One Person at a Time
Greetings in the Lord!
Today's word comes from a small little book in the Old Testament called Habakkuk, chapters1:15-2:20. The other times I've been lead to read these verses were before the fall of Saddam Hussein and imprisonment of the oil tycoon of Russia, Mikhail Khodrokovsky.
"The wicked foe pulls all of them up with hooks, he catches them in his net, he gathers them up in his dragnet; and so he rejoices and is glad. Therefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his dragnet, for by his net he lives in luxury and enjoys the choicest food.
Is he to keep on emptying his net, destroying nations without mercy?" (Hab. 1:15- 17)
Well, the Lord answers the prophet by saying: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay."
For Mr. Khodrokovsky, the word took one year to be fulfilled. For Saddam, about 3 years or so in total. Who can say why God chose 1 year for one and 3 for another, but at the end of the day it was fulfilled perfectly in His eyes. So who is this word for today? Well, let's read a little more from the book of Habakkuk and see if you can't guess.
"See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright...he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples."
"Will not all of them taunt him with ridicule and scorn, saying, 'Woe to him who piles up stolen goods and makes himself wealthy by extortion! How long must this go on?'
"Will not your debtors suddenly arise? Will they not wake up and make you tremble? Then you will become their victim. Because you have plundered many nations, the peoples who are left will plunder you. For you have shed man's blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them."
"Woe to him who builds his realm by unjust gain to set his nest on high, to escape the clutches of ruin! You have plotted the ruin of many peoples, shaming your own house and forfeiting your life. The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it."
"You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink and be exposed! The cup from the Lord's right hand is coming around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory. The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you...For you have shed man's blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them." (Hab. 4-11, 16-17.)
Have you guessed yet? Bashar Assad? Yes, you are correct!
"He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed."
Proverbs 22:8
However, in all of this there is a promise for the people of God, for the righteous who live by their faith: "The light of the righteous shines brightly, while the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out." (Proverbs 13:9) God protects those who call upon Him in times of trouble, those whose ways are upright according to the Lord's word. Those who will live by the sword will die by the sword, but the righteous will prosper by the hand of God. Did you know that violence begets violence, and corruption begets corruption? Does a bad tree produce good fruit? Surely not! But a good tree always produces good fruit; even in a dry and hot season where there is no water, the roots of a good tree drinks from the Lord's wellsprings, the river of Life. It's leaves are still green and its fruit plentiful. That is how it is for those who put all their trust in the Lord and follow in His ways.
I recall living in Syria a few years back and praying to the Lord out of exasperation--"Lord, there is no truth here! And they are so stubborn. If they believe the sky is green it is green to them--there's no getting through! How are You going to change this place?"
He simply said: "One person at a time."
Thanks be to God for His infinite wisdom and goodness, and for His generous, saving grace.
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
Today's word comes from a small little book in the Old Testament called Habakkuk, chapters1:15-2:20. The other times I've been lead to read these verses were before the fall of Saddam Hussein and imprisonment of the oil tycoon of Russia, Mikhail Khodrokovsky.
"The wicked foe pulls all of them up with hooks, he catches them in his net, he gathers them up in his dragnet; and so he rejoices and is glad. Therefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his dragnet, for by his net he lives in luxury and enjoys the choicest food.
Is he to keep on emptying his net, destroying nations without mercy?" (Hab. 1:15- 17)
Well, the Lord answers the prophet by saying: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay."
For Mr. Khodrokovsky, the word took one year to be fulfilled. For Saddam, about 3 years or so in total. Who can say why God chose 1 year for one and 3 for another, but at the end of the day it was fulfilled perfectly in His eyes. So who is this word for today? Well, let's read a little more from the book of Habakkuk and see if you can't guess.
"See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright...he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples."
"Will not all of them taunt him with ridicule and scorn, saying, 'Woe to him who piles up stolen goods and makes himself wealthy by extortion! How long must this go on?'
"Will not your debtors suddenly arise? Will they not wake up and make you tremble? Then you will become their victim. Because you have plundered many nations, the peoples who are left will plunder you. For you have shed man's blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them."
"Woe to him who builds his realm by unjust gain to set his nest on high, to escape the clutches of ruin! You have plotted the ruin of many peoples, shaming your own house and forfeiting your life. The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it."
"You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink and be exposed! The cup from the Lord's right hand is coming around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory. The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you...For you have shed man's blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them." (Hab. 4-11, 16-17.)
Have you guessed yet? Bashar Assad? Yes, you are correct!
"He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed."
Proverbs 22:8
However, in all of this there is a promise for the people of God, for the righteous who live by their faith: "The light of the righteous shines brightly, while the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out." (Proverbs 13:9) God protects those who call upon Him in times of trouble, those whose ways are upright according to the Lord's word. Those who will live by the sword will die by the sword, but the righteous will prosper by the hand of God. Did you know that violence begets violence, and corruption begets corruption? Does a bad tree produce good fruit? Surely not! But a good tree always produces good fruit; even in a dry and hot season where there is no water, the roots of a good tree drinks from the Lord's wellsprings, the river of Life. It's leaves are still green and its fruit plentiful. That is how it is for those who put all their trust in the Lord and follow in His ways.
I recall living in Syria a few years back and praying to the Lord out of exasperation--"Lord, there is no truth here! And they are so stubborn. If they believe the sky is green it is green to them--there's no getting through! How are You going to change this place?"
He simply said: "One person at a time."
Thanks be to God for His infinite wisdom and goodness, and for His generous, saving grace.
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
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