Habakkuk Just Live by Faith Men’s Breakfast July 9, 2005 Bill Dunn

Want a copy of the slides? Bill@ensight.com

Complaints? Charles@calvarycary.org

Review: Outline (1:1-4) Habakkuk wrestles (1:5 – 1:11) God reveals His plan (1:12 – 1:17) Habakkuk wonders (2:1) Habakkuk waits & watches (2:2 – 20) God reveals eternity (3:1-19) Habakkuk worships. We are here Habby speaks first in unbelief. This book about faith was written by Faithless WRESTLER. He saw wickedness around him in Judah and cried out to God in doubt. Wouldn’t it be nice to color the Father’s words in the OT, perhaps in BLUE? Then God REVEALS Habby that God was going to raise up the wicked Babylonians to punish the Jews. This blew Habby’s mind: He WONDERED if God’s cure wasn’t worse than the problem. But this time Habby decided to get alone and WATCH and WAIT on the Lord. We’ve been dwelling now for the past three months on 2:1-4. - God contrasted just living by faith with the prideful twisted soul. This month we’re going to finish chapter 2, where God is speaking. So, this month, God is speaking.

Review Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith Hab 2:4 Hebrews – pride of unbelief vs faith Galatians – pride of working your way beside God vs life in the Spirit Romans – pride of self-worship vs justification We’ve spent 3 months looking at 2:4 and it’s usage in the New Testament. Review & discuss Now it’s time to get back in gear and roll. So you would think now that the rest of chapter 2 (vs 5-20) would be on life, faith & justification. Right?

Review Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith Hab 2:4 Hebrews – pride of unbelief vs. faith Galatians – pride of working up beside God vs. being alive Romans – pride of self-worship vs. justification These are the sort of thing I’d dwell on. But it’s not

Review Behold, his soul which is lifted up [pride] is not upright [not straight, twisted] in him: but the just shall live by his faith. Hab 2:4 Hebrews – pride of unbelief vs faith Galatians – pride of working your way beside God vs being alive Romans – pride of self-worship vs justification But the rest of ch 2 dwells on pride, it personifies the twisted, prideful soul. This is one of the huge advantages of verse by verse teaching. I’d rather not talk about the darker opposite of faith: unbelief, legalism and death. Do you see the danger of topical teaching? But God’s Word is going to take us there, because Father knows best. We’re going to look and see what grows in the garbage dump to help us to appreciate cleanliness. Segway: often studying the negative helps us to understand more about the positive: Case in point: studying those afflicted with scurvy helped us to understand the body’s need for Vitamin C. Studying those afflicted with smallpox helped us to understand the body’s immune system: vaccines.

2:5-20 The Personification of Prideful Twisted Soul: Babylon Babylon as a man Babylon as a nation in history Babylon as a cancerous spirit Nations are personified as people 1. Can apply this to ourselves as individuals based on God’s comments about the personification. 2. Can explore the Historical Babylon – Historical chart of Israel & Judah? 3. Can explore the spirit of the first prophetic Roman Babylon, the spirit of the final prophetic, End Times Babylon Read 2:1-4 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. 2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make [it] plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. 3 For the vision [is] yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. 4 Behold, his soul [which] is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

Outline for Hab 2:5-20 Intro (2:5-6a) 3 Woes (vs 6b-14) with 10 Hebrew lines Wow, Exclamation about the Lord! 2 Woes (vs 15-20) with 10 Hebrew lines Outline: Intro, 3 Woes and a Wow, 2 Woes and a Wow. Let’s move into the intro

Hab 2:5 Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell [Sheol], and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people: Read it

Hab 2:5 Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people: Who is he? Babylon personified as a man Babylon the nation Babylon the prophetic spirit First let’s apply it to the man.

Hab 2:5 The man Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people: He’s a drunkard. I went to visit one of the UNC Universities last month 90% of reportable incidents at the University involved alcohol SAT not a predictor of grades at University alcohol consumption is better predictor A=3 or less drinks / wk, D 10 or more. Almost half of our college students report binge drinking. Cost of Alcohol to our society is almost 200 billion per year. I would make $5k /year more clear if there were no alcohol economic consequences in US. Let alone the incalculable costs in alcoholism. Being prideful (working your way toward godhood, separating from him and doing your own thing, or unbelief) intoxicate you. Wanderer – Can’t stay at home. Who wants to get drunk by themselves? Who wants to stay at home when they get drunk? Driving while intoxicated (DWI) is such a problem because when you drink alcohol you want to go out. A bar is a place where people go to meet other people. Similarly who wants to walk in pride by themselves? You want others around you to tell you how good you are, or to listen to how good you are, or to conquer that you can heap them up.

