In Habakkuk 1, the prophet sees the coming invasion of the Babylonians, and questions God as to how He could ever allow such monumental suffering among His people. These are the same questions we ask ourselves during times of difficulty, therefore Habakkuk is a very relevant study for anyone facing contradiction to God’s promise in their lives.
[Hab 1:1-17 KJV] 1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see. 2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! [even] cry out unto thee [of] violence, and thou wilt not save! 3 Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause [me] to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence [are] before me: and there are [that] raise up strife and contention. 4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth. 5 Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for [I] will work a work in your days, [which] ye will not believe, though it be told [you].
6 For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, [that] bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces [that are] not theirs. 7 They [are] terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves. 8 Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle [that] hasteth to eat. 9 They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up [as] the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand. 10 And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.
11 Then shall [his] mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, [imputing] this his power unto his god. 12 [Art] thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. 13 [Thou art] of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, [and] holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth [the man that is] more righteous than he? 14 And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, [that have] no ruler over them? 15 They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad. 16 Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion [is] fat, and their meat plenteous. 17 Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?
The book of Habakukk was written by the prophet of that name around 605 BC. We can estimate the time it was authored as it clearly speaks of the impending invasion of the southern kingdom by the Babylonians. By fixing the date at such a time, we can see that it falls historically after the time of Nahum, when the Babylonian kingdom is a rising power and the Assyrian kingdom is waning and about to be extinguished. It is thought that Habakukk lived in the south, possibly in Jerusalem during the time of Jehoiakim, the third in the last three kings of the line of Judah before the captivity. He was likely then a contemporary, with Jeremiah, and Daniel.
Traditions hold that Habakukk may have been the son of the Shunamite woman, who was barren and promised a son by the prophet Elisha, and was later raised to life by him. One non-biblical story depicts Habakkuk being translated from Judea to Babylon the night that Daniel was cast into the lion’s den. Habakkuk takes a meal to Daniel, speaks to him briefly and then is translated back to his home in Judah. We cannot prove any of these stories of Habakkuk’s origin by they reflect ancient beliefs about him and add color to his account, which gives little or no information of who this man is, or where he came from.
The theme of the book of Habakkuk is that of the prophet arguing with God because he doesn’t understand how the Father would allow the Babylonians to overrun Judah, destroy the temple and sack the city of Jerusalem. This has not taken place at the time of Habakkuk’s writing, but it all but a foregone conclusion as there is no avoiding the dominance of Babylon in the region, and their obvious intent to take the southern kingdom of Judah by conquest. In v. 1 Habakkuk is complaining that God does not answer his questions, even though violence and death are impending over the city of Jerusalem like a dread specter. It is unthinkable to Habakkuk that God would allow such a terrible thing to happen. He acknowledges that the kingdom of Judah is corrupt and cruel, but contends that the mercilessness of the Babylonians is so much worse, why would God allow Judah to fall to them?
God’s answer to Habakkuk in v. 5-6 do not address the prophet’s contention, but simply state that He has raised up the Chaldeans, as a bitter and hasty nation and that they will march on Judah and completely destroy it. For Habakkuk to prophesy such things is very dangerous, as Jeremiah was cast into the king’s dungeon and starved veritably to death for saying the same things. To the king and the ruling elite of the city of Jerusalem, this was treason, and Habakkuk would have realized this, yet faithfully declares the account of His conversation with God about what is coming
