How Long O' Lord? | Pastor Harlow, January 4th, 2026

A little context for the writing, the nation of Assyria was a wicked empire that Jonah was a prophet to. They turned away from sin, but only for a while and then they were back to their wicked ways. During that time of dominance, they became the world’s superpower and they destroyed Samaria which is recorded in 2 Kings 17. Samaria at this time was part of the Northern Kingdom known as Israel.

Now, there was a Southern Kingdom called Judah. This shows us that Judah had already seen one covenant people wiped out by God’s sovereign decree. In order to secure their safety, King Ahaz of Judah became Assyria’s vassal. Now, Judah has never been a good subject to any nation and in 701, the Assyrian King Sennacherib invaded Judah, surrounded Jerusalem who was being ruled then by King Hezekiah, and God spared Jerusalem and Sennacherib was defeated.

What’s amazing is that even in Assyria’s records it mentions him invading Judah, trapping Hezekiah in Jerusalem, but not once does it mention taking the city. If you’re a king and you’re into propaganda, then you would definitely mention taking a city like Jerusalem if you did. This shows God’s care for His people, but we must remember that judgment is never far away.

Then in 687 Judah got one of the worst kings in the Bible named Manasseh. Manasseh had a very long reign but he was an evil man. Hezekiah destroyed high places where people would make offerings to false gods, but Manasseh rebuilt them and set up altars to Baal, worshipped the sun, moon, and stars, and put idols inside the temple itself!

He permitted and encouraged sorcery, mediums, necromancers, and fortune-telling. He was a wicked, wicked man.

16 Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides the sin that he made Judah to sin so that they did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.

Manasseh even burned his son as an offering in the Valley of Hinnom.

For many many years, Manasseh ruled and reigned. The nation was politically stable and overall in a peaceful place on the world stage. But what good is prosperity without faithfulness to the Lord? As a result of Manasseh’s corruption, this created an entrenched bureaucracy! Elites benefitted from the Assyrian alignment and so great injustices against God’s Law were common. It was so bad that the courts protected pagan priests and persecuted the prophets of the Lord! Justice didn’t disappear… it was redefined to serve the culture at that time.

Judah was thriving outwardly while collapsing spiritually within the nation. You had political loyalty to Assyria, not God. You had religious syncretism with Canaanite gods and Assyrian gods and sure, they’ll incorporate the Lord too. There was royal authority where the king was redefining justice and peace.

Nahum arose during this time and prophesied against these acts. So did Jeremiah. They saw the injustices and persecutions and spoke against the wicked rulers and practices of the time. Thankfully, wicked men die and Josiah, a good king of Judah took the throne at 8 years old.

For 8 years there’s not much known about Josiah’s reign but at 16 years old Josiah, “began to seek the God of David his father”. True change comes in the heart, not from other places. Around the age of 20 Josiah began to reform the nation of Judah. He destroyed the high places, the idols, the Baals and pagan priests. He even went into Israel and cleansed those places as well.

In 621 they discovered the Book of the Law (likely Deuteronomy) and took the book of Huldah who was a prophetess. Huldah confirmed two things: 1) Judgment was coming because of the generations of rebellion. 2) Josiah would be spared because of his humility.

Josiah renewed the covenant and led the Passover for the nation of Judah.

For all intents and purposes Judah looked much better! But inside the hearts of many people, nothing changed. Assyria began to collapse and Josiah sought more independence. But nations have a way of exerting influence and control and Egypt began to march north. In 609 BC Pharaoh Necho II and King Josiah met in battle in the valley of Megiddo and King Josiah was killed in battle.

The prophet Jeremiah was crushed. Within months Josiah’s son Jehoahaz was deposed, Egypt installed Jehoiakim as a puppet leader and injustice returned rapidly! Despite Josiah’s efforts, the hearts of God’s chosen people were against the Lord. Nineveh is destroyed and Babylon begins to rapidly ascend which is where Habakkuk prophesies to a nation in turmoil and despair. How could God let something like that happen?