…and you cannot be satisfied This photo was taken by John McColgan, a fire behavior analyst who was in the Bitterroot National Forest in Montana on August 6, 2000. Pride is an insatiable fire – Growing desire, insatiable –The more you drink the more you want. No matter how many conquests you have you can’t be satisfied. Peace is the fruit of the Spirit Growing dissatisfaction is a fruit of Pride Peace comes from surrender and death to your desires. Burning intoxicating dissatisfaction comes from getting your worth from others, from what you do, from trying to satisfy the desire,

Babylon the Historical Nation (Hab 1:5-10) Bitter Hasty Land-grabbing Their own judge Self worth from themselves Innovative, lightning mobile warfare Violent Captivity Arrogant - trust in their military We collected these from our study of the Babylonians in chapter 1. Here in chapter 2 we see…

Babylon the Historical Nation (Hab 1:5-10, 2:5) Bitter Drunk on Pride Hasty Hunting others Land-grabbing Insatiable Their own judge Self worth from themselves Innovative, lightning mobile warfare Violent Captivity Arrogant - trust in their military Drunk on their unbelief, working to be like god, and doing their own thing Conquest of others Dissatisfaction NO PEACE

Historical Babylon Lachish letters Babylonian from the siege Chronicles This is real history recorded in stone. Lachish letters confirm Jer 34:7 that only Jerusalem, Lachish and Azekiah remained against the king of Babylon And chronicle the turmoil of those days. The Babylonian Chronicles make it possible to assign the fall of Jerusalem to the Second of Adar (March 16) in 597 B.C. with complete accuracy, confirming the Biblical accounts of Babylonian attacks on Jerusalem in 597 and 586 B.C The Babylonian Chronicle records:ﾊ"In the seventh month (of Nebuchadnezzar-599 BC.) in the month Chislev (Nov/Dec) the king of Babylon assembled his army, and after he had invaded the land of Hatti (Syria/Palestine) he laid seige to the city of Judah. On the second day of the month of Adara ( 16th of March) he conquered the city and took the king (Jehoiachin) prisoner. He installed in his place a king (Zedekiah) of his own choice, and after he had received rich tribute, he sent (them) forth to Babylon.” The Judah captives saw the Babylonian Roaring Lion of Ishtar the goddess of love & war. Worship of Ishtar took place in the spring when kings go off to war, and when fertility occurs. The spring festival to Ishtar became Easter when the Catholic Church blended spirits of Rome & Babylon with Christianity. Jesus is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Babylon and it’s Lion King is a Lyin’ King. Babylonian Roaring Lion At the Ishtar Gate Ishtar, the goddess of love & war Source: http://www.bible-history.com/map_babylonian_captivity/map_of_the_deportation_of_judah_archaeology_and_the_babylonian_captivity.html

Historical Babylon: The Geography When was the last time you walked 800 miles with a hook in your nose? Out of Babylon - Abe Out of Egypt - Moses Into the Promised Land - Y’shua Back to Exile - Ishtar Source: http://www.bible-history.com/map_babylonian_captivity/

What about the Babylonian Spirit? In the OT she’s a warrior-hunter man, a prostitute woman In the NT, she is personified as a filthy prostitute. She’s the anti-bride of the antichrist (the beast) She acts like a man - she rides the beast She hunts for believers in Jesus She’s drunk with the blood of the saints She’s drunk with spiritual and physical fornication: She sits on seven hills (Rome), wears the garments of the High Priest (Judaism), has the Cup (Christianity) and unclean pearls (Gentiles). There is a real Babylonian Spirit See Revelation 17 & 18 Church is always a woman in the OT and in the NT. Church is the bride of Christ. Church is white garments. Church submits to His authority Church dies to self. Church drinks juice in memorial of His blood. Church is sexually and spiritually pure. Church is satisifed and at peace Church is a woman priest She’s Ishtar the warrior-fornicator, the man-woman. Let’s move on

