Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: Can We All Just Get Along?

How Long?

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2021-05-19

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver examines Habakkuk's lament over rampant wickedness and injustice in Judah, drawing parallels to modern society. He emphasizes the need for persistent, importunate prayer crying out to God for intervention, justice, and righteousness, rather than mere complaining. The message calls believers to prioritize God's honor over personal comfort and to trust in His eventual judgment.

[John Weaver] Our Bibles today to the book of Habakkuk chapter 1 if you don't know where that is you just find Malachi the last book in the Old Testament and go back five books and You'll find it. So it's near the end of the Old Testament the book of Habakkuk chapter 1 And we're going to read the first four verses. And the title of the message is, How Long?

[John Weaver] And I believe that you will see the connection. Notice Habakkuk chapter one, beginning there with verse one. The burden which Habakkuk, the prophet, did see. Oh, Lord, how long shall I cry and thou will not hear? Even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou will not save. Why dost thou show me iniquity and cause me to behold grievance? For spoiling and violence are before me, and there are that raise up strife and contention.

[John Weaver] Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth. For the wicked doth compass about the righteous, therefore wrong judgment proceeded. The question, how long, is very significant. Anyone that has ever traveled with children has heard that question thousands of times in differing frameworks. How long before we get there? How long before we eat? How long before we get to the next bathroom? How long, how long, how long?

[John Weaver] It resounds over and over in the ears of parents, that is for sure. It seems sometimes that I think some ask themselves, well, how long is he going to preach? Well, I usually tell people it doesn't bother me when you look at your wristwatches. I do get a little nervous when you start pulling out calendars and thumbing through the months, you know, but no, there's an end to everything. But interestingly, the question, how long is repeated many times in the Bible. Sometimes it is asked by the people, sometimes by prophets and many times by God himself. So let me just by way of introduction, give you a few biblical examples of how, how long is given to us.

[John Weaver] For instance, in Exodus chapter 10 and verse three, and Moses and Aaron came into Pharaoh and said unto him, thus said the Lord God of the Hebrews, how long Wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? Let my people go that they may serve me. And then, of course, in Exodus 16 and verse 28, And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse you to keep my commandments and my laws? And then when you get to Numbers 14 and verse 11, And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? How long will it be ere they believe me for all the signs that I have shown among them? So twice in that passage, God asks how long. Then in Numbers chapter 14 in verse 27, God asks, how long shall I bear with this evil congregation which murmur against me? I've heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. And then in Psalm 4 and verse 2, O you sons of men, how long would you turn my glory into shame?

[John Weaver] How long would you love vanity? and seek after leasing or lying. So twice in that verse, God asks, how long? And then in Psalm 13 in verse one, how long will thou forget me, O Lord, forever? How long will thou hide thy face from me? So when you think about the question, how long, it could express, number one, an urgent need or an urgent desire. How long will it be before dinner's ready? What does that mean? I'm ready to eat now. Really? And, of course, it can also be used to express exasperation. Alice, how long will you continue that? In other words, I'm saying, in essence, I'm tired of that. Stop it. So when you hear the phrase or the question, how long, like I say, it can reference an earnest desire, an earnest expectation in one sense of the word, or an earnest exasperation as well.

[John Weaver] Now the word Habakkuk is a very interesting name because the name actually means strong embrace. And you're going to find as you read through this short book that he actually lives up to his name because in this book regardless of the circumstances, regardless of the situation, Regardless of the chastening hand and the judgment of God, he strongly embraces God and holds to Him. For instance, if you look in your Bibles to Habakkuk chapter 3, the last chapter in this short book, and let's begin reading there in verse 17. And look, if you would, at how strongly he does embrace God regardless of the circumstances. He said in verse 17, although the fig tree shall not blossom, in other words, no figs, neither shall fruit be in the vine, no grapes.

[John Weaver] The labor of the olive shall fail, no olives. The field shall yield their meat, no meat. So there's no wheat, rye. And then he said the flock shall be cut off from the fold. They die as well. And there shall be no herd in the stall. In other words, we're hungry, we're desperate. There's famine, there's drought, we're in dire straits. Look in verse 18. Yet, I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.

[John Weaver] And then he says to the chief singer, on my stringed instruments. So, interestingly enough, he lives up to his name in this book.

[John Weaver] Now, there is another interesting truth about Habakkuk. That is, he does not really and truly prophesy in the sense that Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, and the other prophets prophesied.

[John Weaver] Now, he is called a prophet, a minor prophet, that is for sure. But when you read this book, you're going to find that he is one of those men who wrestled with God much like Jacob did at the brook. He knows that judgment is coming. He knows that God is going to use the Chaldeans slash Babylonians. They're one in the same. He knows that God is going to use them to bring judgment upon the nation.

[John Weaver] The problem that Habakkuk has is this. He cannot figure out how God could use a far more wicked and vile people to chasten and judge another people who were less wicked. For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Habakkuk chapter 1 and verse 13. Habakkuk 1 and verse 13. He says, Thou art of pure eyes and behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity, that is, ye cannot look upon it condoningly or approvingly. Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoured the man that is more righteous than he." Now, there's a faint resemblance in the book of Habakkuk to the book of Job in the fact that both are seeking to comprehend the proceedings of God in governing His world, and especially in governing this world toward His saints, especially when chastisement and judgment are involved. So the question that arises in both books is basically why the righteous are afflicted and the wicked and the unrighteous prosper and have dominion. You'll also find that in Psalm 73 when Asaph is praying unto God and this is the same question that confounds him.

[John Weaver] So Habakkuk in this book is not denying that his people are sinners. He is not denying that they have violated the law of God. He is not denying that they deserve judgment. What confounds him and confuses him is how God can use a nation more wicked and more vile than they are to chasten them.

[John Weaver] Now, to give you a good illustration, look at us in this country. We are indeed sinful. We're indeed wicked. We've violated the law of God over and over. We've offended Him persistently, consistently, and constantly. We have rejected Him. We've forsaken Him. We've become idolaters. We've become blasphemers. And yet, as bad and as wicked as we are, if God sent the communist Chinese over here to destroy us and destroy our country, Well, you could say, well, at least we're not atheists like they are. At least we have a little morality left.

[John Weaver] But you see what I'm saying? This is the same position Habakkuk was in because he knew that they were sinners. He knew that they were wicked, but he just could not understand how God could use another nation more wicked and use them to correct them. But however, he did understand that it was for correction. Look in Habakkuk 1 and verse 12, because he says that. He says, Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? We shall not die.

[John Weaver] That is, you're not going to be totally wiped out. O Lord, thou hast ordained them for judgment, and, Almighty God, thou hast established them for correction. So, that which he could not grasp was how the best would be chastened by the worst. would be devastated and dominated by the wicked. And usually, you and I hardly ever see the seriousness of sin in such matters.

[John Weaver] Now, let me point something out that you and I really need to understand, and that is this. Sins are bad. Sins are wicked. Sins are vile. Sins are sinful. But they're even more sinful and more vile and more wicked in a saint. How can I say that? Well, when you drove to church this afternoon, how many of you noticed the weeds along the road? Hardly anybody. They don't pay any attention to weeds.

[John Weaver] You may have seen azaleas blooming or you may have seen dogwood trees blooming. And you might remark how beautiful they are, but you never really notice the weeds. And you really don't pay too much attention to weeds until they are in your garden. And once they're in your garden, you understand that they have to be ripped out or they'll literally take over the garden. Well, it's the same thing with sin in the life of a saint. You have to understand this. It is worse for a saint to sin, in one sense of the word, than it is for the wicked to sin. Why?

[John Weaver] Because we have the truth. We know the truth. And when we sin, we turn our backs upon the truth. Moreover, we've given our allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ. And when we turn from him and do that which is contrary to him, We're acting as treasonous and traitorous individuals to the Lord Jesus Christ. So, sin is even more vile in a saint. Let me show you. I want you to hold the book of Habakkuk, but I want you to turn in your Bibles back a few books to Jeremiah, Lamentations. So it's Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations. And while you're finding Lamentations chapter 4, I also want you to find Luke chapter 12. Luke chapter 12. So we will go to the book of Lamentations chapter 4 first. And may I remind you before I read Lamentations chapter 4 that Jeremiah saw the destruction of Jerusalem. In fact, Jeremiah wrote the book of Lamentations. There are five Lamentations in this book. And he wrote these five Lamentations on the destruction of Jerusalem.

[John Weaver] He was known as the weeping prophet. But I want you to look at what he said in Lamentations chapter 4 and verse 6. He said, for the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people, that is the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem, is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom that was overthrown as in a moment and no hand stood on her. Isn't that an amazing statement? He says the punishment of Judah and Jerusalem was worse than the punishment of Solomon Gomorrah. Well, you have to understand in this context, obviously Solomon Gomorrah was overthrown in a moment of time.

[John Weaver] They were alive and then they were dead. They were aware of what was happening one moment, next moment. They knew absolutely nothing. They were destroyed. But it wasn't like that with the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem. They were surrounded by armies. They were starved to death, many. And women killed and ate their own children. Many were slaughtered inside the city, slaughtered outside of the city. And then, of course, many were taken captive into Babylon. So he is saying the destruction of the daughter of my people is greater than the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Why? Well, may I remind you that it was in Jerusalem you had the temple. It was at Jerusalem. You had the law.

[John Weaver] You had the teaching priest. You had the Levites. I'm just saying they had a greater opportunity and they had a greater blessing than Solomon Gomorrah.

[John Weaver] Now, here's the same principle. Look in your Bibles to the book of Luke, chapter 12, and let's begin reading there with verse 47. Look what our Lord says, Luke 12, verse 47. Our Lord said, And that servant which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.

[John Weaver] So He said the man that knows deserves a far greater punishment than the man that doesn't know. Because the man that doesn't know sins in ignorance. The man that does know sins out of meditation, premeditation, and sins deliberately, openly, and willingly. And then he makes this statement. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required. And to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask them more. So the greater the opportunity, the greater the blessings, the greater the culpability, and the greater the punishment so this is what we're seeing in the book of Habakkuk and Habakkuk begins this basically with a lamentation so if you look in Habakkuk chapter 1 and verse 1 he says this the burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see now note if you would he begins it with a lamentation in the sense he calls this a burden And let me go ahead and hasten to say this, before we're through, I think that you're going to understand that the situation in Habakkuk's day was practically the same as the

[John Weaver] situation in our day and our time as well. So he says the burden which Habakkuk, the prophet, did see.

[John Weaver] Now, the Hebrew word for burden is the word masah, and it literally means a burden. It means a heavy load. It means that which weights one down. It means something that is extremely heavy to be carried or to be born. And the word is translated as burden 57 times in our Bible. So he says, here's a burden that's been laid upon me. It's very heavy. It's very weighted. Well, what in the world is that burden?

[John Weaver] We'll look in verse two. He says, O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? Even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save? Now, note he said, O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? So Habakkuk had been crying to the Lord concerning the wickedness in Judah and Jerusalem. It seemed to Habakkuk that God was asleep, or at least God was not listening, or God was not interested, and therefore he pleads with God and he asks, how long? I've been crying, I've been crying, I've been crying. How long will it be before you hear me? Now, I want you to note that he was crying out of violence. Look at it. O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear, even cry out unto thee of violence? Now the Hebrew word for violence here is the word klamats.

[John Weaver] It's translated in our Bibles oftentimes as violence or injustice or oppression or cruelty. It refers to that which is unrighteous, that which is wicked, and that which is wrong. So here's what he's saying. I'm crying out to thee of violence. I mean, people are murdering. People are robbing. People are beating others. People are oppressing others. There's cruelty everywhere I turn. There's all kinds of wickedness that's wrong and ungodly.

[John Weaver] So all I want you to do is this. I want you to think. Think about the situation that Habakkuk was in, and now glance around at your city, at your town, at your county, at your state, and at your nation. And do you see exactly what he saw? And the truth of the matter is, you see it. I see it. We see it. But the question is this.

[John Weaver] Have we been crying to God about it? Does it really concern you? Does it really burden you? Are you plagued by it? Are you weighted down by it? Are you grieved by it? And I can answer those questions by asking you another question. How often have you been asking God to intervene? How often have you been crying to God and asking him to deal with this situation and to rectify the situation and bring to us justice?

[John Weaver] And have you ever considered this? That when God does intervene, it may disrupt our lives as well. What is more important? Our comfort are righteousness and justice. I could ask this another way. Would you like to choose between being inconvenienced and see the wicked judged and punished? Because obviously when judgment hits, a lot of people are going to certainly be inconvenienced. they're certainly going to be disrupted.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to hold Habakkuk, but I want you to turn back to Jeremiah chapter 12. So Jeremiah is right before the book of Lamentations. Look in Jeremiah chapter 12 and verse 1, and you're going to see that Jeremiah had an awful lot in common with Habakkuk. In fact, a lot of these prophets did. Note, if you would, Jeremiah chapter 12 and verse 1. He says, Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee. Yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments.

[John Weaver] Now look at these questions that he's asking God. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? Wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously? He said, God, I don't understand this. Why are the wicked prospering? They're violating your law. They despise you. They hate you. And why are those who are treacherous individuals happy? In other words, I'm not happy about this situation. I'm not happy about the wickedness in our capital. I'm not happy about the wickedness among the people. God, I don't understand this.

[John Weaver] This is exactly what he is saying. So Habakkuk, like Jeremiah, was crying out and Habakkuk just basically could not understand why God was not answering, why God was not doing something, why he was not punishing the evil and rescuing the righteous. It's almost like that which Abraham said to God in Genesis 18, when they, the Lord came to Abraham and said that he's going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. And you remember Lot, Abram's nephew, was in Sodom. And in Genesis 18 in verse 23, And Abraham drew near and said, wilt thou destroy the righteous with the wicked? And then you know how he pled with the Lord and got him down to ten. Finally, in verse 25, he said this, Thus be it far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that the righteous should be as the wicked. That be far from thee.

