HABAKKUK

Habakkuk is unique among the prophets because he doesn’t directly address Judah, Israel, or any other nation. His book is more like a record of his personal struggle with God concerning the reality of evil and God’s justice in judging it. He complains to God, asks him questions and God answers him. So even though Habakkuk’s book reads like a peek into a very honest person’s private prayer journal, it addresses questions that many people of his time would have asked, – actually, questions that many people over the centuries have asked. The struggle over the question of evil and its judgment is perennial, and so Habakkuk’s book remains relevant through the ages.
Habakkuk does not refer to any king, but the nature of his questions and his shocked reaction to God’s answer helps dating his book. Under the influence of the godly king Josiah (640-609 BC) Judah does relatively well spiritually. But when Josiah dies, Habakkuk witnesses a terrible reversal: Judah embraces wholesale idolatry and quickly descends into rampant injustice. He cries out to God, in essence saying: ‘Why do you not do anything?’ (Hab 1:2-4). God answers that he will indeed do something, he will judge Judah – by allowing it to be conquered by the Babylonians (Hab 1:5-11). Habakkuk responds with an outcry, in essence saying ‘How can you use a nation to judge us, that is more evil than us?’ (Hab 1:12-2:1). This reaction shows that Babylon is already a looming threat on the horizon, known for its violence, but it hasn’t conquered yet, which dates the book to 609-605 BC. In 605 BC the prophecy comes true and Babylon conquers Judah for the first time. God answers Habakkuk’s outcry, assuring him that he will eventually judge Babylon as well, – that he judges all who do evil (Hab 2:2-20).
This is an old dilemma: When humans see evil flourishing and seemingly unchallenged, they doubt God’s justice in allowing this. But when God judges, they doubt his justice in punishing humans. It is us humans that are not just, when we blame God for not doing anything and at the same time blame him for judging. And especially we are not just when we hope for God to give us grace for our evil but hope for judgment on those who commit evil against us.
God gives Habakkuk the assurance that he truly is just in judgment – for to let evil continue for ever is no mercy. But God also gives Habakkuk a glimpse of something greater to come: ‘Write the vision; make it plain on tablets… it speaks of the end and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come… Their spirit is not right in them, but the righteous live by their faith’ (Hab 2:2-4). God one day will address the problem of evil in a far more foundational manner; and it will be by faith that the righteous will stand. This most famous verse of Habakkuk is quoted repeatedly in the New Testament, not least by Paul (Rom 1:17, Gal 3:11, Heb 10:39): in Jesus God will not only judge evil (the cross), but open a way of righteousness for those who are willing, for those who have faith (salvation). Through Jesus righteousness will become possible, both right standing before God (justification) and also a changed life, full of knowing – and loving – God: ”the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea” (Hab 2:14). Idolatry will become ridiculous (Hab 2:18-19) and fear of God will reign (Hab 2:20).
Habakkuk responds to this revelation by standing in awe of God. His prayer (Hab 3:1-19) expresses his changed attitude: He had known about God’s goodness ”I have heard of your renown” but now he really understands it better ”I stand in awe, O LORD, of your work” (Hab 3:2). He not only accepts God’s work, his ways, his judgment, rather he now embraces it and can desire it: ”In our own time revive it; in our own time make it known” (Hab 3:2). He has a new revelation of God’s power and the awesomeness of his interventions on earth (Hab 3:3-15). He knows that his nation will undergo great turmoil, but he can now see God’s hand in it and trusts that God will judge the perpetrators also ”I wait quietly for the day of calamity to come upon the people who attack us” (Hab 3:16).
He understands that hard times are ahead, but rather than complaining or doubting God, he now embraces it as a consequence of human actions, as a thing not outside of God’s control ”Though the fig tree does not blossom… though there is no heard in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will exult in the God of my salvation” (Hab 3:17-18). God will give his people strength to face whatever happens to their nations ”GOD, the Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer” (Hab 3:19).

The structure of the book of Habakkuk

This short book is not a normal prophecy, but rather a record of Habakkuk’s interaction with God. The structure is as follows:
Hab 1:1             Introductory sentence
Hab 1:2-4        Habakkuk complains to God.
Hab 1:5-11       God answers his complaint.
Hab 1:12-2:1   Habakkuk complains even more.
Hab 2:2-20     God answers again.
Hab 3:2-19     Habakkuk responds with a prayer.

The book of Habakkuk is special

This structure makes the book of Habakkuk a prophetic book unlike any other. Most prophets in the Bible give messages from God to a nation, sometimes a king, a special person or a group of people. The prophet acts as the mouth piece of God. He addresses people with a message from God, whether challenge, warning, comfort or encouragement.
Habakkuk never directly addresses anybody. The book is more like peeking into Habakkuk’s private prayer journal. It is the record of his personal struggle with God concerning an issue that is bothering him: the presence of evil and injustice – and God’s justice or injustice in judging it. Mostly he complains to God or even blames him. But then God answers him, and his view starts changing.
In spite of its private nature, Habakkuk’s writing has a great appeal, because it brings up difficult questions and addresses struggles and complaints that many people of Habakkuk’s time would have had, – actually, questions that many people over the centuries have had. The question why evil and injustice persists is perennial, as is questioning God about the justice of his judgments. In this way Habakkuk’s book remains relevant through the ages.
Habakkuk is therefore not representing God (God’s heart and God’s word) to humans, as most prophets do (like Hosea, Amos or Jeremiah). Habakkuk is representing himself (and many like him) to God. In this sense Habakkuk is a bit like Jonah: he, too, is a prophet unhappy with things, and unhappy with God. Both Habakkuk and Jonah are records of a conflict with God, they are the story of a prophet getting new revelation. In the case of Jonah it is the story of a life-changing trip to Nineveh, in the case of Habakkuk it’s the record of a life-changing prayer. In the case of Jonah it only becomes clear that Jonah truly repented and aligned himself with God in the way he writes his own story. In the case of Habakkuk his final prayer (Hab 3) is precisely a prayer of repentance and aligning himself with God. Both Habakkuk and Jonah are alike in that they represent their own cultures, they exhibit attitudes that most people around them would have had. Both meet God, both really change and start representing God’s view to their nations. They address theses very attitudes with their writings. Both Habakkuk and Jonah freely share their embarrassing struggles and help many process the same thing.

