In 2009 I began to read the Bible alphabetically (see here
for my rationale), reading each book at least three times and trying to
get into the mind of the original author and readers as well as listen
to God’s message for today. Here’s what I’ve discovered from reading Habakkuk.
Authorship and Overview
Nothing is known about Habakkuk beyond what is recorded in his book, and a brief appearance in the Apocrypha in which a character of the same name is sent by God to take a meal to Daniel in the lion’s den. He presumably lived around 600 BC when the ‘Chaldeans’ (i.e. the Babylonians) were coming to power.
The last chapter of this short book is in the style of a psalm and could conceivably have been added later, especially as it seems to contain a mistake: the final line sounds more like the instructions at the start of a psalm, implying the whole thing was copied from a collection of psalms and the copyist accidentally included the heading of the next psalm. This doesn’t stop Habakkuk being the psalm’s author. I can imagine someone being told to add his psalm to the same scroll as his other writing.
Habakkuk is an unusual prophet in that he doesn’t address his words to the general public, but to God. He also records God’s responses.
Nothing is known about Habakkuk beyond what is recorded in his book, and a brief appearance in the Apocrypha in which a character of the same name is sent by God to take a meal to Daniel in the lion’s den. He presumably lived around 600 BC when the ‘Chaldeans’ (i.e. the Babylonians) were coming to power.
The last chapter of this short book is in the style of a psalm and could conceivably have been added later, especially as it seems to contain a mistake: the final line sounds more like the instructions at the start of a psalm, implying the whole thing was copied from a collection of psalms and the copyist accidentally included the heading of the next psalm. This doesn’t stop Habakkuk being the psalm’s author. I can imagine someone being told to add his psalm to the same scroll as his other writing.
Habakkuk is an unusual prophet in that he doesn’t address his words to the general public, but to God. He also records God’s responses.
* First he complains that God is doing nothing to address the evil he sees all around him.
* God tells him that he is going to astound him by raising up the violent and aggressive Babylonians (implying that they will destroy the evil.)
* Then Habakkuk questions how God could even think about using such an appallingly wicked nation to fulfil his purposes.
* God tells him that he is going to astound him by raising up the violent and aggressive Babylonians (implying that they will destroy the evil.)
* Then Habakkuk questions how God could even think about using such an appallingly wicked nation to fulfil his purposes.
* God tells him that in time this wicked nation will get its come-uppance and pronounces assorted woes upon it. After which there is nothing to say ... “The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent in his presence.”
* ... except of course for the psalm of praise extolling the warrior God bringing destruction to the earth. The psalm ends on a note of confidence in God, even in the midst of a ravaged and harvest-less land.
Quotable Verses
“The earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord’s glory as the waters fill the sea.” This image provides the last line of each verse in the hymn “God is working his purpose out as year succeeds to year.” It reminds us that God has his plans and it will all come out right in the end, which is very much part of Habakkuk’s message.
The last verse of the book (see 2 Samuel 22:34 and Psalm 18:33 for similar verses) provides the title of a novel by Hannah Hurnard – “Hinds’ Feet on High Places” – which is an allegorical story of the journey towards God, the idea being that God enables us to be sure-footed as a deer as we negotiate difficult mountainous terrain.
Habakkuk 2:4 is quoted in Romans, Galatians and Hebrews. Paul uses this verse – “the righteous shall live by faith” – to support the important concept of salvation by faith not by works. In the original context it is more about faithfulness than faith. When the evil people around Habakkuk are being destroyed by the even more wicked Babylonians, then the righteous people will survive by remaining faithful to the Lord.
A Message for Today?
Habakkuk’s willingness to challenge God when things don’t seem right shows us that we too can be brutally honest with God. But we also need to take a leaf out of Habakkuk’s book and be willing to listen honestly to hear God’s answer.
My problem with this book is that it stops too short. I’m not convinced by God’s responses. Overcoming evil by raising up a cruel destructive nation to punish the evil-doers, and then saying it’s OK because that nation will be destroyed in its turn? Really? That’s your solution to evil? Come off it, God! Habakkuk may have found delight in the image of a powerful and frightening warrior-god striding through the land with pestilence stalking before him and plague following close behind, but I don’t. Surely that’s not your nature, Lord.
For me, a key verse is 2:3 – “There is still a vision for the appointed time ... though it delays, wait for it, for it will surely come before long.” Bear in mind that ‘before long’ in God’s eyes might be an extremely long time in human history. Habakkuk was a man of his time and could only conceive war, violence and punishment as the answer to getting rid of evil. We have come a long way since then, not least because of the teaching of Jesus. Surely God’s ultimate vision for dealing with evil does not rely on killing wicked people, but on saving the human race, establishing a kingdom of justice and peace, filling the earth with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Achieving this is taking a long time. Consider who God has to work with – us!
The human race seems to be warlike by nature, always thinking in terms of them and us and always willing to destroy ‘them’ to protect ‘us’. Over many centuries there are signs that we are gradually getting to be more loving, compassionate and tolerant, but we still have a way to go. Even now, even though things are (I think) moving in roughly the right direction, we are still confronted by all kinds of evil. If God seems to be doing nothing about it, it isn’t because he doesn’t care or has given up on us. He is working with us and through us. He has a plan, and it will come to fruition one day. For God’s final and satisfying response to our outcry we need to wait – and trust.