[John Weaver] Shall not the judge of all the earth do right? So here Abram is even praying and pleading with God to let the righteous live and go ahead and destroy the wicked. Now Habakkuk was crying. That's what he said. I was crying out. But he said thou will not hear. So when Habakkuk was crying out, he was not murmuring. He was not distrusting God. He was not displaying impatience with God. What Habakkuk was doing was simply this. He was crying out with a consistent, passionate, impertune, and concerned prayer. He was praying and he kept on praying. I want you to hold the book of Habakkuk But turn in your Bibles, if you would please, to Luke chapter 11. I want you to see what our Lord says about this type of praying. Luke chapter 11, and I want us to begin reading there with verse 5. Luke 11 and verse 5.

[John Weaver] And He said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lead me three loaves." Hell, I've got news for you. You come to my house at midnight, knock on my door. Well, first of all, I probably wouldn't hear you, but I've got some big ferocious fellas in there that would hear you, and they would wake me up, that is for sure. But here's someone coming at midnight. Think of how inconsiderate That would be to come to your house at midnight, start banging on your door. Okay.

[John Weaver] Now we'll look at it. If you would please in verse six, here's why he was doing that. For a friend of mine is in his journey has come to me and I have nothing to set before him. I don't have any food and he from within shall answer and say, trouble me not. The door is now shut and my children are with me in the bed. I cannot arise. and give thee. So here I am in bed, it's midnight, and Steve's knocking on my door, and he says, Pastor, I need some bread, I need something to feed a friend who's come to me in his journey. I said, Steve, it's midnight, go home. No, you don't understand, Pastor, I don't have anything at the house, and I need something to feed this fella. Steve, it's midnight, Go home. He says, no, I've got to have this food. I said, Steve, let me tell you something. If you don't leave right now, I'm going to shut this door in your face and I'm going back to bed.

[John Weaver] Do you understand? And I shut the door in his face. In time, I turn around. Pastor, I got to have this food. That's all there is. I've got it.

[John Weaver] Finally, I said, Steve, I'll give it to you. Just take it and leave me alone and let me go back to bed. Ah, why did I say that? Well, look at it. Verse seven again. And he from within shall answer and say, trouble me not. The door is now shut and my children are with me in bed. I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto thee, look what our Lord said, though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend. Yeah.

[John Weaver] Friendship has its problems yet because of his infertunity. He will rise and give him as many as he needeth. Now watch. And I say unto you, ask, and it shall be given you. Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to note, first of all, he is talking about importunity. In other words, Steve is not going to give in, he's not going to give up, he's not going to give out. And what I have to understand is this, although I consider him a friend and he won't go home and he won't leave me alone because he is shamelessly pounding on my door and I can't get any rest, I'm going to give him what he needs just to get rid of him. Still a friend.

[John Weaver] You know what the word opportunity means? It means to be shameless. You know, If most of us went up to someone's house at midnight, we would do something like this. Oh, they're probably already in bed. I don't want to wake them. But someone who is shameless, they'll nearly tear the door down, blow the horn, do anything and everything just to get you awake. This is what he's talking about. Shamelessly knocking on that door.

[John Weaver] Now, Here's an interesting thing. When our Lord said, ask, seek, and knock, those are present active imperatives. An imperative is a command, and actually what He's commanding you to do in prayer is to keep on asking, and to keep on seeking, and to keep on knocking, And our Lord says, those who keep on seeking, they will find, and those who keep on asking shall receive, and those who keep on knocking, it will be opened unto them. So, Habakkuk kept on. Even though it seemed as if God was totally ignoring him, he kept on praying, he kept on asking, he kept on seeking God to intervene. He understood that it must be God that intervened, it must be God that restrained and corrected, and removed the wicked and his wickedness. He just simply could not understand why God was not answering his prayer. So, if you'll go back to the book of Habakkuk, look in chapter 1 and verse 2 again. He says, O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? Even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save.

[John Weaver] He's crying, he's pleading, shamelessly, seemingly he's not getting anywhere. Then look at verse 3, this is exciting. He says, Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? For spoiling and violence are before me, and there that raise up strife and contention. Now, instead of answering Habakkuk's crying and pleading in verse 2, what God did was show him worse sins, and more wickedness, and more vileness. He asked, why dost thou show me iniquity? Why do you cause me to behold grievance? Then he says, spoiling and violence are before me, and there are those around me that just simply raise up strife and contention. Wow!

[John Weaver] Do you not have to understand this? It should be the most troubling and grievous thing to a godly man to look around and see the depth of sin and depravity and the prevalence of sin and depravity with no restraint and no correction and no punishment. It should trouble, it should weight us down. Every godly man should be disturbed by such a sight. And the implication is that Habakkuk, everywhere he turned, God opened his eyes and he saw more. He saw more violence. He saw more strife. He saw more contention. Wickedness and violence were rampant. They were everywhere.

[John Weaver] They were out of control and they were unchecked. Now, in verse 3 he says this, listen carefully. He said, why dost thou show me iniquity? We understand that iniquity is sin. Then he says, and cause me to behold grievance.

[John Weaver] Now the word grievance actually refers to that which is burdensome, wearisome toil. It can refer to spoiling, to open robbery. It can also refer to strife and contention. In other words, there were many that were in open violation of God's law. They were killing, they were raping, they were stealing, they were doing everything wicked and vile. However, some were not quite as bad as those, but what they were, this they were at each other's throats and they were seeking to take advantage of each other. They're plotting any way in every way they could to take advantage of their fellow man. Now then he adds that spoiling and violence are before me and those that raise up strife and contention.

[John Weaver] I want you to listen as I give you a quote from Matthew Henry. Now this quote of course was written several hundred years back, but it seems as if Matthew Henry was alive yesterday or today. Here's what he wrote, that the kingdom, he's talking about Judah and Jerusalem, that the kingdom was broken into parties and factions that were continually biting and devouring one another. This is a lamentation to all the sons of peace. There are that raise up strife and contention, that foment divisions, widen breaches, incense men one against another, and sow discord among the brethren.

[John Weaver] Strives and contentions that have been laid asleep and begun to be forgotten, they awake and industriously raise up again and blow up the sparks that were hidden under the embers. And if blessed are the peacemakers, cursed are the peacebreakers that make parties and so make mischief that spreads further and lasts longer than they can imagine. It is sad to see bad men warming their hands at the flames which are devouring all that which is good in a nation and stirring up the fire too.

[John Weaver] Now let me just point this out. If what I'm about to say does not open up your eyes, I don't think anything will. If what Matthew Henry wrote does not open up your eyes, I don't think anything will. Look at our nation. Look at our states. Look at our communities. People are at each other's throats. They're even at each other's throats over these stupid masks? Do you realize that several people have been murdered over the mask? Look at the COVID-19, scandemic, whatever you want to call it, but how it is being used to divide people and set one group against another group. Look at the race problem and how the races are being set against each other. Look at the cultures, how the cultures are being set against each other.

[John Weaver] It's absolutely insane when someone has something on that looks African, well, you're stealing from their culture. You wear something Hawaiian, well, you're stealing from their culture. What if you just happen to like something Hawaiian? What if I accused our sister of stealing that cowboy hat from the West. She's stealing a Western culture. That's ridiculous. But what is happening, it's turning people against each other. Religion against religion.

[John Weaver] All I'm trying to say is this. What we are seeing that is happening today is the same thing that happened in Judah and Jerusalem. While each of us are at everybody's throats and each other's throats, and while we're being divided, those who are in the power, those who are in control, those who are in authority are laughing their heads off while we destroy ourselves and raking in billions at the same time. That's what was happening in Habakkuk's day. That's what is happening in our day.

[John Weaver] I want you to see the apex of his lamentation in verse 4. Here's the height of it. After he says, let's read verse 2 and 3, and then you get to verse 4. He says, O Lord, how long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear? Even cry unto thee of violence and thou wilt not save. Why dost thou show me iniquity and cause me to behold grievance? For spoiling and violence are before me, and there of that raise up strife and contention.

[John Weaver] Now look at the next word, therefore. In other words, here is a conclusion based upon what he has just said. Because of what I have just said, therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth, for the wicked doth compass about the righteous, therefore wrong judgment proceedeth. What he is saying in verse 4, first of all, is that every institution was corrupt. Even those that were responsible for justice.

[John Weaver] Now, he makes a very interesting statement in verse 4. He says, therefore, the law is slacked. What does Habakkuk mean when he says the law is slacked? Well, the Hebrew word is the word pugh, and it literally means to faint, to become feeble, to be slacked, to grow numb, and to become benumbed. So how can I illustrate this? Well, let me illustrate it like this. If you are a normal, healthy individual.

[John Weaver] I can take and check your pulse and the pulse reflecting the beat of the heart. If you are a normal, healthy individual, that pulse is going to be consistent, constant, strong. But If you are unhealthy, and you are dying, and your body is shutting down, your pulse now becomes weak, faint, slack, inconsistent, and it will continue that until it stops, until you're dead. Here we go. God's law is the pulse of civilization. God's law is the pulse of society. When God's law is honored, when God's law is applied, civilization and society are healthy. When God's law is dishonored and neglected, then civilization and society begins to die.

[John Weaver] That is why our Lord said in Proverbs 8 and verse 36, but he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul. All they that hate me love death. So when he is saying the law is slack, what he was saying is Judah and Jerusalem or dying. Their civilization was almost dead.

[John Weaver] Now, here's the next truth. I want you to look in verse 4. He says, therefore the law is slack. Here's the consequence of a slackened law, of a faint law. And judgment, or justice, doth never go forth. Now the Hebrew word for judgment, here's the word mishpat, and it refers to justice or judgment, the act of deciding a case, the issuance of a sentence, and the execution of the law. So what he is saying is this in verse four, when the law is slacked, judgment or justice does never go forth. In other words, justice is perverted. Justice is distorted. Justice is rested. It is slacked.

[John Weaver] In such an instance, the righteous are condemned and the ungodly are justified. You know, in Proverbs 17 and verse 15, God said it like this. He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination to the Lord. That is, they are a stench in his nostrils. You look around today and ask where justice is. I laugh when I think about this.

[John Weaver] I usually tell people I'm not a communist. I have no sympathy with communism. But there is one communist that I occasionally quote. And he was right. His name was Gus Hall. And years ago, Gus Hall said the reason we refer to our judicial system as the halls of justice is because the only place you can get any justice is out in the halls. And that's the sad truth. You really can't get it in the courtrooms. Not at all. Let me show you.

[John Weaver] Hold Habakkuk 1, but turn back in your Bibles to Psalm 82. Psalm 82. This is a psalm that is written to the magistrates. This is a psalm that is written to the judges. So when you look in Psalm 82 and verse 1, the Bible says this, God stands in the congregation of the mighty. He judges among the gods. Now, the word gods there does not refer to idols. It does not refer to Baal and Astaroth and false gods. No, no, no, no. It refers to judges. It refers to magistrates. Our Lord himself, I believe it's John chapter 10, said that he called them gods to whom the law came. In other words, the judges received God's law and they were to execute God's law and thus they were called gods in that sense of the word. So the context explains the use of the word gods here. He says, God stands in the congregation of the mighty. He judges among the gods.

[John Weaver] How long will you judge unjustly? So he's talking about judges. He's talking about men. How long will you judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked? In other words, the judges who are responsible for justice are perverting justice and producing injustice.

[John Weaver] Now, here's what they should be doing in verses 3 and 4. Defend the poor and the fatherless. Do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and the needy. Rid them out of the hand of the wicked. That's what justice is about. But where are the judges? Look in verse 5. They know not. Neither will they understand. They walk on in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are out of course.

[John Weaver] In other words, they reject God's law. They hate God's law. They turn everything upside down. because they refused to give forth justice.

[John Weaver] Now, you're going to have to ask yourself, how did we get in the state of affairs that we're in? Well, go back to the book of Habakkuk, chapter 1, and look again at verse 4, because he'll answer that. He said, therefore the law is slacked, and judgment does never go forth, that is, there's not going to be Justice, why? For the wicked doth compass about the righteous." In other words, the wicked are in charge. The wicked have the authority. The wicked have the power. The wicked have the dominion. And consequently, he says, because the righteous are compassed or surrounded by the wicked, therefore wrong judgment proceeded. It is the wicked that can pass the righteous. It is the wicked in this situation that are calling the shots. It is the wicked who do not care about God and are not interested in listening to God or His law or understanding anything about God.

[John Weaver] So, let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Psalm 50. Hold the book of Habakkuk, but go back to Psalm 50. And let's begin reading there. with verse 16. Psalm 50 and verse 16. Note, if you would please, the question that God asked. Psalm 50, verse 15. Or verse 16, that's what I want. Verse 16. But unto the wicked God saith, What is thou to do to declare my statutes?

[John Weaver] Whether thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth, Thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. For thou sawest a thief, and thou consentest with him, that is, you took some bribery, and has been partakers with adulterers. Yeah, you either engaged in it yourself or took a bribe there as well. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother, thou slanderst thine own mother's son.

[John Weaver] Look what God says to them. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence. I put up with it for a little bit. Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such in one as thyself, but I will reprove thee, and set them, that is your sins, in order before thine eyes.

[John Weaver] Now consider this, you that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. When you look back at Habakkuk chapter 1 and verse 4, He says the law is slack, and judgment does never go forth, and here's why. For the wicked doth compass about the righteous, and consequently when they are in charge, therefore wrong judgment proceedeth. Did you know the Bible says in Proverbs 29 in verse 2, when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

[John Weaver] And one of the main reasons for mourning is because there is a lack of justice. And the clear implication is there is a lack of justice because the wicked beareth rule and therefore wrong judgment proceedeth. It is the wicked themselves It is the rulers themselves who are fueling the fire of rebellion and wickedness. They were the ones who were responsible to see that God's law was applied and executed. But they're the ones who are the most lawless. You want to know who the most lawless individuals in this country are? Those in Congress.

[John Weaver] Those in the judicial system. those in the White House. Let me give you a quote. This quote is from the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of Olmstead versus the United States. Here's the short quote. In a government of laws, the existence of the government will be imperiled if it fails to observe the laws of the law scrupulously. Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher.

[John Weaver] For good or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example. Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law. It invites every man to become a law unto himself, and it invites anarchy." What did he say? What did the Supreme Court say? The government If it does not keep the law scrupulously, it's going to teach everyone else to become criminals and lawbreakers. Wow.

