and they stopped at nothing to acquire wealth and when I recalled that the city was built with slave labor
Habakkuk 2
"by faith" chapter of the Bible. The men and women mentioned in that chapter were ordinary people, but they accomplished extraordinary things because they trusted God and did what He told them to do. It has well been said that faith is not believing in spite of evidence; it's obeying in spite of consequence, resting on God's faithfulness.
sting of this rebuke, for they were amassing fortunes by exploiting the poor and using that money to build expensive houses. (See Amos 3:15; 6:11.) The prophets often rebuked the rich because they lived in luxury, while the poor suffered. Jesus warned His disciples, "Take heed and beware of covetousness" (Luke 12:15), and that warning is valid today. "Thou shalt not covet" may be the last of the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:17), but if we're guilty of covetousness, we're in danger of breaking the other nine!
Declare God's Judgment (2:6–20) To the faithful Jews in the land, God would be a refuge and strength (Nah. 1:7; Ps. 46), but to the godless Babylonians invading the land, He would be a judge and eventually punish their sins and give them what they deserved. In this "taunt song," God pronounces "woe" upon five different sins, all of which are prevalent in the world today.
Exploitation of people (vv. 12–14). Babylon was built by bloodshed, the blood of innocent victims. It was built by prisoners of war, slave labor that was exploited to the fullest extent. Babylon was proud of what she had built, but God said it wouldn't last; it was only fuel for the fire. The city of Babylon was an architectural marvel, but their great projects were for nothing. It's all gone, and today, if you want to see what Babylon was like, you have to visit a museum.
Selfish ambition (vv. 6–8). Of itself, ambition can be a good thing, but if it motivates people to be greedy, selfish, and abusive, it's a bad thing. "It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known," wrote Paul (Rom. 15:20), and God honored that holy ambition. Paul also wrote, "Therefore also we have as our ambition … to be pleasing to Him" (2 Cor. 5:9 nasb), an ambition we all should imitate. The Babylonians were consumed by selfish ambition and they stopped at nothing to acquire wealth and expand their kingdom. They had hoards of stolen goods, plundered from helpless people. God warned them that the owners of this wealth would one day rise up to condemn them and collect what was due.2 Then the Babylonians will become the victims! This happened when the Medes and the Persians invaded Babylon and overthrew Belshazzar (Dan. 5). Babylon plundered other nations, and she herself was plundered. Babylon had shed rivers of blood, and her blood was shed. It's a basic law of the universe that eventually we reap what we sow.
C. Declare God's judgment—2:6–20 1. Woe to the selfish—2:6–8 2. Woe to the covetous—2:9–11 3. Woe to the exploiters—2:12–14 "God's glory will fill the earth"—2:14 4. Woe to the drunkards—2:15–17
When I was a seminary student in Chicago, one of our classes did just that: we visited a museum to see the exhibit on Babylon. I recall how impressed I was with the model of the city, marveling that such magnificent walls and gates and buildings could be constructed in those ancient days. But my wonder turned to disgust when I recalled that the city was built with slave labor and that the soul of one of those slaves meant more to God than all the buildings put together.
In contrast to the shame and infamy of Babylon, God promised that His glory would one day cover the earth (v. 14). The "glory" of Babylon didn't last, but the glory of the Lord will abide forever. Certainly, the Lord was glorified when Babylon fell before her enemies in 539 BC (see Jer. 50—51), and He will be glorified when the Babylon of the last days is destroyed, that final great world empire that opposes God (Rev. 17— 18). When Jesus Christ returns and establishes His kingdom, then God's glory will indeed cover the whole earth (Isa. 11:1–9).4
Covetousness (vv. 9–11). According to Ephesians 4:28, there are three ways to get wealth: you can work for it, steal it, or receive it as a gift. Stealing is wrong because the eighth commandment says, "Thou shalt not steal" (Ex. 20:15). The Babylonians took land that wasn't theirs in order to build an empire that glorified them and assured them safety. Their goal was security, like the eagle's nest on the high mountain crags. Of course, this was a false security; because no individual or nation can build walls high enough to keep God out.
