Habakkuk and the 2024 Election
GOD’S WORD: “What’s the use of a carved god so skillfully carved by its sculptor? What good is a fancy cast god when all it tells is lies? What sense does it make to be a pious god-maker who makes gods that can’t even talk? Who do you think you are — saying to a stick of wood, ‘Wake up,’ Or to a dumb stone, ‘Get up’? Can they teach you anything about anything? There’s nothing to them but surface. There’s nothing on the inside.” – Habakkuk 2:18-19 (The Message)
By Glenn Miller
Amid the flurry of political projections, pundits and professional prognosticators, I couldn’t help but take a strong look at where we have come as a nation; a nation that was founded on God-ordained principles and “in God we trust”. This year, for the most part, Americans on both sides have abandoned the healthy political discussions with one another and have instead entrenched themselves in their own prescribed leanings and hurling venomous soundbites and demonizing diatribes against those who have a different opinion. That is wickedness and a wickedness that is not unlike Judah in 7th century BC when the Lord spoke to the prophet Habakkuk.
Habakkuk cried out to God, “Why are you sitting idly by when violence, strife, contention and wickedness surround us?” The Lord heard Habakkuk’s plea and answered him, but it was an answer he was not expecting. The Lord explained to him that He was raising up the Chaldeans, a ruthless and vile people, much worse than the wicked ones in Israel Habakkuk described. To Habakkuk, God’s ways didn’t make sense so, like us so many times, he talked back to God and suggested that He consider what he thought was a better way.
Do you see how silly that sounds? Who are we to suggest to God what to do? “His ways are higher than our ways!” The Lord replied to Habakkuk (and to us today when we question God’s plans):
“THE LORD IS IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE! LET ALL THE EARTH KEEP SILENT!” (2:20)
Regardless who wins an election or sits in any seat of government, the Lord God Almighty is and always has been sovereign (supreme ruler) over this nation and all the earth. He is not sitting idly by and is continually working His purposes out. It’s time we place our trust in GOD ALONE and not in any political party or politician.
When we misplace that trust in anyone other than God, the Lord has a definite way of correcting where we place our trust. The Lord is a JEALOUS God and He will not bestow a blessing (or healing) upon a nation that puts their trust first and foremost in a candidate, political party or human system if that candidate, political party or human system doesn’t recognize their authority is loaned to them from above and that their decisions and actions must glorify God.
Until we can get there as a nation, don’t be surprised by the Chaldeans.
