SURVEY OF THE BOOK OF HABAKKUK

The Book of Habakkuk was likely written between 610 and 605 BC. The author was Habakkuk. It setting was in Judah.

Number of Chapters: 3

Introduction:

Good King Josiah of Judah had been killed in battle and all the reforms he made were quickly overturned by the subsequent four kings – three sons and a grandson – all of whom were bad. Wickedness went unchecked and things have gone from bad to worse in Judah. This causes Habakkuk, a little known prophet who lived during the same time as Jeremiah, to question God’s silence and apparent lack of judgment in purging His special people, Israel. The prophet Habakkuk criticized the sins of Judah but grappled with the fact that God’s chosen people will suffer at the hands of enemies even more wicked than they. Habakkuk asks, “Why?” The second time the prophet asked why, God answers with a flood of proof and predictions. Habakkuk finally catches a glimpse of the character and nature of God, and in response, can only stand back in awe and praise of Him. This resulted in the strengthening of his faith in God’s wisdom, sovereignty, and salvation.

Outline/Structure
Chapters 1-2: Habakkuk’s Problem

Ch. 1:2-4: Habakkuk’s complaint (First): Habakkuk has a problem with understanding God’s ways: Why, God, are you allowing the wicked in Judah to go unpunished?”  Why does God allow His chosen people to suffer in their captivity?

Ch. 1:5-11: The Lord’s Answer: God gives an answer the prophet doesn’t expect: God will use the Babylonians to punish Judah.

Ch. 1:12-17:  Habakkuk’s Second Complaint: Now, Habakkuk has a bigger problem: ‘How can you, the holy Judge, punish Judah through a nation that is even more wicked?”

Ch. 2:2-20: The Lord’s Answer: God answers back that He is aware of the Babylon’s sins, and assures that the Babylonian will not escape His terrible judgment. But Judah, says God, is guilty of the same kinds of sins and will also be punished.

The Lord concludes His answer to Habakkuk with a statement about His all-controlling majesty: “The Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth be silent before Him” (2:20).

 Chapters 3: Habakkuk’s Prayer and Song of Praise:

The prophet began this short book by questioning God, but now concludes with a psalm or song of praise. He understands and acknowledges God’s wisdom at the coming invasion by the Babylonians. The thought of judgment from an evil nation terrifies him, but he will trust God. And why not? God’s saving work on the part of the Jewish people should give the prophet confidence in God’s purposes and continued hope not to lose heart.

Theological Contributions: 

1.       The core of Habakkuk’s message resides in the call to trust God. “The righteous shall live by faith” (2:4). This is the foundation of the doctrine of “Justification by Faith.” Apostle Paul quotes Habakkuk 2:4 on two occasions (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11) to reiterate the doctrine of justification by faith. We are made righteous by faith in Christ because our sins have been exchanged with Christ’s perfection and righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21).

^“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Christ has enabled us to live by faith.

 

2.       It is also contributes to the doctrine of “Salvation by grace and faith in Jesus Christ.” We are saved through faith in Christ and not of works of righteousness.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8–9)

The faith that is the gift of God and available through Christ is at once a faith that saves and a faith that sustains throughout life. We attain eternal life by faith, and we live the Christian life by the same faith. 

3. The Book of Habakkuk affirms the sovereignty of God. God is still on the throne of the universe. God controls the affairs of both the wicked and the righteous. It also helps to establish the doctrine that God is omnipotent and omniscient. “The Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth be silent before Him” (Habakkuk 2:20). God’s ways are not our ways and He chooses to do what He wants in His own time. In the end, God saved His people yet He used the Babylonians, a wicked nation, in His own infinite wisdom to punish them. This is definitely incomprehensible to the human mind just as experienced by Habakkuk. He knows the beginning from the end. God’s ways are not our ways. They are beyond our understanding.

4.       The core message also indicates that God is a just Judge who will ultimately punish the wicked who may appear to be victorious. He will reward the righteous when He returns in majesty and glory.