Habakkuk Chapter 1 continued
VERSE 3 and 4 “Why do you show me iniquity, and cause me to see trouble? For plundering (looting) and violence are before me; there is strife, and contention arises. Therefore the law is powerless, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore perverse judgment proceeds.”
“Even the Great Company class, let alone the Little Flock, must feel grieved about evil. Jesus and the Little Flock love righteousness and hate iniquity, and Lot was vexed. Something would surely be amiss if the consecrated remaining after the departure the Little Flock were not greatly disturbed by the evil conditions then taking place. The Great Company class will mourn the conditions and wonder why God does not stop them.
When mystic Babylon falls, God will miraculously preserve the Great Company class who are forced out of the great nominal systems (Just as Lot having been forced out of Sodom was miraculously saved). These will be preserved by God’s mercy so that they might through the adverse conditions then prevailing wash their robes white in the blood of the Lamb. (Rev 7:14) These will be to a greater degree ignorant as to what is transpiring as in comparisons with those of the consecrated Bible Students who were made acquainted with “present truth” but, who nevertheless felled to make their calling and election sure. This latter group will be blessed with the mantle of Elijah that falls upon them (2 Kings 2:8-14), having seen (i.e. perceived) the taking of the Elijah class (the completion of the Church class) from amongst them.
By far, the greater number of the Great Company at the end of the age will come out of Babylon when it falls, as compared with those who are left in the Bible Student movement after the feet members go beyond the veil. These being mere “babes” especially in regards to the knowledge of the truth, present truth will be puzzled as to why God is permitting the evil conditions then transpiring. Those with a present-truth background have been specially blessed to understand this philosophy. Therefore, Habakkuk was expressing the viewpoint of the greater number, those lacking understanding, such will be praying earnestly for instruction.
VERSE 4 says the evil will be all pervasive because “the law is powerless (slacked, ignored).” The Torah is a compendium of principles, and these righteous principles are supposed to be in our civil law, for American and English law are offshoots of the Mosaic Law. The law will be “slacked” in the sense that it is not being carried out or enforced because unrighteousness and lawlessness prevails.
“Justice never goes forth: for the wicked [the vast majority] surround the righteous.”
If the majority follows libertine ways, how can the minority control the evil?
They cannot, even though righteous laws are in the books. Technically speaking, all are condemned except those in Christ, for “none [are] righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10). It is true that there are some nice people in the world with good sentiments, but they are a minority. “Therefore perverse judgment proceeds (justice is perverted).”
“The wicked (in far greater numbers) surround the righteous.” When Lot was in his home, the wicked inhabitants of Sodom surrounded his house. Lot’s two guests would not have gotten out safely except that they were angels. Sodom, from which Lot (the Great Company) was miraculously delivered, pictures Christendom. And so in anti-type, when the wicked beset the righteous, the wicked will be in the majority and they will prevail.
Back there homosexuality and sodomy were flagrant sins of the majority. Similarly, the great majority in the future will practice evil without restraint, without restrictions.
IMPORTANT: However if proven faithful, we will not be here when this evil condition exists, when the great tribulation occurs. We should pray to escape this trouble.
“Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Luke 21:36).”
Our study continues with Verse 5 in our next post.