[John Weaver] So here we are today. We're right where Habakkuk was because the wicked are in positions of authority and they totally neglect and or usurp the law of God and the law of the land. How often have you heard of a politician refusing to vote yay on a bill because the bill either violated the law of God or was contrary to the Constitution of the United States? Hmm.

[John Weaver] For the last two weeks, I gave you the quote by Congressman Jerry Nadler. Here's another quote from Democrat Steve Cohen of Tennessee. He said, quote, I think God belongs in religious institutions, in temple, in church, in cathedral, in mosques, but not in Congress. So, we now have a Congress that will give lip service to the Constitution, which is supposed to be the supreme law of the land, but the sovereign God of heaven and earth and his law has been literally kicked out of Congress.

[John Weaver] All I'm simply saying is we're in the same predicament that Habakkuk was in. So here are some questions. How long can this go on? How long before we wake up? How long before God stirs his people? How long before he intervenes? How long before God judges and punishes us Because of our sins, our rebellion, our idolatry, and our blasphemy. How long? I'm not making these questions up. I want you to turn in your Bibles, hold Habakkuk, but turn to the book of Psalms, and let's begin with Psalm 74. I want to show you these questions. Look in Psalm 74, beginning there with verse 10. Psalm 74 verse 10. Look at this question. It's a good question to ask. It's a good question to pray. Oh God, how long shall the adversary reproach?

[John Weaver] Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name forever? How long, God, are you going to put up with this? How long will we be in distress? How long, O God, shall the adversary reproach? How long shall the enemy blaspheme thy name? Will it be forever? Look in Psalm 79 and verse 5. Psalm 79 and verse 5. How long, Lord, will thou be angry forever?

[John Weaver] Shall thy jealousy burn like fire? Note, if you would, the next verse, pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name. How long, O Lord, wilt thou be angry forever? Look in Psalm 80 and verse 4. O Lord, God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people? How long? How long? Look in Psalm 94. Psalm 94, beginning there in verse 3. Psalm 94, verse 3. Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and speak hard things, and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? What do they do? They break in pieces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thine heritage.

[John Weaver] They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob understand it. How long, O Lord? He asked it twice. How long, O Lord? Shall the wicked triumph? How long is an excellent question. How long? How long? How long? Let me give you some applications. The first one is this. We are unlike Habakkuk in one self-defeating way. When we look around and see the trouble that we're in, we complain, we bellyache, we endure, we criticize, and we whine, but we do not cry out to God for intervention.

[John Weaver] I want you to turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 18. And look, if you would, at the first eight verses. Luke 18. And let's begin reading there with verse one, because our Lord is teaching. Opportunity in prayer. Luke 18, verse one. And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint. saying there was in a city a judge who feared not God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city, and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me, mine adversary.

[John Weaver] And he would not for a while. But afterwards he thought within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man, yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. That's importunity. She shamelessly kept coming. I want justice, I want justice, I want justice.

[John Weaver] Finally he gave in and gave her what she wanted just to get her off his back. But look at what our Lord said by way of application. Verse 6, And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge said, And shall not God avenge his own elect? which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them, I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.

[John Weaver] Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" Now, the faith that he's referring to in verse 8 is the faith that keeps crying to God for vengeance, for justice, for righteousness, with importunity. That's how Habakkuk was praying. That's how our Lord teaches us that we must pray. We have to come to the realization that the mess we're in is going to require divine intervention. We're not going to resolve it on our own. God must do something. Do you realize the Bible says in Isaiah 58 in verse one, cry aloud, spare not.

[John Weaver] Lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins." How long? By the way, the question how long is also a cry of faith. As I've already pointed out, you will find this expression not only in the Psalms, but in the Prophets as well. And I've said that the question how long could represent an urgent desire or an urgent need. It could also represent exasperation. But it could also represent absolute certainty. Let me show you.

[John Weaver] Turn in your Bibles to the book of Revelation chapter 6, and look if you would, beginning there with verse 9. Revelation 6 and verse 9. Watch the question, Revelation six and verse nine. And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar, the souls of them that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice saying, how long, oh Lord, holy and true.

[John Weaver] Does thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? Hear what they're crying. How long Lord before you give us vengeance? How long before you give us justice? We know you're going to do it, but how long will it be? Verse 11 and white rogues were given under every one of them. It was said unto them that they should rest yet for a little while for a little season.

[John Weaver] That is be patient until their fellow servants also in their brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled. God said, I'm going to take care of it. It is certain. that God will do so. And we must learn to cry. We must learn to cry. We must learn to cry. Here's the last one. Be assured of this truth. If we cry consistently, shamelessly, with importunity, We are assured that God will hear.

[John Weaver] He said in Jeremiah 33 in verse three, call upon me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not. So how long? Will we sleep? How long will we put up with what is going on? How long will it be before we really truly, consistently, and shamelessly cry unto God to do something. How long will it be before we learn to put God's honor, God's glory, and God's justice ahead of our comforts and our conveniences? How long? How long? We must learn to cry as did Habakkuk. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee.

[John Weaver] We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. Teach us, Lord, to cry and to pray with importunity. Help us, Lord, to love Thee, to live for Thee, to be concerned with Thy honor and Thy glory. we ask father in the name of jesus christ for his glory as well and in his name amen so so

How Long?

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	uxaf2kt2_MY
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: Can We All Just Get Along?
Genre	Sermon
Date	2021-05-19
Dictation Name
Book	Book 082: Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom - Volume 2 — Chapter 33
Source Timed Segments	88

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Question 'How Long?'

Weaver introduces the theme of 'How long?' as a common biblical question expressing urgent desire or exasperation, and notes its frequent use by God, prophets, and people.

Our Bibles today to the book of Habakkuk chapter 1. If you don't know where that is, you just find Malachi, the last book in the Old Testament, and go back five books and you'll find it. So it's near the end of the Old Testament, the book of Habakkuk chapter 1. And we're going to read the first four verses. And the title of the message is, "How Long?" And I believe that you will see the connection. Notice Habakkuk chapter one, beginning there with verse one.

Scripture Reading — Habakkuk 1:1-4

"The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see. O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! Even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? For spoiling and violence are before me, and there are that raise up strife and contention."

"Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth." The question, "how long," is very significant. Anyone that has ever traveled with children has heard that question thousands of times in differing frameworks. How long before we get there? How long before we eat? How long before we get to the next bathroom? How long, how long, how long? It resounds over and over in the ears of parents, that is for sure. It seems sometimes that I think some ask themselves, well, how long is he going to preach? Well, I usually tell people it doesn't bother me when you look at your wristwatches. I do get a little nervous when you start pulling out calendars and thumbing through the months, you know, but no, there's an end to everything. But interestingly, the question "how long" is repeated many times in the Bible. Sometimes it is asked by the people, sometimes by prophets, and many times by God himself. So let me just by way of introduction, give you a few biblical examples of how "how long" is given to us.

For instance, in Exodus chapter 10 and verse three,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 10:3

"And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me."

And then, of course, in Exodus 16 and verse 28, "And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?" And then when you get to Numbers 14 and verse 11, "And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? And how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?" So twice in that passage, God asks "how long." Then in Numbers chapter 14 in verse 27, God asks, "How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me." And then in Psalm 4 and verse 2, "O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame?"

"How long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing?" or lying. So twice in that verse, God asks, "how long?" And then in Psalm 13 in verse one, "How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?" So when you think about the question "how long," it could express, number one, an urgent need or an urgent desire. How long will it be before dinner's ready? What does that mean? I'm ready to eat now. Really? And, of course, it can also be used to express exasperation. "Alice, how long will you continue that?" In other words, I'm saying, in essence, I'm tired of that. Stop it. So when you hear the phrase or the question "how long," like I say, it can reference an earnest desire, an earnest expectation in one sense of the word, or an earnest exasperation as well.

Habakkuk's Name and Character

The name Habakkuk means 'strong embrace,' reflecting his unwavering trust in God despite dire circumstances, as seen in Habakkuk 3:17-19.

Now the word Habakkuk is a very interesting name because the name actually means "strong embrace." And you're going to find as you read through this short book that he actually lives up to his name because in this book regardless of the circumstances, regardless of the situation, regardless of the chastening hand and the judgment of God, he strongly embraces God and holds to Him. For instance, if you look in your Bibles to Habakkuk chapter 3, the last chapter in this short book, and let's begin reading there in verse 17. And look, if you would, at how strongly he does embrace God regardless of the circumstances. He said in verse 17, "Although the fig tree shall not blossom," in other words, no figs, "neither shall fruit be in the vine," no grapes.

Scripture Reading — Habakkuk 3:17-19

"The labour of the olive shall fail,"

no olives.

Scripture Reading — Habakkuk 3:17-19

"The field shall yield no meat,"

so there's no wheat, rye. And then he said,

Scripture Reading — Habakkuk 3:17-19

"the flock shall be cut off from the fold,"

they die as well.

Scripture Reading — Habakkuk 3:17-19

"And there shall be no herd in the stall."

In other words, we're hungry, we're desperate. There's famine, there's drought, we're in dire straits. Look in verse 18.

Scripture Reading — Habakkuk 3:17-19

"Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places."

And then he says, "To the chief singer on my stringed instruments." So, interestingly enough, he lives up to his name in this book.

Habakkuk's Struggle with God's Justice

Habakkuk wrestles with how a holy God could use the more wicked Babylonians to judge Judah, a question similar to Job's and Asaph's in Psalm 73.

Now, there is another interesting truth about Habakkuk. That is, he does not really and truly prophesy in the sense that Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, and the other prophets prophesied. Now, he is called a prophet, a minor prophet, that is for sure. But when you read this book, you're going to find that he is one of those men who wrestled with God much like Jacob did at the brook. He knows that judgment is coming. He knows that God is going to use the Chaldeans, slash Babylonians—they're one and the same. He knows that God is going to use them to bring judgment upon the nation.

The problem that Habakkuk has is this. He cannot figure out how God could use a far more wicked and vile people to chasten and judge another people who were less wicked. For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Habakkuk chapter 1 and verse 13. Habakkuk 1 and verse 13. He says,

Scripture Reading — Habakkuk 1:13

"Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity,"

that is, ye cannot look upon it condoningly or approvingly.

Scripture Reading — Habakkuk 1:13

"Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?"

Now, there's a faint resemblance in the book of Habakkuk to the book of Job in the fact that both are seeking to comprehend the proceedings of God in governing His world, and especially in governing this world toward His saints, especially when chastisement and judgment are involved. So the question that arises in both books is basically why the righteous are afflicted and the wicked and the unrighteous prosper and have dominion. You'll also find that in Psalm 73 when Asaph is praying unto God and this is the same question that confounds him.

So Habakkuk in this book is not denying that his people are sinners. He is not denying that they have violated the law of God. He is not denying that they deserve judgment. What confounds him and confuses him is how God can use a nation more wicked and more vile than they are to chasten them.

The Greater Culpability of God's People

Sin is more serious among those who know the truth, as illustrated by Lamentations 4:6 and Luke 12:47-48, where greater knowledge brings greater accountability.

Now, let me point something out that you and I really need to understand, and that is this. Sins are bad. Sins are wicked. Sins are vile. Sins are sinful. But they're even more sinful and more vile and more wicked in a saint. How can I say that? Well, when you drove to church this afternoon, how many of you noticed the weeds along the road? Hardly anybody. They don't pay any attention to weeds.

You may have seen azaleas blooming or you may have seen dogwood trees blooming. And you might remark how beautiful they are, but you never really notice the weeds. And you really don't pay too much attention to weeds until they are in your garden. And once they're in your garden, you understand that they have to be ripped out or they'll literally take over the garden. Well, it's the same thing with sin in the life of a saint. You have to understand this. It is worse for a saint to sin, in one sense of the word, than it is for the wicked to sin. Why?

Because we have the truth. We know the truth. And when we sin, we turn our backs upon the truth. Moreover, we've given our allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ. And when we turn from him and do that which is contrary to him, we're acting as treasonous and traitorous individuals to the Lord Jesus Christ. So, sin is even more vile in a saint. Let me show you. I want you to hold the book of Habakkuk, but I want you to turn in your Bibles back a few books to Jeremiah, Lamentations. So it's Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations. And while you're finding Lamentations chapter 4, I also want you to find Luke chapter 12. Luke chapter 12. So we will go to the book of Lamentations chapter 4 first. And may I remind you before I read Lamentations chapter 4 that Jeremiah saw the destruction of Jerusalem. In fact, Jeremiah wrote the book of Lamentations. There are five Lamentations in this book. And he wrote these five Lamentations on the destruction of Jerusalem.

He was known as the weeping prophet. But I want you to look at what he said in Lamentations chapter 4 and verse 6. He said,

Scripture Reading — Lamentations 4:6

"For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her."

Isn't that an amazing statement? He says the punishment of Judah and Jerusalem was worse than the punishment of Sodom and Gomorrah. Well, you have to understand in this context, obviously Sodom and Gomorrah was overthrown in a moment of time. They were alive and then they were dead. They were aware of what was happening one moment, next moment they knew absolutely nothing. They were destroyed. But it wasn't like that with the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem. They were surrounded by armies. They were starved to death, many. And women killed and ate their own children. Many were slaughtered inside the city, slaughtered outside of the city. And then, of course, many were taken captive into Babylon. So he is saying the destruction of the daughter of my people is greater than the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Why? Well, may I remind you that it was in Jerusalem you had the temple. It was at Jerusalem you had the law.

You had the teaching priest. You had the Levites. I'm just saying they had a greater opportunity and they had a greater blessing than Sodom and Gomorrah. Now, here's the same principle. Look in your Bibles to the book of Luke, chapter 12, and let's begin reading there with verse 47. Look what our Lord says, Luke 12, verse 47. Our Lord said, "And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes."

