What the Fork, God?
NL 112 for November 27, 2022- The First Sunday of Advent
The Text
Habakkuk 1:1-7; 2:1-4; 3:[3b-6], 17-19
Last Time on ‘The Story’
The prophet Habakkuk served during the last few decades of the kingdom of Israel, before it fell to the Babylonian Empire.
After the reign of Hezekiah, which we heard about last time, came the reigns of Manessa and Amos. Both of these kings were knuckleheads, and brought back all of the ‘high places’ and idols that Hezekiah had torn down. King Josaiah, who came next, brought sweeping reforms when the high priest found a copy of the Torah, and had no idea what it was (that’s how bad it had gotten). Then the next king, Jechoniah un-reformed everything, and was in power when the Babylonian empire finally came in and destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple.
While the book of Habakkuk has no direct timing (e.g. In the third year of king Steve), context suggests that it was probably written (or is set) during the reign of Jechoniah, or maybe (maybe) Mannessa/Amos.
Overview of the Book of Habakkuk
As always, the Bible Project does a great job at giving the big picture for these books, and I will be using their map as a guide.
The book of Habakkuk is a short oracle that was seen by Habakkuk (not a whole lot of biographical data given). Many of the other major or minor prophets (so-called because of the length of writing, not importance) say a lot to the people, to nations, to kings, etc. The book of Habakkuk, on the other hand, gives us a dialogue between the prophet and God. In it, the prophet wrestles with the violence and unrighteousness that they see around them, and wonders where YHWH could possibly be in it all (a question that many of us, and many more outside the church ask). In the end, the prophet resolves to live a life of righteousness and faith no matter what is going on around him.
Here is my outline of the book of Habakkuk.
Habakkuk 1-2:5 Questions and Responses
1:1-4 the Prophet asks ‘how long’ shall they cry out for help, with YHWH not answering. Violence, Torah neglect, and corruption of justice.
1:5-11 YHWH responds that there is a divine response brewing, and it is the Babylonian Empire
1:12-17 The Prophet asks, WTF? Aren't the Babylonians even worse? How could you use such evil people for your will?
2:1 The prophet camps out at the watchtower, and waits for YHWH to answer
2:2-5 YHWH answers with clarity. YHWH is judge, and justice will be served, NO MATTER WHO.
2:6-20 The Five Woes
2:6-8 Alas for those who exorbitantly store up wealth for themselves, those they have plundered will plunder them.
2:9-11 Alas for those who build houses to protect them (from danger, or from those who they have swindled), your house itself will rebel and fall on you.
2:12-14 Alas those who use violence in order to gain power, YHWH is the final authority.
2:15-17 Alas those who use alcohol (and other debauchery/entertainment?) to take advantage of your neighbors, violence will overcome you.
2:18-20 Alas those who serve Idols of wood and stone, YHWH is above all others.
The Prophet’s Prayer
3:1-2a The prophet claims YHWH’s renown, and pleads that God make it known even now.
Selah- a time to reflect over the words just spoken/read
3:2b-9a The prophet’s allusion to YHWH’s mighty acts of the past, referencing the plagues/strikes against Egypt, the parting of the Red/Reed sea, and victory over evil kings
Selah
3:9b-13 YHWH’s victory over Egypt, for the redemption of God’s people.
Selah
3:14-15 Further dramatic and poetic telling of the Red Sea
3:16 The prophet quakes at the image of God’s justice coming upon Egypt, and awaits the coming destruction of Jerusalem
3:17-19 The Prophet’s resolve that no matter what happens, he will rejoice and exult in YHWH, the savior.
Today’s Story
The Prophet's Complaint: Theodicy, the broad theological quandary of “why does evil exist in the world?” is not a new one. In the biblical witness alone, it ranges from the book of Job, which seems to be the oldest written book in the Hebrew Scriptures, to Genesis 3, to the book of Ecclesiastes, and on. I don’t know about you but I have wondered myself, from time to time, why it is that God allows for the evil that we see in the world. We see the horrors of war, the pain of poverty, and the senselessness of cancer and other diseases. We wonder how in the world a loving God could allow for such pain.