I hope you can see the parallels between Judah in Habakkuk’s day and our own time. It’s not because our nation is identical to Judah, but because human nature hasn’t changed. Judah had laws, courts, and institutions that still functioned, but justice was perverted and ineffective. God’s Word was around, but it was ignored on a large scale. Worship and sacrifices continued, but repentance was absent from the people of God. Even the priests were complicit! When Jeremiah confronted the religious leaders, they wanted him dead, not because he was wrong, but because truth threatened their stability.

And we must be honest: these same dangers exist today. Scripture warns us that people will gather teachers who tell them what they want to hear rather than what God has said. Faithful exposition is replaced with comfort, conviction is replaced with affirmation, and many are content with religion that never calls them to repentance or obedience. The book of Habakkuk speaks into moments like our own not to entertain us, but to wake us up.

Imagine sitting at a four-way intersection where every light is green. Cars are moving, horns are blaring, nobody knows who has the right of way. The system is still technically “working” because the lights are on, the roads are there, the rules exist. But the design has failed, and people are getting hurt.

That’s the world Habakkuk lived in. The law was still written and the temple was still standing. The priests were still working and the courts were still meeting. But justice had broken down, truth was ignored, and evil was winning.

Habakkuk does not start by preaching at the people. He starts by crying out to God and this is very important for you and I, he doesn’t ask, “Is God real?”, he asks “Where is God because holding on right now seems pretty pointless.” You see, Habakkuk isn’t questioning God’s power at all, he’s questioning God’s timing and purpose. And I think that’s where many people in our church and world are now. If you’ve ever looked at the world, the state of the church, or even your own life and asked, “Lord, how long?” then this book is for you.

Let’s stand together in honor of God’s Word as we read Habakkuk 1:1-4

1 The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. 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.

The first verse introduces the subject. Raise your hand if your translation says “The burden of Habakkuk”. This is a heavy message from Habakkuk. We do not know anything about who Habakkuk other than a prophet of the Lord. This message was given to him by a revelation from God, but it’s also anguished prayer.

If you’re taking notes, the first point is:

1. The Prophet’s Burden

The importance of the first verse is not that he “saw” this message. It’s not important for us how this message came about, it’s where it came from that’s important. This burden is ultimately a revelation from God, not man. This isn’t because of Habakkuk’s emotions or subconscious. It’s not venting or responding to the culture. And that leads us to the fact that that the burden is heavy because reality is confusing.

Think about how confusing it would be to live under Manasseh and the idolatry and child sacrifice, then to be under a good and righteous king with reforms and sweeping changes and reintroducing the Law of God and Passover and then for all that to collapse in a matter of weeks. But Habakkuk is wondering, how could God allow for a king to die so young? How could God allow injustices to go unchecked? How can the wicked rule over God’s people? How can I live faithfully and morally when all the pressures are so burdensome?

But this burden drives Habakkuk to God, not away from Him. And notice what Habakkuk does, He takes his burden to the Lord. There’s no minimizing of the weight, no cynicism. He just unloads his burden. Habakkuk’s faith is not proven by his silence, or ability to grin and bear it, but by his perseverance in prayer.

Some burdens may be light enough for you to manage quietly. Others press down so heavily that if you carry them alone, they will crush your soul. Habakkuk shows us that faith does not mean pretending the weight isn’t there, it means knowing where to take it.

Jesus invites us Matthew 11:29-30

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

The prophet does not solve the problem before he prays. He prays because the problem is too heavy to carry by himself. What about you? Is your heart burdened by the evil you see in our culture or have you become numb to it? Habakkuk isn’t numb. He cries out, “Lord, how long do I have to cry for help!” The righteous are crushed while the wicked thrive!

1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?

God’s silence can be especially painful when injustice is obvious. When Josiah ruled

16 He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Is not this to know me? declares the Lord.

But all that changed over night. Jehoiakim replaced righteousness with exploitation and those under him followed his example and yet there’s seemingly no response from God.

