Habakkuk

• Introductory Matters
• • The prophet
  • • May have been a cultic prophet at the Temple in Jerusalem whose primary concern was proclaiming salvation to Judah
    • • Some believe this is true because the form and content of the book seem intended for use in worship
      • The legend of Bel and the Dragon in the Apocrypha links Habakkuk to the family of Levi and thus to the Temple personnel - this story also says God lifted Habakkuk by the hair, transported him from Jerusalem to Babylon where Habakkuk fed Daniel who was in the lions' den again, and then brought Habakkuk back to Jerusalem
    • Nothing else is known or said of Habakkuk - even the meaning of his name is unknown
  • Date
  • • Babylonians are new world power and are coming on strong (Hab. 1:6-11)
    • Most date Habakkuk's ministry in the period 608-598 B.C.E. which is just before the initial conquest of Jerusalem - he is just barely a pre-exilic prophet
  • Literary structure
  • • Dialogue between Habakkuk and God (1:2-2:5)
    • Five woe sayings (Hab. 2:6-20)
    • Hymn (Hab. 3:1-19)
• Message of the Book
• • Dialogue between Habakkuk and God (Hab. 1:2-2:5)
  • • First question and answer (Hab. 1:2-11)
    • • Habakkuk's questions - why doesn't God judge the wicked? Why does God not seem to care that evil goes unpunished?
      • God's answer
      • • God is raising up the Babylonians to punish the Assyrians for their evil
        • While Habakkuk focuses on justice for Judea, God is concerned with justice in the entire world
        • God knows this sounds incredible to Habakkuk but it is true
    • Second question and answer (Hab. 1:12-2:5)
    • • Habakkuk's questions
      • • Why does God use wicked people to punish others who are more righteous?
        • Why does God make people so vulnerable to attack and capture?
      • God's answer
      • • God answers Habakkuk in a vision - Habakkuk is told to write the vision clearly and in plain language so it cannot be missed
        • Double answer
        • • Those who are proud will fall, but those who are righteous will live by staying faithful - the arrogant Babylonians will fall someday while the faithful Judeans will survive
          • The lust for power and wealth leads to destruction - there is always one more nation to conquer and eventually that one nation is stronger and conquers the conqueror
  • Five woe sayings (Hab. 2:6-20)
  • • Those who seek to acquire possessions and control over others will be punished by God - the plunderers will become the plundered
    • Against idols
    • • Idols are manufactured by people and cannot talk or breathe - how can they be powerful gods?
      • Two observations
      • • The gods of nations or individuals are powerless against God - God's action may be delayed but it cannot be stopped by supposed gods, even though such gods seem powerful
        • The chief idols to Habakkuk seem to be power and possessions - these cannot save when God comes to judge
  • Hymn (Hab. 3:1-19)
  • • Praises God for His victory and deliverance of His people - Habakkuk is confident that even as God destroyed his enemies before, he will do so again
    • Habakkuk decides to endure affliction and difficulty knowing his faith in God is well-placed
    • • Even though events do not work out as he would like or by his timetable, he will still rejoice in the nature of God and in his commitment to God - his faith is not dependent on material blessing
      • Habakkuk's words destroy any idea of things always going well for the faithful

Artwork from a 14th century illuminated Bible. Bible Picture Library of Photo Art (c) Christian Computer Art, 1994-97.