Ezekiel was written during the time of Israel’s exile under the Babylonian empire. It demonstrates a new challenge for God’s people

Here is the next episode of our TULIP in the wilderness series.

We are celebrating reformation month this October so we’re looking at how our doctrinal distinctives (TULIP) intersect with our current situation (THE WILDERNESS). From Exodus 17, we will learn something about total depravity and unconditional election.

Habakkuk is a prophet who speaks to God about the frustrations and injustices the nation faces. God doesn’t give him an answer of immediate relief. Hence, he shows us how to handle life in the context of prolonged challenges. We can learn 3 things: 1. CONTINUE IN GOSPEL IMMERSION 2. EMBRACE THE INCONVENIENT TENSION 3. REJOICE IN THE BITTERSWEET RESOLUTION

Last week we learned about waiting on the Lord. In this position, it is good to experience heart transformation – where we discover more about God as well as ourselves.

Last week we learned about bringing our frustrations and concerns to God. This can be applied in our prayer life. The next question is how we put ourselves in a position to receive God’s response.

We live in a shame-based, religious culture, which makes us averse to confrontations. This means we have to look at healthy and Biblical confrontations that help us cope. Habakkuk shows there is space for confronting God.

Injustice and suffering are realities of life that we all experience. Paul realized that this may be a deterrent to growing in the faith – where it be due to doubt or guilt due to lack of someone’s performance. He presents a clear and compelling assurance to Christians when we go through tough times.

Many times, Christians force or impose transformation on the self, others, and in society. This could easily lead to a lot of frustration or pride. Paul continues his shift from a legal tone to a familial tone, especially in this chapter. The passage we have shows us what transformation is, the agent of it, and the effect of it.

Paul has been addressing Jewish Christians, who have a very strong relationship with the Law. He uses relational language, specifically a marital one, to illustrate the proper placement of the law in their perspective.