The Middle East War and the Prayer of Habakkuk

BY GEORGE MAKEEN

SAT-7’s George Makeen reflects on the prophetic voice of Habakkuk at a time of crisis, and what it means to pray with both faith and honesty when faced with war, injustice, and unanswered questions. As conflict continues to devastate the Middle East, this reflection is a call to deeper trust, courageous lament, and a refusal to place hope in human power rather than God’s justice.

Many people of faith see the wars in the Middle East and still pray for good outcomes: more freedom and democracy, better chances to share the Gospel, and a better future for people who have suffered for so long. After all, we have no other weapon but our prayers and our hope that God is in control and able to bring life out of death!

In the Old Testament, we see a man who was troubled by the evil he witnessed and urged God to intervene. Habakkuk was a worshipper in the temple, yet he did not take refuge in his righteousness and being close to God. When he witnessed the evil of his own people, his spirit was troubled, and he cried out, asking God how long he must call for help, as if God did not care about the wrongdoing and injustice (Habakkuk 1:2-4).

God answered and told Habakkuk something unbelievable (1:5), declaring that He would raise up the powerful Babylonians and use them to punish the guilt of His own people.

Habakkuk questioned God on this, claiming that it was impossible for a holy and just God to allow sinful people who worship their own power to “swallow up those more righteous than themselves” (1:13, NIV). Habakkuk used strong words to show that he would never stop until he received an answer (2:1-2). God answered Habakkuk, condemning those who depend on their own power, spreading fear and destruction, and who think their strength makes them untouchable. The destruction of those people is certain, and the righteous person will live by his faithfulness!

Out of this engagement with his reality and after daring to question God and seek answers, Habakkuk comes with the powerful intercessory prayer that we find at the beginning of Chapter 3: “LORD, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of Your deeds, LORD. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy” (3:1-2, emphasis added).

The short book of Habakkuk ends with an amazing song that to this day gives many people hope when everything seems hopeless:

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the sheepfold and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior” (3:17-18).

There are a few valuable lessons to learn from Habakkuk so that our cry for mercy in times of wrath may be according to God’s heart:

• Habakkuk didn’t stay in his safe shelter, the temple, where he worshipped and served God. When he encountered injustice and evildoers, he came out, questioning God and asking for change. As believers, we cannot just think this world is too evil to engage. A heart that trusts the Lord and follows Him cannot see sin and injustice and not be troubled and seek answers and change.

• Habakkuk understood who God is; the holy and just One who does not have double standards or use evil means to bring about His good will. God judged those who destroyed others and shed blood (2:12). Jesus’ strongest words were against hypocritical leaders who called people to do things they themselves did not do (Matthew 23:1-4).The world is watching the Church, and those who claim that their principles are based on biblical values, to see if they live up to what they call others to follow.  The world needs to see more Habakkuks, those who understand the values they are calling others to follow and are ready to stand up for them.

• Habakkuk pleaded for mercy in times of wrath. He trusted in God’s sovereign power, not in a war machine and those who think their hands can reach anywhere they wish (1:10). It is important we learn from history (especially that of very recent times) that unregulated power can grant victory but is always followed by more chaos and causes even more pain. The Gospel didn’t get a better chance in Iraq after 2003: Christians are at the edge of extinction there, with their numbers having dropped from over a million to around 250K or less now. Not to mention the bloody civil war and chaos (including the campaign of so-called Islamic State) that followed the “war of liberation.” Are we repeating the same mistake now?

Habakkuk’s joyful song of hope was not the result of good outcomes, but rather of his trust in God despite the desperate situation. Will this war in the Middle East bring good? I personally doubt that promising destruction and generating fear, putting hope in power to pave the way for the future instead of working for God’s kingdom to stand against injustice and wickedness, can bring any good. The Middle East looks like the front line of a power game in which the lives of innocent people are insignificant, and a regime change here or there does not put an end to the vicious cycle of hatred and enmity but rather deepens it. Yet, I trust in God’s revelation: the righteous person will live by his faithfulness!

I pray that our words of prayer and our hopes for the future may be based on our understanding of God’s sovereignty, righteousness, and justice, so that it may bring hope to our lives and to the world.

George Makeen

SAT-7 Ministry Content Advisor | George is from Cairo, Egypt. His education includes a BA in Theology and an MA in Biblical Theology from The Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo. His previous work experience expands from script writing and translating to publishing and advertising. George joined SAT‑7 in 2003, working as an assistant to the head of programs. As SAT-7 grew its network, George played a major role in the development and growth of that expansion. Now he is responsible for overseeing the ministry’s content for the channels.