Please listen to the cry of your people
Two thousand six hundred years ago, the southern kingdom of Judah was on the verge of destruction. This was a dark period in the history of Israel. What situation are you and me in today? In an environment of injustice and injustice, have God’s righteous people ever questioned the meaning of keeping their faith? In a climate of violence, have God’s people lost hope? In an era of political and social chaos, where people are panicked and unable to find a refuge, are God’s children willing to raise their eyes to the righteous and merciful Jehovah and speak out to Him?
Sigh from the upstairs
Lifting heavy steps and stepping on the steps of the watchtower, the prophet Habakkuk wanted to stand on a high place so that he could have a broad perspective.
Looking down at the city, the people are working hard to make ends meet, but their hard-earned income cannot meet their basic living needs. Not far away, a richly dressed official strolled over and pointed at the stalls in the market. His entourage immediately stepped forward and pushed away the vendors, kicking over the baskets containing fruits and vegetables.
Looking outside the city, vineyards are spreading in all directions, and clusters of green fruits can be faintly seen among the branches and leaves, but the small, shriveled seeds are dim in color. I'm afraid there won't be a good harvest this year. This was once a land that produced abundant grapes, but years of insect infestations and droughts are the result of not being left fallow for a long time.
Looking into the distance, where the sky and the earth connect, faint smoke and dust rise; listen quietly, and you can vaguely discern the rumble of war drums. Are the rumored armored cavalry heading here? Is it possible that the southern kingdom of Judah will eventually follow in the footsteps of the northern kingdom of Israel and fall under foreign rule? How much suffering the people will suffer under the brutal iron heel!
Habakkuk looked up to heaven and sighed: O LORD, LORD, this is your people and your kingdom! How long will you allow injustice? How long will you hide your face from evil? How long will you bear to watch the righteous people suffer?
The prophet's worries and concerns about the near future 2,600 years ago reflected the social, economic, and political situation at that time. Are the righteous people of God in this world alert to being in a similar situation, feeling fear and sighing?
▲Are the righteous people in this world also willing to step down from the watchtower, return to the people, return to the position God has assigned to everyone, and worship and praise Him faithfully and continuously?
The call from above
A careful reading of Chinese and foreign history books will reveal that in different generations, different cultures, and different national powers, there will always be internal and external troubles, natural and man-made disasters. Even during the heyday of the Han and Tang dynasties, there was only a brief period of peace between many battles; not only were there few wise rulers and wise kings, but they also had few comprehensive policies and systems to benefit the people, enough to be remembered for centuries. Unless it is a fictional "Utopia" or "Peach Blossom Land", people always strive to survive in an imperfect environment.
Habakkuk lived in an era when the history of the southern kingdom of Judah was coming to an end. The revival under King Josiah came to nothing in an instant, and the whole country returned to idolatry. The laws and traditions that set this nation apart have been replaced by foreign customs. Although there was a king in Judah, everyone did whatever they wanted, without public authority, moral standards, or fear of God.
The destruction warned by prophets throughout the ages is approaching. Some people call Habakkuk "Job among the prophets" because, just as Job personally experienced physical and mental pain, the prophet faced real suffering from the general environment: persecution with nowhere to escape, and grievances with no one to complain. The people in power who were entrusted with shepherding the people at that time exploited, usurped, suppressed, and deceived for their own benefit, which was exactly contrary to God's requirement to "do justice and love mercy." The general outline of the law - "Love God and love your neighbor" ”, it has long been abandoned like a piece of shit.
The northern kingdom of Israel is not far away from this lesson. The ferocity of the new enemy Babylon is no less ferocious than that of Assyria before it. How could God allow such evil to invade His people?
At that time, there was injustice and injustice within, and enemies invaded the territory outside. Even the righteous people who adhered to God's laws had to experience such collective and widespread suffering.
Do the righteous people in this world find themselves experiencing a lot of persecution and injustice in an environment that is hostile to their faith? Have you discovered that instead of bringing substantial benefits to your daily life, your beliefs have led to you being careful about your words and deeds because of your beliefs so as not to accidentally violate any unspoken rules of "political correctness"? At least you will suffer contempt and ridicule, and at worst you will be sued into court. , charged with "deprivation of human rights" and "hatred"?
This is supposed to be a fair legal society, but every well-intentioned law and regulation has been distorted, ignored, or even overturned under the control of people with good intentions and power. He should be an impartial judge who chooses to align himself with political parties and interpret the law with his own ideology; he should be an upright law enforcer, but he abuses his authority and bullies the weakest people who need protection the most.
Even if you enjoy temporary peace, the threat of foreign enemies is always not far away, and a brutal force rises and expands. God's righteous people will also suffer deeply from it.
The prophet Habakkuk cried out to God, and God’s righteous people are now crying out: Where is the justice and justice? Is judgment really coming? How can God hide His face and turn a blind eye? Why didn't He intervene?
▲Just as the prophet Habakkuk cried out to God in the past, God’s righteous people are also crying out now: Where is the justice and justice? Is judgment really coming? How can God hide His face and turn a blind eye? Why didn't He intervene?
Waiting upstairs
In the history of the Kingdom of Israel, God repeatedly predicted through the prophets that judgment and punishment would come. However, who can accept that a God who is rich in love and mercy can also be angry and strike?
In fact, God also conveys the message of peace and restoration, promising that after separation, he will return, after being desolated, he will rebuild, and after being broken, he will be revived.
So the Jews waited and hoped for the fulfillment of the promise. In their minds, God's "righteous servant", the savior, would be a glorious king and a powerful political leader.
I believe that all the righteous people in this world recognize Jesus Christ as their savior. However, in the midst of suffering, are they still waiting and hoping to some extent for a hero or great man who can save the people, uphold justice, and resist evil?
