Day 1

*What Scriptures did you read in your time alone with God today?

*What has God impressed upon your heart today?

1. Read Habakkuk 2:12-20. Memory VerseThis week we will spend time looking at mans sin and Gods glory. The memory verse this week is meant to continue orienting us to the truth of who God is, so that we may gravitate more toward His glory and farther from our fallen nature. Write out 1 Corinthians 8:6 in the New Living translation.

2. Look closely at verses 2:12-13. What are your initial thoughts on the passage? This week, we will continue looking at the five woes, or sins, of the Babylonians that the Lord condemns. Last week, we examined selfish ambition and covetousness. The third woe is the sin of exploitation and it is the focus of the todays study. What does it mean to exploit? Verse 12 talks about building a town with blood It may be more applicable if you read it to use or abuse another in order to accomplish your own agenda. Exploit means to use for profit or to take advantage of.

Can you think of any person or situation that you may be taking advantage of? You may not be guilty of exploitation in an obvious way, but because of our fallen, human nature, there is most likely something in us that occasionally seeks to use or manipulate a person to further our own schemes. We will occasionally elevate our own purposes above another persons well-being. This nature, or tendency, of ours goes against everything Scripture says. 3. Read 1 John 3:16. What does Scripture tell us to do?

4. Read Isaiah 58. 5. Its alarming in this passage that the abuses happening are being committed by praying, fasting, Godly people. What does God say they are doing wrong?

As you move down to verse 13, you can still see the ideas in Isaiah 58 present. The people referenced in the Isaiah passage were doing everything that they thought they should do, but were in fact offending the Lord with their hearts.

6. Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. What does it say is of highest value?

If we do not love each and care for each other well, all of the other things we do are futile. Everything else will eventually pass away. Verse 13 also talks about the futility of doing anything that does not bring God glory. 7. Read Matthew 22:34-40. What does the Lord want from us?

8. Is it possible to honor the Lord by following the first commandment without following the second commandment?

9. The Lord wants us to care for one another Its a primary way that we can bring Him glory. When we love each other well, we lay aside our own agenda and we care for the good of another. 10. Look at the following verses for practical ways to elevate others as you seek to set aside your own agenda. Write down what each verse says. Romans 12:10

Galatians 5:13

Philippians 2:3

11. Find another verse that gives an example of how you can glorify God in your relationships.

JournalWhat has the Lord shown you today as you have studied His Word? Be sure to discuss at least one verse in particular.

Day 2
*What Scriptures did you read in your time alone with God today?

*What has God impressed upon your heart today?

1. Read Habakkuk 2:12-20. Memory VerseWrite out 1 Corinthians 8:6 (NLT).

2. Look closely at verse 2:14. What are your initial thoughts on the passage?

We know that Babylon does not exist today. We may see renditions of what it looked like, perhaps in a painting or in a museum, but the greatness of Babylon is long gone. It is no wonder. The Bible is clear about what will last and what will not. What is created through oppression, tyranny, and exploitation will not last. Verse 14 reminds us of what will. 3. What in fact will last?

Its comforting to know that the woes and evils that exist in the world today cannot and will not endure forever. Verse 14 gives us a picture of what will happen. Just as this verse would have given hope to the

people of Judah in that time, it gives hope to us now, as well. The Lord was teaching them to long for the day of redemption. 4. Read Ecclesiastes 3:11. What has the Lord put in our hearts?

The Lord has put in us a hope for the day referenced in verse 14. Notice the word knowledge in the verse. This word doesnt just mean a general understanding of something, but instead it means intimacy and experience. Its a relational term. As Christians, we recognize that we have already been invited to begin the process of knowing and experiencing God more intimately. We have been invited into a relationship with Jesus Christ. 5. Read Philippians 4:7-11. What are some of the ways that we can know God more intimately now?

6. Read Ephesians 1:17-21. What are some of the aspects of our faith that we can come to better understand as we grow in our knowledge of Him?

Ephesians 1:21 speaks not only of this day, but also the one to come. As we look at growing in our knowledge of the glory of the Lord (Habakkuk 2:14), we are encouraged to realize that there will come a day when we truly know Him. 7. Read 1 Corinthians 13:12. What do you think it means to fully know Him?

