trials

Habakkuk: Faith Under Fire

February 15, 2022 by Krisan Marotta

“Habakkuk moves from burden to blessing, from wonder/worry to worship, from restlessness to rest, from a focus on the problem with God to a focus on the Person of God, and from a complaint to consolation. God turns sighing into singing if we (like Habakkuk) take time to wait before Him in prayer and listen to His Word.” – Ryrie Study Bible

Resources:

Habakkuk: Maps, Outlines & Background

Habakkuk Study Questions

Habakkuk NASB Study Text

Habakkuk ESV Study Text

01 Habakkuk Introduction

The Old Testament book of Habakkuk speaks to two of the most fundamental questions of the Christian faith: 1) How long will God let His people suffer? and 2) Why should we keep believing Him if we’re not spared the tragedies of life? Teacher Krisan Marotta on February 16, 2022.

02 Habakkuk 1:1-2:1 Habakkuk Complains

Habakkuk asks the Lord one of the most fundamental questions of faith: How long will you let your people suffer? The Lord answers, but not the way Habakkuk expects. Teacher Krisan Marotta on February 23, 2022.

03 Habakkuk 2:1-20 The Lord Responds

Habakkuk first asks why God would let evil go on so long among His own chosen people. Confused by the Lord’s answer, Habakkuk then asks how the Lord can let the wicked trample the righteous? Again, the Lord’s answer is not what Habakkuk expects. Teacher Krisan Marotta on March 2, 2022.

04 Habakkuk 3:1-19 Habakkuk Responds

Habakkuk responds to what he has learned with a song of praise and fear. In his prayer we see the answers to our 2 theme questions. Teacher Krisan Marotta on March 9, 2022.

General Outline

1:1-4 – Habakkuk’s 1st Complaint: God’s people abandoned the Law.
1:5-11 – The Lords’ 1st Response: Sending the Babylonians.
1:12-2:1 – Habakkuk’s 2nd Complaint: Why the wicked Babylonians?
2:4-20 – The Lord’s 2nd Response: The Wicked will be judged.
3:1-19 – Habakkuk’s Response: Exult the Lord.

I offer my bible studies, podcasts and resources free of charge under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. I do not seek or accept advertising, affiliations or donations. But it does encourage me to hear from you about how you used these studies and/or what you learned.

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Podcast Season 19 episodes 1-4

Why is life so hard?

February 8, 2022 by Krisan Marotta

Why is life so hard? The Bible has a lot to say about suffering and trials and the problem of evil. Here are a few places to start exploring answers from Scripture.

08 Jeremiah 20:7-18 Why is life so hard?

We all come to a place at one time or another where we ask the question, “Why is my life so hard? Why do I have to endure this particular problem or experience this pain or go through this situation?” In Jeremiah 20:7-19, we see Jeremiah reach that place. He hits rock bottom and cries out asking, why his life was so hard.

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02 1 Peter 1:1-13 Understanding Our Living Hope

In the field of psychology, “locus of control” refers to the extent to which a person believes they can control the world around them. People with a strong internal locus of control tend to attribute the outcome of events to factors under their own control. People with a strong external locus of control attribute outcomes of events to external circumstances. But both have a perspective which influences and predicts their actions. The book of 1 Peter is about that big perspective. In a sense, Peter is writing to explain a “gospel locus of control.”

03 1 Peter 1:14-25 Hope makes a difference

Peter explains that the gospel gives us a living hope that ought change every aspect of our lives. Just as the Olympic athletes change their values, their goals, their actions, their words and their daily routines in light of their Olympic goals, so the gospel ought to change us.

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02 James 1:1-8 Why does God test our faith?

James insists the gospel is so valuable that we should be willing to face whatever life brings and rejoice that we stand to inherit so great a treasure. To be able to rejoice in my trials is to understand the value of the gospel in a real and practical way.

03 James 1:9-18 Who is better off: the rich or the poor?

The poor believer will be exalted. The rich unbeliever will be humiliated. It may seem the other way around right now, but if you understand the gospel, it should change your perspective.

