greatest of gods, the Lord over kings, a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this secret." The king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men. At Daniel's request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to be in charge of all the affairs of the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the king's court.

Wow! God can take captives and place them in positions of power in the enemies territory!!

The king was there when God walked in the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Mechach and Abednego. He was there when Daniel was thrown into a den of hungry lions and the next morning walked out alive.

There came a time when Nebuchadnezzar was looking out across Babylon from the roof of the royal palace and said, "Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor."

A voice called down from heaven, "O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone He chooses."

That's exactly what happened! After this time had passed, Nebuchadnezzar looked up to heaven and his sanity returned. He praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. God restored him back as ruler of Babylon.

God sending judgement upon Judah was justifiable, but devastating. It seems as if the young men of Judah being taken captive to Babylon was a horrible thing. But God! God raised them up to positions of honor in the enemies providence. God was with them, regardless how life-threatening and horrifying the circumstances, by walking with them in the fire and closing the lions mouths.

And God loved King Nebuchadnezzar and wanted his heart, even though he was ruler of the most cruel and violent nation at that time. He loved the king enough to send the right godly young men to the palace. And the result was that Nebuchadnezzar surrendered his life to God and honored Him!

Don't look at situations and ever think that God can't bring good from it. Don't think that it's so evil or bad that God will desert and turn His back. Perhaps the main reason is to bring about discipline and judgement for sins and evil; but it could also be because He loves those who are doing the evil acts so much, that He wants to bring them to repentance, and it will come through the godly.

JON'S PERSPECTIVE:

God's wrath against Judah was well deserved. They knew about God, and knew they were sinning against Him.

But arranging for Daniel and the others to serve as witnesses to Nebuchadnezzar was different. He didn't know about God, and didn't consider sinning against Him. So at least part of that story wasn't about Habakkuk, and wasn't about the Israelites in Judah.

That's true for us many times, too. Not everything is about us. When we pray for something, and don't see it coming for years; when we expect a miracle and have to wait; when things don't go quite our way: it probably isn't just about us.

One of the miracles in the New Testament was about a woman with a bleeding issue. For years, she went to one doctor after another, but wasn't healed till she touched the robe of Jesus. Why? So she could be an example and testimony to others instead of giving credit to doctors.

Sometimes someone else needs to be a help to us, so they can be blessed. So we go through a time of need so that they can bless us and be blessed in return.

There are many other situations and ways that we can be a benefit to others by going through something difficult and not getting a quick miracle. So when things aren't going right, try to look to faith in God that He has a plan.

ON THE MENEWE:

Peanut Butter Bars

Mix the first four ingredients into a creamy mixture and press into a nonstick or sprayed 9x13 pan.

Melt 1 package of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Spread over the peanut butter bar mixture.

Chill. Cut into 1-2 inch squares. Keep in airtight container.

THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER:

A gospel singing group had just returned home from being on the road for a couple weeks. One of the members owned a funeral home and often sang at memorial services. Early the next morning, he was looking forward to spending some time relaxing and being at home, when the phone rang. A woman from the community was on the other end and informed him that her husband had passed away and his service was that afternoon; and she requested that he sing. He was her husband's favorite singer and she said that it would be a great tribute if he could be there, and would mean a lot to the family.

He told her that he would be glad to do whatever was needed and asked which songs she would like him to sing. She named off Amazing Grace, The Old Rugged Cross, then said..... "And there was one more song that was always my husband's favorite song; I'd love it if you'd sing Jingle Bells. He just loved that song"

Somewhat taken aback, he informed her that he had never sang Jingle Bells at a funeral and asked if she was sure that she wanted that song. She was adamant and told him, "You've just got to sing Jingle Bells!"

Time for the service came and when it was his turn to get up and sing, he gave it everything he had as he whole-heartedly sang Jingle Bells.

Afterwards, he went up to the widow and told her that he would be praying for her and hoped that the family were pleased with his singing. The woman was very distraught and said, "I don't know what in the world I was thinking this morning!" "What do you mean you don't know what you were thinking?" "Well, I've had so much family in and out, and so much going on the past few days, I just wasn't clear-headed when I called you this morning. I didn't mean Jingle Bells, I mean When They Ring Those Golden Bells!"

THOUGHT TO PONDER:

Patience is to idle your motor when you feel like stripping the gear! - unknown

OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO YOU:

We love you!

Loretta & Jon

http://www.graysheep.org