So He said the man that knows deserves a far greater punishment than the man that doesn't know. Because the man that doesn't know sins in ignorance. The man that does know sins out of meditation, premeditation, and sins deliberately, openly, and willingly. And then he makes this statement. "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more." So the greater the opportunity, the greater the blessings, the greater the culpability, and the greater the punishment. So this is what we're seeing in the book of Habakkuk. And Habakkuk begins this basically with a lamentation. So if you look in Habakkuk chapter 1 and verse 1, he says this, "The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see." Now note, if you would, he begins it with a lamentation in the sense he calls this a burden. And let me go ahead and hasten to say this, before we're through, I think that you're going to understand that the situation in Habakkuk's day was practically the same as the

Habakkuk's Burden and Cry

Habakkuk's burden is the heavy weight of seeing violence and injustice, and he cries out persistently to God, who seems silent.

situation in our day and our time as well. So he says, "The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see." Now, the Hebrew word for burden is the word "massa," and it literally means a burden. It means a heavy load. It means that which weighs one down. It means something that is extremely heavy to be carried or to be borne. And the word is translated as "burden" 57 times in our Bible. So he says, here's a burden that's been laid upon me. It's very heavy. It's very weighted. Well, what in the world is that burden?

We'll look in verse two. He says, "O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! Even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!" Now, note he said, "O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear?" So Habakkuk had been crying to the Lord concerning the wickedness in Judah and Jerusalem. It seemed to Habakkuk that God was asleep, or at least God was not listening, or God was not interested, and therefore he pleads with God and he asks, "How long? I've been crying, I've been crying, I've been crying. How long will it be before you hear me?" Now, I want you to note that he was crying out of violence. Look at it. "O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! Even cry out unto thee of violence?" Now the Hebrew word for violence here is the word "chamas."

It's translated in our Bibles oftentimes as violence or injustice or oppression or cruelty. It refers to that which is unrighteous, that which is wicked, and that which is wrong. So here's what he's saying. I'm crying out to thee of violence. I mean, people are murdering. People are robbing. People are beating others. People are oppressing others. There's cruelty everywhere I turn. There's all kinds of wickedness that's wrong and ungodly.

So all I want you to do is this. I want you to think. Think about the situation that Habakkuk was in, and now glance around at your city, at your town, at your county, at your state, and at your nation. And do you see exactly what he saw? And the truth of the matter is, you see it. I see it. We see it. But the question is this.

Have we been crying to God about it? Does it really concern you? Does it really burden you? Are you plagued by it? Are you weighted down by it? Are you grieved by it? And I can answer those questions by asking you another question. How often have you been asking God to intervene? How often have you been crying to God and asking him to deal with this situation and to rectify the situation and bring to us justice?

And have you ever considered this? That when God does intervene, it may disrupt our lives as well. What is more important? Our comfort or righteousness and justice? I could ask this another way. Would you like to choose between being inconvenienced and see the wicked judged and punished? Because obviously when judgment hits, a lot of people are going to certainly be inconvenienced. They're certainly going to be disrupted.

The Call to Importunate Prayer

Using Luke 11:5-10 and Luke 18:1-8, Weaver teaches that believers must pray shamelessly and persistently for God's intervention, like Habakkuk.

"Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" So here Abram is even praying and pleading with God to let the righteous live and go ahead and destroy the wicked. Now Habakkuk was crying. That's what he said. I was crying out. But he said, "thou wilt not save." So when Habakkuk was crying out, he was not murmuring. He was not distrusting God. He was not displaying impatience with God. What Habakkuk was doing was simply this. He was crying out with a consistent, passionate, importunate, and concerned prayer. He was praying and he kept on praying. I want you to hold the book of Habakkuk, but turn in your Bibles, if you would please, to Luke chapter 11. I want you to see what our Lord says about this type of praying. Luke chapter 11, and I want us to begin reading there with verse 5. Luke 11 and verse 5.

"And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves?" Well, I've got news for you. You come to my house at midnight, knock on my door. Well, first of all, I probably wouldn't hear you, but I've got some big ferocious fellas in there that would hear you, and they would wake me up, that is for sure. But here's someone coming at midnight. Think of how inconsiderate that would be to come to your house at midnight, start banging on your door. Okay.

Now we'll look at it, if you would please, in verse six. Here's why he was doing that. "For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him. And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee." So here I am in bed, it's midnight, and Steve's knocking on my door, and he says, "Pastor, I need some bread, I need something to feed a friend who's come to me in his journey." I said, "Steve, it's midnight, go home." "No, you don't understand, Pastor, I don't have anything at the house, and I need something to feed this fella." "Steve, it's midnight, go home." He says, "No, I've got to have this food." I said, "Steve, let me tell you something. If you don't leave right now, I'm going to shut this door in your face and I'm going back to bed."

Do you understand? And I shut the door in his face. In time, I turn around. "Pastor, I got to have this food." That's all there is. I've got it. Finally, I said, "Steve, I'll give it to you. Just take it and leave me alone and let me go back to bed." Ah, why did I say that? Well, look at it. Verse seven again. "And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you," look what our Lord said, "Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend," yeah.

Friendship has its problems, "yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth." Now watch. "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." Now I want you to note, first of all, he is talking about importunity. In other words, Steve is not going to give in, he's not going to give up, he's not going to give out. And what I have to understand is this, although I consider him a friend and he won't go home and he won't leave me alone because he is shamelessly pounding on my door and I can't get any rest, I'm going to give him what he needs just to get rid of him. Still a friend.

You know what the word importunity means? It means to be shameless. You know, if most of us went up to someone's house at midnight, we would do something like this. "Oh, they're probably already in bed. I don't want to wake them." But someone who is shameless, they'll nearly tear the door down, blow the horn, do anything and everything just to get you awake. This is what he's talking about. Shamelessly knocking on that door.

Now, here's an interesting thing. When our Lord said, "Ask, seek, and knock," those are present active imperatives. An imperative is a command, and actually what He's commanding you to do in prayer is to keep on asking, and to keep on seeking, and to keep on knocking. And our Lord says, those who keep on seeking, they will find, and those who keep on asking shall receive, and those who keep on knocking, it will be opened unto them. So, Habakkuk kept on. Even though it seemed as if God was totally ignoring him, he kept on praying, he kept on asking, he kept on seeking God to intervene. He understood that it must be God that intervened, it must be God that restrained and corrected, and removed the wicked and his wickedness. He just simply could not understand why God was not answering his prayer. So, if you'll go back to the book of Habakkuk, look in chapter 1 and verse 2 again. He says, "O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! Even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!"

The Decay of Law and Justice

Habakkuk 1:4 describes a society where the law is 'slacked' (feeble) and justice is perverted because the wicked surround the righteous, leading to wrong judgments.

Now look at the next word, "therefore." In other words, here is a conclusion based upon what he has just said. Because of what I have just said, "therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth." What he is saying in verse 4, first of all, is that every institution was corrupt. Even those that were responsible for justice. Now, he makes a very interesting statement in verse 4. He says, "therefore the law is slacked." What does Habakkuk mean when he says the law is slacked? Well, the Hebrew word is the word "pug," and it literally means to faint, to become feeble, to be slacked, to grow numb, and to become benumbed. So how can I illustrate this? Well, let me illustrate it like this. If you are a normal, healthy individual.

I can take and check your pulse and the pulse reflecting the beat of the heart. If you are a normal, healthy individual, that pulse is going to be consistent, constant, strong. But if you are unhealthy, and you are dying, and your body is shutting down, your pulse now becomes weak, faint, slack, inconsistent, and it will continue that until it stops, until you're dead. Here we go. God's law is the pulse of civilization. God's law is the pulse of society. When God's law is honored, when God's law is applied, civilization and society are healthy. When God's law is dishonored and neglected, then civilization and society begins to die.

That is why our Lord said in Proverbs 8 and verse 36, "But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death." So when he is saying the law is slack, what he was saying is Judah and Jerusalem were dying. Their civilization was almost dead. Now, here's the next truth. I want you to look in verse 4. He says, "therefore the law is slacked." Here's the consequence of a slackened law, of a faint law. "And judgment," or justice, "doth never go forth." Now the Hebrew word for judgment here's the word "mishpat," and it refers to justice or judgment, the act of deciding a case, the issuance of a sentence, and the execution of the law. So what he is saying is this in verse four, when the law is slacked, judgment or justice does never go forth. In other words, justice is perverted. Justice is distorted. Justice is wrested. It is slacked.

In such an instance, the righteous are condemned and the ungodly are justified. You know, in Proverbs 17 and verse 15, God said it like this.

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 17:15

"He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord."

That is, they are a stench in his nostrils. You look around today and ask where justice is. I laugh when I think about this. I usually tell people I'm not a communist. I have no sympathy with communism. But there is one communist that I occasionally quote. And he was right. His name was Gus Hall. And years ago, Gus Hall said the reason we refer to our judicial system as the halls of justice is because the only place you can get any justice is out in the halls. And that's the sad truth. You really can't get it in the courtrooms. Not at all. Let me show you.

Hold Habakkuk 1, but turn back in your Bibles to Psalm 82. Psalm 82. This is a psalm that is written to the magistrates. This is a psalm that is written to the judges. So when you look in Psalm 82 and verse 1, the Bible says this,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 82:1-5

"God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods."

Now, the word "gods" there does not refer to idols. It does not refer to Baal and Ashtaroth and false gods. No, no, no, no. It refers to judges. It refers to magistrates. Our Lord himself, I believe it's John chapter 10, said that he called them gods to whom the law came. In other words, the judges received God's law and they were to execute God's law and thus they were called gods in that sense of the word. So the context explains the use of the word "gods" here. He says,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 82:1-5

"God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods."

"How long will ye judge unjustly?" So he's talking about judges. He's talking about men. "How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked?" In other words, the judges who are responsible for justice are perverting justice and producing injustice. Now, here's what they should be doing in verses 3 and 4. "Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked." That's what justice is about. But where are the judges? Look in verse 5. "They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course."

In other words, they reject God's law. They hate God's law. They turn everything upside down because they refused to give forth justice. Now, you're going to have to ask yourself, how did we get in the state of affairs that we're in? Well, go back to the book of Habakkuk, chapter 1, and look again at verse 4, because he'll answer that. He said, "therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth," that is, there's not going to be justice, why? "For the wicked doth compass about the righteous." In other words, the wicked are in charge. The wicked have the authority. The wicked have the power. The wicked have the dominion. And consequently, he says, because the righteous are compassed or surrounded by the wicked, "therefore wrong judgment proceedeth." It is the wicked that can pass the righteous. It is the wicked in this situation that are calling the shots. It is the wicked who do not care about God and are not interested in listening to God or His law or understanding anything about God.

So, let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Psalm 50. Hold the book of Habakkuk, but go back to Psalm 50. And let's begin reading there with verse 16. Psalm 50 and verse 16. Note, if you would please, the question that God asked. Psalm 50, verse 16. "But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes?"

Modern Parallels and Applications

Weaver draws parallels between Habakkuk's day and today's societal divisions, lawlessness, and corrupt leadership, urging believers to cry out to God rather than merely complain.

Strives and contentions that have been laid asleep and begun to be forgotten, they awake and industriously raise up again and blow up the sparks that were hidden under the embers. And if blessed are the peacemakers, cursed are the peacebreakers that make parties and so make mischief that spreads further and lasts longer than they can imagine. It is sad to see bad men warming their hands at the flames which are devouring all that which is good in a nation and stirring up the fire too. Now let me just point this out. If what I'm about to say does not open up your eyes, I don't think anything will. If what Matthew Henry wrote does not open up your eyes, I don't think anything will. Look at our nation. Look at our states. Look at our communities. People are at each other's throats. They're even at each other's throats over these stupid masks? Do you realize that several people have been murdered over the mask? Look at the COVID-19, scandemic, whatever you want to call it, but how it is being used to divide people and set one group against another group. Look at the race problem and how the races are being set against each other. Look at the cultures, how the cultures are being set against each other.

It's absolutely insane when someone has something on that looks African, well, you're stealing from their culture. You wear something Hawaiian, well, you're stealing from their culture. What if you just happen to like something Hawaiian? What if I accused our sister of stealing that cowboy hat from the West? She's stealing a Western culture. That's ridiculous. But what is happening, it's turning people against each other. Religion against religion.

All I'm trying to say is this. What we are seeing that is happening today is the same thing that happened in Judah and Jerusalem. While each of us are at everybody's throats and each other's throats, and while we're being divided, those who are in the power, those who are in control, those who are in authority are laughing their heads off while we destroy ourselves and raking in billions at the same time. That's what was happening in Habakkuk's day. That's what is happening in our day. I want you to see the apex of his lamentation in verse 4. Here's the height of it. After he says, let's read verse 2 and 3, and then you get to verse 4. He says, "O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! Even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? For spoiling and violence are before me, and there are that raise up strife and contention."

In such an instance, the righteous are condemned and the ungodly are justified. You know, in Proverbs 17 and verse 15, God said it like this.

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 17:15

"He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 82:1-5

"God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 82:1-5

"God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods."

"Or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him," that is, you took some bribery, "and hast been partaker with adulterers." Yeah, you either engaged in it yourself or took a bribe there as well. "Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son." Look what God says to them. "These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes."

"Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver." When you look back at Habakkuk chapter 1 and verse 4, he says the law is slack, and judgment does never go forth, and here's why. "For the wicked doth compass about the righteous," and consequently when they are in charge, "therefore wrong judgment proceedeth." Did you know the Bible says in Proverbs 29 in verse 2,

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 29:2

"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn."

And one of the main reasons for mourning is because there is a lack of justice. And the clear implication is there is a lack of justice because the wicked beareth rule and therefore wrong judgment proceedeth. It is the wicked themselves, it is the rulers themselves who are fueling the fire of rebellion and wickedness. They were the ones who were responsible to see that God's law was applied and executed. But they're the ones who are the most lawless. You want to know who the most lawless individuals in this country are? Those in Congress.

Those in the judicial system, those in the White House. Let me give you a quote. This quote is from the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of Olmstead versus the United States. Here's the short quote. "In a government of laws, the existence of the government will be imperiled if it fails to observe the laws scrupulously. Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example. Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law. It invites every man to become a law unto himself, and it invites anarchy." What did he say? What did the Supreme Court say? The government, if it does not keep the law scrupulously, it's going to teach everyone else to become criminals and lawbreakers. Wow.