It’s just that this expectation makes the righteous people become the targets of manipulation by politicians, and also allows their political tendencies to surpass the moral issues that God values.
I saw the candidates also entering the worship hall, holding Bibles in their hands. However, how much of their actions and policies are consistent with biblical teachings? How many politicians, after getting a taste of power, are not confused by it but still maintain their integrity and incorruptibility?
They are either stubborn like "Big Brother" and stick to the party platform that is out of touch with people's hearts, or they are pretending to be "dreamers" and boasting about benefits that are out of touch with reality. Or they may use exaggerated words or actions to stage dramatic events, thinking that "ratings" are equal to "votes." Or it may be called caring for people's hearts, but in fact, it is chasing the results of the polls and saying what you say to whomever you meet. Or they may vilify opposing parties and stir up differences; they may write policy checks to please the people and oppose them for the sake of opposition.
Even if it is possible to select a person in power who believes in the same God and has the same moral values as the righteous people, how can one person alone reverse the social trend and establish fairness and justice? What's more difficult is to change people's hearts, which are becoming increasingly evil, to restore the gradually lost moral values, and to put the country on the path that is in line with God's will.
Or maybe the righteous people have become completely disappointed with their political leaders and just stand on the sidelines, judging those in power as either lunatics or liars. Or maybe the righteous people were confused or even chilled by people's reactions, accusing these fanatical followers of being ignorant and irrational. However, are these leaders and people who are despised by the righteous people also waiting for a savior to appear to bring order to the chaos, and are they also looking forward to real and lasting peace and hope?
The prophet Habakkuk waited on the watchtower for God’s answer out of concern for his country and his people.
In this chaotic and dark environment, righteous people, what are you waiting for?
Step down to the watchtower
Habakkuk did not stop in the watchtower to lament. After he called out and waited, God gave him a mission: to write down God’s words so that people could “read them as they go” and understand them easily. When the prophet stepped down from the watchtower and returned to the people, the environment did not change. What changed was his intention - while waiting for the fulfillment of God's prophecies, he would record and deliver God's truth, stick to his post, worship and praise Him.
Because he has a deep understanding of God’s justice and believes that even if judgment will eventually come, the restoration and renewal promised by God are not far away.
Are the righteous people in this world willing to step down from the watchtowers, return to the people, return to the position God has assigned to everyone, and worship and praise Him faithfully and continuously?
Dr. Ho Fengshan (1901-1997) was a Christian who served as the Nationalist Government’s consul in Vienna during World War II. Witnessing the Nazi persecution of the Jews, he issued a visa to Shanghai, allowing thousands of Jews to flee Austria and move to other countries to get a chance to survive. One of them once went to all the consulates, but no country was willing to grant him a visa. It wasn't until he heard about Ho Fung Shan's righteous deeds that he got the chance to be saved.
▲Dr. Ho Fengshan (1901-1997). His courage saved many lives, so he was known as the "Chinese Schindler".
Ho Fung Shan's courage allowed him to face the evil in his place, and also allowed him to openly resist the orders of his superiors. Although it only lasted two years, his courage saved many lives, so he was known as the "Chinese Schindler".
His pastor once commented: He Fengshan knows that God has given him many talents and graces. These are not just used to benefit himself, but to bless many people.
▲Dave Browning, the mayor of Lhasa Hachi Park, held a meeting with the town’s schoolchildren as an intern at the town office.
Dave and Sharyn Browning live in South Florida and serve enthusiastically. While raising her three sons, Bao Xuelan participated in prison evangelism ministry and served as a volunteer at a local Christian radio station. Over the years, she has also joined the polling station staff during every election, and for a period she was a teacher training new staff. Bao Dewei is engaged in the construction industry and became the first mayor of the town where he lives in Loxahatchee Groves in 2007.
Bao Dewei's involvement in small town politics and Bao Xuelan's experience in working at the polling station allowed them to see how important it is to exercise citizens' rights in a democratic system. It also exposes them to a lot of unkind criticism, witnessing manipulative tactics, and nasty personal attacks.
So, why do we continue to swim in this muddy water instead of focusing on “eternal work”? Bao Xuelan reflected: "We hope this is also an eternal ministry." What they can do is not to make personal attacks in the fierce election campaign, handle proposals calmly and rationally in tumultuous meetings, and be respectful to everyone they come into contact with. In front of others, treat each other with sincerity and warmth. That is, display Christian character among your neighbors.
The couple believes that since this is a platform given by God, they must be loyal and try their best to exert influence here.
▲When candles come together one after another, how much light and heat will they emit?
There was a very dark period in Israel's history, but God called prophets one after another and commissioned them to deliver messages of judgment and restoration. These prophets are like lampstands one after another in the dark night, continuing to shine. Their loyalty lasts for hundreds of years and spans thousands of miles of time and space, leading generation after generation of God's righteous people, waiting for the promise to be fulfilled until the dawn of the sun illuminates the whole earth.
Today, do God’s righteous people also find themselves in a dark and stormy era? After calling and waiting, does God also commission the righteous people to cast light in the darkness?
Looking around, it should not be difficult for volunteers to find examples of He Fengshan, Bao Dewei, and Bao Xuelan. Even if they are just ordinary believers, even if they cannot change the entire situation on their own, they are willing to stick to their faith in a difficult environment and continue to exert influence.
Perhaps a small candlelight alone may not seem to have much effect, but when candlelights are gathered together, how much light and heat will be emitted? The righteous people can still sing praises in the dark environment, even if there are tears in the singing. The dark night will pass and the dawn of morning will come.
記者小檔案 林敏雯，文字工作者。從觀察人、事、物中，記錄美麗，呈獻盼望。