The Lord is in His Temple

Shall not all these take up their taunt against him, with scoffing and riddles for him, and say, "Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own— for how long?— and loads himself with pledges!" Will not your debtors suddenly arise, and those awake who will make you tremble? Then you will be spoil for them. Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder you, for the blood of man and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them. "Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm! You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many peoples; you have forfeited your life. For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the woodwork respond. "Woe to him who builds a town with blood and founds a city on iniquity! Behold, is it not from the Lord of hosts that peoples labor merely for fire, and nations weary themselves for nothing? For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. "Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink— you pour out your wrath and make them drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness! You will have your fill of shame instead of glory. Drink, yourself, and show your uncircumcision! The cup in the Lord 's right hand will come around to you, and utter shame will come upon your glory! The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, as will the destruction of the beasts that terrified them, for the blood of man and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them. "What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols! Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it. But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him." - Habakkuk 2:6‭-‬20 ESV

Rev. Dan Whang

The woes against evil

The first set of verses about woe are a taunting song. It is a song sung to enemies who have fallen. The Chaldeans were greedy. They stole, plundered, and enslaved people for their own desires. God promises that the people they plundered will themselves be plundered by those very people. No concern for the lowly poor or those who were struggling. They built houses far from others on high. Places with gigantic gates. Financial security and personal ambition can do horrendous things to the human heart. We forget that what we have is grace from God.

The Chaldeans killed people to control them. They have hearts filled with violence. We may not kill people but we all may find that we have violent hearts. We desire to bully, control, take advantage of or oppress others. We can yell or lecture those who disturb or impose on us. We are not innocent.

Sexual immorality will only bring shame. The wrong person, at the wrong time, outside the desire of God... It brings shame to the person on that screen. It feels sex trafficking.

Idolitry is serving something other than God. Looking for hope in created things rather than the Creator. Whether it be wealth, talent, comfort or any other variety of things... We depend on it save or teach us. Idolitry can lead into all these kinds of sin that the Chaldeans practiced.

Silence before the temple of God sounds so nice. But really it is the judgement of God. He will bring justice. He's fed up with injustice and suffering as well.

Promises of hope

God's plan to save is coming. The earth will be filled with the glory of God. Jesus will come and will restore all things. Justice will come. The glory will submerge all things.

Spreading His glory

Practice gentleness and compassion. Give kindness in return for evil. We leave vengeance for God. Seek accountability in battling sin. Find time to pray and keep a right perspective.