Habakkuk 1:1-4--Habakkuk's Complaint

Habakkuk 1:1-4
English Standard Version
1 The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.

Habakkuk's Complaint
2 O LORD, how long shall I cry for help,
    and you will not hear?
Or cry to you “Violence!”
    and you will not save?
3 Why do you make me see iniquity,
    and why do you idly look at wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me;
    strife and contention arise.
4 So the law is paralyzed,
    and justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
    so justice goes forth perverted.

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We actually just finished our study of Habakkuk in Sunday School this past week.  It's a short book that is different than many of the other prophets in that it is more of a dialogue between the LORD and His prophet.  The prophet prays to the LORD concerning the evil that He sees all around him in his land (the land of Israel and Judah) and asks how long before the LORD will act.  The prophet has the intention of praying so that the LORD would turn the hearts of the people back towards Him and there will be revival, but the LORD tells Habakkuk that if He would tell the prophet what He was going to do, Habakkuk would not be able to believe it.  I'm getting ahead a bit here so, I'll stop here and focus on Habakkuk's complaint in this passage--there is violence against the innocent and there is intentional sin (iniquity) all around--idolatry, sexual sin, and all kinds of men taking advantage of their neighbors.  There is violence, contention and strife everywhere he looks.  The Law that should be transforming the people seems paralyzed and powerless to teach them.  Justice appears to never be done as the kings and the courts are corrupt.  The wicked are in power and prosper while the righteous are poor and destitute and taken advantage of.  There is no justice for those who are not part of the elite ruling class because the rich get away with anything or bribe the judges to bring up false charges and convictions against their enemies.  It sounds awful, but yet, we could easily see ourselves in a similar situation in another generation or two if we continue on our path of godlessness.  The people of Israel did not get here overnight it's been hundreds of years that they've lived in rebellion to the Law that they received.  Now, it is going to be time for the LORD to discipline and judge His own people, and Habakkuk is not going to find the LORD's plan to do so displeasing.  We'll talk more about that going forward.