The fall of "Babylon the great" is a reminder to us that what man builds without God can never last. The exploiter will eventually lose everything, and man's "utopias" will turn out to be disasters. We can't exploit people made in God's image and expect to escape God's judgment. It may take time, but eventually the judgment falls.
Drunkenness and violence (vv. 15–17). This repulsive picture can be interpreted both personally and nationally. While the Bible doesn't demand total abstinence, it does warn against the evils of strong drink (Prov. 20:1; 21:17; 23:20–21, 29–35; Rom. 13:13; Gal. 5:21; 1 Thess. 5:7). Drunkenness and sensual behavior often go together (Gen. 9:20–27; 19:30–38; Rom. 13:11–14). But the word neighbor could also refer to a neighboring nation that was "intoxicated" by Babylon's power and made naked before Babylon's invading armies. In Scripture, drinking a cup of wine can be a picture of judgment (Jer. 25:15ff.), and nakedness
What will be the consequences of this covetousness? Instead of having houses and families that bring honor, they will have disgrace and shame and will eventually lose their lives. "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36). The very materials in their expensive houses would testify against them, for they were plundered from helpless people. James used a similar image when he warned the rich that the wages they owed their laborers would witness against them at the judgment (James 5:1–6).3
It's likely that some of the covetous Jews felt the
Habakkuk 2
Famous people are the "idols" of millions, especially politicians, athletes, wealthy tycoons, and actors and actresses. Even dead entertainers like Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, and Elvis Presley still have their followers. People may also worship and serve man-made things like cars, houses, boats, jewelry, and art. While all of us appreciate beautiful and useful things, it's one thing to own them and quite something else to be owned by them. Albert Schweitzer said, "Anything you have that you cannot give away, you do not really own; it owns you." I've met people who so idolized their children and grandchildren that they refused to let them consider giving their lives for Christian service.
sometimes speaks of the devastating effects of military invasion (Isa. 47:1–3).
However, what Babylon did to others, God would do to her. Babylon had been a golden cup in God's hands (Jer. 51:7), and He had used her to chasten the nations, but now God will give her a cup to drink that will bring her to ruin (see Rev. 16:19).5 She will be ashamed as other nations look on her nakedness. Divine retribution will be hers: the violence she did to others will be done to her; as she shed the blood of others, her blood will be shed; and as she destroyed the lands of other nations, so her land will be devastated. The glory of God will cover the earth, but Babylon's "glory" will be covered with shame. The picture is that of a repulsive drunk vomiting all over himself, and it isn't a very pretty picture.
Social position can be an idol and so can vocation achievement. For some people, their god is their appetite (Phil. 3:19; Rom. 16:18); and they live only to experience carnal pleasures. Intellectual ability can be a terrible idol (2 Cor. 10:5) as people worship their IQ and refuse to submit to God's Word.
5. Woe to the idolaters—2:18–20 "God is still on His throne"—2:20
It's worth noting that God mentions the way the Babylonians abused trees and animals (Hab. 2:17), suggesting that the soldiers wastefully chopped down trees and killed cattle to use both the wood and the meat for their war effort. God also mentions His concern for animals in Jonah 4:11, so check the references. You wonder how many birds and animals lost either their lives or their homes because of this policy. (See Deut. 20:19–20 for Israel's policy on war supplies.)
God ended His reply to Habakkuk by giving a third assurance: "But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him" (Hab. 2:20; see Ps. 11:4). The first assurance focused on God's grace (Hab. 2:4), and the second on God's glory (v. 14). This third assurance focuses on God's government; God is on the throne and has everything under control. Therefore, we shouldn't complain against God or question what He's doing. Like faithful servants, we must simply stand and listen for His commands. "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10).
Idolatry (vv. 18–20). Sad to say, the people of Judah were also guilty of this sin, for during the declining years of the kingdom, they worshipped the gods of the other nations. All the prophets cried out against this flagrant violation of the second commandment (Ex. 20:4–6), but the people refused to repent.
Seeing the vision of God and hearing the voice of God made a tremendous difference in Habakkuk's life. As he grasped the significance of the three great assurances God gave him, he was transformed from being a worrier and a watcher to being a worshipper. In the closing chapter of this book, he will share with us the vision he had of God and the difference it made in his life.