What is the struggle about?

But what exactly is Habakkuk’s struggle about?
Hab 1:2-4 Habakkuk complains to God about the evil, injustice, violence, destruction, strife, contention and lawlessness he sees in Judah, and in essence asks God: Why do you not do anything?
Hab 1:5-11 God answers, saying that he is doing something. He will indeed judge Judah, by bringing the fearsome, warlike, conquering Babylonians (or ‘Chaldeans’).
Hab 1:12-2:1 Habakkuk is shocked at this and complains even more: How can a just God be silent when the wicked swallow those more righteous than they? Basically he says: The Babylonians are far worse than Judah, how can God use them to judge Judah?
Hab 2:2-20 God answers: I will eventually judge the Babylonians as well, I judge all who do evil. God also gives Habakkuk a glimpse into the future, a day when he will address the problem of evil in a far more foundational manner.
Hab 3:2-19 Habakkuk responds by standing in awe of God, understanding his character, accepting God’s judgment and way of judgment. He finds contentment and peace in God.

The author

Habakkuk calls himself a prophet, but gives no other identification, no father’s name, no genealogy and no location (Hab 1:1). The meaning of Habakkuk’s name in Hebrew is not completely clear, but it is thought to be derived from a root meaning ‘to embrace’, which would really fit his message very well.
Some have concluded from the psalm-like musical instructions in Hab 3:1 ”according ot Shigionoth”, Hab 3:9 “selah” and Hab 3:19 “To the leader: with stringed instruments” that Habakkuk must have been a Levite, most likely a temple singer. But this can’t be said with certainty, for these notations could have also been added later when Habakkuk’s prayer started to be used liturgically.
In the Old Testament Apocrypha, non-authoritative Jewish writings of that time, there is a story where Habakkuk rescues Daniel from the lion’s den a second time (the legend of Bel and the Dragon). The dates do not match, though, for Habakkuk speaks 609-605 BC, the lion’s den happens around 539 BC and the story is a fiction only.

The historical situation

In order to understand the time the book of Habakkuk is written into, the historical background of that time needs to be looked at in some detail:
640 BC Josiah, Judah’s last godly king, starts to reign. He tries to root out idolatry from Judah with wholehearted and far-reaching reforms.
627 BC Assyria’s last strong king, Asshurbanipal dies. Assyria’s grip on its large empire starts to weaken.
626 BC Nabopolassar becomes the new king of Babylon. He manages to free the province of Babylon from Assyrian rule.
612 BC An alliance of Babylonians and Medes conquer and destroy the Assyrian capital Nineveh. Assyria retreats.
609 BC Babylon and several allies battle against an alliance of Assyria and Egypt. The Egyptian Pharaoh Necho has responded to Assyria’s summons and sets out with his troops in a northern direction to assist Assyria. Though Pharaoh tells him to stay out of the way, king Josiah challenges him to battle (2 Kin 23:29, 2 Chr 35:20). Josiah is killed. Pharaoh Necho reaches Assyria and together they defeat the alliance of Babylon at Charchemish.
After Josiah’s death, there is a terrible reversal. Judah embraces wholesale idolatry and quickly descends into rampant societal injustice.
605 BC Nabopolassar dies and his son Nebuchadnezzar becomes the new king of Babylon. He challenges the Assyria-Egypt coalition again at Charchemish, but this time he is victorious. The Assyrian empire falls to Nebuchanezzar and Babylon is the new super-power.
The victorious Nebuchadnezzar then sweeps south and conquers everything in its path all the way down to Egypt. He also conquers Jerusalem and exiles a part of its population.

Where does Habakkuk fit in this history? Habakkuk witnesses Judah embracing wholesale idolatry and descending into societal injustice after 609 BC. This probably sparks his complaint about why God doesn’t do anything (Hab 1:2-4). God answers Habakkuk’s complaint by announcing that he will raise up Babylon to judge Judah (Hab 1:5-11), Habakkuk responds with shock and dismay (Hab 1:12-12). The fact that he is shocked shows that Babylon hasn’t yet risen to be the super-power and also clearly the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem hasn’t happened (otherwise this would not be news). Therefore this happens before 605 BC.
But equally when God announces that Babylon will conquer, Habakkuk already has knowledge about them, that they are a strong, conquering, ruthless power, otherwise he wouldn’t be shocked. But Babylon’s military prowess and its claim to become the dominant power is only well known from 612 or 609 BC onward, when they have their first decisive victories.
So Habakkuk’s struggle and book can be quite definitely dated: earliest 609 BC and latest 605 BC, when Babylon is a fearsome, rising power, but yet distant.
This also shows, that from God’s prophecy that Babylon will conquer (Hab 1:5-6) to its fulfillment in 605 BC are only a few years. The threat very quickly becomes a reality.

