1. Pray. Ask the Lord to open your eyes, that you might behold wondrous things out of his Word (Ps. 119:18). 

2. Read Sunday's passage. Feel free to read it more than once, or in another translation.

3. Review the sermon outline. Try to see how the points came out of the text.

4. Answer the questions below. Focus on personal application.

5. Pray. Praise and thank the Lord, then ask him to work in mighty ways. 

Remember, we live not by bread alone, but by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God (Dt. 8:3; Mt. 4:4).

1 The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.

2  O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? 3  Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. 4  So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.

5  “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. 6  For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own. 7  They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves. 8  Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour. 9  They all come for violence, all their faces forward. They gather captives like sand. 10  At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh. They laugh at every fortress, for they pile up earth and take it. 11  Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!”

Intro: When the world looks dark and you're faced with the choice to either continue trusting the Lord, or to turn away onto a path that looks easier, what will you do? The book of Habakkuk teaches us. 

I. When the world is dark, it's good to bring our laments to the Lord (v. 2–4). In the late 7th-century B.C., Habakkuk watched the desintegration of the nation of Judah, with both moral and spiritual decay. He witnessed injustice, as the wicked took advantage of the righteous. In the midst of this darkness, he brought his lament to the Lord. We can do the same. When we are discouraged by the state of the world, instead of going to the news, social media, growing in anger, or complaining to friends, let's bring our laments to the Lord in prayer. He hears us and helps u.s.

II. Though the world is dark, God is still there, and he's still good, but the way he brings about his good purposes will surprise us. (v. 5–11). As Judah is turning back to worshipping mute idols of wood and stone, Habakkuk actually hears from the Lord! God is actually there! But his ways are higher than ours. The way he will bring justice is not by reinstating the reforms of Josiah; it is by bringing the Babylonian army against Judah in judgement! No one saw it coming, but this was God's plan. 

III. True justice will come through Christ in the end (v. 7; 11; Psalms 2; 110). Although the Babylons are God's instrument of judgment, they too are transgressors. They don't follow God's law (v. 7) and their "god" is their own power (v. 11). They too will face God's justice, and this ultimately points us to Christ. Jesus came to atone for the source of all injustice (sin!) and to establish true justice through his Kingdom. All his enemies must either surrender and show allegiance to him, or perish. His victory over sin and death, with his current reign, and his future return, are why believers can trust that justice will prevail. 

Conclusion: In our day, just as in Habakkuk's, injustice is all around us. But God is still God, and he is good. Don't turn aside from the good path of following him. Trust in Christ to the very end! 

1. Lament.

- What about the state of the world gives you grief or anger? 

- What do you typically do in response to these feelings? 

- What might change if you brought these concerns to the Lord in prayer? 

- Who could you invite to pray with you? 

2. Sovereignty.

- How do we know God is truly there? 

- Where else in the Bible do we see God using enemies or unexpected means to accomplish his good purposes?

- How have you seen God work in ways that you wouldn't have expected, but which resulted in good? 

- In this season, what challenges has God brought into your life as opportunities to grow in how you trust him? 

3. Promise.

- How do we know that true justice will be established in the end? 

- Why are Christ's victory and reign reasons to hope?

- When it comes to how we face trials, what characteristics should set Christians apart from others? 

- How do we cultivate these characteristics?

1. Praise and thank God for his sovereign rule over all the earth. 

2. Ask God to help you turn to him in prayer, and lament your sorrows, rather than ruminating over them or allowing anger to fester. 

3. Ask God to help you trust him, despite the challenges you are facing now. 

4. Pray for our church, that we would all grow in how we trust the Lord. 

Thanks for reading the Bible Study Guide! I pray it helps us "continue to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ" (Eph. 4:15).

Sincerely, your brother in Christ,

Tom Hansen, Senior Pastor