What is idolatry? Romans 1:25 gives the best answer: worshipping and serving the creature instead of the Creator. It started with Lucifer who said, "I will be like the Most High" (Isa. 14:14), and it entered humanity when Satan tempted Eve with, "You will be like God" (Gen. 3:5 nkjv). It's the popular philosophy of the world that man is the highest thing in the universe and can pull himself up by his own bootstraps to any level he chooses. "Glory to man in the highest!"
Notes
1 Commentators and translators don't agree on what "that he may run that reads it" really means. The NIV translates it "so that a herald may run with it" and the NASB says "so that the one who reads it may run." The NRSV translates it "so that a runner may read it," and F. F. Bruce puts it "so that one who reads it may read with ease" (An Exegetical and Expository Commentary on the Minor Prophets, edited by Thomas E. McComiskey [Baker Book House, 1993], vol. 2, 858). Bruce explains the phrase to mean "not that the person who reads it will start running, but rather that the reader will be able to take it in at a glance, so large and legible is the writing; the eye will run over the text with ease." That seems to be what the Lord said to Habakkuk. 2 The KJV translation of 2:6b is a bit puzzling: "And to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!" The image seems to be that of a creditor giving a pledge to the banker (a clay tablet) and promising to pay his debt at a specific time. Habakkuk wrote, "The predator (Babylon) is really a creditor and his victims will one day rise up to collect what is due. It will be payday!" F. F.
Not only is idolatry disobedience to God's Word, but it's also foolish and useless. Of what value is a god made by a man? It's much more reasonable to worship the God who made the man! (See Rom. 1:18ff.) Not only is the idol useless (see Ps. 115), but it does definite evil by teaching lies (Hab. 2:18) and giving people false confidence that the dumb idol can help them. For a heartbreaking example of this kind of foolish reasoning, read Jeremiah 44.
Idols are dead substitutes for the living God (Ps. 115). Whatever people delight in other than God, whatever they are devoted to and sacrifice for, whatever they couldn't bear to be without, is an idol and therefore under the condemnation of God. Most people in civilized countries don't worship man-made images of things in nature, but if the above definition is correct, modern society has its idols just as the Babylonians did.
Habakkuk 3 means to the end, and prayer is an important part of that means. "You do not have because you do not ask" (James 4:2 nkjv).
Bruce translates verse 6b: "Woe to him who multiplies what is not his own—but for how long? And loads himself with pledges" (F .F. Bruce, 864). 3 Jesus used the image of the stones crying out when He cleansed the temple and the children sang His praises (Luke 19:40). If people don't praise God, inanimate nature will do it! The idea of stones bearing witness goes back to Joshua 24:27. 4 Isaiah promised that "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord" (11:9), a phrase that relates to Numbers 14:21. When the seraphim before God's throne look upon the earth, they see it full of God's glory (Isa. 6:3), though it may not look glorious from our perspective. When we pray "Thy kingdom come," we are praying for Habakkuk 2:14 to be fulfilled. "Let the whole earth be filled with his glory" (Ps. 72:19). 5 Some see in this the picture of the conqueror giving the conquered rulers a cup of poison to drink. However, the emphasis seems to be on disgrace rather than death.
Also, hearing God's Word generates faith in the heart of the child of God (Rom. 10:17), and without faith, we can't pray effectively (Mark 11:22–24). The Word of God and prayer must always go together (Acts 6:4; John 15:7) lest our praying become zeal without knowledge. "I used to think I should close my Bible and pray for faith," said D. L. Moody, "but I came to see that it was in studying the Word that I was to get faith."
Habakkuk prayed because he was overwhelmed by God's splendor. "I stand in awe of your deeds" (Hab. 3:2 niv). He had seen a vision of the greatness of God, recorded for us in verses 3–15, and this vision left him weak and helpless (v. 16). All he could do was cry out to God.
Many people have the idea that it's always an enjoyable experience getting to know God in a deeper way, but that's not what the saints of God in the Bible would say. Moses trembled at Mount Sinai when God gave the law (Heb. 12:18–21). Joshua fell on his face before the Lord (Josh. 5:13–15), as did David (1 Chron. 21:16). Daniel became exhausted and ill after seeing the visions God gave him (Dan. 8:27; 10:11). The vision of Christ's glory on the Mount of Transfiguration left Peter, James, and John facedown on the ground and filled with terror (Matt. 17:6). When John saw the glorified Christ, he fell at His feet as though dead (Rev. 1:17).