Habakkuk’s first complaint Hab 1:2-4

Habakkuk is aware of what is happening in his nation. He sees a descent into increasing lawlessness. He prays, he cries to God and complains about God’s apparent inactivity: “How long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? Why do your make me see wrongdoing and look at trouble?”. Habakkuk sees all the evil going on: destruction, violence, strife, contention, slackness of the law, threat in court and justice perverted.
This is a realistic description of a deteriorating Judah after king Josiah’s death. Apostasy and idolatry always cause a loss of conscience, resulting in corruption and societal injustice.
Habakkuk expresses his disappointment in God, his frustration at God’s inaction, which would have been shared by the few godly people left in Judah, and is shared by many modern readers. Why does evil seem to flourish? Why does God not do something about it? We lay the blame for the sin of god-less humans at God’s feet.

God’s first answer Hab 1:5-11

God’s answer validates Habakkuk’s view of his own society and the rightness of his demand that this should stop. But God does not accept Habakkuk’s complaint that he is not doing anything. God declares what he will do: He will bring on the military might of Babylon (Chaldea is the old name of that area). God doesn’t mince words in describing how they are: fierce, impetuous, fearsome, proud, victorious and fast (Hab 1:6-11). He shows their arrogance “At kings they scoff, and of rulers they make sport. They laugh at every fortress” (Hab 1:10) as well as their self-assurance “their own might is their god!” (Hab 1:11).
God can and does judge nations. He will let evil and injustice persist for a while, like he says in Gen 15:16 “for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete”. But when a certain point is reached, when to let evil continue is worse than to judge, he does call nations to account and judges them (Lev 18:24-31). The standard applied to Israel and Judah is the Law, the standard applied to other nations is the golden rule. Here God let’s another power be victorious over his chosen but evil nation Judah.

Habakkuk’s second complaint Hab 1:12-2:1

Habakkuk reacts with dismay: “Are you not from of old? O LORD God my Holy one? …Your eyes are too pure to behold evil, and you cannot look on wrongdoing; why do you look on the treacherous and are silent when the wicked swallow those more righteous than they?” (Hab 1:12-13). Habakkuk (accurately) further describes Babylon: He depicts Babylon as one fishing with a huge drag net, gleefully catching one nation after another (Hab 1:14-17). He again picks up on the self-reliance and idolatry of Babylon: “He sacrifices to his net and makes offering to his seine”.
What is Habakkuk’s point? He appeals to God’s character of justice and purity, as good intercession always does. He judges that Babylon is a nation more wicked than Judah. He in effect says: This is too much judgment, and it is judgment by the wrong people. In his dismay Habakkuk reflects the feelings of most people of his time.
This is an old dilemma, humans doubt God’s justice when they see evil seemingly unchallenged. But when God judges, they doubt his justice in punishing humans. God is unjust if he does not do something, God is unjust if he does to something. Obviously the human feeling of justice is not that just either. This is even more obvious when we hope for God to give us grace for our evil but hope for judgment on those who commit evil against us.
Is Judah indeed more righteous than Babylon at this time? Not sure. Babylon definitely has had far less revelation than Judah (no law, no prophets) and God holds people accountable to what they knew, not to what they didn’t know. Babylon does have general moral knowledge (‘do not do to others what you don’t want them to do to you’, the golden rule) though, to which God will hold them accountable. The question is how well each nation has responded to the revelation they had. Probably the two nations are also at a different stage of God’s timed patience, Babylon is just starting but Judah has had centuries of rejecting God. According to Jeremiah’s descriptions of those horrendous last years, it appears that by the time Babylon wipes out Judah in 586 BC, Judah has become more lawless than their captors (Jer 26-42). Also it remains that God can use any nation to judge any nation. For a nation to be used by God to judge another nation does not imply its righteousness. This may well be no compliment.
Habakkuk concludes by saying: “I will stand at my watch post, station myself on the rampart; I will keep watch to see what he will say to me, and what he will answer concerning my complaint” (Hab 2:1). Habakkuk is attentive, giving full importance and expecting an answer, which is a development forward from Hab 1:2, where he thought God doesn’t answer.
The expression “station myself on the rampart” and “keep watch” could also be an expression of his faith, his assurance that God will do what he says: He is looking out for the moment Babylon will show up on the horizon. Or maybe this is the attitude he is encouraging his readers to have: to ask the tough questions, to seek God, to not let go, to care for the nation and to engage with God.

God’s second answer Hab 2:2-20

God answers: “Write the vision, make it plain on tablets, so that the runner (message bringer) may read it. For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end and does not lie. If it seems to tarry wait for it. It will surely come, it will not delay” (Hab 2:2-3). Habakkuk is told to write, to communicate, to pass this on with clarity, with patience and with conviction. Out of his frustration, his struggle with God, his personal agony but also his experience with God will come something that will help others to understand the same thing and to respond to God in faith, in spite of a dark outlook politically. Habakkuk is becoming the message after all.
God also gives Habakkuk a glimpse of something greater to come, which needs to be passed on: “Look at the proud! Their spirit is not right in them, but the righteous live by their faith” (Hab 2:4). God one day will address the problem of evil and pride in a far more foundational manner; and it will be by faith that the righteous will stand. This most famous verse of Habakkuk is quoted repeatedly in the New Testament, not least by Paul (Rom 1:17, Gal 3:11, Heb 10:39): through Jesus God will judge and gain victory over evil on the cross and open a way of righteousness for those who are willing, for those who have faith. Through Jesus righteousness will become possible, both right standing before God (justification) and also a changed life, full of knowing, loving and serving God. In this way ”the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea” (Hab 2:14). Idolatry will become ridiculous (Hab 2:18-19) and the fear of God will reign (Hab 2:20).
But – addressing more immediate times – God also assures Habakkuk that he in turn will judge Babylon, God will judge any that are evil.
God utters five so-called woe oracles, “alas for you” (Hab 2:6-20), where he declares who will be judged:
Hab 2:5 the wealthy, arrogant, discontent, those dominating others
Hab 2:6-8 you who heap up what if not your own, goods in pledge, plundered nations, bloodshed, violence done on the earth
Hab 2:9-11 you who get evil gain, thinking oneself safe, cutting of many peoples
Hab 2:12-13 you who build a town by bloodshed, found a city on iniquity
Hab 2:15-17 you who make your neighbors drink to gaze on them naked, violence, bloodshed
Hab 2:18-20 you who have false trust in idols, idol are teacher of lies, silent, no breath at all