Many in our culture, especially those outside the church (where these questions can be asked more freely), or those who have stepped away from the church, continue to ask these questions. They wonder how and why it is that such terrible things can happen. It is a sign of the non-existence of God, or a sign that God is either powerless to stop these things, or (even worse) has the power, yet chooses not to bring it to bear.
Throughout the history of human thought, many answers have been devised. Bethany N. Sollereder in her book “Why Is There Suffering” explores many of those answers, billing the book as a “choose your own theological expedition” where readers can tackle the benefits and drawbacks of the many answers to this question. In a Podcast I heard, she described each as being a tool in a toolbelt, not all are all appropriate for every situation, but that does not mean that they are not useful. Kate Bowler, a professor at Duke and New York Times bestselling author explores these answers in her book “Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved” which explores her own journey of discovery of meaning after being diagnosed with stage IV cancer.
However, we can easily slip into overintellectualizing the issue (or at least I can), and lose sight of the emotional toll that these questions have. The prophet Habakkuk dives straight in, asking hard questions of God. Using the rhetorical question, used by various Psalmists as well, he wonders how long God can silently stand by while violence and destruction takes the day. Not only is it the suffering of God’s people, but the very Law that was provided by God to help us poor sinners lies neglected, and the Lord won't even rise up to defend God’s honor. Much like Micah and Isaiah before him, Habakkuk questions those in power, who pervert justice. And still, God remains silent.
God Answers: But then God does answer, and maybe we wish that God had not. The answer given is that God is doing something amazing, “for a work is being done in your days/ that you would not believe if you were told.” God is raising up the Chaldeans a.k.a. Babylon who will sweep through the world with an overwhelming violence that only the hubris of ‘empire’ is able to accomplish.
The concept of ‘empire’ was simultaneously a new and a very old one. The Babylonian Empire, here on the rise; and the Assyrian Empire, now in decline, were just the newest form of the same old story. This story starts biblically in the same geographical location as Babylon, with the tower of Babel in Genesis 11. There it is the hubris of people, unwilling to ‘be fruitful and multiply’ spreading out, but instead gather in one place. They decide to “make a name for ourselves” (Gen 11:4) by building a tower that reaches the heavens. This story is also a reaction to the flood narrative; the descendants of Noah do not trust God’s covenant with lifekind not to flood the world again, and they not only build a high tower, but use pitch for mortar, therefore making it flood proof.
The next major biblical image of ‘empire’ is Egypt. Throughout the biblical narrative, Egypt is usually a place of death and destruction, orbiting around the beginning of Exodus where Pharaoh uses the power and authority of Egypt to enslave the Hebrew people, and uses the tools of violence to keep them in line. Pharaoh’s hubris knows no limit when he uses the power of empire to kill the infant Hebrew boys. It is an act of defiance when the midwives ignore Pharaoh’s orders, when Moses’s mother throws him into the river (but in a basket), and when Pharaoh’s own daughter adopts one of the boys who is clearly a Hebrew child. A later Pharaoh is defined by his ‘hard heart,’ and asserts his godlike will and power over the enslaved Hebrew people. YHWH strikes Egypt ten times, showing true divine power and will, and finally defeats Pharaoh and his army at the Red/Reed sea. This image of the hubris of Pharaoh being defeated by God at the Red Sea is one that Habakkuk returns to multiple times.
The image of ‘empire’ is taken up in the actual empires of Assyria and Babylon, which here are notable for their use of violence. Babylon is described as “fierce and impetuous” and “Dread and fearsome.” In the verses we skip over in the paricape, God describes them in the words of Habakkuk as having “horses swifter than leopards,” “more menacing than wolves,” and flying like eagles. It is a nation that “gathers captives like sand” describing the acquiring of nations and peoples to grow the empire, as well as the vibrant market of enslaved peoples. They mock both king and fortress, referencing the earthen siege works that they would use against walled cities. The final assessment in this section is that “their own might is their god.” They are high on and worship their power and ability to enforce their will upon others.
