Have you ever thought or heard yourself ask “Why Lord, do you let the wicked prosper and go unpunished?”
If so, you’re in good company. Habakkuk a prophet around 605 B.C. cried out to God in what has become a gem of the Old Testament. When Judah was being punished by the Chaldeans (Babylonians), Habakkuk felt he had a righteous complaint to God. His exchanges with God are written here in his pursuit to understand why such injustice was occurring. (A side note: This book was used by Paul in Romans 1:17 as he introduced the principle of “justification by faith rather than by works;” and Martin Luther’s interpretation of this verse renewed contributed to the onset of the Protestant Reformation.)
This prophet, Habakkuk was so appalled, by the cruelty and wickedness, as he saw the violent uprisings against Judah. He felt justified to ask: “How could a holy God use such an unholy nation whose actions would indiscriminately swallow up more righteous men.” Habakkuk was so sure he was correct in his complaint to God, he cried out and then stationed himself and waited for God’s reply found in 2:1.
In chapter 1:2-4 we hear Habakkuk’s cry:
“How long, O Lord, will I call for help, and you will not hear? I
cry out to you, Violence! Yet, you do not save. Why do you
make me see iniquity, and cause me to look on wickedness?
Yes, destruction and violence are before me; strife exists and
contention arises. Therefore the law is ignored and
justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the
righteous; therefore justice comes out perverted.”
Then God tells him wait for His answer:
“Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished!
Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days You
would not believe if you were told. For behold, I am raising up
the Chaldeans, (Babylonians), (6)that fierce and impetuous
people who march through the earth to seize dwelling places
which are not theirs. (7)They are dreaded and feared. Their
justice and authority originate with themselves. (8)Their
horses are swifter than leopards and keener than wolves in the
evening. Their horsemen come galloping, they come from afar;
they fly like an eagle swopping down to devour. (9) All of them
come for violence, and their horde of faces moves forward they
collect captives like sand. (10)They mock at kings, and rulers
are a laughing matter to them, They laugh at every fortress,
and heap up rubble to capture it. (11) Then they will sweep
through like the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty,
they whose strength is their god.” (1:5-11 -NAS)
Habakkuk was still not satisfied with God’s answer, so in 1:12 Habakkuk after
praising God once again asks: “Why?”
“O Lord, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. You, O
Lord have appointed them to judge; and You, O Rock has
established them to correct. (13) Your eyes are too pure to
approve evil and you can not look on wickedness with favor.”
And then you can hear his pause for the question he is again about to ask- Why?:
“Why do you look with favor on these who deal treacherously? Why are
you silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous
than they?”
“Why have you made men like the fish in the sea…The
Chaldeans bring all of them up with a hook, drag them away
with their net, and gather them together in their fishing net –
they rejoice and are glad- (16) they offer sacrifice to their net
and burn incense to their fishing net; their catch is large and
food is plentiful…(17b) will they continually slay nations
without sparing?” (vs 1:15-17b) NAS.
In Chapter 2:1 Habakkuk is again confronted with waiting patiently again for God to speak. What will God say? Will He be angry or correct me? This time God speaks forth to satisfy Habakkuk’s desire for clarity in the following:
God says: “Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets,
that the one who reads it may run. 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. Behold as for the proud one, His soul is not right
within him; but the righteous will live by his faith.” (2:1-4 NAS).
Then God strongly declares further His intentions in vs.6b- 20:
“Woe to him that increases what is not his.” (6b) “Because you have looted many nations, all the remainder of the peoples will loot you – because of human bloodshed and violence done to the land, to the town and all its inhabitants. (8)
Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house. (9)
Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and founds a town with violence. (12)
It is not indeed from the Lord of hosts that peoples toil for fire, and nations grow weary for nothing? (13)
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. (14)
Woe to you who make your neighbors drunk on the drink mixed with your own venom
even to make them drunk..(15)
You will be filled with disgrace rather than honor, now you drink and expose your own nakedness – The cup in the Lord’s right hand will come around to you, and utter disgrace will come upon your glory.(16)
What profit is the idol when its maker has carved it, or an image, a teacher of falsehood, for its maker trusts in his own handiwork when he fashions speechless idols. (18)
Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, ‘Awake!’ To a dumb stone, ‘Arise!’ And that is your teacher? Behold it is overlaid with gold and silver and there is no breath at all inside it. (19)
“But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.” 20)
God’s response to Habakkuk brought assurance as well as an awe and fear in His sovereignty and he asked no further questions. In fact in vs. 2:20 some scholars suggest that Habakkuk came to this conclusion as much as self-criticism as it is a statement of faith; and given the holiness of God, man’s best response is silence, not questioning.[1](Paul again used this verse in his sermon at Antioch in Acts 13:41)
*We find Chapter 3 is a self-contained prayer or psalm for God’s deliverance of His people. Intended to be sung with accompaniment, this is not a part of the conversations between Habakkuk and God, as in the first two chapters. However it does align with them, expressing the importance of standing in faith with steadfastness to the end.
A song of Habakkuk: (3:2)
Lord, I have heard the report about you and I fear. O Lord revive your work in the midst of the years make it know; in wrath remember mercy.
His splendor covers the heavens and the earth is full of his praise (3b)
His radiance is like the sunlight (4)
His ways are ever lasting (6b)
Though the yield of the olive should fail, and the fields produce no food,
Though the flock should be cut off from the fold, and there is no cattle in the stalls.(17b)
Yet, I will exult in the Lord.
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my strength
And He has made my feet like kinds feet
And makes me walk on my high places. (vs.18)
Father, We acknowledge your sovereignty. You are the great creator of all - every good and perfect gift. is from you. Help us in our moments of sorrow, pain or confusion to trust that you are never caught unaware, and that you redeem and use every situation for your good. Help us to forgive others, forgive ourselves as we trust and place our hope always in you. Help us to once again honor you with a godly fear and awe. You know the beginning to the end and have knowledge of hidden things you will expose in your time. Thank you for your love, your grace, your mercy and your great faithfulness.
[1] Spiros Zodhiates, TH.D., The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible, New American Standard, AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, TN 37422 U.S.A., pg. 1226.
God bless and keep you always,
