In Today's Email:
Welcome to the Book of Habakkuk!
The central theme of Habakkuk is the question of God’s holiness in judgment. Specifically, how could God use a wicked people like the Babylonians as a tool of judgment upon Israel. One interesting feature of this book is that Chapter 3 is a song.
A few quick facts about
The author is Habakkuk (“embrace”)
This book was written around 607 B.C., between the fall of Nineveh in 612 B.C. and the first incursion into Judah by Babylon in 606 B.C.
The key verse is 2:4 – “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.”
A brief outline:
Habakkuk’s First Complaint – 1:1-4
God’s First Response – 1:5-11
Habakkuk’s Second Complaint – 1:12-17
God’s Second Response – 2:1-20
Habakkuk’s Song of Praise – 3:1-19
Habakkuk 1 Notes
In this chapter Habakkuk questions God’s method of judgment.
vs. 1-4 – Habakkuk opens with the prophet’s complaint to God about the corruption in Judah. The pillars of religion and government had failed to rein in the hearts of the people.
vs. 5-11 – God replies that He will use the Babylonians (Chaldeans) to purge sin from the hearts of the people. God would use this mighty kingdom for His purpose. It was not because the Babylonians were more righteous than the Jews.
vs. 12-17 – Habakkuk asks how God could use such a wicked people to judge His people. Would God eventually stop them?
Habakkuk 2 Notes
In this chapter God declares the future judgment of Babylon.
vs. 1-4 – God begins His response to Habakkuk’s question from Habakkuk 1:12-17. He stresses the importance of this message to the prophet. We see in vs. 4 one of the most important verses in the Bible. The last phrase is quoted in Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38. On its surface, this verse is a contrast against the proud Babylonian and the faithful Jew. Both would be judged by God, but their fates were different: the Babylonian empire would end (see Daniel 5:30-31, 539 B.C.), the Jews would return to their homeland (see Ezra 1-2, 538 B.C.) The eternal truth in this verse is that sin brings for death and doom (Romans 6:23) while faith in and faithfulness to God brings life and blessing.
vs. 5-20 – God pronounces five “woes” against Babylon. The first is in vs. 6-8, saying that the plunderer will be plundered. The second is in vs. 9-11, saying that the evil used to build a kingdom will be evidence against it in judgment. The third is in vs. 12-14, saying that the blood shed in its rise would be fuel for the fires of judgment. The fourth is in vs. 15-17, saying that the nation had was drunk with power would be humbled. The fifth is in vs. 18-20, saying that their idols would not deliver them.
Habakkuk 3 Notes
In this chapter is a song of praise for God’s judgments.
vs. 1-2 – This song looks not backward but forward in time, seeing the Second Coming of Christ in all His power and glory and His victory at Armageddon. There may be allusions to God’s past works, but the focus is the future. Shigionoth means “wandering, rambling” and is the plural form of the word Shiggaion in the title of Psalm 7. Habakkuk prayer upon hearing of the coming judgments upon Babylon is for God to move like He did in the past. He will do just that in the future. This is the equivalent of “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20).
vs. 3-15 – The return of Christ at the close of the Tribulation is described. He comes in power, from south near Edom, where the remnant of Israel is gathered according to Isaiah 63:1-6 and Micah 2:12-13. Cushan are the Ethiopians and Midian the people on the northwest Arabian Peninsula we see in vs. 7. These would be on the east and west witnessing Christ sweeping northward from Edom. We terror of the judgment against His enemies is described. Nothing can stand before Him, and nothing can stop Him.
vs. 16-19 – The prophet is overwhelmed by the vision. He encourages his readers to have faith that God will be victorious in the end.
Closing Thoughts
God does not have to justify Himself to us. However, He loves us enough to do so sometimes. What we know of the character of God and His own explanations is that He is righteous in the administration of justice. His ways may be beyond, but we can rest assured that whatever God does is right.
Hymn for Today
Our hymn today is “The Son of God Goes Forth To War”, written in 1812 by Reginald Heber. It is a classic hymn that described Christ’s return and victory over His enemies.
The Son of God goes forth to war,
A kingly crown to gain;
His blood-red banner streams afar:
Who follows in His train?
Who best can drink his cup of woe,
Triumphant over pain;
Who patient bears his cross below,
He follows in His train.
The martyr first, whose eagle eye
Could pierce beyond the grave;
Who saw his Master in the sky,
And called on Him to save:
Like Him, with pardon on his tongue
In midst of mortal pain,
He prayed for them that did the wrong:
Who follows in His train?
A glorious band, the chosen few
On whom the Spirit came:
Twelve valiant saints, their hope they knew,
And mock'd the cross and flame.
They met the tyrant's brandish'd steel,
The lion's gory mane;
They bow'd their necks the death to feel:
Who follows in their turn?
A noble army, men and boys,
The matron and the maid,
Around the Saviour's throne rejoice,
In robes of light array'd.
They climb'd the steep ascent of heaven
Through peril, toil, and pain:
O God to us may grace be given
To follow in their train.