Of course, foreign nations are not the only ones who are described using this imperial language. Both the Deuteronomistic histories and the prophets are full of descriptions of the elite of Israel and Judah which cast them as their own mini-empires. Solomon is famous for gathering chariots and horses from Egypt and amassing great wealth and personal power with three hundred wives and concubines. He is also responsible for the enslavement of his own people for the great building projects which he undertook, the continuation of which led to the splitting of the unified nation into two. The words of Micah that we read a few weeks ago, as well as Habakkuk here, describes the political and religious elite as those who twist and pervert justice for their own will. They steal from their own people, with no intention to give back. They are imperial in aspirations, if not in fact. They too make their own power and wealth their god.
We also see that imperial drive in our own world. America certainly has imperialistic tendencies, having started as a colony of the British Empire. Our own political and religious elite can often be high on their own supply, their might and power their god. Our entire capitalistic economy is based on imperial power, the amassing of wealth, power, and influence. The super rich, in addition to having more resources than they could possibly use themselves (so much that they can compete with one another in making rockets), have a massively outsized influence on national and international decisions (how much does Amazon pay in taxes again?). In the United States, most (if not all) of our politicians are bought and paid for by individuals and corporations so much that they might as well wear NASCAR jackets with their sponsors. Think of the difference between the (non) debate on the bailout of the Airline industry, for instance, and the months of debate and ultimate failure of the Reconciliation bill which dared to help out average Americans. The Federal Government recently attempted to forgive some of the massive debt incurred by (imposed upon) younger Americans for College Student Loans, and it is being held up by multiple lawsuits from the powerful who feel it would be a financial hardship on them (and really, who is more important?).
White Christians, as the dominant demographic until very recently have enjoyed the privilege that comes along with that status. There are many who are quick to bemoan its passing, stooping to the violence of word and even fist to maintain the separate and unequal status that we have historically enjoyed. Much of our religious institution is rooted in patriarchy and colonization. Theologies rooted in minority populations give us a different perspective of ourselves which our own inculturation can sometimes blind us to. The good news of the words of Habakkuk is that God can even use empires to fulfill the divine will, but justice will be served, there will always be a reckoning.
The Watchpost: Habakkuk naturally questions God on the use of corrupt and violent Babylon against the people of Judah. How could God even use them? How could God allow these dehumanizing and power hungry people to judge God’s own people? Surely, they are worse than we are right? So Habakkuk sets up (at least metaphorically) at the watchpost on the wall. As a lookout might look for signs of an invading army, the prophet will wait for a reply from God.
The Answer: The great and terrible answer comes from YHWH, and Habakkuk is instructed to write it out in such a way that everyone can see clearly. There will be justice. If it seems like justice is not at work now, just wait, God will make all things right. “Look at the proud!” those who use violence and power against others to get their will, those who amass great wealth by swindling others, those who party or pray while they watch others suffer, whose god is their power or their stomach; all will be brought low. They have a black hole of a stomach, which will never be filled. More and more and more will never be enough.
In contrast, the righteous will live by faith. Again we might be reminded that the Hebrew concept of righteousness (mishpat) has as a part of it our English emphasis on ‘right action,’ doing the right things, following the rules/law; but it also includes (if not emphasizes) ‘right relationship.’ We are reminded of the story of Reuben and Tamar in Genesis 38 where Tamar seduces Reuben because he did not fulfill his familial obligations to her or his deceased son; in the end, he declares that she is more righteous than he. Those who do not amass or use their power over others, or who do not gather far more wealth than they could possibly use, will be able to live according to the faith they have in God and others. They will be able to not only live, but flourish.
This is the great reversal promised by the prophets and proclaimed in the Magnificat of Luke 1. Even though it seems that the rich and powerful are winning, even though those who have power and the will to use and abuse it against those without seem to be getting ahead, God will and is even now working things out. Justice often does not look like justice to those who have been unjust. Much like true equality can feel like inequality to those who are on the top (which is why old white men are panicking and lashing out right now). The greed of the wealthy will eat them up inside, their sins will come back upon them. Chapter 2 of Habakkuk goes on to list the woes of the wicked, and in each case there is a reckoning. It is the humbling and chilling answer provided.
Yet I Will Rejoice in the LORD: The book of Habakkuk concludes with a declaration of faith. It is an anti-imperialistic, anti-capitalistic, anti-transactional faith statement. Even though the fig does not produce fruit, even if the olive tree has no harvest, even if the livestock dies, even if there is not material abundance, I will rejoice. It is a choice that the prophet makes to trust God no matter the outward circumstances. This is a faith that despite the outward signs of the thriving of ‘empire,’ in the end God will make all things right. That power, or money, or influence, or anything else is not where we find our strength, but in YHWH alone. And in a poetic flourish, he ends with the image of a deer who is able to climb and survive when anything else would fall to their doom.