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15 What does it mean to carry your cross, Luke 14:25-35

Jesus said whoever does not bear his own cross cannot be his disciple. This passage can be terrifying because Jesus makes strong claims about hating your family and your own life. If we claim to follow Jesus, then we need to know exactly what he’s requiring to be his disciple.

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Where to next?

New Testament Studies

Old Testament Studies

Topical Studies

Bible Study 101

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08 Jeremiah 20:7-18 Why is life so hard?

November 16, 2016 by Krisan Marotta

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08 Jeremiah 20:7-18 Why is life so hard? | WednesdayintheWord.com

Historical Setting

Jeremiah began his ministry as the dominant world power, the Assyrians, descended into civil war. As the Assyrians began to lose their power, Babylon and Egypt sought to occupy the power vacuum that the Assyrians would leave. In the midst of this political turmoil the Lord calls Jeremiah. His job is to predict and warn of the coming Babylonian invasion and the restoration that would follow the exile.

Complain

7O LORD, You have deceived me and I was deceived; You have overcome me and prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all day long; Everyone mocks me. 8For each time I speak, I cry aloud; I proclaim violence and destruction, Because for me the word of the LORD has resulted In reproach and derision all day long. 9But if I say, “I will not remember Him Or speak anymore in His name,” Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; And I am weary of holding it in, And I cannot endure it. 10For I have heard the whispering of many, “Terror on every side! Denounce him; yes, let us denounce him!” All my trusted friends, Watching for my fall, say: “Perhaps he will be deceived, so that we may prevail against him And take our revenge on him.” – Jeremiah 20:6-10

From chapter 19 we learn that Jeremiah has been preaching the about the coming destruction of Jerusalem
From 20:1-6, we learn that the chief officer of the temple beat Jeremiah and put him in prison for preaching this message.
Key word: prevail
His words are not polite complaint; they are strong, bitter, accusations.
Jeremiah says the calling the Lord gave him caused him great personal suffering.
He cannot stop preaching and preaching results in persecution.

Rest

11But the LORD is with me like a dread champion; Therefore my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will be utterly ashamed, because they have failed, With an everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten. 12Yet, O LORD of hosts, You who test the righteous, Who see the mind and the heart; Let me see Your vengeance on them; For to You I have set forth my cause. 13Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD! For He has delivered the soul of the needy one From the hand of evildoers. – Jeremiah 20:11-13

This stanza is “expression of trust.” It’s a common form of Hebrew poetry, and it is often found in the Psalms and in the writings of the prophets.
Expressions of trust frequently begin “But the Lord….”
Key word is prevail.
The change of tone results from “For to You I have set forth my cause” (vs 12).
Having fully expressed his woes to the Lord, Jeremiah is free to rest in the knowledge that the matter is in the Lord’s hands.

Complain

14Cursed be the day when I was born; Let the day not be blessed when my mother bore me! 15Cursed be the man who brought the news To my father, saying, “A baby boy has been born to you!” And made him very happy. 16But let that man be like the cities Which the LORD overthrew without relenting, And let him hear an outcry in the morning And a shout of alarm at noon; 17Because he did not kill me before birth, So that my mother would have been my grave, And her womb ever pregnant. 18Why did I ever come forth from the womb To look on trouble and sorrow, So that my days have been spent in shame? – Jeremiah 20:14-18

If the first complaint was a bad day, this complaint is the “1:00 am melt down.”
Jeremiah curses the day of his birth and the messenger who brought the news of his birth.
Essentially, Jeremiah asks the Lord, “why would you ask anyone to endure this?”

Application

Doing the right thing does not guarantee an easy life. (See also 1 Peter 4:12-14.)
Jeremiah gives us the freedom to complain to God.
After expressing our pain to the Lord, we then trust Him for the outcome.
Problems arise when those two (complain and rest) get out of balance.
We learn from Jeremiah we all fall apart sometimes. But when we do, we should turn to the Lord.

For more detail and explanation, please listen to the podcast.

Next: 09 Jeremiah 23:1-8 Who will help us out of this mess?

Previous: 07 Jeremiah 18:1-17 Who does God think He is?

