BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS:
I. THE PRESENT SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVEMENT
A. "The present social justice movement is preparing the poor of the earth to receive the Anti-Christ!" (Rev 13:16-17)
B. The subject of justice is often fueled by sentiment and political platforms rather than truth. There is emerging in the
earth a false justice movement that is rooted in politics and humanism and devoid of the apostolic revelation of Jesus
Christ. If we do not address the issue of social justice the way the Scripture answers the issues, believers will drift and
neglect our great salvation (Heb 2:1). The growing social justice movement is fueled by humanism, the seeds of which
cause the questioning of the sufficiency of the gospel of the kingdom.
1 “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.” Heb 2:1
C. The issue that is facing the church in regards to the subject is not a new humanitarian method or program but the
issue of the apostolic ministry of intercession; the apostolic gospel that is to be brought to the poor and the oppressed
with apostolic power flowing from apostolic lifestyles. The poor and the oppressed need a message that will raise them up
out of the ash heap of their personal depravity, as well as individual and corporate oppression.
II. THE NECESSITY FOR THE PREACHING OF CHRIST
A. The subject of justice lies as the very core (Ps 97:2) of the apostolic gospel as proclaimed by the Son of God and the
apostles of the early church. The establishing of justice is central to the 1st and 2nd comings of Jesus Christ.
1 “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring
forth justice to the Gentiles. 2 He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. 3 A
bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. 4 He will not fail
nor be discouraged, till He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands shall wait for His law.” Isaiah 42:1-4
B. Our hope is to return to our DNA, the apostolic gospel, the preaching of Christ, which is the true message of justice
to the governments, the nations of the earth and to the poor and the oppressed. The true gospel will fuel the poor and
oppressed with endurance (Mt 7:24-25) for the greatest crisis that lies ahead of them.
11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 3:11
C. One of the realities that must be confronted in the subject of justice is that there is not one person in the earth,
not one governmental system, political party, culture, social status or gender that is righteous. A great error in the
present social justice movement is the “sanctifying” or the “deifying” of any group where by virtue of their position or
status in society they get assigned a moral standing before God.
D. The issue of justice starts with our right standing with the Godhead in Christ Jesus without which there is no justice. The
day that humanity broke fellowship with God is when injustice entered into the world.
E. The progression of injustice is important
1. Our injustice committed against God
2. Our injustice committed against others
3. Injustice committed against us by others
F. Social action outside of the context of the gospel and the preaching of Christ is an opportunity to get our eyes
off the injustices in our own soul and to begin staring at the injustices of others and their victims.
G. Much of the present justice movement has a theology that is fueled by humanism, which starts with the plight of
humans rather then the plight or the burden of the Godhead – “Adam where are you?” Human sentiment causes us to
use the plight of humanity as a means to make sense of God’s ways rather then using the knowledge of God to make
sense of the human dilemma.
III. PEACEMAKERS – THE MESSENGERS OF JUSTICE
A. Messengers of justice are peacemakers in that they are those who bring peace between quarreling or disputing
parties; race, gender, social status, etc. Peacemakers (Jms 5:12-13) are those who partner with God in His redemptive
process.
B. Prophets of the justice of God do not primarily represent any political party or social status, whether middle class,
wealthy, or poor, or any gender or ethnic group. Prophets primarily represent Christ Jesus and His vision for justice in
the earth by primarily speaking on His behalf and His heart whatever the issue might be.
C. One of the realities that must be confronted in the subject of justice is that there is not one person in the earth,
not one governmental system, political party, culture, social status or gender that is righteous or just. A great error in the
present social justice movement is the “sanctifying” or the “demonizing” of any group where by virtue of their position or
status in society they get assigned a moral standing before God.
IV. THE BURDEN AND INTERCESSION OF HABAKKUK – HAB 1:1-4
1 The burden which the prophet Habakkuk saw. 2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear? Even cry out to
You, “Violence!” and You will not save. 3 Why do You show me iniquity, and cause me to see trouble? For plundering
and violence are before me; there is strife, and contention arises. 4 Therefore the law is powerless, and justice never
goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore perverse judgment proceeds. Hab. 1:1-4
V. THE GOD’S DIVINE REMEDY
5“ Look among the nations and watch — be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days, which you would not
believe, though it were told you. Hab 1:5-6
A. The starting point for getting God’s perspective on the issue of justice is but looking at the global landscape, the
condition of the nations by:
1. Cultivating a devotional spirit (watch – 1:5; 3:17-19)
2. Developing a lifestyle of inquiry (1:1-4, 12-17; 2:1; 3:1-2)
3. Cultivating a Christ centered eschatological perspective ( 3:3-16)
B. The Lord speaks to Habakkuk and tells him to
1. Look – pay attention to the issues and current events
2. Watch – give himself to devotion and intercession
3. Be astounded – to be prepared for a paradigm shift – Hab 2:1
C. God raises up the Babylonians as His instrument of judgment –
1. Bitter
2. Hasty
3. Conquering and power hungry for more territory
4. Terrible and dreadful
5. Judgment and dignity from themselves – relativistic morality, wise in their own eyes and arrogant
6. Military Might (vs. 8)
7. Violent enslavers of their captives
8. Vs 10 no respect of the sovereignty of other nations
9. Vs 11 arrogant not giving glory to God but rather ascribing the glory to a demon god (this is a direct contrast
of vs. 5 “…for I will work a work in your days …vs. 6 for indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans….”)
