Habakkuk

Habakkuk 1

Habakkuk 1:1-4 Habakkuk’s first question to God is because he sees God’s law and His ways paralyzed by violence, making justice impossible. Justice is perverted in a society characterized by rampant violence. It is, in effect, anarchy that is enforced by the perversion of the  instruments of society that are supposed to prevent it.

Why does God wait so long to act? He hinted at the answer, when He told Abraham that the iniquity of the Amorite was not yet full. (Genesis 15:16) To give ample opportunity for the wicked to repent before they face judgment. As Nineveh did when Jonah preached. 

Habakkuk 1:5-11 The Lord’s answer is that the answer to Judah’s sin is to let them experience where it leads. Babylon worships its own strength, and they will devastate Judah with unbelievable violence. An earthly picture of hell. Which will be both a punishment and a warning in this life of the consequences of sin.

What is the difference between God using an evil nation to punish another evil nation, and Satan luring evil nations against each other in his plan to destroy mankind? The end goal is the difference: God disciplines to correct, not destroy.

Habakkuk 1:12-17 Habakkuk questions God about His answer to the first question. Questioning is not doubting or unbelief in this passage, but a struggle to understand what God is saying and doing. Habakkuk does not doubt God’s nature and character, but he does not understand the transcendent ‘why’ of what God does. Specifically, he doesn’t understand why God uses a nation more evil than Israel as His instrument to punish them. God is eternal, God is holy, God is pure - the evil nation of Babylon is the antithesis of everything that He is.

Habakkuk 2

Habakkuk 2:1 Habakkuk waits patiently and faithfully waiting for God’s response to his complaint.

Habakkuk 2:2-20 God’s response is that He will judge Babylon even more harshly than Judah. 

Habakkuk 2:2-3 Judah already had God’s written revelation. This will be a compact summary of the law and its consequences written for Judah’s enemies. Not only the immediate judgment of Babylon after its invasion of Israel in 586 BC (which happened in 539 BC), but also a picture of the end times wrath of God. (Revelation 16-19).

Habakkuk 2:4-5 Pride goeth before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18) The just shall live by faith is quoted several times in the New Testament. (Romans 1:17; 2 Corinthians 6:7; Galatians 2:20, 3:10; Hebrews 10:38) Pride is a risk for any worldly success, but it is evil to boast in evil, which describes Babylon - boasting about conquests and looted wealth. 

Five woes are identified. (Revelation 18:10) Woe here is an interjection of saying “Alas!” to the reaping of what they have sowed.

Habakkuk 2:6-8 First woe. Gaining wealth by extortion. The woe is that they will be plundered by the vary people they once plundered. Alas - they will become their victims’ prey.

Habakkuk 2:9-11 Second woe. Building houses on unjust gains. Alas - those who ruin other peoples’ households to build their own will forfeit their life.

Habakkuk 2:12-14 Third woe: Building cities with bloodshed and injustice. Alas - it is all for nothing. The city of God will fill the earth with God’s glory as the waters cover the sea, as David concluded his prayers. (Psalm 72:19) The path for this to come about was specifically given by Jesus. (Matthew 28:18-20) Those who built cities with injustice and bloodshed will cry “Alas!” because they will not be included in it. (Revelation 21:8)

Habakkuk 2:15-17 Fourth woe: Getting others’ drunk (possibly also drugged?) to party and exploit others sexually. Jesus, of course, went further, in saying that looking at a woman lustfully is committing adultery in one’s heart. (Matthew 5:28) Alas - the cup from the Lord’s hand will not be that of a new covenant with Him (Luke 22:20), but will be repayment in kind. Disgrace and destruction you will reap, because you sowed them.

Habakkuk 2:18-19 Fifth woe: Worship of false gods - idolatry. Violating the second commandment. (Exodus 20:4-6) It should seem obvious that something we made cannot give us anything more, but the idolators think that there is some supernatural power behind the idol. The statue itself cannot give life, nor can it speak. Only Jesus can give life to the dead. (John 11:43) Alas - the carved idol cannot give life or guidance for life. That can only come from God.

Habakkuk 2:20 Silence is an appropriate response to God’s holiness. When Isaiah saw the Lord sitting on His throne, he said, “Woe is me! I am undone!” (Isaiah 6:1-6) Others were unable to speak. (Luke 1:22) Ultimately, we will be silent before Jesus.  (Revelation 8:1)

Habakkuk 3

Habakkuk 3:1-2 Habakkuk petitions God to repeat the awesome deeds which are retold in stories (the Books of Moses, the histories). Although God is angry with Israel, Habakkuk asks for miraculous mercy.

Habakkuk 3:3-7  Habakkuk recounts God’s actions in the past. He was glorious on Mount Sinai, sent plagues on Egypt, earthquakes, and sent distress on Cush and Midian. In creation, God’s first created item was light itself, which He originated to translate  His power and glory into action and work. (Genesis 1:3-5, et.seq.)

Habakkuk 3:8-11 God’s power over nature was displayed in waterways (Genesis 1:6-10; 7:11-24), and the heavens.

Habakkuk 3:12-15 God harvested the nations that opposed Israel, delivering His people and killing both the leader and the warriors of their enemies. 

Habakkuk 3:16-19 Verses 17-18 are often quoted to illustrate Habakkuk’s decision to worship God in adverse circumstances. This is the essence of growth in faith (Hebrews 11): choosing to believe in and serve God without the incentives of rewards or answered prayer. We have to do this daily - trust His nature and character.

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 pen

    and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

    I will be joyful in God my Savior.

There are (at least) three dimensions to healthy faith. First, we must understand who God is and what He is like and what He tells us to do. This is getting our theology correct, based on Scripture, and requires us to engage our minds. Second, we must exercise our will, by choosing to accept and obey what our study of Him, and our experience with Him, has shown us. Faith is not sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7) This is a decision, that can result from reason and/or experience, but doesn’t depend on these things once the decision is made. Third, we must allow emotions to flow from our decision. This is generally a result of experiencing God’s touch in our lives or of seeing His responding to our faith or seeing Him working in other peoples’ lives. Faith is a choice, but it is not just a choice. Faith should be part of a relationship that responds to events in that relationship.