Are you in Babylon or Egypt? In Babylon you exploit others, in Egypt you are exploited In Babylon you steal from others, in Egypt you live in poverty In Babylon you enslave others, in Egypt you are a slave In Babylon you kill, in Egypt you die You must leave Babylon before you can leave Egypt Your prayers are hindered when you aren’t at peace with your wife. You cannot give offerings to God until you make peace with your brother. 7 offerings in Leviticus when ordered by their use in the rest of the OT, first offering is for sin against brother. Let’s read on into verse 6

Habby 2:6 Intro to The Taunting Parable/Proverb Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, “These” represents the victims of Babylon. “Him” represents Babylon So, victims are going to speak against Babylon.

Habby 2:6 The Taunting Proverb Shall not all these take up a parable [04912 instructional proverb, wise saying] against him, and a taunting proverb against him, What will they speak? Parable here is Proverb just like book of Proverbs 1:1 uses it: an enlightened comparison for instruction

Habby 2:6 The Taunting Riddle Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb [02420 hidden riddle, dark saying] against him, What else will they speak? Proverb here is really a hidden riddle, a dark saying. What follows is the Word of God from the perspective of the victims of Babylon 1. an instructional enlightened proverb (Historical Babylon, Personified Babylon) that will help us live 2. And a taunting hidden riddle

Habby 2:6 Revealed + Hidden Shall not all these take up a parable [enlightened proverb] against him, and a taunting proverb [dark riddle] against him, So, what follows after this, is the Word of God from the perspective of the victims of Babylon 1. an instructional enlightened proverb (Historical Babylon, Personified Babylon) that will help us live 2. And a hidden riddle for those at the end times. Who are the victims of Babylon? In History, it was the nations that they conquered including the Jews. - enlightened proverb. In it’s first prophetic fulfillment by Rome, it was the Jews when they were crushed in 70AD after rejecting Christ. - dark riddle In prophecy it is the nations and the Jews in the Jacob’s Great Tribulation for accepting False Christ. - final fulfilment

Prophetic Babylon: Rome and the Dead Sea Scrolls Let’s look at a group of people in a similar situation as ours, facing the end at the hands of Rome. Shown here is a commentary on the book of Habakkuk found more than 50 years ago in the Judean Desert among the Dead Sea Scrolls. Paleography (dating of ancient writing) indicates that the scrolls were written at least a generation prior to Christ’s birth (say 30 B.C.), and radiocarbon testing indicates 120 B.C. to 5 B.C. It’s a verse by verse rendering of the Scripture followed by a verse by verse expository commentary then an application, Or a Pesher (which means interpretation of dreams). This appears to be a Calvary Chapel Dead Sea at what they thought was the end. The author was focused on the wicked Romans who he labels with a code word Kittim who were coming to crush the corrupt priesthood of his day. I get a hint at the author’s frame of mind as the commentary is only on the first two chapters. The last chapter as you know is a Praise Hymn, a 151st Psalm of worship. As with all man’s commentary that leaves out a portion of the Book, it misses the mark. This Pesher misses Jesus, because it focuses on Judgement of the Seen, rather than Faith IN and Worship OF the unseen one. Turns out it was NOT a Calvary Chapel by the Dead Sea, they left out some of the Word. Don’t be awed by old commentaries. Be awed by the ageless Word of God. picture from http://www.ao.net/~fmoeller/pesherhab.htm picture from http://www.historian.net/

Outline for Hab 2:5-20 Intro (2:5-6a) 3 Woes (vs 6b-14) Wow, Exclamation about the Lord! 2 Woes 15-20 each with 10 lines. Let’s move into the first 3 woes. Similar to woes in Isaiah ch 5 & Revelation.

Three Woes (2:6-13) and a Wow! (14) Woe One (vs 6-8) Woe Two (vs 9-11) Woe Three (vs 12-13) Wow! (vs 14)

First Woe: Babylonian Economics 101 Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay! 7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them? Read it

First Woe: Babylonian Economics 101 Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay! 7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them? Babylonian Economics 101: Babylon increases their wealth by stealing it.