VI. HABAKKUK THE CONFLICTED PROPHET 1:12-17
A. The prophet is conflicted but gives himself to prayer and inquiry starting by acknowledging the eternity of God,
which relates to His majesty and His leadership (Rm 11:33-36). The revelation of the majesty of God gives us insight into
His promises, power and personality (knowledge of God) and produces humility in the fear of the Lord and Divine
perspective (big picture).
12 “Are You not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, You have appointed them
(Babylon) for judgment; O Rock, You have marked them (Babylon) for correction.”
B. God is great, beyond measure and His ways past finding out –
33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways
past finding out! 34 “ For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?” 35 “ Or who has
first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?” 36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be
glory forever. Amen.
C. Verse 13 highlights the biggest question of justice. If God is a God of justice then does He allow wickedness?
Why are You looking on those who are wicked, and why do You keep silent? The issue is not that God is silent about
justice; He is speaking very clearly (Hb 2:2) and the vision is plain but we don’t like what He has to say about the issue.
13 You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on wickedness. Why do You look on those who deal
treacherously, and hold Your tongue when the wicked devours a person more righteous than he (Rm 3:23)? (see also
Hab 1:13)
VII. THOSE WHO LIVE BY FAITH WILL DO JUSTICE
A. 2:1 - Habakkuk determines to stay in the place of prayer (the watch Isa 62:6, Is 21:6) as he assumes that his
perspective is off. He vents his complaint to God but also assumes that he does not have all the information and is
mostly likely off in his perspective and anticipates to be corrected by the Lord. The prophet is about to find out that
God is NOT indifferent and inactive (1:13) and that He has a plain and simple response concerning the issue (2:2) –
are we willing and able to hear?
B. Apostle Paul reads the vision and runs with the simplicity of the mystery of the gospel and proclaims God’s
message of justice (Rm 1:16-17; Rm 16:24-27).
C. The Lord tells Habakkuk that the vision is for yet an appointed time. In other words the plan is for an appointed time
which is an eschatological time:
1. Inaugurated at the cross of Christ (Jn 19:30)
2. Culminating with the 2nd coming of the Lord (Isa 42:1-4, 13)
3. Consummated at the end of the Millennial reign when God brings the realms of heaven and earth together
(Eph 1:9-10, Isa 60-66)
D. The Lord reveals to Habakkuk that the vision will tarry answering one of the biggest cries related to the issue of
injustice … “how long God?” The Lord tells Habakkuk that though there is a waiting period the vision is faithful and true
and it will not lie (2 Pet 3:9, Jer 23:20, Rev 10:7).
VIII. THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM – GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR AND THE OPPRESSED
A. The gospel is good news to the poor and the oppressed, because the gospel not only gives assurance that the
vision will come to pass but that the gospel contains information to sustain the poor and the oppressed in the midst of
their plight, hence the gospel to the poor. The good news is that:
1. We have fallen short of God’s glory and through sin have been cut off, but through repentance and faith in Christ
we can have access to the Father through Christ.
2. We can come into fellowship and a betrothal relationship with God (Bridegroom).
3. Christ is going to rule the nations (spiritually, economically, politically and socially) and there is a royal destiny
that awaits those who are in Christ (King).
4. The Lord will vindicate those who are in Christ (Judge).
B. Hab 2:4 levels the playing field for Habakkuk who now is ready to be a representative of God because he realizes
that there is no justice outside faith in God whether Jew or Gentile. Habakkuk is now a mouthpiece of God first. Habakkuk
has the understanding of Paul the apostle as laid out in the book of Romans, “all have sinned and fallen short of the
glory of God.”
C. The rich have fallen short of the glory of God, the poor have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, men
have sinned and fallen short, women, the blacks and the whites.
D. God has a controversy with the nations that is greater than unjust laws of the land as they the laws of injustice
flow out of a fundamental problem (every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually – Gen 6:5).
31 A noise will come to the ends of the earth— for the LORD has a controversy with the nations; He will plead His case
with all flesh. He will give those who are wicked to the sword,’ says the LORD.” Jeremiah 25:31
E. The present social justice movement is preparing the poor of the earth to receive the Anti-Christ in that Jesus is
primarily being presented as a 'sympathetic humanitarian' rather then a Passionate Jealous Bridegroom, a Beautiful
Powerful King and a Fierce and Righteous Judge.
F. Humanistic presentation of Christ draws people to Him because of the 'bread' (natural provisions) rather then
being drawn to Himself (John 6). I think that Jesus in Rev 6 and the third seal is doing John 6 globally, the withholding
of the bread of the earth, while the message is in essence the call of John six to the nations (bread of life, eat my flesh
etc).
G. Jesus is zealous (Lk 18:8) about this issue of faith and establishing love in the human heart. Jesus goes as far
as to be the primary cause of world hunger and war in order to cause the nations to grope for God and seek Him in the
hopes that they my find Him (Is 26:9, Acts 17:24-26).
H. 2:4 - the beginning point of justice is faith in Christ. Those who are not in the faith are proud and there is not
uprightness is their soul (Gen 6:5).
I. Faith is agreement with God, His personhood, power and purpose (fullness) and the issue of justice is first settled
by us entering into restored fellowship with God.