Habakkuk 2:12-14

Woe to those that are use violence -- Habakkuk 2:12-14: The Chaldeans were doomed because they built their nation on violence and blood shed. They would conquer a nation, kill its people and take any possession they desired. They used violence to accomplish their own means. They terrorized other cities and nations with their brutality. A statement from Solomon in Proverbs 4:17 well describes the Chaldeans. "For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence." They would have done well to remember that "The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth." (Psalms 11:5) To the Chaldeans God said, "You are doomed! You built a city on crime and violence." The All-powerful God sends up in flames what nations and people work so hard to gain, especially those things that were gained through wicked means. Those that are covetousness or the ones that are eager for worldly pursuits labor in the very fire. The labor for such things is all in vain when the Lord sends punishment upon them for a lack of godliness.

Habakkuk wrote, "Just as water fills the sea, the land will be filled with people who know and honor the LORD." The earth would see the destruction that God brought upon the powerful Chaldean nation. God would be honored as being impartial in His judgment and irresistible in His power. Job said that God would show His furious anger against all that are proud and evil. They would all be thrown down and crushed. (Job 40:11-12) One purpose of the gospel and the preaching of it is, "to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:6) God created the world for His glory and in every situation God's glory will be seen. It may not happen on man's timetable, but rest assured that it will happen. Righteousness in all things is what accomplishes that which God had in mind when He created the world. 8