His Hand is on the Door

Verse by Verse (ish) through Romans 11, pt. 3…

September 21st, 2007

Still more context: on with chapter 1

In Habakkuk’s case, God’s soveriegn leadership in the moment did not seem consistent with His character or His promises. The instrument of His judgment, Babylon, seemed more wicked and perverse than the people He was judging (the backslidden Israelites). Thus Habbakuk asks the Lord an honest question birthed from his struggle with this seeming theological dillema - and the Lord answers him in Habakuk 2. Paul, in laying out the progression of a man into darkness and hardness of heart in Romans 1:18-32, is actually building on the ideas God lays out for Habakkuk throughout that entire passage - not just one verse from Habakkuk. One could say that Paul, the skilled rabbi, is teaching the church of Rome what Habbakuk 2 is truly saying.

What is required of a man? According to the prophet Micah, the authentically Hebraic man was one who acted justly, loved mercy, and walked humbly with their God (Mic. 6:8). The Lord promises that such a man shall live by faith - or a firm, unshakable, and confident belief that believes that the vision of the Lord, yet for an appointed time, will speak and not lie. Thus the man of faith is willing to wait for that which will come and “not tarry” - another way to paraphrase what the Lord is saying in Habakkuk 2:3 is that God will surely avenge His elect who cry out to Him day and night speedily (Luke 18:7-8). The man of faith will pray and not lose heart, believing that the One who promised to bring true justice to the earth will surely come.

Thus the man of faith will not be shaken by the delay related to God’s answer to His promises. The “just” man or the authentically hebraic man, whom Habakkuk is sure will perish at the hands of the indescriminantly violent Chaldeans, will be saved and preserved by God. The issue at hand isn’t about God’s ability to preserve the righteous men of the land, but whether these righteous men would be able to retain their confidence in God’s ability to save them. Would they be shaken by the tenuous circumstances that threatened them? Or would they be confident in God’s leadership regardless of the outcome?

The Hebrews 11 “hall of faith” is populated by such men - those who believed that God would fulfill His promises beyond their deaths! For God, and for these great men, death was a “non-issue” related to His promises. For if they died before they came to pass, God was able to raise them from the dead at the appointed time to enjoy their fullfillment! Thus the man of faith loves and embraces truth - not allowing truth to be defined by present circumstance but with a living understanding (by grace) that the words and promises of God are that which is “more true.”

Thus Paul establishes two paths in laying the foundation of his premise: first, those who are called of Jesus Christ and called to be saints will see the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith - as significant promises to the Jews have been answered by God through the coming of a Jewish Messiah, significant promises related to the future salvation of everyone who believes will be answered as well. The righteous leadership of God is revealed through faith in the fulfilled promises as well as the future ones. Salvation, as defined in the book of Habbakuk, deals more with future deliverance from the unjust enemies of God more than it does present forgiveness from a sinful internal condition.

The power of believing in the reality of the past fulfillment of prophetic promises is that it bolsters our heart to believe in the reality of the future fulfillment of prophetic promises. For salvation is about more than what we are saved from, but it also involves what we are being saved into - in the case of Hebrews 11, the answer is a “heavenly country”. The ability to fully grasp the implications of past and future scriptural promises is partially knit to our connection with the Hebrew prophets who delivered those promises - which is why Paul affirms the divine order of Jew first, then the Gentile; and then he later affirms the value of the Jew within a congregation of believers related to his understanding of the scriptures in Romans 3:2.

In other words, Paul is subtly and diplomatically establishing a context for honor related to the Jew in a manner he will more clearly state and affirm in Romans 9:4.

David

Entry Filed under: bible, prayer movement