December 16
Knowledge of the Lord’s Glory Will Fill the Earth
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him. Habakkuk 2:14,20
Injustice, destruction, violence, legal paralysis, the righteous hemmed in by the wicked. These words may conjure modern troubles, but they were uttered by the prophet Habakkuk 2600 years ago. In a dialogue between the Lord and Habakkuk, the prophet questioned why evil went unpunished among God’s people in Judah. The Lord’s answer was not what Habakkuk expected. God would use the nation of Babylon to punish the sins of his own people. Shocked, Habakkuk asked how the holy God could tolerate this wicked nation punishing believers. The Lord’s answer: Babylon too would be punished for their wickedness, overthrown and disgraced, but his kingdom would remain, and the righteous would live by faith.
In his answer, the Lord offers woe to Babylon and all who conquer or oppress through power and bloodshed. God offers comfort as well. In his command of history, he has a greater plan for the world. He will triumph, not under an imperial banner or national flag, but through his Word as his church covers the earth. Although human kingdoms will fall and their works disappear, knowledge of the Lord’s glory will last forever.
The Lord further encouraged Habakkuk, promising that Babylon’s faith in idols would prove empty. Statues could not come to life. They gave no answers and offered no help. But God was alive and present, teaching, guiding, and protecting his people. Woe to those who deny God and trust in themselves, their personal strength, or their accumulated wealth. These will fade and fail, but God is eternal.
The glory of the Lord is displayed as he punishes the evils of this world in his time and on his terms. An even greater glory was demonstrated as he sent his own Son to live a perfect life on our behalf. God upheld his justice, allowing our punishment to fall on Jesus. Jesus’ resurrection confirmed the victory over evil, the conquest over sin, death, and the devil. Now, through faith, God grants his mercy to sinners.
Seek the Lord. Wait confidently on his promises and glorify his name. This Advent, know that the Lord is in his temple as you ponder the manger in silence.
Dear Lord, we thank you for making us yours through faith. We stand in awe of your glory and grace. Use us to joyfully share the knowledge of your Word, all to the glory of your name. Amen.
Dr. Benjamin Clemons serves Martin Luther College as dean of Education and Staff Ministry and as director of Urban Ministry.