So here we are today. We're right where Habakkuk was because the wicked are in positions of authority and they totally neglect and or usurp the law of God and the law of the land. How often have you heard of a politician refusing to vote yay on a bill because the bill either violated the law of God or was contrary to the Constitution of the United States? Hmm. For the last two weeks, I gave you the quote by Congressman Jerry Nadler. Here's another quote from Democrat Steve Cohen of Tennessee. He said, quote, "I think God belongs in religious institutions, in temple, in church, in cathedral, in mosques, but not in Congress." So, we now have a Congress that will give lip service to the Constitution, which is supposed to be the supreme law of the land, but the sovereign God of heaven and earth and his law has been literally kicked out of Congress.

All I'm simply saying is we're in the same predicament that Habakkuk was in. So here are some questions. How long can this go on? How long before we wake up? How long before God stirs his people? How long before he intervenes? How long before God judges and punishes us because of our sins, our rebellion, our idolatry, and our blasphemy? How long? I'm not making these questions up. I want you to turn in your Bibles, hold Habakkuk, but turn to the book of Psalms, and let's begin with Psalm 74. I want to show you these questions. Look in Psalm 74, beginning there with verse 10. Psalm 74 verse 10. Look at this question. It's a good question to ask. It's a good question to pray. "O God, how long shall the adversary reproach?"

"Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?" How long, God, are you going to put up with this? How long will we be in distress? How long, O God, shall the adversary reproach? How long shall the enemy blaspheme thy name? Will it be forever? Look in Psalm 79 and verse 5. Psalm 79 and verse 5. "How long, Lord? wilt thou be angry for ever?"

"Shall thy jealousy burn like fire?" Note, if you would, the next verse, "Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name." How long, O Lord, wilt thou be angry forever? Look in Psalm 80 and verse 4. "O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?" How long? How long? Look in Psalm 94. Psalm 94, beginning there in verse 3. Psalm 94, verse 3. "Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?" What do they do? "They break in pieces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thine heritage."

"They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it." How long, O Lord? He asked it twice. How long, O Lord, shall the wicked triumph? How long is an excellent question. How long? How long? How long? Let me give you some applications. The first one is this. We are unlike Habakkuk in one self-defeating way. When we look around and see the trouble that we're in, we complain, we bellyache, we endure, we criticize, and we whine, but we do not cry out to God for intervention.

The Certainty of God's Vengeance

The cry 'How long?' is also a cry of faith, as seen in Revelation 6:9-11, where martyrs trust God's certain justice. Believers are assured that God will hear and act.

Turn in your Bibles to the book of Revelation chapter 6, and look if you would, beginning there with verse 9. Revelation 6 and verse 9. Watch the question, Revelation six and verse nine. "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true." "Dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" Hear what they're crying. "How long, Lord, before you give us vengeance? How long before you give us justice? We know you're going to do it, but how long will it be?" Verse 11, "And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season."

That is, be patient, "until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." God said, I'm going to take care of it. It is certain that God will do so. And we must learn to cry. We must learn to cry. We must learn to cry. Here's the last one. Be assured of this truth. If we cry consistently, shamelessly, with importunity, we are assured that God will hear.

Conclusion: A Call to Cry Out

Weaver challenges the congregation to prioritize God's honor and justice over comfort, and to persistently cry out to God for intervention in our nation.

He said in Jeremiah 33 in verse three, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." So how long? Will we sleep? How long will we put up with what is going on? How long will it be before we really truly, consistently, and shamelessly cry unto God to do something? How long will it be before we learn to put God's honor, God's glory, and God's justice ahead of our comforts and our conveniences? How long? How long? We must learn to cry as did Habakkuk. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee.

We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. Teach us, Lord, to cry and to pray with importunity. Help us, Lord, to love Thee, to live for Thee, to be concerned with Thy honor and Thy glory. We ask, Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, for His glory as well, and in His name. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Persistent, Importunate Prayer

Summary: Believers must cry out to God shamelessly and consistently for justice and intervention, as taught by Jesus in Luke 11 and 18, and exemplified by Habakkuk.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'He was crying out with a consistent, passionate, importunate, and concerned prayer. He was praying and he kept on praying.' (25:33.0-26:12.8) and references Luke 11:5-10 and Luke 18:1-8.

The Problem of Evil and Divine Justice

Summary: Habakkuk struggles to understand why God allows the wicked to prosper and uses more wicked nations to judge His people, a tension that calls for trust in God's righteous character.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'He cannot figure out how God could use a far more wicked and vile people to chasten and judge another people who were less wicked.' (458.2-549.5s)

Greater Accountability for God's People

Summary: Those who know God's truth bear greater responsibility for sin, and their punishment is more severe, as seen in Lamentations 4:6 and Luke 12:47-48.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'It is worse for a saint to sin, in one sense of the word, than it is for the wicked to sin. Why? Because we have the truth.' (763.7-840.5s)

The Decay of Law and Justice in Society

Summary: When the wicked rule, the law becomes feeble and justice is perverted, leading to societal breakdown, as described in Habakkuk 1:4 and Psalm 82.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'When the law is slacked, judgment or justice does never go forth. In other words, justice is perverted.' (2568.7-2606.3s)

The Certainty of God's Judgment

Summary: The cry 'How long?' is also an expression of faith that God will surely avenge His people, as demonstrated by the martyrs in Revelation 6:9-11.

Evidence: Weaver notes, 'It is certain that God will do so. And we must learn to cry.' (3689.6-3736.5s)

Prioritizing God's Honor Over Comfort

Summary: Believers must value righteousness and justice above personal convenience, being willing to endure disruption for the sake of God's intervention.

Evidence: Weaver asks, 'What is more important? Our comfort or righteousness and justice?' (1261.0-1307.6s)

Key Arguments

Habakkuk's lament mirrors the modern believer's distress over societal wickedness.

Summary: Weaver argues that the violence, strife, and injustice Habakkuk saw are identical to what we see today, and we should respond with the same burdened prayer.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Think about the situation that Habakkuk was in, and now glance around at your city... And do you see exactly what he saw?' (1197.1-1225.1s)

God's silence does not mean indifference; it calls for persistent faith.

Summary: Though Habakkuk felt unheard, his continued crying was an act of faith, and Jesus teaches that importunate prayer will be answered.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'Even though it seemed as if God was totally ignoring him, he kept on praying... He just simply could not understand why God was not answering his prayer.' (1769.2-1856.4s)

Sin is more heinous when committed by those who know God's law.

Summary: Using Lamentations 4:6 and Luke 12:47-48, Weaver contends that greater revelation brings greater culpability, explaining why Judah's punishment exceeded Sodom's.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'The greater the opportunity, the greater the blessings, the greater the culpability, and the greater the punishment.' (941.8-976.1s)

A slackened law leads to perverted justice and societal collapse.

Summary: When the wicked surround the righteous and control institutions, the law becomes feeble and justice is replaced by wrong judgment, as in Habakkuk 1:4.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'When the law is slacked, judgment or justice does never go forth... the righteous are condemned and the ungodly are justified.' (2568.7-2606.3s)

Believers must cry out to God rather than merely complain about evil.

Summary: Weaver contrasts Habakkuk's prayerful burden with modern complaining, urging the church to shamelessly petition God for justice.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'When we look around and see the trouble that we're in, we complain, we bellyache... but we do not cry out to God for intervention.' (3436.3-3479.7s)

The question 'How long?' is ultimately a cry of faith in God's promised justice.

Summary: The martyrs in Revelation 6 cry 'How long?' knowing God will avenge them, showing that such prayers are rooted in certainty of divine judgment.

Evidence: Weaver notes, 'The question "how long" could represent... absolute certainty... It is certain that God will do so.' (3631.2-3736.5s)

Scripture References

Habakkuk 1:1-4

Context: The opening lament of Habakkuk, describing the burden of violence, iniquity, and the failure of justice.

Exodus 10:3

Context: God asks Pharaoh, 'How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me?' as an example of divine 'how long' questions.

Exodus 16:28

Context: God asks Moses, 'How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?'

Numbers 14:11

Context: God asks twice, 'How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me?'

Numbers 14:27

Context: God asks, 'How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me?'

Psalm 4:2

Context: God asks twice, 'How long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing?'

Psalm 13:1

Context: David asks, 'How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?'

Habakkuk 3:17-19

Context: Habakkuk's declaration of rejoicing in the Lord despite total agricultural and economic failure, showing his strong embrace of God.

Habakkuk 1:13

Context: Habakkuk questions how a holy God can look on treachery and hold His tongue when the wicked devour the more righteous.

Habakkuk 1:12

Context: Habakkuk acknowledges God's everlasting nature and that He has ordained the Chaldeans for judgment and correction.

Lamentations 4:6

Context: The punishment of Jerusalem is greater than that of Sodom because of greater privilege and knowledge.

Luke 12:47-48

Context: Jesus teaches that the servant who knows his master's will and does not prepare will be beaten with many stripes; to whom much is given, much is required.

Jeremiah 12:1

Context: Jeremiah questions why the way of the wicked prospers and why the treacherous are happy, similar to Habakkuk's struggle.

Genesis 18:23-25

Context: Abraham pleads with God not to destroy the righteous with the wicked, asking, 'Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?'

Luke 11:5-10

Context: Jesus teaches on importunity in prayer through the parable of the friend at midnight, urging persistent asking, seeking, and knocking.

Proverbs 8:36

Context: He that sins against wisdom wrongs his own soul; all who hate wisdom love death, illustrating the deadly effect of rejecting God's law.

Proverbs 17:15

Context: He who justifies the wicked and condemns the just is an abomination to the Lord.

Psalm 82:1-5

Context: God stands in the congregation of the mighty and judges the judges who judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked, causing foundations to be out of course.

Psalm 50:16-22

Context: God rebukes the wicked who declare His statutes but hate instruction, consent with thieves, and slander, warning He will tear them in pieces.

Proverbs 29:2

Context: When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn.

Historical References

Matthew Henry's commentary on Habakkuk 1:3

Context: Weaver quotes Matthew Henry describing the kingdom broken into parties and factions, biting and devouring one another, and the cursed peacebreakers who stir up strife.

Gus Hall, American communist leader

Context: Weaver quotes Gus Hall's statement that the reason courts are called 'halls of justice' is because the only place to get justice is out in the halls.

Olmstead v. United States Supreme Court case

Context: Weaver quotes the Supreme Court's statement that if the government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law and invites anarchy.

Congressman Jerry Nadler (mentioned in prior weeks)

Context: Weaver references a previous quote from Jerry Nadler, but does not repeat it in this transcript.

Democrat Steve Cohen of Tennessee

Context: Weaver quotes Steve Cohen saying, 'I think God belongs in religious institutions... but not in Congress.'

Important Quotes

The question, "how long," is very significant. Anyone that has ever traveled with children has heard that question thousands of times in differing frameworks.

Significance: Introduces the universal and relatable nature of the 'how long' question, setting the stage for its biblical depth.

God's law is the pulse of civilization. God's law is the pulse of society. When God's law is honored, when God's law is applied, civilization and society are healthy. When God's law is dishonored and neglected, then civilization and society begins to die.

Significance: Powerful metaphor explaining the societal consequences of rejecting God's law, central to the message.

When we look around and see the trouble that we're in, we complain, we bellyache, we endure, we criticize, and we whine, but we do not cry out to God for intervention.

Significance: Directly challenges the congregation's passive response to evil, calling for active, prayerful engagement.

Discussion Questions

In what ways do you see parallels between the violence and injustice in Habakkuk's day and our own society?

Context: Weaver draws direct comparisons between the strife, contention, and lawlessness of Judah and modern America.

Why is sin considered more serious when committed by believers who know the truth? How does this affect your view of personal sin?

Context: Weaver explains from Lamentations 4:6 and Luke 12:47-48 that greater knowledge brings greater accountability.

What does it mean to pray with importunity, and how can we cultivate that kind of persistent, shameless prayer in our lives?

Context: Weaver teaches from Luke 11 and 18 that importunate prayer is shamelessly persistent, like the friend at midnight and the widow.

How does the metaphor of God's law as the 'pulse of civilization' help you understand the current state of our nation?

Context: Weaver states that when God's law is dishonored, society begins to die, like a weakening pulse.

What are some practical ways we can prioritize God's honor and justice over our personal comfort and convenience?

Context: Weaver challenges believers to value righteousness above being inconvenienced by God's intervention.

How can the cry 'How long?' be both an expression of exasperation and an expression of faith?

Context: Weaver explains that the question can represent urgent desire, exasperation, or absolute certainty in God's justice.

In what ways might God be calling you to move from complaining about societal evil to crying out to Him for intervention?

Context: Weaver contrasts the common response of complaining with Habakkuk's burdened, persistent prayer.

Applications

Cry out to God persistently for justice and intervention.

Summary: Instead of merely complaining about wickedness, believers must follow Habakkuk's example and pray with importunity, shamelessly asking God to act.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'We must learn to cry. We must learn to cry. We must learn to cry.' and references Luke 18:1-8.

Prioritize God's honor over personal comfort.

Summary: Believers should be willing to endure disruption and inconvenience if it means God's righteousness and justice are upheld.

Evidence: Weaver asks, 'What is more important? Our comfort or righteousness and justice?'

Recognize the greater accountability of knowing God's truth.

Summary: Those who have been given much truth must live in greater obedience, understanding that sin is more serious for them.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'The greater the opportunity, the greater the blessings, the greater the culpability, and the greater the punishment.'

Trust in God's certain justice even when it seems delayed.

Summary: Like the martyrs in Revelation 6, believers can cry 'How long?' with faith, knowing God will avenge and make all things right.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'It is certain that God will do so. And we must learn to cry.'

Be burdened by the sin around you, not indifferent.

Summary: A godly person should be troubled and weighed down by the prevalence of wickedness, allowing it to drive them to prayer.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'It should be the most troubling and grievous thing to a godly man to look around and see the depth of sin and depravity.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T20:40:59Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T13:02:22Z

Clean Transcript

How Long?