This is a warning: Judah has sinned and will be judged, Babylon also sins and will be judged. Nobody is exempt, all who do evil will be judged for evil. Judah – sadly – is not so different.
An interesting metaphor is used in Hab 2:11: “The very stones will cry out from the wall, and the plaster (beam) will respond from the woodwork”. This could refer to the many wall reliefs made by conquering nations (like Assyria and Babylon), proudly depicting their conquests, exploits, cruelty and dominion. God here uses their very own displays of power as witnesses against them: “the very stones will cry out” against them.
The following wall reliefs show Assyrian chariots, the Assyrian assault on the city of Lachish in Judah, the skinning of defeated people (see pictures below):

Habakkuk’s prayer Hab 3:1-19

Habakkuk responds to God: “O LORD, I have heard of your renown, and I stand in awe, O LORD, of your work. In our time revive it; in our own time make it known: in wrath remember mercy” (Hab 3:2).
His changed attitude is obvious. He had indeed known something about God’s goodness, but now he really understands it and stands in awe. He now acknowledges the greatness of God, but no longer in a resentful or even somewhat manipulative way like Hab 1:2-3 or Hab 1:12-13.
He finds through to a positive view of God’s intervening or judgement: He can now wish for it “in our own time revive it, in our own time make it known” and he trusts God’s timing for it. He finds through to understanding the justice of the wrath of God, and can call on God’s mercy, which he now knows is present even in judgement. He now (like David in 2 Sam 24:14) would rather fall into God’s hands than in anyone else’s. He sees the purpose of God, can see the goodness of his purposes, though for now very gloomy things are predicted. There is a great ‘beyond’ that he trusts for now.

He continues with a description of the majesty, power and glory of God and his interventions on earth (in nature metaphors and war imagery), declaring that God will come forth to save his people and his anointed (Hab 3:3-15).
Habakkuk freely admits to trembling within, to quivering lips and trembling steps at the judgment of God that will come. But then he can also declare: “I wait quietly for the day of calamity to come upon the people who attack us” (Hab 3:16). This could refer to waiting for God to judge the evil in Judah who are persecuting the righteous, but also to waiting for God to judge Babylon for their conquest and destruction of Judah.
Habakkuk here exemplifies the response God is hoping for from people in the face of these coming realities: That they would look to him, persevere in the current circumstance, that they would not lose hope and faith even against a backdrop of seeing their nation deteriorate, be conquered or exiled.

Habakkuk ends his prayer by his famous statement of contentment and trust: “though fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit is on the vines; though the produce of the olive fails, and the fields yield no food; though the flock is cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will exult in the God of my salvation. GOD, the lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, and makes me tread upon the heights” (Hab 3:17-19).
Habakkuk models a deliberate holding on to God, a rejoicing in him, an acceptance of a greater perspective, an embracing of God’s purpose and timing, of both God’s judgment and restoration, a rejoicing in a relationship with Him. Habakkuk knows the circumstance won’t improve, but rather than complaining and doubting God, he can embrace it as a consequence of human actions, a thing not outside of God’s control. God will give strength to his people to face whatever happens to their nations. They will be able to walk into it with endurance and hope, and so “tread upon the heights”.

Color coding Suggestions

• Who (who is speaking?), peoples, groups … when, where
• Questions, emphatic statements, connectives
• Repeated Themes
  • judgement, invasion, war, conquest, army, siege, …
  • reasons for judgement: sin, injustice, unjust gain, pride, …
  • trust, faith, waiting, enduring, …
  • mercy
  • suffering, lack, trouble, fruitlessness, …

Introduction

Basic Outline of the book

Who is speaking to whom in this book? Habakkuk is mostly and interaction between Habakkuk and God:

• Hab 1:2-4      Habakkuk complains to God about the injustice he sees around him, the law being broken, basically saying ‘Why do you not do anything?’
• Hab 1:5-11     God answers: I am rousing the fearful, warlike, conquering Chaldeans, basically saying ‘I will judge Judah’s injustice alright, by bringing in the Chaldeans.’
• Hab 1:12-2:1 Habakkuk answers: “You who cannot look at wrongdoing, why do you look on the treacherous and are silent when the wicked swallow those more righteous than they?” Basically Habakkuk says: the Chaldeans are far worse than Judah, how can you use them to judge Judah?
• Hab 2:2-20 God basically answers: ‘I will eventually judge the Chaldeans as well, I judge all who do evil.’
• Hab 3:2-19  Habakkuk responds standing in awe of God, understanding his character, accepting God’s judgment and way of judgment.

What is special or unique about Habakkuk?