First Woe: Babylonian Economics 101 6b Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay! 7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them? Babylonian Economics 101: Back in those days, those in power would inscribe things meaningful to them on clay tablets and bake them. Here, Babylon inscribes your debt on clay then bake the tablets to preserve it. Point out that other translations miss the Word Picture of the clay tablets that can be contrasted with the stone tablet containing Habby. KJV: thick clay NKJV: *many pledges NASB: rich with loans NIV: wealthy by extortion Why is this important? Because Babylon steals your wealth then loans it back to you at exhorbitant interest and carves words on permanent tablets to remember your debt and keep you in slavery. Contrast that with Hab 2:2 where God told Habakkuk to preserve the wealth of Israel, the Word, and give it freely and inscribe it on permanent stone to remember the freedom of faith so you can freely run.

First Whoa! Ge 14:14-24 Jerusalem Economics 101 Abram sets captives free (vs 16) Priest/King of Salem brings communion Priest/King of Salem blesses Abram Priest/King of Salem blesses God Abram gives a tenth to Priest/King King of Sodom You keep the money I’ll keep the bodies and souls of men Ch 15 Abram overcomes FEAR.

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Watch out for Babylonian Spiritual Economics Teachers who steal your riches in Christ Leaders who carve your sins on clay tablets and use them to enslave you To works To self-worth teaching To unbelief Leaders who use their authority to gain earthly wealth instead of spiritual reward

How do Nations make money? By creating it? By taking it from others?

Many ways to Riches! Shown is the Gross Domestic Product in $K per person in 2003 as a measure of prosperity. US is on top. • Spanish conquistidores – Steal the gold and land, teach them about God(!). Exploit others. Not surprisingly, the descendants of the Spanish Conquistadores in Mexico, the Mexican view of prosperity is something that you’ve taken from other Mexicans. Many Mexicans seek political power as a way of taking wealth from people. They have turned inward and eat each other and you find the very wealthy exploit the very poor in a dysfunctional nation. • The Japanese see wealth as something taken from an outsider. They never quit being at war, they just transferred the war into economics. Because it’s war, they bend over backwards to win the economic competition, even to The point of sacrificing ethics. • Catholic economies are more often associated with a view of wealth as something taken rather than something created and are thus less well off than Protestant countries. If it wasn’t for oil, all Islamic countries would be at the bottom.

How do you make money? By creating it? By taking it from others? Remember same principles apply to nations as to individuals. The spirit of a nation is the average of it’s people.

A Biblical view of an Economy circa 2000 B.C at the time of Abraham You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull. Your herd multiplies, and the economy grows. You sell them and live on the income. You give a tenth to the local priest in Salem and celebrate the provision of God. You pass your wealth and skill down to your children.

Enron Capitalism circa 2000 A.D. at the time of Babylon You have two cows. You sell three of them to your publicly-listed company, using letters of credit opened by your brother-in-law at the bank, then execute a debt/equity swap with an associated general offer so that you get all four cows back, with a tax exemption for five cows. The milk rights of the six cows are transferred via an intermediary to a Cayman Island company secretly owned by your CFO who sells the rights to all seven cows back to your listed company. The annual report says the company owns eight cows, with an option on six more. You attract investment capital by advertising images of these calves of gold on SuperBowl commericals. Your company value peaks around a thousand cows, milking your investors until the cows come home, bankruptcy is declared and another false god bites the dust. You walk away with a hundred cows for all your trouble and wonder what the world is coming to with all those corrupt TV evangelists.

Too Fast? Too Confusing? The Notes won’t help Babylonian Economics are meant to be complicated and hard to understand Economics of the New Jerusalem are so simple that a child can understand

What is the reward for a Babylonian economy? 8 Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein. Live by the sword and you’ll die by the sword. Historical Babylon exploited others with her military, and stole their goods and was herself wiped out by the Medo-Persians who got fed up with being exploited. Spiritual Babylon in Revelation is an economic powerhouse rich on exploiting others. Prophetic implications: The world is headed towards a one-world trade empire that is an economy based on stealing from each other, followed by a thunderous crash.

Second Woe: Babylonian Coveteousness 9 Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! 10 Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul. 11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it. Much of our economy has left behind basic needs and has become based on coveting.

Second Woe: Babylonian Coveteousness 9 Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! 10 Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul. 11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it. Notice the repetitive words: The Babylonian house. Setting their nest on high is the origin of Babylon.