Series: Questions Jeremiah Answered

Resources: Jeremiah Resources

Scripture quotes are from the New American Standard Version of the Bible.

Photo used here under Flickr Creative Commons.

01 Jeremiah 1:1-3 What to do when your country falls apart

September 14, 2016 by Krisan Marotta

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01 Jeremiah 1:1-3 What to do when your country falls apart | WednesdayintheWord.com

1The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, 2to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. 3It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month. – Jeremiah 1:1-3

Why study Jeremiah?

Jeremiah is about national, political crisis.
Jeremiah is about personal crisis.
Jeremiah is about the word of the Lord.

Historical Context

NOTE: One of the best summaries of the history of the time is the Introduction in Derek Kidner’s commentary on Jeremiah.

734 BC – Israel rebelled only to be crushed by Assyria; the northern and eastern tribes deported.
722 BC – Israel rebelled again. Assyrian conquered her capital city, and took the 10 northern tribes into exile.
627 BC – In the year of Jeremiah’s call, the Assyria king (Asshurbanipal) died sparking a civil war over succession. Both the Babylonians and the Egyptians rebel.
626 BC – Babylon defeated the Assyrians outside of their capital city, gaining independence. Josiah, the King of Judah enacts reforms.
627 BC – Jeremiah begins his ministry.
605 BC – at the Battle of Carchemish, the Babylonians defeat the combined forces of Egypt & Assyria.
586 BC – Babylon destroys Judah & Jerusalem and takes the remaining Israelities into exile
Jeremiah’s job was to predict and warn of the coming Babylonian invasion.

The question that the book of Jeremiah encourages us to ask is when the world is falling apart is “What is God doing?”

Who was Jeremiah?

Jeremiah was a priest from the village of Anathoth.
He was an “insider” who would soon be an “outsider.”
He was too young and inexperienced to be respected by his peers.

The book of Jeremiah is about a prophet declaring disaster yet promising hope. What do you do when your country falls apart? You seek the Lord.

For more detail and explanation, please listen to the podcast.

Next in Series: 02 Jeremiah 1:4-10 What does God want from me?

Part of the series: Questions Jeremiah Answered

Study Resources: Jeremiah Resources

Scripture quotes are from the New American Standard Version of the Bible.

Photo used here under Flickr Creative Commons.

James 5: Spiritually weak or physically ill?

April 29, 2015 by Krisan Marotta

James 5:13-20 is one of the most controversial passages in the book of James.

The difficulty revolves around Greek word translated “sick” in verse 14 (ἀσθενέω) — which means “to be feeble” in any sense — and the Greek word translated “sick” in verse 15 (κάμνω). While κάμνω can mean physically sick, it is only used one other place in the New Testament (Hebrews 12:3). There it means “to be weary” in a discussion of persevering in the faith.

Which raises the question: are we praying for one who is physically ill or one who is spiritually weak and weary?

Certainly, we could interpret James 5 as a passage about physical illness caused by sin, which God will heal if we confess and pray. But that understanding is not the only option. It is just as likely that James is discussing those who are spiritually “sick” or weak — which is the option I find most persuasive. Here’s why.

Remember the overall context of the letter. Throughout his letter, James has addressed people whose faith is under fire. His readers are struggling to remain faithful in the face of persecution from rich unbelievers, and James has encouraged them to put their hope in the gospel and act accordingly.

We also see in the letter evidence that many readers are responding in a wrong fashion. They are quarreling, fighting, groveling to the rich, and seeking positions of power and influence. James challenges them to realize their lifestyle choices contradict what they claim they believe.

In this context, a statement about how to recover if you become physically ill breaks the flow of thought. However, since spiritual struggle is one of his main themes, we would expect James to conclude his letter with “now what”. We expect him to end his letter explaining what you should do if you have recognized you are spiritually weak and immature.

Second, consider the immediate context. James has just been exhorting his readers to wait patiently to endure and remain steadfast in their faith just as a farmer waits for the harvest (James 5:7-12). In the immediate context, James is discussing remaining steadfast in your faith. To now discuss physical illness would be a barely related tangent. But clarifying what you should do if this letter has convicted you and you see your spiritual weakness is a logical thought progression.