• He doesn’t actually address Judah, the nation, people, kings, other nations. He only addresses God.
• It is not so much a ‘word to the nation’ as a record of the prophet’s struggle with God.
• But then how would this writing become part of the Bible canon, how does it become ‘the word of God’?
• Habakkuk’s struggle is one that all people of his time would have had. That we all still have!
• In this sense Habakkuk is a bit like Jonah: It’s the story of a prophet unhappy with things, and unhappy with God. It’s a record of a conflict with God, of a prophet getting new revelation.
• That is special, for usually prophets not only speak God’s word, God’s message, they are God’s message. They represent God to the people, they exemplify God’s emotions, as a Hosea or an Amos, or an Isaiah.
• Here we get – again – a prophet who struggles with God’s character and actions. Jonah and Habakkuk are alike in this … but different in that with Habakkuk we see his ‘repentance’, ‘change of mind’ exhibited in his prayer in chapter 3. Habakkuk is also different that he doesn’t go to a foreign nation, and that it is not a story (like Jonah), but a record of an interaction with God, a peak into Habakkuk’s private journal.
• But they are alike again in that they are both at the beginning totally representative of their own cultures. Everybody thought like they thought. Only when they change their minds do they start representing God’s view (over against the normal view of the time). They represent God in their final writings, though they didn’t represent God before.
• Both books are very honest records of the prophets’ personal struggles, they freely share their ’embarrassing struggles’, and help many processing the same thing.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Author

• Hab 1:1, 3:1 prophet Habakkuk, no father’s name, no genealogy, “prophet” is his only self-description. He is the only prophet to give himself only this description. Obadiah just gave his name. Not even a prophet title.
• Some people think that he belonged to one of the professional guilds of prophets. (1 Chr 25:1, but this is David’s time)
• Habakkuk’s name is thought to be derived from a root meaning ‘to embrace’.
• Hab 3:1, 3:9, 3:19  “a prayer of the prophet Habakkuk according to Shigionoth … Selah …To the leader: with stringed instruments.”
• Some people conclude from this that he was a Levite, connected with the worship divisions for the temple
• Some people think these were later additions by an editor or musical director to make the prayer of faith liturgically usable, but do not indicate Habakkuk being a Levite singer or something
• Hab 1:1   Habakkuk ‘sees the oracle’, a mixed metaphor for a visual and auditory revelation from God.
• Apocrypha: Habakkuk appears in the legend of Bel and the Dragon (addendums to Daniel), where he rescued Daniel from his second time in the lion’s den.

Historical background and Contemporary kings

• 640-609 BC Josiah  is a good king, wholehearted reformation, reestablishing of worship, feasts, wiping out idolatry in Judah and beyond, rediscovery and obedience to the law. Reforms do not grip as deeply as intended, quite quick reversal afterward (Kings, Chronicles, Jeremiah).
• 626 BC          Nabopolassar becomes king of Babylon > strong leader
• 612 BC          Babylon and the Medes conquer Nineveh, the Assyrian capital. Assyrians retreat to Haran.
• 610 BC          Babylon conquers Haran. Assyrians retreats to Charchemish.
• 609 BC         Josiah killed in the battle of Megiddo, which he unwisely engages against Pharaoh Neco II’s words (2 Kin 23:29, 2 Chr 35:20). Pharaoh Neco is on his way to support failing Assyria against rising Babylon. Egypt and Assyria defeat Babylon. In the meantime Jehoahaz becomes king (3 months). He is evil. On the way back the victorious Neco deposes Jehoahaz and takes him captive to Egypt. Egypt puts his brother Jehoiakim in power. He is evil as well.
• 605 BC        Nebuchadnezzar becomes Babylon’s new king. Babylon wins the final battle over Assyria and Egypt at Charchemish > Assyria is conquered, Egypt is defeated, Judah and others are now at the mercy of Babylon. Babylon sweeps South and invades many nations, among them Judah and Jerusalem > 1st deportation (among them Daniel).

When written?

• Hab 1:2-4    after Habakkuk’s complaint to God that he is not ‘doing anything’ against the injustice in Judah, God announces in Hab 1:6 that he will bring on the Chaldeans (Babylon) to judge Judah.
• This is introduced by God saying in Hab 1:5 “Be astonished! Be astounded!”. Also Habakkuk’s outcry in Hab 1:12-13 at this suggests that he is surprised and appalled.
• It seems Babylon has not yet become the all-conquering world empire, but it is already strong and known enough for its violence and war-likeness to be fear-inspiring. So this would seem that we are before Nebuchadnezzar’s all-around sweep of 605 BC, possibly even before 609 or 612 BC)
• Hab 1:13-14  Yet Habakkuk’s description of Babylon’s violence and dreaded warfare is given as ‘common knowledge’ > so the date cannot be too early either
• Hab 1:2-4     the description of the present state of Judah is: wrongdoing, destruction, violence, strife, contention, law slack, justice never prevails, the wicked surround the righteous, judgment comes forth perverted.
• This seems to fit the reign of Jehoahaz or Jehoiakim better than that of Josiah > that would put the date after 609 BC. Jeremiah in Jer 22:1-7, 22:13-23 challenges Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim in the same way: injustice, wrongdoing against weak, unjust gain, refusal to listen.
• Also the reference to law makes it past 622 BC, when Josiah found the book of the law.
• So probably 609 – 605 BC, which means towards the beginning of Jehoiakim’s reign.

Written to whom?

• Not specified. Actually – unlike all other prophets – he doesn’t seem to address anyone. It’s more a record of his own struggle, argument, question-answer with God.
• Yet all his contemporaries probably shared his attitude in the beginning (resentful, then appalled) > to teach them.
• So Judah (indicated by the date of writing), at a time when Israel is no more … addressing those struggling like him.

From where written?