The prophet has been on a journey through questioning the evil of the world, and has come out on the other side in faith. This may not be everyone’s journey, and we may not even be able to come to the same conclusion with what is written here. However, just like in Habakkuk’s case, faith is a decision. We can either trust in ourselves, and what we can achieve by our own power and violence, or trust that God is making and will make all things right.
The Rest of the Story
Spoiler alert: Jerusalem does fall to Babylon. They take most of the people (especially the rich and powerful) out in chains. They destroy the Temple, and take all of its treasurers. They break down the wall that surrounded and protected the city. However, Babylon then (fairly quickly) fell themselves, and were taken over by the Persian/Mede empire. The wealth and land and people amassed by the Babylonians was not theirs for long. The Persian Empire, interestingly had a very different take on things, and allowed the Hebrews to not only return to Jerusalem, but funded the rebuilding of the wall and temple.
Pop Culture References
One of the best depictions of this gnawing hunger of greed is from The Pirates of the Caribbean (the first and good one), when Captain Barbosa monologues about their curse.
Unfortunately, we don't need to look too far to see examples of the corruption in our own particular form of empire.
and after I posted, I came across this little gem.
From nature, an Ibex climbing a sheer wall in order to lick salt deposits.
Hymn Suggestions
Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
Watchmen Tell Us Of This Night
Links
Homebrewed Christianity Podcast with Bethany Sollereder
My Advent Themed Spotify Playlist
Candle Lighting for First Sunday of Advent
ONE: GOD, how long do I have to cry out for help before you listen?
MANY: How many times do I have to yell, “Help! Murder! Police!” before you come to the rescue?
ONE: Why do you force me to look at evil, stare trouble in the face day after day?
MANY: Anarchy and violence break out, quarrels and fights all over the place.
ONE: What’s God going to say to my questions? I’m braced for the worst. I’ll climb the lookout tower and scan the horizon. I’ll wait to hear what God says, how God will answer my complaint.
(Light first candle)
Prayer of the Day: We cry out O God, in a world of violence, of suffering, and of pain. You do not often answer in the ways that we are expecting, or even in ways that we understand. Yet you have been faithful to us in the past, often in ways that we were not expecting. We trust that you will be faithful again, and expect your coming into the world afresh. Let the righteous live by faith. Amen.
Light One Candle to Watch for Messiah (Glory to God # 85, Verse 1)
Light one candle to watch for Messiah: Let the light banish darkness.
He shall bring salvation to Israel, God fulfills the promise.
ONE: Though the cherry trees don’t blossom and the strawberries don’t ripen.
MANY: Though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat fields stunted.
ONE: Though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns empty,
MANY: I’m singing joyful praise to GOD.
ALL: I’m turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God.
Candle Lighting for the Second Sunday of Advent
ONE: There was a Jewish man who lived in the palace complex in Susa. His name was Mordicai.
MANY: His ancestors had been taken from Jerusalem with the exiles to Babylon.
ONE: Mordecai had raised his cousin, Esther, since she had no father or mother.
MANY: After her parents died, Mordecai had adopted her.
ONE: The king of Susa fell in love with Esther.
MANY: He placed a royal crown on her head and made her queen.
(Light the first and second candle)
Let us pray: Living God, you have given us ancestors and histories. You have given us relationships within families, friends, and communities. You have given us gifts, abilities, and positions of power and privilege. You have brought us together for such a time as this to be your hands and feet in this place. Amen.
Light One Candle to Watch for Messiah (Glory to God # 85, Verse 2)
Light two candles to watch for Messiah: Let the light banish darkness.
He shall feed the flock like a shepherd, gently leading them forward.
ONE: Mordicai sent Esther this message: “Don’t think that just because you live in privilege that you will get out of this.
MANY: If we persist in staying silent at a time like this, help and deliverance will arrive from someplace else.
ALL: Who knows? Maybe you were born for such a time as this.”