What should you do if you find yourself weak in faith? Admit your struggle and ask a stronger believer to pray for you and ask for God’s blessing to get you through.

12 James 5:12-20 – Physically ill or spiritually weak?

All hardship is not harmful

January 22, 2012 by Krisan Marotta

A few years ago there was an article in Time magazine called “The Growing Backlash Against Overparenting” by Nancy Gibbs. It began like this:

The insanity crept up on us slowly; we just wanted what was best for our kids. We bought macrobiotic cupcakes and hypoallergenic socks, hired tutors to correct a 5-year-old’s “pencil-holding deficiency,” hooked up broadband connections in the tree house but took down the swing set after the second skinned knee. We hovered over every school, playground and practice field—“helicopter parents,” teachers christened us, a phenomenon that spread to parents of all ages, races and regions.

Stores began marketing stove-knob covers and “Kinderkords” (also known as leashes; they allow “three full feet of freedom for both you and your child”) and Baby Kneepads (as if babies don’t come prepadded). The mayor of a Connecticut town agreed to chop down three hickory trees on one block after a woman worried that a stray nut might drop into her new swimming pool, where her nut-allergic grandson occasionally swam. A Texas school required parents wanting to help with the second-grade holiday party to have a background check first. Schools auctioned off the right to cut the carpool line and drop a child directly in front of the building — a spot that in other settings is known as handicapped parking.

We were so obsessed with our kids’ success that parenting turned into a form of product development. Parents demanded that nursery schools offer Mandarin, since it’s never too soon to prepare for the competition of a global economy. High school teachers received irate text messages from parents protesting an exam grade before class was even over; college deans described freshmen as “crispies,” who arrived at college already burned out, and “teacups,” who seemed ready to break at the tiniest stress.

What has turned us into “helicopter parents?” When did we learn that all hardship is harmful, that every unknown is dangerous, and that even the tiniest failure must be avoided?

Perhaps the answer is when we lost our belief in God. Overparenting is a logical conclusion if we alone are responsible for everything. Without a God who is in control, I alone am responsible; I alone have to make the world safe for my children; I alone have to navigate the stormy waters of life and defend myself and my family against every danger.

But the Bible teaches that we are not alone.

Instead, we are cared for by One who intends that we have life “in abundance.” Further, the hardships of life come our way to produce good — not damage — as we grow in faith.

Consider some of the images for trials and suffering we find in the New Testament: a gardener prunes a vine so that it will be fruitful (John 15:1-2); a wise parent disciplines children (Heb. 12:7-9); a fiery crucible purifies gold (1Pet. 1:6-7). Scripture teaches repeatedly that good comes from hardship.

As James teaches in chapter 1, faith grows when it is tested. James started his letter with the admonition to rejoice in trials and hardships because they have a purpose. That purpose is to mature and strengthen our faith.

02 James 1:1-8 Why does God test our faith?

January 18, 2012 by Krisan Marotta

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02 James 1:1-8 Why does God test our faith? - Bible Study | WednesdayintheWord.com

James 1:1-8 is one of the most important passages of the book. It sets the tone, the theme and the foundation for the rest of the letter. If we get this passage wrong, it is like grabbing the salt instead of the sugar. It will change the entire flavor and understanding of the letter.

Passage

^1:1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. ²Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, ³for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. ⁴And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. – James 1:1-4

James uses two phrases in these verses: trials (1:2) and the testing of our faith (1:3).
A trial puts our faith under pressure to reveal the nature or quality of it.
The second phrase — “testing of your faith” — points to the result of the testing; the proving or the result of the trial.
James is talking about any circumstance that tests us and proves the quality of our faith.
The trial does not test my worthiness for salvation; it is not a test of my character; or whether or not I’m sinful.
The question being tested is: do we have real, genuine, saving faith or not?
Perseverance (steadfastness) is to continue, not give up, or endure.
We rejoice in trials because we know that the testing process brings about perseverance. Perseverance is so valuable that it is worth going through trials to gain it.
Because of the value of the gospel, we are willing to face whatever life brings and rejoice that we stand to inherit so great a treasure.
To be able to rejoice in my trials is to be in a place where I understand the value of the gospel in a real and practical way.
Happiness is the feeling of euphoria that results when good and exciting things happen. Joy is that sense of satisfaction of knowing good will result.
God loves us too much to change our circumstances without changing our hearts.
It is crucially important that we have faith. Trials are part of the process of maturing and strengthening our faith. Thus, we consider the result of the trial and rejoice, knowing what we stand to gain is worth the trial now.