• Unknown, Judah most likely.

Contemporary prophets

• a bit before                           Nahum to Judah        640-628 BC  Jerusalem
• contemporary                      Zephaniah to Judah   628-612 BC  Jerusalem
• contemporary and longer Jeremiah to Judah      627-580 BC Jerusalem
• just after him                      Daniel to Babylon        605-536 BC  Babylon
• after him                              Ezekiel to exiles          593-560 BC  Babylon

Literary Category?

• Poetry > figurative interpretation all, except introductory sentences like Hab 1:1, 3:1, 3:19b.

Structure?

• Prophecy, Hab 1:1 calls it an oracle, Hab 2:2 calls it a vision. First an announcement of judgment (Hab 1:5-11), then reasons for judgment (Hab 1:2-4)

Composition?

• Prophecy, but a peculiar style: conversation between Habakkuk and God. Habakkuk is a Question – Answer session with God. Chapter 3 is a prayer-response by Habakkuk.

Main ideas?

• Struggle with God’s seeming silence to injustice, and with God’s choice of the judgment-executor, being less righteous still.
• Future judgment on proud, self-sufficient, powerful Babylon
• Having faith in God’s justice, timing and power to save, finding peace even against negative and deteriorating political backdrop

Main reasons?

• Encourage the godly struggling with these same thoughts, doubts, feelings as Habakkuk
• warn Judah of coming judgment, due to sin > to challenge them repent and seek God
• to announce judgment on Babylon > hope for Judah beyond

HABAKKUK TEXT

Habakkuk 1:1-4            Habakkuk’s 1st question or complaint

• Habakkuk’s first question or complaint is: Why is God allowing injustice? Why doesn’t he do something?
• Issues Habakkuk mentions: Violence, wrongdoing, trouble, destruction, strife, contention, law becomes slack, justice never prevails, the wicked surround the righteous > judgment comes forth perverted.
• This is a realistic description of that time and parallel descriptions can be found in Hosea, Amos, Micah, though a century later … after a reversal following Josiah’s death
• General truth: apostasy and idolatry > no conscience > godless society > corrupt government > social injustice.
• Habakkuk expresses his disappointment at God, frustration at God’s inaction: “how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen? Will not save? Why do you make me see wrongdoing and trouble?”… God should answer prayer. God should do something!
• Habakkuk sees a terrible reversal after Josiah, showing that even though the king was wholehearted, the people weren’t, or at least not for long. His feeling, doubt, complaint would have been shared by the few godly people left in Judah.
• But even those looking for God to ‘do something’ would be appalled at the prediction of a Babylonian invasion, and the self-righteous who are evil and don’t see a problem with that, would be more outraged still. In that sense Habakkuk is representing both good and bad people in Judah.
• Again: Habakkuk is a bit like Jonah: who also displays his nations prejudiced view and then gets cured by God and writes a book to help others get ‘cured’. He challenges his readers all right!
• This feeling, doubt, complaint we often share. Why do evil people seem to flourish? What do god-fearing people get treated so unjustly? Why does God not do something? Why does he allow evil to continue?
• We call for justice, we call for judgment, for God to ‘do something’. But then when God announces it we wince. Calling for ‘a bullet for Hitler’. Fair enough. And for his top men. Fair enough. And for the helpers and hangers-oners. Hmm. And for everybody who didn’t become a martyr by opposing him. Well, that’s almost anybody!
• The problem with calling for judgment is: where do you want God to stop? At you? Remember Revelation? We want God to ‘do something’ and then resent him for ‘judging’. We cry for justice and then fear it.
• Also: Calling for God’s judgment means calling for everybody’s judgment, which is basically calling for the end of the world.

Habakkuk 1:5-11               God’s reply

• God replies, basically saying: ‘I will do something, I will judge Judah for their evil – by the hand of Babylon.’
• Babylon is described as fierce, impetuous, dread, fearsome, proud, scoffing, victorious, fast. In Hab 1:9-10 they are described as fearless, scoffing at kings, making sport of rulers, laughing at fortresses, heap up earth to take it, sweep by like the wind > a powerful metaphoric description of Babylonian warfare.
• Babylon’s ‘god’? Of course they have their national gods, like Bel, Nabu, Ishtar, but also consider: In Hab 1:7 it says that their justice and dignity proceeds from themselves. In Hab 1:11 it says their own might is their god!