So what do we do:

2. When God Seems Silent

God’s silence has always been on of the greatest trials of our faith. It’s been said that “A silent heaven is the greatest mystery of our existence.” Habakkuk isn’t the only one that has struggled with all this, many Old Testament prophets dealt with this as well. Even in heaven the saints cry out,

10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

How long? Rampant violence! The word for violence is “Hamas” you take that however you want to. It refers in the Hebrew to systemic brutality and abuse of power. How long? God, will you tolerate evil? How long, God? Will conflicts continue and peace collapse? How long, O Lord, will Your laws be ignored and justice be perverted? How long?

And Habakkuk prays because silence hurts most when you know God can speak any time. It feels in those moments that God is distant, disengaged, and unjust. It is during these times of silence that the Christian is challenged to seek the Lord in a deeper way. Sinclair Ferguson said, “Faith is not a denial of despair, but a defiance of it.”

You see, God is not indifferent even when He is silent. Habakkuk doesn’t walk away, or harden his heart. He presses deeper in prayer. When injustice is happening, we can grow bitter, we can complain, or we can seek the heart of the Lord. God delights in you bringing your frustrations to Him.

Talk to God about Who He is! But this is urgent because look at Habakkuk 1:3

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.

What do you do

3. When Evil Is Everywhere

Habakkuk is overwhelmed by the evil in his nation. I think we can all relate to evil permeating a society. Judah was a rotting nation. The Promised Land was filled with depravity and corruption! If God is good and all powerful, then why is evil allowed to flourish? This is a classic argument that atheists have asked. If God is able to intervene and chooses not to, then He’s heartless and unloving. If God desires to intervene but is unable to, then it means He’s powerless.

What they wrongfully assume is that evil exists outside of us. The biblical truth is that evil exists because humans exist. We shouldn’t ask, “What’s wrong with the world?” The question is “What is wrong with humanity?”

God allows evil to persist in our world for at least three reasons:

God is Long-Suffering

Thankfully, God is so patient with us. If God destroyed all evil, immediately then we would all be destroyed. But God’s patience reveals His character. Isaiah says that God restrains His anger so that we wouldn’t collapse before Him.

16 For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would grow faint before me, and the breath of life that I made.

So God allowing evil to persist is actually a mercy because

2. God Desires Your Repentance

2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

The silence Habakkuk feels is actually God extending His mercy for His people to repent! However, we also learn that patience abused becomes wrath that is stored up for judgment. This is why delay is dangerous for people that live in sin. It’s not meant to be comforting.

But we also know that God allows evil to persist because there is

3. Certainty of Judgment

God is not overlooking evil. He is recording it.

14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Evil, corruption, and sin only continue now because judgment is coming later. And when it comes, it will be complete, just, and unavoidable.

So how long, O Lord? Why are you delaying? But God’s silence isn’t permission, it’s patience. God is storing up wrath for the nation of Israel. When evil is tolerated long enough, the next thing that collapses is justice itself. People under God’s covenant are harming each other. Why is this happening? Habakkuk says “Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise.”

Why is it that abortion clinics open, while churches decline? Why do the rich build more wealth while many suffer in poverty? By do corrupt leaders seem to get slaps on the wrist while average people get the book thrown at them? Why is there so much spiritual abuse in churches? Or cover-ups? We must remember that there is a day of judgment looming over each person that is outside of Christ. But let me ask, are you broken over sin or are you entertaining yourself to death?

Sometimes we feel like self-medication is our only option

4. When Justice is Broken

Habakkuk says something that should give us all a moment: The law is paralyzed. It’s not forgotten. It’s not absent. The Hebrew word here is poog, which means to be feeble, frail, or powerless. You see, the best law in the world is useless if it is not upheld. God’s Law, the moral framework meant to restrain evil and protect the weak, still exists in Judah. But it has lost its power because the people responsible for enforcing it refuse to submit to it.