⁴And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. ⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. – James 1:4-5

Something is “perfect” (1:4) when it has arrived at its intended goal. An acorn is perfect when it has grown into an oak tree.
1:4 “full effect”: This is the Greek word for “work.” The basic idea of “work” is an action, something I actually do. James’ primary concern in this letter is that our actions reflect what we say we believe.
To lack wisdom is to be a fool. If I lack wisdom, I am immature and foolish. I do not understand life the way God does.
Perseverance is meant to lead to mature perfect faith, so our faith lacks nothing. What would our immature faith lack? Wisdom, seeing the world the way God sees it.
If we lack wisdom, we should ask God who gives to all generously without reproach. God would not reproach me for not knowing which college to attend. But He could reproach me for being a fool.
James is not talking about finding God’s will for my life, but rather whether or not I have a wise perspective on life.
Maturity is not perfect obedience. Nor is maturity being tough.

⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. ⁶But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. – James 1:5-8

Compare with Mark 11:20-24.
Neither James nor Jesus is saying that, if you believe hard enough, you will get what you ask for.
Jesus says (Luke 17:6; Matt 17:20) we only need faith the size of a mustard seed.
The biblical picture of God is as a loving father who like any wise parent says yes and no out of love.
The disciples have seen a miracle. Jesus called on God to wither the fig tree and it happened. They are shocked. Jesus is speaking to that reaction. “I am the Messiah, praying to the Father to do a miracle that attests to my identity and authority and also teaches a lesson through a kind of parable. Why would that surprise you?”
IF I’m asking God to do something and I don’t know whether He promised it or not, it is appropriate to have confidence that He CAN do it, but not appropriate to have confidence that He WILL do it.
Doubt is wavering between two options without committing to one or the other. To doubt when it comes to faith is to waver in whether I believe in God or not.
The one who doubts is like the waves driven and tossed by the wind. He is not like a tree that stands its ground when the wind blows.
Being double-minded is being hypocritical; what we say we believe is not really what we believe.
The person who asks of God and then also has his plan B to take matters into his own hands, that person will not receive anything.
You either trust God or you don’t.
Honest doubt which is confusion or fear is okay. But doubt that is hostility to God is a problem.

James is not saying:

James is not promising ask God which job you should take but ask without doubt because otherwise he won’t tell you anything.
Neither is James teaching that the reason hardship continues is because you haven’t yet found the right way to ask God, that is you haven’t yet asked with a 100% doubt-free faith.

James is saying:

God puts trials and hardships in your life to grow your weak immature faith into everything it was meant to be.
If you look at your life see immature faith that lacks wisdom, James says, you should call out to God, who is generous and capable and will do what He promises.
God will accept the most immature and foolish person who humbly asks for mercy.

trials

Resources:

General Outline

Where to next?

Where to next?

Historical Setting

Complain

Rest

Complain

Application

Next: 09 Jeremiah 23:1-8 Who will help us out of this mess?

Previous: 07 Jeremiah 18:1-17 Who does God think He is?

Series: Questions Jeremiah Answered

Resources: Jeremiah Resources

Why study Jeremiah?

Historical Context

Who was Jeremiah?

Next in Series: 02 Jeremiah 1:4-10 What does God want from me?

Part of the series: Questions Jeremiah Answered

Study Resources: Jeremiah Resources

Passage

Please listen to the podcast for more detail and explanation.

Next: 03 James 1:9-18 Who is better off: the rich or the poor?

Previous: 01 James Who was James?

Series: James: The Gospel in Shoe Leather

Study: James Resources

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