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Our Bibles today to the book of Habakkuk chapter 1. If you don't know where that is, you just find Malachi, the last book in the Old Testament, and go back five books and you'll find it. So it's near the end of the Old Testament, the book of Habakkuk chapter 1. And we're going to read the first four verses. And the title of the message is, "How Long?"
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And I believe that you will see the connection. Notice Habakkuk chapter one, beginning there with verse one. "The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see. O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! Even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? For spoiling and violence are before me, and there are that raise up strife and contention."
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"Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth." The question, "how long," is very significant. Anyone that has ever traveled with children has heard that question thousands of times in differing frameworks. How long before we get there? How long before we eat? How long before we get to the next bathroom? How long, how long, how long?
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It resounds over and over in the ears of parents, that is for sure. It seems sometimes that I think some ask themselves, well, how long is he going to preach? Well, I usually tell people it doesn't bother me when you look at your wristwatches. I do get a little nervous when you start pulling out calendars and thumbing through the months, you know, but no, there's an end to everything. But interestingly, the question "how long" is repeated many times in the Bible. Sometimes it is asked by the people, sometimes by prophets, and many times by God himself. So let me just by way of introduction, give you a few biblical examples of how "how long" is given to us.
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For instance, in Exodus chapter 10 and verse three, "And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me." And then, of course, in Exodus 16 and verse 28, "And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?" And then when you get to Numbers 14 and verse 11, "And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? And how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?" So twice in that passage, God asks "how long." Then in Numbers chapter 14 in verse 27, God asks, "How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me." And then in Psalm 4 and verse 2, "O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame?"
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"How long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing?" or lying. So twice in that verse, God asks, "how long?" And then in Psalm 13 in verse one, "How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?" So when you think about the question "how long," it could express, number one, an urgent need or an urgent desire. How long will it be before dinner's ready? What does that mean? I'm ready to eat now. Really? And, of course, it can also be used to express exasperation. "Alice, how long will you continue that?" In other words, I'm saying, in essence, I'm tired of that. Stop it. So when you hear the phrase or the question "how long," like I say, it can reference an earnest desire, an earnest expectation in one sense of the word, or an earnest exasperation as well.
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Now the word Habakkuk is a very interesting name because the name actually means "strong embrace." And you're going to find as you read through this short book that he actually lives up to his name because in this book regardless of the circumstances, regardless of the situation, regardless of the chastening hand and the judgment of God, he strongly embraces God and holds to Him. For instance, if you look in your Bibles to Habakkuk chapter 3, the last chapter in this short book, and let's begin reading there in verse 17. And look, if you would, at how strongly he does embrace God regardless of the circumstances. He said in verse 17, "Although the fig tree shall not blossom," in other words, no figs, "neither shall fruit be in the vine," no grapes.
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"The labour of the olive shall fail," no olives. "The field shall yield no meat," so there's no wheat, rye. And then he said, "the flock shall be cut off from the fold," they die as well. "And there shall be no herd in the stall." In other words, we're hungry, we're desperate. There's famine, there's drought, we're in dire straits. Look in verse 18. "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places."
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And then he says, "To the chief singer on my stringed instruments." So, interestingly enough, he lives up to his name in this book.
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Now, there is another interesting truth about Habakkuk. That is, he does not really and truly prophesy in the sense that Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, and the other prophets prophesied.
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Now, he is called a prophet, a minor prophet, that is for sure. But when you read this book, you're going to find that he is one of those men who wrestled with God much like Jacob did at the brook. He knows that judgment is coming. He knows that God is going to use the Chaldeans, slash Babylonians—they're one and the same. He knows that God is going to use them to bring judgment upon the nation.
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The problem that Habakkuk has is this. He cannot figure out how God could use a far more wicked and vile people to chasten and judge another people who were less wicked. For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Habakkuk chapter 1 and verse 13. Habakkuk 1 and verse 13. He says, "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity," that is, ye cannot look upon it condoningly or approvingly. "Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?" Now, there's a faint resemblance in the book of Habakkuk to the book of Job in the fact that both are seeking to comprehend the proceedings of God in governing His world, and especially in governing this world toward His saints, especially when chastisement and judgment are involved. So the question that arises in both books is basically why the righteous are afflicted and the wicked and the unrighteous prosper and have dominion. You'll also find that in Psalm 73 when Asaph is praying unto God and this is the same question that confounds him.
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So Habakkuk in this book is not denying that his people are sinners. He is not denying that they have violated the law of God. He is not denying that they deserve judgment. What confounds him and confuses him is how God can use a nation more wicked and more vile than they are to chasten them.
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Now, to give you a good illustration, look at us in this country. We are indeed sinful. We're indeed wicked. We've violated the law of God over and over. We've offended Him persistently, consistently, and constantly. We have rejected Him. We've forsaken Him. We've become idolaters. We've become blasphemers. And yet, as bad and as wicked as we are, if God sent the communist Chinese over here to destroy us and destroy our country, well, you could say, well, at least we're not atheists like they are. At least we have a little morality left.
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But you see what I'm saying? This is the same position Habakkuk was in because he knew that they were sinners. He knew that they were wicked, but he just could not understand how God could use another nation more wicked and use them to correct them. But however, he did understand that it was for correction. Look in Habakkuk 1 and verse 12, because he says that. He says, "Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One? We shall not die."
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That is, you're not going to be totally wiped out. "O Lord, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction." So, that which he could not grasp was how the best would be chastened by the worst, would be devastated and dominated by the wicked. And usually, you and I hardly ever see the seriousness of sin in such matters.
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Now, let me point something out that you and I really need to understand, and that is this. Sins are bad. Sins are wicked. Sins are vile. Sins are sinful. But they're even more sinful and more vile and more wicked in a saint. How can I say that? Well, when you drove to church this afternoon, how many of you noticed the weeds along the road? Hardly anybody. They don't pay any attention to weeds.
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You may have seen azaleas blooming or you may have seen dogwood trees blooming. And you might remark how beautiful they are, but you never really notice the weeds. And you really don't pay too much attention to weeds until they are in your garden. And once they're in your garden, you understand that they have to be ripped out or they'll literally take over the garden. Well, it's the same thing with sin in the life of a saint. You have to understand this. It is worse for a saint to sin, in one sense of the word, than it is for the wicked to sin. Why?
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Because we have the truth. We know the truth. And when we sin, we turn our backs upon the truth. Moreover, we've given our allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ. And when we turn from him and do that which is contrary to him, we're acting as treasonous and traitorous individuals to the Lord Jesus Christ. So, sin is even more vile in a saint. Let me show you. I want you to hold the book of Habakkuk, but I want you to turn in your Bibles back a few books to Jeremiah, Lamentations. So it's Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations. And while you're finding Lamentations chapter 4, I also want you to find Luke chapter 12. Luke chapter 12. So we will go to the book of Lamentations chapter 4 first. And may I remind you before I read Lamentations chapter 4 that Jeremiah saw the destruction of Jerusalem. In fact, Jeremiah wrote the book of Lamentations. There are five Lamentations in this book. And he wrote these five Lamentations on the destruction of Jerusalem.
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He was known as the weeping prophet. But I want you to look at what he said in Lamentations chapter 4 and verse 6. He said, "For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her." Isn't that an amazing statement? He says the punishment of Judah and Jerusalem was worse than the punishment of Sodom and Gomorrah. Well, you have to understand in this context, obviously Sodom and Gomorrah was overthrown in a moment of time.
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They were alive and then they were dead. They were aware of what was happening one moment, next moment they knew absolutely nothing. They were destroyed. But it wasn't like that with the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem. They were surrounded by armies. They were starved to death, many. And women killed and ate their own children. Many were slaughtered inside the city, slaughtered outside of the city. And then, of course, many were taken captive into Babylon. So he is saying the destruction of the daughter of my people is greater than the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Why? Well, may I remind you that it was in Jerusalem you had the temple. It was at Jerusalem you had the law.
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You had the teaching priest. You had the Levites. I'm just saying they had a greater opportunity and they had a greater blessing than Sodom and Gomorrah.
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Now, here's the same principle. Look in your Bibles to the book of Luke, chapter 12, and let's begin reading there with verse 47. Look what our Lord says, Luke 12, verse 47. Our Lord said, "And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes."
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So He said the man that knows deserves a far greater punishment than the man that doesn't know. Because the man that doesn't know sins in ignorance. The man that does know sins out of meditation, premeditation, and sins deliberately, openly, and willingly. And then he makes this statement. "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more." So the greater the opportunity, the greater the blessings, the greater the culpability, and the greater the punishment. So this is what we're seeing in the book of Habakkuk. And Habakkuk begins this basically with a lamentation. So if you look in Habakkuk chapter 1 and verse 1, he says this, "The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see." Now note, if you would, he begins it with a lamentation in the sense he calls this a burden. And let me go ahead and hasten to say this, before we're through, I think that you're going to understand that the situation in Habakkuk's day was practically the same as the
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situation in our day and our time as well. So he says, "The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see."
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Now, the Hebrew word for burden is the word "massa," and it literally means a burden. It means a heavy load. It means that which weighs one down. It means something that is extremely heavy to be carried or to be borne. And the word is translated as "burden" 57 times in our Bible. So he says, here's a burden that's been laid upon me. It's very heavy. It's very weighted. Well, what in the world is that burden?
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We'll look in verse two. He says, "O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! Even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!" Now, note he said, "O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear?" So Habakkuk had been crying to the Lord concerning the wickedness in Judah and Jerusalem. It seemed to Habakkuk that God was asleep, or at least God was not listening, or God was not interested, and therefore he pleads with God and he asks, "How long? I've been crying, I've been crying, I've been crying. How long will it be before you hear me?" Now, I want you to note that he was crying out of violence. Look at it. "O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! Even cry out unto thee of violence?" Now the Hebrew word for violence here is the word "chamas."
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It's translated in our Bibles oftentimes as violence or injustice or oppression or cruelty. It refers to that which is unrighteous, that which is wicked, and that which is wrong. So here's what he's saying. I'm crying out to thee of violence. I mean, people are murdering. People are robbing. People are beating others. People are oppressing others. There's cruelty everywhere I turn. There's all kinds of wickedness that's wrong and ungodly.
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So all I want you to do is this. I want you to think. Think about the situation that Habakkuk was in, and now glance around at your city, at your town, at your county, at your state, and at your nation. And do you see exactly what he saw? And the truth of the matter is, you see it. I see it. We see it. But the question is this.
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Have we been crying to God about it? Does it really concern you? Does it really burden you? Are you plagued by it? Are you weighted down by it? Are you grieved by it? And I can answer those questions by asking you another question. How often have you been asking God to intervene? How often have you been crying to God and asking him to deal with this situation and to rectify the situation and bring to us justice?
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And have you ever considered this? That when God does intervene, it may disrupt our lives as well. What is more important? Our comfort or righteousness and justice? I could ask this another way. Would you like to choose between being inconvenienced and see the wicked judged and punished? Because obviously when judgment hits, a lot of people are going to certainly be inconvenienced. They're certainly going to be disrupted.
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Now, I want you to hold Habakkuk, but I want you to turn back to Jeremiah chapter 12. So Jeremiah is right before the book of Lamentations. Look in Jeremiah chapter 12 and verse 1, and you're going to see that Jeremiah had an awful lot in common with Habakkuk. In fact, a lot of these prophets did. Note, if you would, Jeremiah chapter 12 and verse 1. He says, "Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments."
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Now look at these questions that he's asking God. "Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? Wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?" He said, God, I don't understand this. Why are the wicked prospering? They're violating your law. They despise you. They hate you. And why are those who are treacherous individuals happy? In other words, I'm not happy about this situation. I'm not happy about the wickedness in our capital. I'm not happy about the wickedness among the people. God, I don't understand this.
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This is exactly what he is saying. So Habakkuk, like Jeremiah, was crying out and Habakkuk just basically could not understand why God was not answering, why God was not doing something, why he was not punishing the evil and rescuing the righteous. It's almost like that which Abraham said to God in Genesis 18, when the Lord came to Abraham and said that he's going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. And you remember Lot, Abram's nephew, was in Sodom. And in Genesis 18 in verse 23, "And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?" And then you know how he pled with the Lord and got him down to ten. Finally, in verse 25, he said this, "That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee."
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"Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" So here Abram is even praying and pleading with God to let the righteous live and go ahead and destroy the wicked. Now Habakkuk was crying. That's what he said. I was crying out. But he said, "thou wilt not save." So when Habakkuk was crying out, he was not murmuring. He was not distrusting God. He was not displaying impatience with God. What Habakkuk was doing was simply this. He was crying out with a consistent, passionate, importunate, and concerned prayer. He was praying and he kept on praying. I want you to hold the book of Habakkuk, but turn in your Bibles, if you would please, to Luke chapter 11. I want you to see what our Lord says about this type of praying. Luke chapter 11, and I want us to begin reading there with verse 5. Luke 11 and verse 5.
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"And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves?" Well, I've got news for you. You come to my house at midnight, knock on my door. Well, first of all, I probably wouldn't hear you, but I've got some big ferocious fellas in there that would hear you, and they would wake me up, that is for sure. But here's someone coming at midnight. Think of how inconsiderate that would be to come to your house at midnight, start banging on your door. Okay.
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Now we'll look at it, if you would please, in verse six. Here's why he was doing that. "For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him. And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee." So here I am in bed, it's midnight, and Steve's knocking on my door, and he says, "Pastor, I need some bread, I need something to feed a friend who's come to me in his journey." I said, "Steve, it's midnight, go home." "No, you don't understand, Pastor, I don't have anything at the house, and I need something to feed this fella." "Steve, it's midnight, go home." He says, "No, I've got to have this food." I said, "Steve, let me tell you something. If you don't leave right now, I'm going to shut this door in your face and I'm going back to bed."
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Do you understand? And I shut the door in his face. In time, I turn around. "Pastor, I got to have this food." That's all there is. I've got it.
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Finally, I said, "Steve, I'll give it to you. Just take it and leave me alone and let me go back to bed." Ah, why did I say that? Well, look at it. Verse seven again. "And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you," look what our Lord said, "Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend," yeah.
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Friendship has its problems, "yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth." Now watch. "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."
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Now I want you to note, first of all, he is talking about importunity. In other words, Steve is not going to give in, he's not going to give up, he's not going to give out. And what I have to understand is this, although I consider him a friend and he won't go home and he won't leave me alone because he is shamelessly pounding on my door and I can't get any rest, I'm going to give him what he needs just to get rid of him. Still a friend.
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You know what the word importunity means? It means to be shameless. You know, if most of us went up to someone's house at midnight, we would do something like this. "Oh, they're probably already in bed. I don't want to wake them." But someone who is shameless, they'll nearly tear the door down, blow the horn, do anything and everything just to get you awake. This is what he's talking about. Shamelessly knocking on that door.
