The Book of Habakkuk - A commentary

Chapter 1:

 

The prophet voices his complaint to God in vs. 1-4. He’s tired of seeing wicked prevailing and justice not being served. This speaks to the holy zeal of the prophet has for God's righteous judgment against sin. God’s response is He’ll send a nation, the Chaldeans (Babylonians) to judge his people, vs. 5-11. The prophet is even more perplexed because is God is using a nation more wicked than Judah to punish them vs. 12-17. It goes to show us that God in his sovereignty can use the most wicked of sinners to fulfill is purposes. God can use anyone as his instrument of judgment for he owns all people creationally.                      

Chapter 2: 

The prophet sits as a watchman to hear what the Lord has to say. The Lord commands him to

write the vision on tablets and wait for the vision to manifest for it will not tarry vs. 2-3. The prophet uses five curses or woes to describe the Chaldean’s condition and pending destruction.

 

1.   Extortion - The Chaldeans increased what was not his. The end result is they plundered nations and      those nations will in turn plunder them vs 6-8

 

2.   Coveting – The Chaldeans increase their homes by stealing others property so as to make their homes impenetrable and high and lifted up. The prophet said that symbolically the stolen timber and walls will testify against them vs. 9-11.

 

3.   Building towns by bloodshed – Establishing cities unlawfully. Forcing people to work for nothing in   return.

 

4.  Promoting drunkenness –  The Chaldeans were causing their neighbors to get drunk so they could exploit   and take advantage of them. I return, the Lord will exploit them by pouring out the cup of his wrath of judgment against them vs. 15-17.

 

5.  Idolatry – The stupid Chaldeans beautify their dumb carved images and speaks to it expecting a reply when it’s unable to.                                                                

Chapter 3:  

The prophet ends the book with praises of God’s majesty and creative power vs. 1-16. In vs 17-19 he praises God for his salvation even if everything he relies on fails to happen. That is what all believers should do; rejoice that God has secured our salvation forever. All other blessings are extra.

 

                               This concludes the oracles of the prophet Habakkuk