What are these Babylonians known for? Genesis 11:4-6 one people, one language, one purpose -> Unity! 1. build ourselves 2. build ourselves into a city 3. build ourselves up to reach heaven 4. build ourselves a name 5. build to maintain unity They are known for coveteous building: self worship! Babylonians are coveteous builders

Babylonian Building Material 9 Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! 10 Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul. 11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it. The purpose of the Tower of Babel was lifting themselves up to deliver them from the evil that they were visiting on others. You and I are called Living Stones in Peter and we are put together as a living Temple. The stones of the temple are cut in the quarry, they were assembled in Jerusalem without cutting. Here the stones of the nations cry out against Babylon .

Babylonian Building Material 9 Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! 10 Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul. 11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it. Stone for walls, Wood for spanning gaps (entrances, roof, etc). These are the materials that idols are made out of.

Third Woe: Babylonian Bloodshed 12 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity! 13 Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity? Historic Babylon is a city built on blood of injustice. Prophetic Babylon is a city built upon the blood of injustice. What happened to this militaristic spirit in Babylon? What do we see in Babylon today? Look what we found at 35 miles west of Baghdad. SHOW AIRCRAFT EXCAVATIOIN

WOW 14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. Suddenly in the midst of cancerous pride, infections vanity, and nauseating self-worship, A burst of glorious hope. A prophetic utterance almost always ends in a positive note. They typically start off bad, judgement, warning, and end on a positive note. Except Jonah. Water is worldwide. So is the church.

Conclusions Here’s what we covered: Chapter 2:5-14 Intro (v 2:5-6a) 3 Woes (v 6b-13) Wow, Exclamation about the Lord! (v 14) Next time: 2 Woes (v 15-19) Wow, Exclamation about the Lord! (v 20) We covered Introduction, 3 woes and a wow! Next time will be 2 woes and a wow.

What were the three Woes (2:6-13) and the Wow! (14)? Woe One (vs 6-8) Economic Exploiting Woe Two (vs 9-11) Coveteousness Woe Three (vs 12-13) Bloodshed Wow! (vs 14) Knowledge of God will one day fill the earth!

Conclusion: How do you live your life? Economics Do you create wealth, or Do you steal it from others? Coveteousness Peace and Thanksgiving or Dissatisfied, complaining Bloodshed Erase the debt against you or Tablets of Unforgiveness and hatred?

Want a copy of the slides? Bill@ensight.com

Kings Extra Judah Prophets Prophets Israel Babylonians Assyrians BAD GOOD Kings Extra Dethroned by murder Guilty of Murder Jehoahaz Jehoiachin Abijah Amon Ahaziah Jehosaphat Azariah Ahaz Jehoiakim Zedekiah Judah (20 Kings) Asa Jehoram Joash (Jehoash) Jotham Josiah 586 BC Jerusalem Destroyed by Babylon Rehoboam Athaliah Hezekiah Manasseh Amaziah (Uzziah) Babylonians Prophets in Judah Nahum Habakkuk Jonah Assyrians Prophets in Israel Hab was a prophet Habe lived near the end Omri Joram Jehoash Pekah Baasha Ahab Jehu Jehoaz Pekahiah Hoshea Israel (20 Kings) Jeroboam II 722 BC Northern Tribes Conquered by Assyria Jeroboam I Menahim Tibni Ahaziah Zimri Elah Nadab Zecharaih Shallu 930 BC 880 BC 830 BC 780 BC 730 BC 680 BC 630 BC 580 BC 530 BC

Kings Extra Judah Israel (20 Kings) (20 Kings) BAD GOOD Kings Extra Dethroned by murder Guilty of Murder Jehoahaz Jehoiachin Abijah Amon Ahaziah Jehosaphat Azariah Ahaz Jehoiakim Zedekiah Judah (20 Kings) Asa Jehoram Joash (Jehoash) Jotham Josiah 586 BC Jerusalem Destroyed by Babylon Rehoboam Athaliah Hezekiah Manasseh Amaziah (Uzziah) Omri Baasha Ahab Joram Jehu Jehoaz Jehoash Pekah Pekahiah Hoshea Israel (20 Kings) Jeroboam II 722 BC Northern Tribes Conquered by Assyria Jeroboam I Menahim Tibni Ahaziah Zimri Elah Nadab Zecharaih Shallu 930 BC 880 BC 830 BC 780 BC 730 BC 680 BC 630 BC 580 BC 530 BC

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