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Now, here's an interesting thing. When our Lord said, "Ask, seek, and knock," those are present active imperatives. An imperative is a command, and actually what He's commanding you to do in prayer is to keep on asking, and to keep on seeking, and to keep on knocking. And our Lord says, those who keep on seeking, they will find, and those who keep on asking shall receive, and those who keep on knocking, it will be opened unto them. So, Habakkuk kept on. Even though it seemed as if God was totally ignoring him, he kept on praying, he kept on asking, he kept on seeking God to intervene. He understood that it must be God that intervened, it must be God that restrained and corrected, and removed the wicked and his wickedness. He just simply could not understand why God was not answering his prayer. So, if you'll go back to the book of Habakkuk, look in chapter 1 and verse 2 again. He says, "O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! Even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!"
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He's crying, he's pleading, shamelessly, seemingly he's not getting anywhere. Then look at verse 3, this is exciting. He says, "Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? For spoiling and violence are before me, and there are that raise up strife and contention." Now, instead of answering Habakkuk's crying and pleading in verse 2, what God did was show him worse sins, and more wickedness, and more vileness. He asked, "Why dost thou show me iniquity? Why do you cause me to behold grievance?" Then he says, "spoiling and violence are before me, and there are those around me that just simply raise up strife and contention." Wow!
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Do you not have to understand this? It should be the most troubling and grievous thing to a godly man to look around and see the depth of sin and depravity and the prevalence of sin and depravity with no restraint and no correction and no punishment. It should trouble, it should weight us down. Every godly man should be disturbed by such a sight. And the implication is that Habakkuk, everywhere he turned, God opened his eyes and he saw more. He saw more violence. He saw more strife. He saw more contention. Wickedness and violence were rampant. They were everywhere.
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They were out of control and they were unchecked. Now, in verse 3 he says this, listen carefully. He said, "Why dost thou show me iniquity?" We understand that iniquity is sin. Then he says, "and cause me to behold grievance."
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Now the word grievance actually refers to that which is burdensome, wearisome toil. It can refer to spoiling, to open robbery. It can also refer to strife and contention. In other words, there were many that were in open violation of God's law. They were killing, they were raping, they were stealing, they were doing everything wicked and vile. However, some were not quite as bad as those, but what they were, they were at each other's throats and they were seeking to take advantage of each other. They're plotting any way and every way they could to take advantage of their fellow man. Now then he adds that "spoiling and violence are before me, and there are that raise up strife and contention."
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I want you to listen as I give you a quote from Matthew Henry. Now this quote of course was written several hundred years back, but it seems as if Matthew Henry was alive yesterday or today. Here's what he wrote, that the kingdom—he's talking about Judah and Jerusalem—that the kingdom was broken into parties and factions that were continually biting and devouring one another. This is a lamentation to all the sons of peace. There are that raise up strife and contention, that foment divisions, widen breaches, incense men one against another, and sow discord among the brethren.
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Strives and contentions that have been laid asleep and begun to be forgotten, they awake and industriously raise up again and blow up the sparks that were hidden under the embers. And if blessed are the peacemakers, cursed are the peacebreakers that make parties and so make mischief that spreads further and lasts longer than they can imagine. It is sad to see bad men warming their hands at the flames which are devouring all that which is good in a nation and stirring up the fire too.
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Now let me just point this out. If what I'm about to say does not open up your eyes, I don't think anything will. If what Matthew Henry wrote does not open up your eyes, I don't think anything will. Look at our nation. Look at our states. Look at our communities. People are at each other's throats. They're even at each other's throats over these stupid masks? Do you realize that several people have been murdered over the mask? Look at the COVID-19, scandemic, whatever you want to call it, but how it is being used to divide people and set one group against another group. Look at the race problem and how the races are being set against each other. Look at the cultures, how the cultures are being set against each other.
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It's absolutely insane when someone has something on that looks African, well, you're stealing from their culture. You wear something Hawaiian, well, you're stealing from their culture. What if you just happen to like something Hawaiian? What if I accused our sister of stealing that cowboy hat from the West? She's stealing a Western culture. That's ridiculous. But what is happening, it's turning people against each other. Religion against religion.
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All I'm trying to say is this. What we are seeing that is happening today is the same thing that happened in Judah and Jerusalem. While each of us are at everybody's throats and each other's throats, and while we're being divided, those who are in the power, those who are in control, those who are in authority are laughing their heads off while we destroy ourselves and raking in billions at the same time. That's what was happening in Habakkuk's day. That's what is happening in our day.
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I want you to see the apex of his lamentation in verse 4. Here's the height of it. After he says, let's read verse 2 and 3, and then you get to verse 4. He says, "O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! Even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? For spoiling and violence are before me, and there are that raise up strife and contention."
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Now look at the next word, "therefore." In other words, here is a conclusion based upon what he has just said. Because of what I have just said, "therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth." What he is saying in verse 4, first of all, is that every institution was corrupt. Even those that were responsible for justice.
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Now, he makes a very interesting statement in verse 4. He says, "therefore the law is slacked." What does Habakkuk mean when he says the law is slacked? Well, the Hebrew word is the word "pug," and it literally means to faint, to become feeble, to be slacked, to grow numb, and to become benumbed. So how can I illustrate this? Well, let me illustrate it like this. If you are a normal, healthy individual.
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I can take and check your pulse and the pulse reflecting the beat of the heart. If you are a normal, healthy individual, that pulse is going to be consistent, constant, strong. But if you are unhealthy, and you are dying, and your body is shutting down, your pulse now becomes weak, faint, slack, inconsistent, and it will continue that until it stops, until you're dead. Here we go. God's law is the pulse of civilization. God's law is the pulse of society. When God's law is honored, when God's law is applied, civilization and society are healthy. When God's law is dishonored and neglected, then civilization and society begins to die.
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That is why our Lord said in Proverbs 8 and verse 36, "But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death." So when he is saying the law is slack, what he was saying is Judah and Jerusalem were dying. Their civilization was almost dead.
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Now, here's the next truth. I want you to look in verse 4. He says, "therefore the law is slacked." Here's the consequence of a slackened law, of a faint law. "And judgment," or justice, "doth never go forth." Now the Hebrew word for judgment here's the word "mishpat," and it refers to justice or judgment, the act of deciding a case, the issuance of a sentence, and the execution of the law. So what he is saying is this in verse four, when the law is slacked, judgment or justice does never go forth. In other words, justice is perverted. Justice is distorted. Justice is wrested. It is slacked.
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In such an instance, the righteous are condemned and the ungodly are justified. You know, in Proverbs 17 and verse 15, God said it like this. "He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord." That is, they are a stench in his nostrils. You look around today and ask where justice is. I laugh when I think about this.
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I usually tell people I'm not a communist. I have no sympathy with communism. But there is one communist that I occasionally quote. And he was right. His name was Gus Hall. And years ago, Gus Hall said the reason we refer to our judicial system as the halls of justice is because the only place you can get any justice is out in the halls. And that's the sad truth. You really can't get it in the courtrooms. Not at all. Let me show you.
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Hold Habakkuk 1, but turn back in your Bibles to Psalm 82. Psalm 82. This is a psalm that is written to the magistrates. This is a psalm that is written to the judges. So when you look in Psalm 82 and verse 1, the Bible says this, "God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods." Now, the word "gods" there does not refer to idols. It does not refer to Baal and Ashtaroth and false gods. No, no, no, no. It refers to judges. It refers to magistrates. Our Lord himself, I believe it's John chapter 10, said that he called them gods to whom the law came. In other words, the judges received God's law and they were to execute God's law and thus they were called gods in that sense of the word. So the context explains the use of the word "gods" here. He says, "God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods."
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"How long will ye judge unjustly?" So he's talking about judges. He's talking about men. "How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked?" In other words, the judges who are responsible for justice are perverting justice and producing injustice.
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Now, here's what they should be doing in verses 3 and 4. "Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked." That's what justice is about. But where are the judges? Look in verse 5. "They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course."
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In other words, they reject God's law. They hate God's law. They turn everything upside down because they refused to give forth justice.
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Now, you're going to have to ask yourself, how did we get in the state of affairs that we're in? Well, go back to the book of Habakkuk, chapter 1, and look again at verse 4, because he'll answer that. He said, "therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth," that is, there's not going to be justice, why? "For the wicked doth compass about the righteous." In other words, the wicked are in charge. The wicked have the authority. The wicked have the power. The wicked have the dominion. And consequently, he says, because the righteous are compassed or surrounded by the wicked, "therefore wrong judgment proceedeth." It is the wicked that can pass the righteous. It is the wicked in this situation that are calling the shots. It is the wicked who do not care about God and are not interested in listening to God or His law or understanding anything about God.
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So, let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Psalm 50. Hold the book of Habakkuk, but go back to Psalm 50. And let's begin reading there with verse 16. Psalm 50 and verse 16. Note, if you would please, the question that God asked. Psalm 50, verse 16. "But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes?"
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"Or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him," that is, you took some bribery, "and hast been partaker with adulterers." Yeah, you either engaged in it yourself or took a bribe there as well. "Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son."
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Look what God says to them. "These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes."
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"Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver." When you look back at Habakkuk chapter 1 and verse 4, he says the law is slack, and judgment does never go forth, and here's why. "For the wicked doth compass about the righteous," and consequently when they are in charge, "therefore wrong judgment proceedeth." Did you know the Bible says in Proverbs 29 in verse 2, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn."
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And one of the main reasons for mourning is because there is a lack of justice. And the clear implication is there is a lack of justice because the wicked beareth rule and therefore wrong judgment proceedeth. It is the wicked themselves, it is the rulers themselves who are fueling the fire of rebellion and wickedness. They were the ones who were responsible to see that God's law was applied and executed. But they're the ones who are the most lawless. You want to know who the most lawless individuals in this country are? Those in Congress.
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Those in the judicial system, those in the White House. Let me give you a quote. This quote is from the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of Olmstead versus the United States. Here's the short quote. "In a government of laws, the existence of the government will be imperiled if it fails to observe the laws scrupulously. Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher.
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For good or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example. Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law. It invites every man to become a law unto himself, and it invites anarchy." What did he say? What did the Supreme Court say? The government, if it does not keep the law scrupulously, it's going to teach everyone else to become criminals and lawbreakers. Wow.
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So here we are today. We're right where Habakkuk was because the wicked are in positions of authority and they totally neglect and or usurp the law of God and the law of the land. How often have you heard of a politician refusing to vote yay on a bill because the bill either violated the law of God or was contrary to the Constitution of the United States? Hmm.
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For the last two weeks, I gave you the quote by Congressman Jerry Nadler. Here's another quote from Democrat Steve Cohen of Tennessee. He said, quote, "I think God belongs in religious institutions, in temple, in church, in cathedral, in mosques, but not in Congress." So, we now have a Congress that will give lip service to the Constitution, which is supposed to be the supreme law of the land, but the sovereign God of heaven and earth and his law has been literally kicked out of Congress.
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All I'm simply saying is we're in the same predicament that Habakkuk was in. So here are some questions. How long can this go on? How long before we wake up? How long before God stirs his people? How long before he intervenes? How long before God judges and punishes us because of our sins, our rebellion, our idolatry, and our blasphemy? How long? I'm not making these questions up. I want you to turn in your Bibles, hold Habakkuk, but turn to the book of Psalms, and let's begin with Psalm 74. I want to show you these questions. Look in Psalm 74, beginning there with verse 10. Psalm 74 verse 10. Look at this question. It's a good question to ask. It's a good question to pray. "O God, how long shall the adversary reproach?"
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"Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?" How long, God, are you going to put up with this? How long will we be in distress? How long, O God, shall the adversary reproach? How long shall the enemy blaspheme thy name? Will it be forever? Look in Psalm 79 and verse 5. Psalm 79 and verse 5. "How long, Lord? wilt thou be angry for ever?"
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"Shall thy jealousy burn like fire?" Note, if you would, the next verse, "Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name." How long, O Lord, wilt thou be angry forever? Look in Psalm 80 and verse 4. "O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?" How long? How long? Look in Psalm 94. Psalm 94, beginning there in verse 3. Psalm 94, verse 3. "Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?" What do they do? "They break in pieces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thine heritage."
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"They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it." How long, O Lord? He asked it twice. How long, O Lord, shall the wicked triumph? How long is an excellent question. How long? How long? How long? Let me give you some applications. The first one is this. We are unlike Habakkuk in one self-defeating way. When we look around and see the trouble that we're in, we complain, we bellyache, we endure, we criticize, and we whine, but we do not cry out to God for intervention.
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I want you to turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 18. And look, if you would, at the first eight verses. Luke 18. And let's begin reading there with verse one, because our Lord is teaching importunity in prayer. Luke 18, verse one. "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: and there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary."
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"And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me." That's importunity. She shamelessly kept coming. "I want justice, I want justice, I want justice."
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Finally he gave in and gave her what she wanted just to get her off his back. But look at what our Lord said by way of application. Verse 6, "And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily."
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"Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" Now, the faith that he's referring to in verse 8 is the faith that keeps crying to God for vengeance, for justice, for righteousness, with importunity. That's how Habakkuk was praying. That's how our Lord teaches us that we must pray. We have to come to the realization that the mess we're in is going to require divine intervention. We're not going to resolve it on our own. God must do something. Do you realize the Bible says in Isaiah 58 in verse one, "Cry aloud, spare not."
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"Lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." How long? By the way, the question "how long" is also a cry of faith. As I've already pointed out, you will find this expression not only in the Psalms, but in the Prophets as well. And I've said that the question "how long" could represent an urgent desire or an urgent need. It could also represent exasperation. But it could also represent absolute certainty. Let me show you.
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Turn in your Bibles to the book of Revelation chapter 6, and look if you would, beginning there with verse 9. Revelation 6 and verse 9. Watch the question, Revelation six and verse nine. "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true."
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"Dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" Hear what they're crying. "How long, Lord, before you give us vengeance? How long before you give us justice? We know you're going to do it, but how long will it be?" Verse 11, "And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season."
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That is, be patient, "until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." God said, I'm going to take care of it. It is certain that God will do so. And we must learn to cry. We must learn to cry. We must learn to cry. Here's the last one. Be assured of this truth. If we cry consistently, shamelessly, with importunity, we are assured that God will hear.
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He said in Jeremiah 33 in verse three, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." So how long? Will we sleep? How long will we put up with what is going on? How long will it be before we really truly, consistently, and shamelessly cry unto God to do something? How long will it be before we learn to put God's honor, God's glory, and God's justice ahead of our comforts and our conveniences? How long? How long? We must learn to cry as did Habakkuk. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee.
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We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. Teach us, Lord, to cry and to pray with importunity. Help us, Lord, to love Thee, to live for Thee, to be concerned with Thy honor and Thy glory. We ask, Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, for His glory as well, and in His name. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T20:40:59Z

