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CHAPTER 35 – Habakkuk: Approx. 630 B.C.

Habakkuk is the thirty-fifth book of the Bible. The title of the book in the Hebrew Bible is Chabaqquq probably meaning “one who embraces.” The English title comes from the Jerome’s Latin Vulgate which has the title Habacuc, “Habakkuk.”

Authorship

The prophet Habakkuk is the author of the book of Habakkuk. It was probably written no later than 630 B.C.

Summary

The book opens with Habakkuk saying that his book is the burden (prophecy from God) that he saw. Habakkuk cries out to God and asks God how long will God permit the apostasy (unfaithfulness to God) and the crime of Judah to go unchecked and unpunished.

God answers Habakkuk’s plaintive plea by assuring him that He will raise up the Chaldeans (Babylonians) who will come with violence and invade Judah. By this means, God says, He will punish Judah for their sins. In response, Habakkuk affirms God as his Holy One and declares, “We shall not die“. He then asks God how can God, who is just, permit the wicked to devour the man who is more righteous than he. Habakkuk then says that he will watch to see what God will answer.

God answers Habakkuk saying to Habakkuk that he is to write the vision from God about Judah because it will surely come. Then God says to Habakkuk that he who is lifted up in pride is not upright, but the just shall live by faith. Next, God describes at length the sins of Babylon, and says let all the earth keep silence before God.

In response, Habakkuk prays to God expressing his awe at the coming divine anger, and makes a plea to God that God, in His anger, would remember mercy. God then gives Habakkuk a vision of His glory and power, showing God at work for the salvation of His faithful ones and for the overthrow of their enemies.

At this prospect, Habakkuk rejoices in the God of his salvation, and affirms his faith in the ultimate success of God’s divine plan of salvation. Habakkuk then dedicates his prayer as a psalm (sacred song) to the chief singer on his stringed instruments.

Themes

• A conversation between God and one of His faithful people.
• A prophecy from God.
• A vision from God.
• Prayer.
• Steadfast faith in God.
• Judgments from God because of sins.
• Rejoicing in God.

God as Revealed in the Book

• God hears the cry of the heart of every human being who calls upon Him in sincerity.
• God answers those who are perplexed by the wickedness of those who profess to worship God.
• God will use sinners to punish other sinners, but none will escape His judgments if they do not repent.
• God is aware of the sins of every human being.
• God can give visions to any person.
• God gives prophecies of the future.
• God calls every upon human being to be humble and to have faith in Him.

Connections with the Rest of the Bible

“Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?” Job 11:7-10.

“For he [God] knoweth vain men [vain human beings]: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it? For vain man [vain human beings] would be wise, though man [human beings] be born like a wild ass’s colt” (Job 11:11, 12) so that “ye [human beings] know nothing at all.” John 11:49. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” Romans 11:33.

“Great is our Lord [God], and of great power: his understanding is infinite.” Psalm 147:5. “The LORD [God] is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.” Psalm 145:17. “Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the…righteous shall be delivered [from eternal death (annihilation).” Proverbs 11:21. “He [God] will make an utter [complete] end [of sin]: affliction [sin] shall not rise up the second time [in the universe].” Nahum 1:9.

“Be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5. Therefore, humble yourself and say of yourself wholeheartedly, “LORD [God], my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.” Psalm 131:1. “Neither be ye of doubtful mind.” Luke 12:29. “Have faith in God.” Mark 11:22.

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD [God]: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be [white] as wool.” Isaiah 1:18. “Blessed are they that mourn [about their own sin and the sins of the world]: for they shall be comforted [by God with eternal life].” Matthew 5:4.

Spiritual Applications

Pray to God sincerely and ask God to help you to do His will, believing that God will help you, and thus you will be enabled to make the spiritual applications noted below:

• Humble yourself in the sight of God.
• Have reverence for God.
• Have faith in God.
• Cry out to God from a sincere heart and He will answer you, not necessarily by visions and dreams or audibly, but often by directing you to the word of God, the Bible.
• Do not demand that God answer you in the way that you think He should. Instead, learn from the record in the Bible wherein God has already answered, in principle, any questions you may have.
• Rejoice in the God of your salvation who will save you if you repent of your sins and have faith in God.
• Know that God is exceedingly wiser than you could ever be.
• Trust God’s heart for He is righteous, a God of love, who is working to punish all the wicked, to deliver His people from their enemies, and to eliminate sin in the universe.
• Accept God’s will in all things and cooperate with God in the work that He is doing in your life and in the life of others to save all humanity from eternal death (annihilation by God).

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