| Cross Words: Evil triumphs over evil |
Richard Prow ~ rpcrosswords@gmail.com
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Have you ever wondered why God allows wicked nations to taunt and terrorize the United States. Isn’t God supposed to bless and protect America, what with our stand for religious freedom, our many churches, our world-wide evangelistic efforts, and our charitable giving to nations less fortunate than our own. We know we’re not perfect - and truth be told we know we deserve some divine discipline every now and then - but to allow countries more wicked than our own to bite at our heals constantly seems a little unfair doesn’t it.
Roughly 2600 years ago a prophet by the name of Habukkuk was asking that very same question in regards to the nation of Israel.
He knew Israel needed correction (Hab. 1:1-4), but he was shocked when God revealed to him that the Babylonians were going to be the instrument by which God would bring that very correction (Hab. 1:12). The Babylonians after all were pagans through and through. They worshipped false gods, they indulged in despicable sexual practices, and bloodshed was relished as much as a succulent meal. The red-headed step child, not the second or even third favorite son, was bringing judgement home to roost.
In their pride and self-righteousness the Israelites were blind to their condition. Their sins began piling up into the heavens, yet they thought themselves to be better than all the other nations around them. So God used the worst He could find in order to shame the Israelites the most. It was a scathing reminder to them that they had turned and become just as evil as the Babylonians (Hab. 2).
If we in this country were wise enough to take a lesson from the pages of history we would be on our knees, as Habukkuk was, pleading with God to remember mercy in His time of wrath (Hab. 3:2). If we had any sense we would change our ways and ask God to relent in sending further judgement, because it probably won’t be at the hands of New Zealand or the Netherlands. It will be much worse.
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