Habakkuk’s dialogue with God is seperated into speeches in 1:1-4, 1:5-11, 1:12-2:1, and 2:2-20.
Speech I
Habakkuk 1:1-4
Habakkuk’s first dialogue is actually a clarion call of every person that has ever sat there and asked “Why does God never answer my prayer?” or “Why does God allow good people to suffer and bad to prosper?” Habakkuk is puzzled why the Lord appears to be doing nothing when everything Habakkuk understands about God dictates in Habakkuk’s mind that God should do something like judging, sending fireballs from heaven, smiting somebody or zapping something and burning it to a smoldering cinder. Habakkuk wants to know why God continues to make him look upon injustices without doing something about them. He wants to know why God is dragging His “feet” tolerating and the abounding conflicts, destruction and violence that are before Him. (v. 4) The people had even neglected God’s Law. Therefore the “Law is paralyzed (numbed)” and the wicked have “hemmed in the righteous”. Why doesn’t God care? God needs to act according to Habakkuk! We see similarities here to the book of Job where a human being thinks he knows what God should be doing (see Examining The Scripture LXXIV: Job's First Discourse & The Problem of Suffering). What we should realize right off the bat is that we need to take what we've learned from the story of Job and also apply it here. We do not know the mind of God nor should we assume to. God does things in His own time for His own purposes and we neither have the ability to nor the position to understand why. What we see in Habakkuk similar to the Book of Job is that God actually condescends to give Habakkuk an answer. An answer that he views as troubling as the allowance of evil and injustice that he is faced with. Habakkuk is in a Catch-22.
Speech II
Habakkuk 1:5-11
The Lord replies to Habakkuk and tells him to “Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed. God through His sovereignty over all nations was about to do something that would knock Habakkuk’s socks off (sorry, I thought all the K’s were funny). The Lord was about to raise up the Babylonians and they would sweep across the land and seize places that were not their own. According to the Lord they would be fearful and dreaded, a law unto themselves solely out to further themselves and their own honor. By implication, nothing would stand in their way and they would march over the land like an unstoppable juggernaut. They would “fly like a vulture swooping to devour…bent on violence. Their hordes would advance like desert wind, gather prisoners like sand. Nothing would stop them not kings, fortified cities. There only belief is in their own power. You get the sense this will be a merciless onslaught.
Speech III
Habakkuk 1:12-2:1
As if the Lord’s first response isn’t enough, Habakkuk goes looking for trouble by leveling another complaint or lament at God based off of God’s answer (he’s a glutton for punishment). Like a good believer should he starts out praising God’s justice and holiness attribute(s) . He really concentrates on God’s holiness and everlasting nature. That he is perfectly just and it is proper that He judge men. This is then contrasted with the fact that the people would be helpless against Babylonian incursion. How could God allow His weak people to be invaded by a people that would ruthlessly steamroll them and annihilate at will. Why would God employ a people worse than Judah to punish them? Habakkuk couldn’t grasp God’s reasons. He never questions whether or not they deserve it, it is the severity he is now concerned with. Habakkuk closes his lament stationed on the ramparts to see what God would say in reply.
Speech IV
Habakkuk 2:2-20
God replies not only to Habakkuk but also to the people by telling him to write down the revelation and make it clear on tablets so that a herald can run with it. An end is coming and it is certain although it may not happen immediately. It would happen at God’s “appointed time”. We see a threat of impending doom being made that would now hang over Judah like a dark cloud. The threat/promise itself would be its own punishment in the form or anxiety for any that heard and believed it. No one would know for certain when that day would be.
In verses 4 and 5 we see an introduction to verse 6-20 which are described as “taunting woes”. This introduction alludes to the fact that Babylonians were puffed up (like a bloated toad). Their desires are not upright which is in stark contrast to people that need to live by faith. Their wickedness like wine betrays them. Their arrogance doesn’t rest and their greed is like the grave, never satisfied with its totals of victims.
So begins the “taunting woes” of chapter 2. The interjection woe is used to show pronounced distress in the face of a disaster and was used quite often by the prophets, especially here in Habakkuk.
The Woe of Self Ambition and Intimidation (v. 6-8)
(a) Woe to him who piles up goods: In accruing ill-gained plunder leads to the next question
(b) How long will this go on? How long would evil aggressors be permitted to keep ill-gotten plunder?
Having not gotten an answer the questioning continues...
(c) Will debtors not suddenly arise? Won’t victimized nations not revolt
(d) Will they not wake up and make you tremble? Babylon would become the victim by the very nations they victimized.
(e) The spoiler would be spoiled
The Woe of Hedonism & Covetousness (v. 9-11)
(a) The Babylonians are guilty of unjust gain. God hats injustice. They also used this gain to self-aggrandize.
(b) To elevate themselves by stepping on the necks and backs of those conquered and because of this they will forfeit their own lives
(c) The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it. Even if every single person was exterminate the remaining woodwork and stone would bear testimony to the Babylonian’s cruelty
The Woe of Iniquity & Exploitation (v. 12-14)
(a) The very foundation of Babylon were built on bloodshed this is especially true of Nineveh as indicated by the word “city”.
(b) All the efforts of Babylonians will amount to zero . Their labor will only add to their downfall. As opposed to the Lord whose glory will fill the whole earth.
The Woe of Indignity, Drunkenness & Violence (v. 15-17)
(a) The Babylonians are pictured as barbaric like a drunk giving neighbors wine to intoxicate them so that they can engage in evil and and expose their victims to shame.
(b) There is mention of the “cup of the Lord’s right hand” which is a cup of wrath coming to be poured out
(c) Not only did Babylon commit atrocities against other men but apparently against animals and lands too.
The Woe of Idolatry (v. 18-20)
(a) Idols are of no value for they are deader than the stone they are made from, they are not gods, just lawn ornaments.
(b) To trust in such an object was to trust a lie. People were deceived and deluded by these things. If they were receiving guidance from them it certainly was guidance and knowledge from God but from a satanic source.
(c) The Lord on the other hand is the Creator or the creator of the idol and is therefore worthy of honor. The Lord, giver and taker of life.
Baker, David W.. "The Problem of Wickedness." Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah.. Downers Grove: Inter-Varisty Press, 1988. 52-67. Print.
Blue, J. Ronald., John Walvoord. "The Reasons For God’s Judgment on Nineveh" Bible Knowledge Commentary Old Testament: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Bible Knowledge). Acambaro: Victor, 1985. 1508-1516. Print.
Wiersbe, Warren. "The Prophet Worrying" Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament: The Prophets (Bible Knowledge). Acambaro: Victor, 2003. 412-417. Print.
No comments:
Post a Comment