What do we expect? Let’s plunge into the Deeper Waters and find out.
It’s the final chapter!
This chapter is all about expectations. Towards the start, Shirer tells us to be expecting and she has a Scripture for this.
But when we truly expect, He incredibly delivers. I will stand on my guard post and station myself
on the rampart; and I will keep watch to see
what He will speak to me.
Habakkuk 2:1Shirer, Priscilla. Discerning the Voice of God: How to Recognize When He Speaks (p. 199). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.
But wait! There’s more!
Yep. Shirer left off the rest of the verse. Why would she do that? Maybe because the rest of it makes her look bad if she shows it.
I will stand on my guard post And station myself on the rampart; And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me, And how I may reply when I am reproved.
That last part sure changes everything.
Habakkuk is a rare prophet in that most prophets spoke to the people on the behalf of God, but Habakkuk seems to spend more time speaking to God on behalf of the people. In these cases, he is actually complaining to God.
Either Shirer did not see that in the verse and is horrible at reading it.
Or she intentionally hid that part.
Unfortunately, she makes it worse:
Then into this revealing moment, with my heart and doubts and attitudes sufficiently exposed, God directed my Bible study into the slender opening of Scripture called the book of Habakkuk, where He used the descriptive message of this prophetic account to teach me an important lesson—a lesson I knew but didn’t really know until this occasion. With the promises of one simple yet profound verse, the Lord encouraged my pursuit of His word and affirmed His promise to give me counsel. For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay.
Habakkuk 2:3Shirer, Priscilla. Discerning the Voice of God: How to Recognize When He Speaks (p. 200). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.
See? Now it is not just Shirer exegeting the book. It is God doing it. Now God is telling her about what the passage means. This should be seen as a serious claim. If she says God is telling her this is what the passage means and she is wrong, by implication, God is wrong.
Do you not realize, Shirer, how seriously it is to claim God in this? If you are wrong, then you are wrong, but if you attribute it to God, then if you are not right, you have taken God’s name in vain.
Sadly, she has done just that.
God goes on to describe in verse 6-8 of this chapter what He is talking about:
“But soon their captives will taunt them.
They will mock them, saying,
‘What sorrow awaits you thieves!
Now you will get what you deserve!
You’ve become rich by extortion,
but how much longer can this go on?’
7 Suddenly, your debtors will take action.
They will turn on you and take all you have,
while you stand trembling and helpless.
8 Because you have plundered many nations,
now all the survivors will plunder you.
You committed murder throughout the countryside
and filled the towns with violence.
He is speaking about a specific prophecy that will take place at a specific time. He is not making a general comment about Shirer’s laugh. I keep coming back to thinking she must be someone incredibly egotistical to think all of this is about her.
First, new vision. Then, new confidence. The result: a second wind to wait with. I will stand on my guard post and station myself on the rampart; and I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me and how I may reply when I am reproved. (2:1)
Shirer, Priscilla. Discerning the Voice of God: How to Recognize When He Speaks (p. 206). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.
So why didn’t she quote the rest of this earlier? She knew about it. Is she waiting to be reproved? Well, I’m not going to claim God has told me to do it, but this is my reproof of Shirer.
I have regularly dealt with atheists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Muslims, and others that take Scripture out of context. I see much of the same in Shirer. I would not trust her at all with Scripture.
Tomorrow, I will give concluding thoughts overall.
In Christ,
Nick Peters
(And I affirm the virgin birth)
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