How Long?

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver examines Habakkuk's lament over rampant wickedness and injustice in Judah, drawing parallels to modern society. He emphasizes the need for persistent, importunate prayer crying out to God for intervention, justice, and righteousness, rather than mere complaining. The message calls believers to prioritize God's honor over personal comfort and to trust in His eventual judgment.

Introduction: The Question 'How Long?'

Weaver introduces the theme of 'How long?' as a common biblical question expressing urgent desire or exasperation, and notes its frequent use by God, prophets, and people.

Scripture Reading — Habakkuk 1:1-4

"The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see. O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! Even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? For spoiling and violence are before me, and there are that raise up strife and contention."

For instance, in Exodus chapter 10 and verse three,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 10:3

"And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me."

Habakkuk's Name and Character

The name Habakkuk means 'strong embrace,' reflecting his unwavering trust in God despite dire circumstances, as seen in Habakkuk 3:17-19.

Scripture Reading — Habakkuk 3:17-19

"The labour of the olive shall fail,"

no olives.

Scripture Reading — Habakkuk 3:17-19

"The field shall yield no meat,"

so there's no wheat, rye. And then he said,

Scripture Reading — Habakkuk 3:17-19

"the flock shall be cut off from the fold,"

they die as well.

Scripture Reading — Habakkuk 3:17-19

"And there shall be no herd in the stall."

In other words, we're hungry, we're desperate. There's famine, there's drought, we're in dire straits. Look in verse 18.

Scripture Reading — Habakkuk 3:17-19

"Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places."

And then he says, "To the chief singer on my stringed instruments." So, interestingly enough, he lives up to his name in this book.

Habakkuk's Struggle with God's Justice

Habakkuk wrestles with how a holy God could use the more wicked Babylonians to judge Judah, a question similar to Job's and Asaph's in Psalm 73.

Scripture Reading — Habakkuk 1:13

"Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity,"

that is, ye cannot look upon it condoningly or approvingly.

Scripture Reading — Habakkuk 1:13

"Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?"

The Greater Culpability of God's People

Sin is more serious among those who know the truth, as illustrated by Lamentations 4:6 and Luke 12:47-48, where greater knowledge brings greater accountability.

He was known as the weeping prophet. But I want you to look at what he said in Lamentations chapter 4 and verse 6. He said,

Scripture Reading — Lamentations 4:6

"For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her."

Habakkuk's Burden and Cry

Habakkuk's burden is the heavy weight of seeing violence and injustice, and he cries out persistently to God, who seems silent.

The Call to Importunate Prayer

Using Luke 11:5-10 and Luke 18:1-8, Weaver teaches that believers must pray shamelessly and persistently for God's intervention, like Habakkuk.

The Decay of Law and Justice

Habakkuk 1:4 describes a society where the law is 'slacked' (feeble) and justice is perverted because the wicked surround the righteous, leading to wrong judgments.

In such an instance, the righteous are condemned and the ungodly are justified. You know, in Proverbs 17 and verse 15, God said it like this.

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 17:15

"He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 82:1-5

"God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 82:1-5

"God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods."

Modern Parallels and Applications

Weaver draws parallels between Habakkuk's day and today's societal divisions, lawlessness, and corrupt leadership, urging believers to cry out to God rather than merely complain.

In such an instance, the righteous are condemned and the ungodly are justified. You know, in Proverbs 17 and verse 15, God said it like this.

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 17:15

"He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 82:1-5

"God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 82:1-5

"God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods."

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 29:2

"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn."

The Certainty of God's Vengeance

The cry 'How long?' is also a cry of faith, as seen in Revelation 6:9-11, where martyrs trust God's certain justice. Believers are assured that God will hear and act.

Conclusion: A Call to Cry Out

Weaver challenges the congregation to prioritize God's honor and justice over comfort, and to persistently cry out to God for intervention in our nation.

How Long?

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	uxaf2kt2_MY
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: Can We All Just Get Along?
Genre	Sermon
Date	2021-05-19
Dictation Name
Book	Book 082: Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom - Volume 2 — Chapter 33
Source Timed Segments	88

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Question 'How Long?': Weaver introduces the theme of 'How long?' as a common biblical question expressing urgent desire or exasperation, and notes its frequent use by God, prophets, and people.
Habakkuk's Name and Character: The name Habakkuk means 'strong embrace,' reflecting his unwavering trust in God despite dire circumstances, as seen in Habakkuk 3:17-19.
Habakkuk's Struggle with God's Justice: Habakkuk wrestles with how a holy God could use the more wicked Babylonians to judge Judah, a question similar to Job's and Asaph's in Psalm 73.
The Greater Culpability of God's People: Sin is more serious among those who know the truth, as illustrated by Lamentations 4:6 and Luke 12:47-48, where greater knowledge brings greater accountability.
Habakkuk's Burden and Cry: Habakkuk's burden is the heavy weight of seeing violence and injustice, and he cries out persistently to God, who seems silent.
The Call to Importunate Prayer: Using Luke 11:5-10 and Luke 18:1-8, Weaver teaches that believers must pray shamelessly and persistently for God's intervention, like Habakkuk.
The Decay of Law and Justice: Habakkuk 1:4 describes a society where the law is 'slacked' (feeble) and justice is perverted because the wicked surround the righteous, leading to wrong judgments.
Modern Parallels and Applications: Weaver draws parallels between Habakkuk's day and today's societal divisions, lawlessness, and corrupt leadership, urging believers to cry out to God rather than merely complain.
The Certainty of God's Vengeance: The cry 'How long?' is also a cry of faith, as seen in Revelation 6:9-11, where martyrs trust God's certain justice. Believers are assured that God will hear and act.
Conclusion: A Call to Cry Out: Weaver challenges the congregation to prioritize God's honor and justice over comfort, and to persistently cry out to God for intervention in our nation.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Habakkuk's lament mirrors the modern believer's distress over societal wickedness.

Weaver argues that the violence, strife, and injustice Habakkuk saw are identical to what we see today, and we should respond with the same burdened prayer.

Weaver says, 'Think about the situation that Habakkuk was in, and now glance around at your city... And do you see exactly what he saw?' (1197.1-1225.1s)

God's silence does not mean indifference; it calls for persistent faith.

Though Habakkuk felt unheard, his continued crying was an act of faith, and Jesus teaches that importunate prayer will be answered.

Weaver explains, 'Even though it seemed as if God was totally ignoring him, he kept on praying... He just simply could not understand why God was not answering his prayer.' (1769.2-1856.4s)

Sin is more heinous when committed by those who know God's law.

Using Lamentations 4:6 and Luke 12:47-48, Weaver contends that greater revelation brings greater culpability, explaining why Judah's punishment exceeded Sodom's.

Weaver states, 'The greater the opportunity, the greater the blessings, the greater the culpability, and the greater the punishment.' (941.8-976.1s)

A slackened law leads to perverted justice and societal collapse.

When the wicked surround the righteous and control institutions, the law becomes feeble and justice is replaced by wrong judgment, as in Habakkuk 1:4.

Weaver says, 'When the law is slacked, judgment or justice does never go forth... the righteous are condemned and the ungodly are justified.' (2568.7-2606.3s)

Believers must cry out to God rather than merely complain about evil.

Weaver contrasts Habakkuk's prayerful burden with modern complaining, urging the church to shamelessly petition God for justice.

Weaver says, 'When we look around and see the trouble that we're in, we complain, we bellyache... but we do not cry out to God for intervention.' (3436.3-3479.7s)

The question 'How long?' is ultimately a cry of faith in God's promised justice.

The martyrs in Revelation 6 cry 'How long?' knowing God will avenge them, showing that such prayers are rooted in certainty of divine judgment.

Weaver notes, 'The question "how long" could represent... absolute certainty... It is certain that God will do so.' (3631.2-3736.5s)

Scripture References

Habakkuk 1:1-4: The opening lament of Habakkuk, describing the burden of violence, iniquity, and the failure of justice.
Exodus 10:3: God asks Pharaoh, 'How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me?' as an example of divine 'how long' questions.
Exodus 16:28: God asks Moses, 'How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?'
Numbers 14:11: God asks twice, 'How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me?'
Numbers 14:27: God asks, 'How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me?'
Psalm 4:2: God asks twice, 'How long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing?'
Psalm 13:1: David asks, 'How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?'
Habakkuk 3:17-19: Habakkuk's declaration of rejoicing in the Lord despite total agricultural and economic failure, showing his strong embrace of God.
Habakkuk 1:13: Habakkuk questions how a holy God can look on treachery and hold His tongue when the wicked devour the more righteous.
Habakkuk 1:12: Habakkuk acknowledges God's everlasting nature and that He has ordained the Chaldeans for judgment and correction.
Lamentations 4:6: The punishment of Jerusalem is greater than that of Sodom because of greater privilege and knowledge.
Luke 12:47-48: Jesus teaches that the servant who knows his master's will and does not prepare will be beaten with many stripes; to whom much is given, much is required.
Jeremiah 12:1: Jeremiah questions why the way of the wicked prospers and why the treacherous are happy, similar to Habakkuk's struggle.
Genesis 18:23-25: Abraham pleads with God not to destroy the righteous with the wicked, asking, 'Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?'
Luke 11:5-10: Jesus teaches on importunity in prayer through the parable of the friend at midnight, urging persistent asking, seeking, and knocking.
Proverbs 8:36: He that sins against wisdom wrongs his own soul; all who hate wisdom love death, illustrating the deadly effect of rejecting God's law.
Proverbs 17:15: He who justifies the wicked and condemns the just is an abomination to the Lord.
Psalm 82:1-5: God stands in the congregation of the mighty and judges the judges who judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked, causing foundations to be out of course.
Psalm 50:16-22: God rebukes the wicked who declare His statutes but hate instruction, consent with thieves, and slander, warning He will tear them in pieces.
Proverbs 29:2: When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn.

Historical References

Matthew Henry's commentary on Habakkuk 1:3: Weaver quotes Matthew Henry describing the kingdom broken into parties and factions, biting and devouring one another, and the cursed peacebreakers who stir up strife.
Gus Hall, American communist leader: Weaver quotes Gus Hall's statement that the reason courts are called 'halls of justice' is because the only place to get justice is out in the halls.
Olmstead v. United States Supreme Court case: Weaver quotes the Supreme Court's statement that if the government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law and invites anarchy.
Congressman Jerry Nadler (mentioned in prior weeks): Weaver references a previous quote from Jerry Nadler, but does not repeat it in this transcript.
Democrat Steve Cohen of Tennessee: Weaver quotes Steve Cohen saying, 'I think God belongs in religious institutions... but not in Congress.'

Important Quotes

The question, "how long," is very significant. Anyone that has ever traveled with children has heard that question thousands of times in differing frameworks.

Introduces the universal and relatable nature of the 'how long' question, setting the stage for its biblical depth.

God's law is the pulse of civilization. God's law is the pulse of society. When God's law is honored, when God's law is applied, civilization and society are healthy. When God's law is dishonored and neglected, then civilization and society begins to die.

Powerful metaphor explaining the societal consequences of rejecting God's law, central to the message.

When we look around and see the trouble that we're in, we complain, we bellyache, we endure, we criticize, and we whine, but we do not cry out to God for intervention.

Directly challenges the congregation's passive response to evil, calling for active, prayerful engagement.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

In what ways do you see parallels between the violence and injustice in Habakkuk's day and our own society?

[Context]

Weaver draws direct comparisons between the strife, contention, and lawlessness of Judah and modern America.

[Question]

Why is sin considered more serious when committed by believers who know the truth? How does this affect your view of personal sin?

[Context]

Weaver explains from Lamentations 4:6 and Luke 12:47-48 that greater knowledge brings greater accountability.

[Question]

What does it mean to pray with importunity, and how can we cultivate that kind of persistent, shameless prayer in our lives?

[Context]

Weaver teaches from Luke 11 and 18 that importunate prayer is shamelessly persistent, like the friend at midnight and the widow.

[Question]

How does the metaphor of God's law as the 'pulse of civilization' help you understand the current state of our nation?

[Context]

Weaver states that when God's law is dishonored, society begins to die, like a weakening pulse.

[Question]

What are some practical ways we can prioritize God's honor and justice over our personal comfort and convenience?

[Context]

Weaver challenges believers to value righteousness above being inconvenienced by God's intervention.

[Question]

How can the cry 'How long?' be both an expression of exasperation and an expression of faith?

[Context]

Weaver explains that the question can represent urgent desire, exasperation, or absolute certainty in God's justice.

[Question]

In what ways might God be calling you to move from complaining about societal evil to crying out to Him for intervention?

[Context]

Weaver contrasts the common response of complaining with Habakkuk's burdened, persistent prayer.

Applications

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