Look and See!

We are living in a time much like the Old Testament prophet Habakkuk. Habakkuk was a Hebrew prophet of seventh century b.c. Judah who prophesied an imminent Chaldean invasion. Habakkuk viewed his world as a place where “justice never goes forth” except in perverted form (Hab. 1:4). He is distressed by the fact that violence prevails and agonized by the thought that God tolerates evil. He prays “How long?” He cries, “Why?” he was made to “look at injustice?” His prayer did not go unanswered. Yet, the reply given to him is not the comfort of an explanation. The prophet initiated this conversation with God based on his distress about God’s “inaction” in the world. He wanted to see God do something more, particularly in the area of justice for evildoers. How long would God allow this mess to continue? Not long, according to the Lord (Hab. 2:2–3). Another nation, the Babylonians (Chaldeans), would come and execute justice on the Lord’s behalf. The Voice that comes to him says, “Look . . . see,” Look around at the godless nations. Watch! “For I am accomplishing a work in your days— You would not believe it even if you were told! (Hab. 1:5)

The wickedness of the land and the peoples seemed to abound. So much evil thrived, completely in the open, but God remained strangely silent. Habakkuk was deeply stricken by seeing ungodliness and violence prevail; especially among those who profess to know the truth. In the midst of the wickedness, Habakkuk continued to stand on his guard post, and station himself on the watchtower to see what God would say to him and answer his complaint. And how he would reply when reprimanded (Hab. 2:1). The good news is that God cannot be restrained by evil or discouraged by it.

Then the Lord answered him and said, ”Write down the vision And inscribe it clearly on tablets, So that one who reads it may run. For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hurries toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it delays, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay long. Behold, as for the impudent [not showing due respect for another person] one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous one will live by his faith” (Hab. 2:2-4).

When the Lord first spoke to me from the Book Habakkuk , I wasn’t sure what the Lord was saying at the time. As time progressed I grew in my understanding that the vision referred to God’s plan of redemption at the end of days. Like Habakkuk, I am shocked by what I see taking place today, especially in America. Justice never seems to go forth. Yet, I know that God’s Word never returns to Him void. He will accomplish all that He intends to do (Isa. 55:11). What has sustained me throughout my walk with the Lord is choosing to live by faith as instructed in Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11 and Heb. 10:38.

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written: “But the righteous one will live by faith.”

Romans 1:17

Many of God’s people trudge along through life living by what their natural eyes can see. They don’t God’s ways, nor His Word. Hebrews 3:10 says that God was angry with the children of Israel because, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ But, it does not take a prophetic people to see – upheaval, uncertainty, amorality in the world today. Just as Paul revealed to Timothy, in these tempestuous times, many people will be lovers of self, lovers money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these (2 Tim.3:1-5).

Paul later charged Timothy to be ready to preach the word, “in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and exhort, with great patience and instruction.” He told Timothy that a time will come when people will not tolerate sound teaching; instead they will want to have their ears tickled by teachers in conformance with their own desires, and they will turn away from listening to the truth and give their attention to myths and fables (2 Tim. 4:2-4).

In these last days, God is looking for people with prophetic perception. He longs for a people who understand the times.

Without the ability to see spiritually we can not see beyond the natural circumstances of life. The Father wants to show you the realities of the Kingdom so that you will flourish in life.

The Church as God’s prophetic vanguard company is to be dedicated to restoring others rather than protecting itself.

Kenneth J. Archer, PhD (University of St Andrews), The Dead Prophets Society

As Believers, we have been given the ability to see spiritually what the Lord is saying to the Church. It’s important that the we look with spiritual eyes to see what God is doing in this generation. In Matthew 13:11-17, Jesus explained to His disciples, “You’ve been given the intimate experience of insight into the hidden mysteries of the realm of heaven’s kingdom,…” He goes on to expound upon this by letting them know that whoever listens with an open heart will receive progressively more revelation. But those who don’t listen with an open, teachable heart/spirit, even the understanding they think they have will be taken from them. He goes on to say, “That’s why I teach the people using parables, because they think they’re looking for truth, yet because their hearts are unteachable, they never discover it. Although they will listen to me, they never fully perceive the message I speak.”

He tells them that the prophecy of Isaiah describes them perfectly: “Although they listen carefully to everything I speak, they don’t understand a thing I say. They look and pretend to see, but the eyes of their hearts are closed. Their minds are dull and slow to perceive, their ears are plugged and are hard of hearing, and they have deliberately shut their eyes to the truth. Otherwise they would open their eyes to see open their eyes and open their ears to hear, and open their minds to understand. Then they would turn to me and I would instantly heal them.^[i]

“But blissful are your eyes, for they see. Delighted are your ears, for they are open to hear all these things. Many prophets and godly people yearned to see these days of miracles that you’ve been favored to see. They would have given everything to hear the revelation you’ve been favored to hear.”

Though wickedness may prosper a while, yet God is holy, and does not approve the wickedness in any form. Romans 1:18- reminds us, ”For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools,and they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible mankind, of birds, four-footed animals, and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them up to vile impurity in the lusts of their hearts, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for falsehood, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed ^[r]forever. Amen.Rom. 1:18-26).

Thanks be to God where sin and lawlessness abounds, grace abounds even more (Rom. 5:20). Albeit, the times are growing darker the vision of God’s redemptive plan is unfolding day by day.

In His Service,

Minister Dr. A. Francine Green

Notes: All Scripture is taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).