Habakkuk is different from the other prophets. This is not a prophet's sermon to the lost Israel. Instead, this book is Habakkuk having a conversation with God - a tough one. He questions: if God is good, why is He letting all this evil continue in Israel? After God answers his questions, Habakkuk ends the book with a prayer of praise.
The burden which the prophet Habakkuk saw. Habakkuk 1:1
If you feel burdened or overwhelmed by the amount of sin in the world, this book is for you. If you have questions for God about why all this sin is just being allowed to continue in His presence, this book is for you.
O Lord, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear? Even cry out to You, "Violence!" and You will not save. Why do You show me iniquity, and cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; there is strife, and contention arises. Therefore the law is powerless and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore perverse judgement proceeds. Habakkuk 1:2-4
Habakkuk wants to know why God wants him to notice all the evil around him. Why does God allow us to see iniquity and trouble, in ourself or others? Here are some possible reasons.
seeing it makes us be humble. We aren’t perfect, but if we ignore our sins or physical troubles, we are placing ourselves higher up than we deserve.
seeing it makes us admire the grace of God when He saves us from sin.
seeing it shows us the wickedness of sin so that we may come to hate it just as God does.
seeing it makes us more earnest to work in the kingdom and help save others. When we see the sin problem, we then see the opportunity to do the work of God.
1:5-11 : God's Response
God tells Habakkuk he doesn’t have to wait for justice much longer. The Babylonians are a terrifying, strong nation coming to capture the Jews. Isn’t this wonderful news? God was sending just punishment on the wickedness that was surrounding Habakkuk. Didn’t Habakkuk want a fierce punishment delivered to the Jews?
1:12-17 Habakkuk goes: this makes even less sense. Yes, You are punishing the evil in our nation. I thought You would get rid of the injustice, but You’re using these evil nations to do it. Why? Habakkuk continues:
I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected. Habakkuk 2:1
How often God’s answer comes and finds us gone. Habakkuk knows that if he doesn’t agree with God, he is the one needing correction. God’s ways are always right. If you have to question God, expect correction. Habakkuk knew that questioning God would not require God to change, but for himself to. He waited not just for an answer, but he expected to be corrected on his thinking since it differed from God’s plans.
2:2-3 : God's Second Reply
God replies, hold on. You’re going to need to write this down. My justice is not finished with the Babylonians overtaking Jerusalem. These nations’ pride and wickedness are going to bring about cycles of revenge from other nations.
Notice how it says in vs. 2:
Write it plain, that he may run who reads it.
I read it backwards the first time (write it plain, that he may read it who runs), but this is saying that this answer is going to fuel the readers and give them hope and ability to persevere. Or conversely, that this answer is going to fuel the readers to run away as fast as they can from the coming doom. It will be dependent on the reader's current spiritual stance: the proud or the just (2:4).
2:4-8 The Proud
There is nothing godly about a prideful people.
This is a sin who knows diversity. It is universal. “Pride is everywhere and takes all manner of shapes. Here is the rich man, proud of what he has. There is the poor man, proud of his 'honor' in having less. Here is the talented man, proud of what he can do. There is the man of few talents, proud of his hard work. Here is the establishment man, proud of his place in society. There is the counter-cultural man, proud of his 'outcast' status. Here is the educated man, proud of his intelligence and learning. Here is the simple man, proud of his simplicity” (Guzik's Commentary). Being aware of opportunity to be prideful can help us in fighting this temptation.
2:4 Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith.
Usually whenever I hear "the just shall live by faith", I think of it being the opposite of living by sight or by law; and Paul actually uses this old testament quote to compare faith to sight or law (Romans 1:17; Hebrews 10:38; Galatians 3:11). But in its origin in Habbakuk, God says the opposite of living by faith is living in pride. Pride looks to self, while faith looks to God. You know why Habakkuk was a man of faith? He did not rely on his own thinking and ways but looked to God for all comfort and truth. All of the woes about to be discussed contrast with living by faith.
1. Woe to the greedy. 2:9-11
Not living by faith, but always longing for more than God provides and taking matters into one's own hands to obtain these desires. When someone puts his/her faith in the fleeting things money can obtain on this earth, he/she gains the whole world but loses his/her own soul (Luke 12:16-21).
2. Woe to the violent. 2:12-14
Not living by faith nor trusting in God’s justice, but rather taking it into one's own hands to get revenge or to punish or using violence to acquire something. Acting out violently against others is showing a lack of faith in God's divine ruling. He wills that we seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him. Violence does not lead others to see and know God.
3. Woe to the drunk or the condoner/supporter of drinking. 2:15-17
Not living by faith and instead of using all of these resources to bring glory to God, one is bringing shame to self. Dissipation can be defined as the "squandering of money, energy, or resources" (Oxford Dictionary).
And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18
Paul writes that drunkenness = dissipation. If you are an avid drinker, consider how the resources spent on obtaining a drink could be used differently to further God's kingdom and will. The problem of causing one another's drunkenness was that the people of Habakkuk's day knew the results of drinking: lack of clear thinking, to the point they could manipulate one another. They were using drunkenness to their own selfish advantage, and God said that it was filling them with shame. This violent act towards their neighbors was anything but an act of faith.
4. Woe to the idolater. 2:18-20
Not living by faith, but impatiently creating one's own gods in order to condone one's own unrighteous living.
What profit is the image, that its maker should carve it, the molded image, a teacher of lies, that the maker of its mold should trust in it, to make mute idols? Woe to him who says to wood, "Awake!" To silent stone, "Arise! It shall teach!" Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, yet in it there is no breath at all. But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him. Habakkuk 2:18-20
In contrast to the inanimate objects, the Lord is living in His holy temple.
God reminds Habakkuk of God’s ultimate wisdom, strength, and triumph. And that is the answer to incite faith. Whatever inanimate, physical things to which you are giving your current devotion, stop and listen to the advice of God. These things have no life, and they are not leading you towards eternal life. Give your devotion to the Living God.
When I heard, my body trembled; my lips quivered at the voice; rottenness entered my bones; and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble. When he comes up to the people, he will invade them with his troops. Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls -- yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills. Habakkuk 3:16-19
Habakkuk now knows. No matter what injustice he sees, or questions he has, or difficulties he faces, he need only to live by faith and find joy in the salvation the Lord has provided. God has used unjust peoples to bring justice on some nations in the past, but ultimately in eternity all will receive just judgement.
God’s going to take care of the injustice. All He requires of you to be counted just is to live by faith.