Go back to Habakkuk 2:14. The verse ends by stating that the earth will know the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. The picture given here is one of completion. Just as nothing in the sea can possibly remain dry, the truth of the Lords glory will someday permeate every centimeter of this planet. It is an amazing thought.

JournalWhat has the Lord shown you today as you have studied His Word? Be sure to discuss at least one verse in particular.

Day 3
*What Scriptures did you read in your time alone with God today?

*What has God impressed upon your heart today?

1. Read Habakkuk 2:12-20. Memory VerseWrite out 1 Corinthians 8:6 (NLT).

2. Look closely at verses 2:15-17. What are your initial thoughts on the passage?

The fourth offense is drunkenness and violence. Verse 15 addresses the obvious sin of drunkenness.

3. Read Ephesians 5:18. What does Gods Word say about being drunk?

4. Read Proverbs 23:29-35. What does excessive alcohol do to a person?

The Lord wants what is best for His people. He desires wisdom and holiness for each of us. Being intoxicated compromises our character and so for obvious reasons, we are to use caution with regard to alcohol. There is a deeper issue at the heart of this verse. Babylon was making a mockery of Gods people. Babylon was causing Judah to drink from the cup of shame. Verse 16 plainly states that divine retribution will happen. Just as Babylon shamed Judah, so the Lord would shame Babylon. The bottom line application for us is- dont set others up to sin and be shamed. Dont put others in a bad spot. We are, instead, to care for the good of one another we are to set each other up well. 5. Read Romans 14:13. Because we care for one another, what should we decide to do?

6. What does Jesus say to Peter in Matthew 16:23? As people who love because Christ has loved us, we seek what is best for others. Not only do we put away foolishness for ourselves, but we

also seek to encourage and exhort others in the things of God. Its one way we can love others well. 7. Is there anything that you are currently partaking in that sets another person up to sin or be shamed?

In verses 15-17, it is clear that the Lord will repay the Babylonians for the shame and violence that they have inflicted on people, the animals, and the land of Judah. The Lord cares for His creation and we can take great comfort in the fact that He takes notice of the wrongs done to His creation. The Lord takes notice and the Lord repays. Though that is not often a comfortable view of God, it is a true aspect of who He is. O. Palmer Robertson ties it all together when he states, This concept of the execution of reciprocal justice does not appeal to humanity. But it is Gods way. By this way he proves himself to be impartial and righteous as judge. By this way he finally establishes himself as just and yet also the justifier of the ungodly who believe. For Jesus the Christ drank the cup of Gods fury to the dregs, and so became the Savior of all who would renounce their own pride and violence, looking to him alone for salvation. If youre a Christian, arent you thankful that though we regularly offend the holiness of God, there is no divine retribution for us? Christ paid it all for those who have committed their lives to Him. He drank the cup of shame referenced in Habakkuk 2:16 for you.

8. With the perspective of gratitude for the price Christ paid for you, write a prayer asking the Lord how you can better love those you love and those you are trying to love. Ask the Lord how you can set others up to do well how you can honor others better.

JournalWhat has the Lord shown you today as you have studied His Word? Be sure to discuss at least one verse in particular.

Day 4
*What Scriptures did you read in your time alone with God today?

*What has God impressed upon your heart today?

1. Read Habakkuk 2:12-20. Memory VerseWrite out 1 Corinthians 8:6 (NLT).

2. Look closely at verses 2:18-19. What are your initial thoughts on the passage?

The final woe is idolatry. Idolatry is often thought of as something from another time or of another place. In our society its not common, to see people carving wooden idols or bowing down to stones and yet idol worship is just as prevalent today as it was in biblical times. 3. Read Exodus 20:2-4. 4. According to verse 2, what is the perspective from which we hear and obey all of the commandments that the Lord has given us?

