29th.: Why the Chaldeans?
Say what!!
God had just told the prophet Habakkuk that God was sending the cruel Chaldeans to conquer Israel (see Hab. 1:6).
Habakkuk objected,
“O mighty God, thou has established them for correction.
Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity.
Wherefore look thou upon them that deal treacherously, and hold thy tongue,
when the wicked devours the man that is more righteous than he?” (Hab. 1:12e-13).
Habakkuk prefaced his question by acknowledging that God sent Chaldea to correct Israel for Israel’s evil.
Nevertheless, Habakkuk appealed to God’s pure character.
Specifically if evil disgusts God, then why send evil?
Habakkuk may have forgotten,
“If you [the Israelites] walk contrary unto me, … I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.” (Lev. 26:21).
Habakkuk could then have instead asked, ‘Is Israel just as offensive toward God, as the Chaldeans?’
The better that we know scripture, the better we can hone our questions.
“Surely, the Lord God will do nothing, but he reveals his secret unto his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7)
“Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water. But a man of understanding will draw it out.” (Pr. 20:5)