CHAPTER THREE Habakkuk 3 THE PROPHET WORSHIPPING W
III. The prophet worshipping and witnessing (3) A.He prays to God—3:1–2 hen Habakkuk started his book, he was "down in the valley," wrestling with the will of God. Then he climbed higher and stood on the watchtower, waiting for God to reply. After hearing God's Word and seeing God's glory, he became like a deer bounding confidently on the mountain heights (3:19)! His circumstances hadn't changed, but he had changed, and now he was walking by faith instead of sight. He was living by promises, not explanations.
A plaque hanging in my study carries this quotation from A.W. Tozer: "To know God is at once the easiest and the most difficult thing in the world." God certainly has the ability to reveal Himself to us, for He can do anything; but it's a problem for God to find somebody who is ready to meet Him. God doesn't reveal Himself to superficial saints who are only looking for "a new experience" they can brag about, or to curious Christians who want to "sample" deeper fellowship with God but not at too great a price.
It isn't easy to climb higher in the life of faith, but who wants to live in the valley? Like Habakkuk, we must honestly talk to God about our difficulties, we must pray, we must meditate on God's Word, and we must be willing to experience fear and trembling as the Lord reveals Himself to us (v. 16). But it will be worth it as we reach new summits of faith and discover new opportunities for growth and service.
We are the ones who make it difficult to get to know God better. "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you" (James 4:8 nkjv). "But on this one will I look," says the Lord, "on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word" (Isa. 66:2 nkjv). "My flesh trembles in fear of you," wrote the psalmist; "I stand in awe of your laws" (Ps. 119:120).
What took Habakkuk from the valley to the summit? The same spiritual disciplines that can take us there: prayer, vision, and faith. Habakkuk interceded for God's work (vv. 1–2), pondered God's ways (vv. 3–15), and affirmed God's will (vv. 16–19).
Habakkuk prayed because he wanted God's work to succeed. God had told him that He was "working a work" in the world (Hab. 1:5), and now the prophet prayed that God would keep that work alive and cause it to prosper. What God was doing wasn't the work Habakkuk would have chosen, but he accepted God's plan and prayed, "Thy will be done." When God revealed that work to Habakkuk, he cried out, "We shall not die" (v. 12). Then in 2:4, God told him that the only way to live was by faith. So, when Habakkuk prayed for God's work to stay alive, he was also praying that his own faith might grow.2
Prayer: Pray for the Work of God (3:1–2) This chapter is a "prayer psalm" that may have been used in the temple worship in Jerusalem.1 (For the other "prayer psalms," see Ps. 17; 86; 90; 102; and 142.) The prophet was now praying to the Lord and not arguing with the Lord, and his prayer soon became praise and worship.
He prayed because he had heard God speak. The word speech means "report" and refers to what God had told him earlier (Hab. 2:2–3). Knowing the will of God should motivate us to pray "Thy will be done." The same God who ordains the end also ordains the
Habakkuk 3 pensation, He reveals His glory through Jesus Christ. "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14 nkjv). Pharaoh wouldn't acknowledge the truth, so he couldn't experience the grace. The first plague of Moses in Egypt was the turning of water into blood (Ex. 7:14–25), while our Lord's first recorded miracle was the turning of water into wine.
Finally, Habakkuk prayed because he wanted God to show mercy. The prophet agreed that the people of Judah deserved to be chastened, and that God's chastening would work out for their good, but he asked that God's heart of love would reveal itself in mercy. He was like Moses when he interceded for the nation at Mount Sinai (Ex. 32) and at Kadesh Barnea (Num. 14). Perhaps Habakkuk had the promise of Isaiah 54:7–8 in mind as he prayed (and see Jer. 10:23–24.). Certainly the Lord did show mercy to the Jews, for He preserved them in Babylon and then permitted a remnant to return to their land and establish the nation.