Habakkuk 1:12-2:1                Habakkuk’ 2nd question or complaint

• How can God judge Judah by Babylon, a nation more evil than the one judged?
• Hab 1:12-13 “Are you not from of old? O LORD God my Holy one? 13 Your eyes are too pure to behold evil and you cannot look on wrongdoing … Why do you look on the treacherous and are silent when the wicked swallow those more righteous than they?”
• Habakkuk struggles now with the opposite: That was too much! That was judgment by the wrong people! … How can you use such a wicked nation as your instrument of judgement? on your chosen people? A nation more evil than the one judged (Judah)?
• In this he totally reflects the feeling of the Judah of his time. Again the parallel to Jonah.
• This is good intercession: arguing God’s character to God 🙂 … but it is from a limited view. Habakkuk thinks the fact that God judges by the hand of Babylon means that he is unjust. He thinks Judah better than Babylon. That might be still true, by the time Babylon invades Judah is no longer any better. Also Judah had the law, revelation and the prophets, Babylon had none of it.
• We want God to do something, to end evil. But in the same moment we don’t want him to judge > which is an impossible demand. Why does a good God allow evil to happen? at the same time we say: How can a good God judge? … Well, what do you want??
• This also shows that is is possible for a heathen nation to be used by God to judge his own nation, and other nations, but it does not mean ‘unaccountability’, ‘willfullness’, it doesn’t mean the judging nation is better. So really this leaves no room for pride, no room for false security.
• Never gloat at somebody’s judgment, however deserved (remember Obadiah?), God has no joy in judgment, neither should you have. Rather say: what caused God to judge that one will cause him to judge me if I do the same. Where in me are the beginnings of that same sin? > Illustration: pulling weeds when they are still small.
• Hab 1:14-17 peoples as fish and crawling things, Babylon as the one with a hook, net, seine … brings all fish up, keeps emptying net, destroying nations without mercy
• This is a powerful metaphor, playing on the Babylonian warfare… there is a Babylonian wall art piece showing Nebuchadnezzar with a fisher net dragging in multiple fish (can’t find it).
• Hab 2:1 “I will stand at my watch post, station myself on the rampart; I will keep watch to see what he will say to me, and what he will answer concerning my complaint.”
• Habakkuk attentive, expecting an answer (a development forward from Hab 1:2, probably because the answer of Hab 1:6-11 came), with full importance, full expectancy
• This could also express his faith: why watch post and rampart > looking out for Babylon, meaning he fully expects God’s word to come true, waits for it, believes in it, though he doesn’t fully understand it.
• This could be the attitude he is encouraging his readers to have: to ask the tough questions, to seek him, to not let go, to care for the nation, to engage with God.
• Again an important call to seek God. Remember Job? to not coldly conclude and withdraw (‘If this what you will do, then I don’t need you’), to rather fight, pummel his chest, engage … Illustration: the child in the father’s arm

Habakkuk 2:2-20                        God’s reply

• God answers: ‘I will surely judge proud, greedy, cruel, idolatrous Babylon and show my glory.’
• Hab 2:2 “Write the vision, make it plain on tablets, so that the runner (message bringer) may read it”. Vision given, it speaks of the end, if it seems to tarry wait for it. It will surely come, it will not delay. Habakkuk says “I stand at my watch post, station myself on the rampart; I will keep watch to see what he will say to me, and what he will answer concerning my complaint.”
• Habakkuk is told to write, communicate, pass on, with clarity, with patience, with conviction
• Out of his frustration, struggle with God, personal agony but also experience with God will come something that will help others to see the same thing, to respond to God in faith, in spite of a dark outlook politically. > Habakkuk is becoming the message after all!
• This is also a challenge to the readers (having learned this difficult lesson) to pass it on.
• Need for assurance, for faith in God’s word to come true
• Need for clear communication, for stating the vision, for sharing the gained understanding > If we don’t know what we are about, how should anyone know?
• Hab 2:4-5 “proud, not right, arrogant, open throats wide as Sheol, like death never have enough, gather all nations > will not endure … but the righteous will live by their faith.” God will save his own in the hard times (or take them to himself). Those who have faith can act appropriately and with hope in whatever circumstances.
• This is also a Messianic prophecy, quoted three times in the New Testament: by Paul in Gal 3:11, Rom 1:17 … and also in Heb 10:39.
• This therefore also is looking forward to the new covenant. This sheds a light back on Hab 2:2 as well: write the vision, make it clear > also a challenge to share the gospel and to spread and teach the word of God clearly, plainly, powerfully, so people would hear and be discipled.

Habakkuk 2:6-20                   5 Woe oracles: ‘alas’

• Who is this ‘woe’ spoken to?
  • It seems that it starts with small scale personal sin (parallel Hab 1:2-4) > therefore probably referring to Judah.
  • But then it very quickly widens out to address big national evil done to nations (parallel Hab 1:5-11, 1:14-17) > therefore also primarily referring to conquering Babylon
• Hab 2:6-8  “alas for you who heap up what if not your own, goods in pledge, plundered many nations, bloodshed, violence done on the earth / cities.”
• Hab 2:9-11  “alas for you who get evil gain, thinking oneself safe, cutting of many peoples.”
• Hab 2:12-13  “alas for you who build a town by bloodshed, found a city on iniquity, people labor only to feed the flames.”
• Hab 2:15-17   “alas for you who make your neighbors drink > gaze on their nakedness, violence, bloodshed on earth.”
• Hab 2:18-20   “alas for those who have false trust in idols, idol = teacher of lies, silent, no breath at all.”
• Judah has sinned and will be judged, Babylon also has sinned and will be judged > parallels makes sense and is an important message to the first readers: do not think yourself above it. You will be judged for evil.
• Habakkuk in this indirect way does address the evil of his nation as do the other prophets, > it is an indirect call to repent
• The parallels also bite a bit > again the theme (already in Amos, somewhat in Micah and Jeremiah): you are no different from other nations, which means you flunked your calling, you sin as they do.
• Hab 2:11  “The very stones will cry out from the wall, and the plaster (beam) will respond from the woodwork.” … This could refer to the many wall reliefs that depict (Assyria’s and) Babylon’s conquests, exploits, cruelty and dominion. They were proud of their victories and violent subjugation of other nations > made it into wall reliefs > these are now witnesses against them.
• See pictures below. Wall reliefs of lions, lion hunt, war chariots, the assault on the city of Lachish of Judah, skinning of defeated people.

