Habakkuk Week 3

Home Group Curriculum

01/22-23/2011

The hope: To better understand the justice of God and His righteous response to evil and to equip
us to better respond to the injustice of this world by entrusting ourselves to Him.

Home Group Leader Instructions: In preparation for the following group discussions and the
use of the provided material, take a few moments to read through the instructions below.

Before the Group Meeting

1. Spend time engaging the “Passages for Study” with prayer.
2. Read through all the material.
As you look through it, you will find helpful tips in the “Leader Guide” section
that will allow you to better facilitate the discussion.
3. Think through ways you can help your group apply what is being taught instead of
simply knowing what’s been taught.
Write down two or three ideas.

At the Group Meeting

1. Summarize the “Intro.”
You may read the “Intro” aloud if that is helpful.
2. Assign readers for the passages outlined in the “Discussion Questions” section.
3. Walk your group through each question (or the ones that time permits). Use the “Leader
Guide” to help facilitate the discussion.
4. Summarize the “Review & Reflection” section.
You may read this section aloud if that is helpful.
5. Share your thoughts on how you and your group can begin to apply what was learned in
this lesson. Help them formulate ideas for reading, studying and meditating on the
Scriptures.
6. Share with your group the resources from the “Keep Digging Deeper” section.
7. End in a time of prayer. Praying that God would strengthen you to obedience, increasing
your depth of life and experience of Him.

Intro: In Habakkuk 1:1-4 we saw the complaint of Habakkuk regarding the destruction of Judah.
“Why do the wicked seem to prosper?” the prophet asks. In vss. 5-11, we find God’s response,
but it is not what is anticipated. God is actually using the wicked in order to judge the
wickedness of Judah herself and will then later judge the wickedness of her oppressors. This
week we will look at a psalm which vividly portrays God’s intolerance of evil and His responses
to it in the forms of grace and justice.

Passage for Study: Psalm 37

Discussion Questions:

1. How many times does the verse mention the “wicked”? What other words are used to
describe the wicked?
2. What words are used to describe those whom the Lord loves and rescues?
3. What is the difference between the wicked and the righteous?
4. What will happen to the wicked?
5. What does the verse tell God’s children/beloved to do?
6. What will be God’s response to His children/beloved?
7. Do you believe that God will both judge the wicked and also bless His children? Do you
feel threatened and terrified by this or loved and encouraged by this reality?
8. How does this psalm help prepare us for suffering and trial? What should be our
response?
9. In what situations right now do you feel forsaken and condemned by the LORD? How
does this psalm help to fight those feelings and thoughts?

Leader’s Guide:

1. Wicked is used 13 times in the ESV; Evildoers (vss. 1, 9), wrongdoers (1), enemies (20),
cursed (22), ruthless (35), transgressors (38)
2. Meek (11), poor and needy (14), righteous (16, 17, 21, 25, 29, 30, 32, 39), blameless (18,
37), blessed by the LORD (22), saints (28), upright (37)
3. The ultimate distinction is found simply in God’s declaration and His free love toward
His own. Though all are wicked by nature and action, yet God displays mercy and grace
to those whom He has called. God simply “justifies” (declares “righteous”), those whom
He desires to justify.
4. They will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb (2), they shall be cut off
(9), they will be no more (10), God will laugh at them (13), they shall destroy themselves
(15), their strength will be broken (17), they will perish (20), they will vanish (20), they
shall be cursed and cut off (22), they shall be destroyed (38)
5. Trust in the Lord (3), do good (3), dwell and befriend (3), delight in the LORD (4),
commit your way to the LORD (5), trust in the LORD (5), be still and wait patiently (7),
do not fret (7), refrain from anger and forsake wrath (8), turn away from evil and do good
(27), wait for the LORD (34), take refuge in the LORD (40)
6. He will give you the desires of your heart (4), He will act (5), He will bring forth your
righteousness as the light and your justice as noonday (6), He will not allow you to be
condemned (33), He will help and deliver you (40), He will not forsake you (28), He will
preserve you (28)
7. Personal responses
8. Personal responses
9. Personal responses

Review and Reflection: God does not tolerate evil. Though the wicked and their wickedness may
seem to prosper for a time, the LORD is always watching and weighing. In the midst of our own
suffering and trial, we should not think that the LORD has forsaken us, but should instead entrust
ourselves to Him as our stronghold and refuge. We should commit ourselves to and delight
ourselves in Him as the One who will ultimately help and deliver His beloved.

Verse to Memorize: Psalm 37:5 “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will act.”

Resources to keep Digging Deeper:

To do:
• Get Help: http://www.thevillagechurch.net/helping-you
• Get Connected: http://www.thevillagechurch.net/community
• Get Serving: http://www.thevillagechurch.net/serving