5. What does verse 3 say?

6. What does verse 4 say?

Gods word is very clear about His people worshiping only Himself. He knows that it will always be our nature to get caught up in the creation, rather than the creator. He calls us to vigilantly guard against idolatry. Our focus is to be on Him and only Him. What are some of the things we tend to idolize or worship? Our families? Our spouses? Our children? Our jobs? Our ideals? Our things? Our friends? Our appetites or carnal pleasures? The list of options could go on and on You can usually tell what it is that you idolize in a couple of ways what is it that you talk about and think about? What are you emotionally invested in? What would your bank account say that you worship? Is there any single thing that predominates your life besides Christ? It can be a good thing that is meant to be a blessing for you or it can be a negative thing that you would rather not deal with. Whether you actually enjoy your idol or not does not make any difference. If you are more consumed with it than you are with the Lord, theres a good chance that it is an idol. 7. As you consider possible idols in your life, what in particular comes to mind?

8. Read Isaiah 44:9-15. 9. Both this passage and Habakkuk 2:18-19 make idolatry sound ridiculous and yet each of us is guilty of it in our own way. We can

probably conclude that the images our own idolatry put forth are just as ridiculous. In what ways do you see how your idolatry plays out in your own life?

10. Keep reading in Isaiah 44 to see what the Lord wants us to know as we look at our idols. 11. Read Isaiah 44:21-24. 12. Write out a prayer about your own idolatry- using thoughts and phrases from this passage.

13. Look back at Exodus 20:2. Remember that you have been set free. As Christians, we have been given so much more than freedom from the Egyptians. We have been given everlasting freedom in Christ Jesus. We are free to worship Him. Why would we want to enslave ourselves by putting anything else in His place?

JournalWhat has the Lord shown you today as you have studied His Word? Be sure to discuss at least one verse in particular.

Day 5
*What Scriptures did you read in your time alone with God today?

*What has God impressed upon your heart today?

1. Read Habakkuk 2:12-20. Memory VerseWrite out 1 Corinthians 8:6 (NLT).

2. Look closely at verse 2:20. What are your initial thoughts on the passage?

But the Lord Note that were headed in a distinctly different direction from yesterday. Consider all of the things that you thought of yesterday as you confronted idols in your life But the Lord is in his holy temple. The Lord is so far above all of the things that we get caught up in our dayto-day lives. He is so far above everything that youve been serving, honoring, revering. He is holy and all-powerful over all things in the heavens and on the earth. This verse is meant to show a vast contrast between what we tend to idolize and the God who truly deserves to be worshipped. He is really

there. Unlike the things or people that we waste time worshiping, He is truly almighty and ready to respond to His people. The picture of the Lord in His temple is powerful and amazing. R.C. Sproul explains in the Reformation Study Bible, The Lords presence in His temple affirms His Lordship over history and assures us that in the end, His legitimate claim to the whole world will be universally acknowledged. There is a security and a comfort in knowing the truth of this reality. 3. Look at the following verses to get a better picture of this image. Record details from each verse. Psalm 11:4-

Revelation 4:2-

1 Kings 22:19Isaiah 6:1-

Daniel 7:9-

4. Its difficult to even try to comprehend what the Lord in His temple, or on His throne could possibly be like. We can only imagine based on what we read in scripture. As you read the verses listed above, how do you respond to what you read?

Considering the images that Scripture gives of the grandeur of the Lord, do you find yourself able to relate to the second half of verse 20 Let all the earth be silent before Him? In verse 20, we see a settling, a reconciling, an acceptance. In his commentary on Habakkuk, Cyril Barber explains it this way: Finally, Gods holiness was vindicated, and the prophet was able to reconcile his theology with Gods actions. When we truly encounter the holiness of God and come face-to-face with his goodness and sovereignty, we eventually come to a place of peace and resolution. Often, this is best expressed by silence. We see this in verse 20.

5. Reverence and worship are the appropriate responses to who God is. End todays study by reading Psalm 46:10 in three different translations. Choose the translation that most speaks to you and write it out on the following lines. As you read the verse, think about how it became true in Habakkuks life as well as how it can be true in your own life.

JournalWhat has the Lord shown you today as you have studied His Word? Be sure to discuss at least one verse in particular.