The Lord stood in power (vv. 6–7). Invading generals either push forward to gain ground or they fall back in retreat, but the Lord simply stood and faced the enemy unafraid. In fact, He calmly measured the earth5 as a sign that He possessed it. To measure something is an indication that it's yours and you can do with it what you please. It's also a preliminary step to action, as though the Lord were surveying the situation and estimating how much power it would take to execute His wrath on the nations. The Lord revealed His power when He shook the earth at Sinai before He delivered His law to Israel (Ex. 19:18; Heb. 12:18–21).
If, like Habakkuk, you ever become discouraged about the condition of the church, the state of the world, or your own spiritual life, take time to pray and seek God's mercy. Charles Spurgeon said, "Whether we like it or not, asking is the rule of the kingdom." The greatest need today is for intercessors. "And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor" (Isa. 59:16).
Vision: Ponder the Greatness of God (3:3–15) The Lord isn't likely to give us today a vision such as Habakkuk saw, but because it's recorded in the Word, we can ponder it and let the Spirit teach us from it.3 God reveals His greatness in creation, in Scripture, and in history, and if we have eyes to see, we can behold His glory.4
The nations that lay between Egypt and Canaan are typified by Cushan and Midian, two peoples living near Edom. As the news of the exodus from Egypt spread quickly through the nations, the people were terribly frightened and wondered what would happen to them when Israel arrived on the scene (Ex. 15:14–16; 23:27; Deut. 2:25; Josh. 2:8–11). God marched in victory (vv. 8–15). Habakkuk uses dynamic poetic imagery to describe Israel's march through the wilderness as they followed the Lord to the Promised Land and then claimed their inheritance. The Red Sea opened to let Israel out of Egypt, and the Jordan opened to let Israel into Canaan. The Egyptian chariots sank into the mud and their occupants were drowned, but God's chariots were chariots of salvation. Verse 9 pictures the various battles that the Israelites fought en route to Canaan, battles that the Lord won for them as they trusted Him and obeyed His commands.
B.He ponders God's ways—3:3–15
God came in splendor (vv. 3–5). According to some scholars, Mount Paran is another name for the entire Sinai Peninsula, or for Mount Sinai itself (Deut. 33:2). Teman is usually identified with Edom. In this song, Habakkuk seems to be retracing the march of Israel from Sinai to the Promised Land.
Everything about this stanza reveals the glory of God. He is called "the Holy One" (Hab. 3:3; and see 1:12), a name used in Isaiah at least thirty times. "His glory covered the heavens" (3:3) is an anticipation of the time when His glory will cover all the earth (2:14). God's appearance was like the lightning that plays across the heavens before the storm breaks. All of creation joined in praising Him as "the earth was full of his praise." God's brightness was like the sunrise only to a greater degree (see Matt. 17:2). "Horns" means "rays": "rays flashed from his hand" (Hab. 3:4 niv) where His power was hidden.
In verse 10, we move into the Promised Land and see Israel conquering the enemy. God was in complete control of land and water and used His creation to defeat the Canaanites. Verse 10 describes the victory of Deborah and Barak over Sisera (Judg. 4—5), when a sudden rainstorm turned their battlefield into a swamp and left the enemy's chariots completely useless. In Habakkuk 3:11, we have the famous miracle of Joshua when the day was prolonged so Joshua would have more time for a total victory (Josh. 10:12–13). Leading His army, God marched through Canaan like a farmer threshing grain, and His people claimed their inheritance (Hab. 3:12).
Verse 5 takes us to Egypt, where God revealed His power and glory in the plagues and pestilences that devastated the land and took the lives of the firstborn (Ex. 7—12). Those ten plagues were not only punishment because of Pharaoh's hardness of heart; they also revealed the vanity of Egypt's gods. "Against all the gods of Egypt will I execute judgment: I am the Lord" (Ex. 12:12; Ps. 78:50). But this verse might also include the various judgments God sent to Israel when they disobeyed Him from time to time during their wilderness march.
Expositors aren't agreed as to what historical event is described in verses 13–15. This could be a picture of the nation's deliverance from Egypt, but if it is, Habakkuk should have mentioned it earlier. God's "anointed" would be the nation of Israel, for they were a holy people to the Lord (Ex. 19:5–8). Perhaps the
In Old Testament times, God often revealed His glory through such judgments, but in this present dis-