• Hab 2:14 in the middle of the woes a contrast, another perspective on what will happen due to God intervening, judging > “But the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”
• An amazing sentence and view: through it all the revelation of God’s glory will come to the earth … parallel Isa 11:9 “for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters over the sea.”
• Habakkuk probably knew Isaiah’s writings (some 90 years before him) but now he can ‘see it, too’.
• Assurance to Judah and future generations in exile: In all this madness, God’s plan is going ahead. Babylon will be judged. God will establish another kingdom indeed.
• Contrary also to our gloom and doom end time scenarios: Jesus’ authority will only increase, the knowledge of God will fill the earth, the gospel will be preached to all the earth …

Habakkuk 3:1-19                            Habakkuk’s response

• Habakkuk responds to God, basically saying ‘I will trust you in all this.’
• Hab 3:2 “O LORD, I have heard of your renown, and I stand in awe, O LORD, of your work. In our time revive it; in our own time make it known: in wrath remember mercy.”
• Habakkuk acknowledges the greatness of God, but no longer in a resentful or even somewhat manipulative way like in Hab 1:2-3 or 1:12-13.
• He finds through to a positive view of God’s intervening or judgement: He can now wish for it (‘in our own time revive it, in our own time make it known) and he trusts God’s timing, now praying or praising rather than correcting God. He finds through to seeing the justice of the wrath of God, and can call on God’s mercy, which he now knows is present even in the judgement.
• He now (like David in 2 Sam 24:14) would rather fall into God’s hands than anyone else’s.
• He sees the purpose of God, and how that purpose in the end will be good, even though for now very gloomy things are predicted. There is a great ‘beyond’ that he trusts for now.

Application

• The need for the greater perspective. We demand for the now, loose ourselves in the past (dementia). Habakkuk sees the present against the background of the purpose of God in history, in life, in his nation > so can withstand hard circumstances.
• Long-term perspective: If my life is just building a platform, with not much visible fruit, planting with not so much visible outcome, so others can come later and build on it > God is glorified
• There is intercessory prayer, basically asking God for help! There is interrogatory prayer, asking why?
• Application: When we are upset, we tend to wait till we cool off, get things under control till we go to prayer. Psalmists broke into prayer boiling with anger, in complete distress … God is happy to hear whatever. The psalms invite us to just come to God, to be real, to be honest, pouring out our hearts.
• Habakkuk’s book could be summarized in this way: Habakkuk protests, God answers, then Habakkuk sings.
• You cannot help others when you have not honestly wrestled it through yourself. We can either hide from the bad reality, protect our safe world, make sure we are comfortable … or we can open our eyes, look out, focus on others, be broken by reality, run to God and get his perspective and hope
• Hab 3:3-3:15  There verses are basically a description of the majesty, power and glory of God, his intervening on earth, in nature metaphors and in war imagery.
• Hab 3:13-15   “God will come forth to save his people, his anointed”
• Hab 3:16         Habakkuk’s response is … “trembling within, lips quiver, rottenness enters bones, steps tremble” (presumably at the judgment of God which will come). But then: “I wait quietly for the day of calamity to come upon the people who attack us”…. wait for judgment for salvation.
• Waiting for what judgment?
  • 1 wait for God to judge Babylon for their conquest and destruction of Judah … but really that could also be
  • 2 the righteous waiting for God to judge the evil in Judah.
• Habakkuk here exemplifies the response God is hoping for from people in the face of these coming realities: looking to him, perseverance in the current circumstance, not loosing hope and faith even against a backdrop of my own nation deteriorating, or an invasion and exile.
• God is working with the few faithful, by saving them in difficult circumstances. Or it could be similar to the church in the New Testament: God saves ultimately (salvation, eternal life), but he may or may not save his people from present persecution.
• Application: We are so assured of present realities. We think the way the world is, the way the map looks, the way the borders are will remain forever. But there is not assurance of this. 50 years ago this country didn’t exist. In another 100 years India may have fallen apart into 20 nations. Europe as we know it might no longer be there. Great upheavals have happened all throughout history.
• Example: Europe in 400 AD. Roman Empire falls apart. The barbarians invade. It falls apart into many undefined pieces. But gospel has crossed the borders before. The church spreads. Irish monks evangelize Europe. New nations are created. Later invasion of the Vikings … but the gospel went before.
• No assurance of stable maps or nations. But assurance of God’s hand saving his people and building his church. Things may look very different very soon. People will think it is the end of the world. But it is not. God keeps working, things reform. History goes on.
• Do not overly fear war. Or change. This is not where our assurance lies. Judah will be invaded. Jerusalem’s temple will be destroyed. People will be sold into slavery. But God’s purpose goes on. His word remains. He fulfills his promises. He is in control still.
• To embrace and suffer with one’s nation. Not to flee, not to evade, not to blame (I am God-fearing so I am not the cause of this so why do I suffer anyway?), to bear the burdens, to cry with its destruction.

Habakkuk 3:17-19                      Habakkuk’s statement of contentment and trust

• Hab 3:17 Agricultural (Deu 28) images: “though fig tree doesn’t blossom … no fruit on the vine … produce of olive fails … fields yield no food…flock cut off … no herd in the stall” … fig, wine, oil, grain, herds = normal food and life.
• Hab 3:18 “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will exult in the God of my salvation, God the Lord, is my strength.” Habakkuk is deliberately holding on, rejoicing in God, accepting of greater perspective, embracing of God’s purpose & timing, of God’s judgment and restoration … rejoicing in relationship with Him (though the circumstance do not improve for Habakkuk).
• Habakkuk models what God is hoping for from his faithful.
• Hab 3:19  “God, the LORD, is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, and makes me tread upon the heights” … a confession of total dependence on God for this endurance & attitude
• Why this picture with the deer? … this is a picture of beauty, strength, movement, freedom, but also vulnerability … the faithful within the current circumstances.
  How to find peace, how to hold on the faith, how to keep hope in difficult, even darkening circumstances? … God.