In Habakkuk’s world, In this world, the worst thing a righteous person could do is appeal to the courts because the unrighteous outnumbered the righteous. The verdict is already decided. Justice had become weaponized in the hands of the powerful. This is not chaos, it is corruption! This is why the prophet cries out!

Why do the righteous suffer? Why do the wicked flourish? Why does God seem to do nothing? Habakkuk knows God is righteous. He knows God is Judge of all the earth. So he dares to bring his protest to God Himself. So Habakkuk isn’t arguing against the Lord, He is appealing to God.

God Himself affirms the cries of those who speak to Him in faith. Job’s friends spoke polite theology and knew about God, but Job spoke honestly in his hurt and knew God. God said Job spoke what was right. The psalmists do the same. The prophets do the same. Even Christ on the cross cries, “Why have You forsaken Me?”

This kind of lament flows from a deep conviction that God is righteous even when we don’t understand His ways.

Habakkuk says the wicked “surround” the righteous. Without justice, the righteous have no other refuge than the Lord. The faithful have no voice but to go to God. Obedience to the Word of God becomes costly. The righteous, that is those who follow the Lord God, do not adopt the methods or beliefs of the wicked. Instead they suffer. And the result is devastating: God’s people experience His authority not through His law, but through the discipline of foreign powers.

When God’s law is ignored, justice does not disappear, it becomes perverted. And when justice collapses, the righteous suffer while the wicked rule. A society that rejects God’s authority through His law will experience God’s authority through judgment.

Our world is not very different from Habakkuk’s. Today there is widespread corruption among our nation’s leaders. The judicial system is weaponized against the righteous. We see widespread violence on an unimaginable scale. Sure, there’s some changes right now, but what about in 10 years? 20 years? What about your grandchildren?

God has a solution for His people which we will get into in the coming weeks, but it’s not pleasant. It’s not fun. But it is good.

So what do we do when God is silent and we see injustice? Well, look at Habakkuk. He does not get an immediate explanation, relief, or comfort. But he does get God. Before God ever answers Habakkuk, He teaches him how to wait. So as we close this morning, let me summarize what Habakkuk teaches us about dealing with the silence of God. Not with clichés or with denial, but with faith.

HEAD: God wants you to know that when He seems silent, He has not abandoned His throne.

God’s silence is not absence. God’s delay is not indifference. God’s patience is not permission.

You need to know that God sees evil more clearly than we do. God hates injustice more deeply than we do. God’s timing is governed by wisdom, not urgency. We must know that God is righteous even when His ways are mysterious.

HEART: God wants you to believe that you can bring your complaints to Him, not nurse them in bitterness.

Habakkuk does not suppress his anguish. He doesn’t sanitize his prayer. But he also does not walk away. There is a world of difference between complaining about God and lamenting to God. One hardens the heart while the other deepens faith.

If you are burdened by what you see in the world whether its corruption, injustice, evil, hypocrisy… Habakkuk gives you permission to say, “Lord, how long?” but he also teaches us to say it in trust, not accusation. God can handle our honesty, and He welcomes our cries.

HAND: God wants you to lean into Him. Don’t pull away.

Spend time with Him in prayer instead of grumbling, in scripture instead of speculation, in repentance instead of resentment Habakkuk shows us that faith does not mean having all the answers. Faith means staying near God when answers are withheld.

So when injustice angers you, or when the culture exhausts you, or when the church disappoints you, when silence stretches long don’t numb yourself, or medicate yourself, or isolate yourself.

Lean into the Lord. Keep praying. Keep trusting. Keep obeying. Because God’s silence is not the end of the story.

Habakkuk teaches us that the faithful response to silence is not cynicism, not compromise, and not despair but persevering in prayer. And next week, we’ll see that when God does speak, His answer is far more unsettling, and far more sovereign, than Habakkuk could ever have imagined.

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