Why God Is Silent

This passage deals with a situation in which the people of Israel disregarded God's love and the honor due him, defiled the sacrifices, and went against the tithe, living sinful lives; and when God did not judge them at once, they even mocked him, saying, “We have not troubled God.” The people do not admit their sin, treat God's patience with indifference, and, seeing the wicked prosper, complain that faith is in vain.

Through the time of the prophet Habakkuk, it also makes clear that the reason God stays silent even as he sees the wicked gain power is not to put off judgment, but to give an opportunity to repent while he waits for the time of wrath. God declares that he will use the cruel Babylonians to discipline his corrupt people, pointing to the human weakness that will not turn back without suffering.

What attitude should we take while God is silent?