15 “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk, so that he can gaze on their naked bodies!16 You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink and let your nakedness be exposed! The cup from the Lord’s right hand is coming around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.17 The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and your destruction of animals will terrify you. For you have shed human blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.
18 “Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman? Or an image that teaches lies? For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. 19 Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’ Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’ Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it.” 20 The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.”
There is a problem in our land. We have in our rural community three main addiction problems; alcoholism, drug addiction, and sexual immorality.
We have two prison facilities in Northern Minnesota devoted to sexual addictions and pornography including child pornography. The recent movie, Sound of Freedom, centers around a true story of Tim Ballard, a former US government agent whose mission was to rescue children from sex traffickers. It is revealed many kidnapped children are sent, not only to other parts of the United States, but other countries where law enforcement cannot penetrate illegal operation.
In the news this week one of the officials from Kenya, Africa, was discussing the epidemic of sexual abuse of children due to poverty. When families are down to one meal every other day, they sell, or rent their children so they can eat.
At the root of these problems is uncontrolled passions and lust.
Religious systems turn to idols of their creation attempting to provide answer to life’s questions. In the midst of this furious hubbub, this clatter of activity, a clear voice cries out “Silence”. Hab 2:20 “But the Lord is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him.”
Notice the perspective changes for the rat-race activity of men on the earth in the very presence of God in the heavens. This points to the final authority. God is the absolute authority.
Don’t put your trust in politics or the elections to save us. You will be disappointed. God wants His glory to fill the whole earth. All governments will stand under the judgment of God
The last verse of this chapter shatters every argument and every objection that Habakkuk, has against God: “But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him” (vs 20).
He wins!
Application: Send up prayers today throughout the day for God to invade these cultures.
Prayer: Lord, have mercy on us. Lead this nation and all nations back to YOU!
