BIG IDEA:
THE PROPHET WRESTLES WITH THE APPROPRIATENESS OF GOD USING THE WICKED CHALDEANS TO JUDGE HIS OWN PEOPLE —
DIVINE DISCIPLINE CAN BE PACKAGED IN STRANGE WAYS
(:1) INTRODUCTION:
A. The Message – Description of the Content
“The oracle”
B. The Messenger — Identification of the Prophet
“which Habakkuk the prophet”
C. The Medium of Revelation
“saw”
Copeland: Concerning his MESSAGE: the book easily falls into three sections
1) A “burden” – Hab 1:1-2:1
2) A “vision” – Hab 2:2-20
3) A “prayer” – Hab 3:1-19
I. (:2-4) COMPLAINT OF THE PROPHET — DELAY OF THE LORD IN RESTORING JUSTICE TO THE LAND –
THE LAMENT OF A DISTURBED SOUL
A. (:2) Delay in Deliverance Disturbs the Soul
1. When Will the Lord Hear?
“How long, O Lord, will I call for help, And you will not hear?”
MacArthur: The phrase, reflecting the prophet’s impatience, is frequently used by the psalmist to express similar thoughts of perplexity (cf. Pss 13:1,2; 62:3; Jer 14:9; Mt 27:46).
2. When Will the Lord Deliver?
“I cry out to you, ‘Violence!’ Yet you do not save.”
B. (:3) Culture of Corruption Disturbs the Soul
1. Pervasive Corruption
“Why do you make me see iniquity,
And cause me to look on wickedness?”
2. Escalating Conflict
“Yes, destruction and violence are before me;
Strife exists and contention arises.”
C. (:4) Perversion of Justice Disturbs the Soul
1. Disregard for Covenant Standards
“Therefore the law is ignored And justice is never upheld.”
2. The Righteous End Up the Victims
“For the wicked surround the righteous;
Therefore justice comes out perverted.”
II. (:5-11) CONSTERNATION OF THE PROPHET — DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD BY USING CRUEL CHALDEANS AS INSTRUMENT OF JUDGMENT –
THE ASTONISHMENT OF A SHOCKED PROPHET
A. (:5) Unexpected Discipline Strategy
1. Amazing
“Look among the nations! Observe! Be Astonished! Wonder!”
MacArthur: The series of commands is plural, indicating that the wider community of Judah and Jerusalem was to take note of this imminent invasion. Paul quotes this text in Ac 13:41.
2. Unbelievable
“Because I am doing something in your days –
You would not believe if you were told.”
B. (:6-10) Unrestrained Cruelty of the Chaldeans
1. (:6-7) Summary Qualifications of the Chaldeans for This Mission
a. Divinely Appointed for Instrument of Discipline
“For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans,”
Main qualification = chosen by God for the task
b. Proven Aggressiveness of Spirit
“That fierce and impetuous people”
c. Unquenchable Appetite for Conquering New Territory
“Who march throughout the earth
To seize dwelling places which are not theirs.”
d. Reputation Acknowledged – Strike fear in the hearts of their enemies
“They are dreaded and feared;”
Ruthless, barbaric
e. Completely Autonomous – Don’t care what other nations think
“Their justice and authority originate with themselves.”
2. (:8) Superior Military Resources
a. Their Horses
“Their horses are swifter than leopards
And keener than wolves in the evening.”
Blue: Both leopards and wolves are fierce, fast, and excellent hunters. At dusk, wolves are hungry and ready to pounce on prey. The Babylonians’ voracious speed in conquest was also likened to a vulture swooping to devour.
b. Their Horsemen
“Their horsemen come galloping,
Their horsemen come from afar;
They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour.”
3. (:9-10) Swaggering Confidence in Victory
a. Bent on Violence
“All of them come for violence.”
b. United in Aggression
“Their horde of faces moves forward.”
c. Merciless in Enslavement
“They collect captives like sand.”
d. Brazen in Arrogance
1) Mock at Any Royal Authority
“They mock at kings
And rulers are a laughing matter to them.”
2) Make Fun of Any Feeble Defense
“They laugh at every fortress
And heap up rubble to capture it.”
C. (:11) Ultimate Accountability – the Chaldeans Will Be Judged Themselves
1. Their Dominance will only be Temporary
“Then they will sweep through like the wind and pass on.”
2. Their Cruelty will be Condemned
“But they will be held guilty,”
3. Their Idolatry will be Exposed
“They whose strength is their god.”
MacArthur: Though the Chaldeans were God’s instruments of judgment, their self-sufficiency and self-adulation planted the seeds for their own destruction (described in 2:2-20), as they stood guilty of idolatry and blasphemy before the sovereign Lord.
III. (:12-17) COMFORT/CONFUSION OF THE PROPHET – DEPENDENCE ON THE LORD DESPITE PERPEXITY OF INCOMPREHENSIBLE TACTICS – – THE HOPE OF A PERPLEXED PROPHET
A. (:12) Perspective Based on Eternity
1. Character of God
“Are You not from everlasting,
O Lord, my God, my Holy One?”
Keathley: He began in verse 12 by claiming that God is eternal. I think the idea of immutability, that God does not change, is included here. The fact that God does not change is important because it means God keeps His promises and He has made promises to Israel. Habakkuk knows that God will not totally destroy Israel because of his covenantal promises. That is why he says, “We will not die.”
2. Confidence in Deliverance
“We will not die.”
3. Control of the Discipline
“You, O Lord, have appointed them to judge;
And You, O Rock, have established them to correct.”
B. (:13) Perspective Based on Holiness — Paradox
1. You Don’t Approve of Wickedness
“Your eyes are too pure to approve evil,
And you can not look on wickedness with favor.”
2. You Seem to be Favoring the Wicked over the Less Wicked
“Why do you look with favor
On those who deal treacherously?
Why are you silent when the wicked swallow up
Those more righteous than they?”
C. (:14-17) Perspective Clouded by Unrestrained Cruelty of the Chaldeans
1. (:14) Vulnerability of Men to Such Unrestrained Cruelty
“Why have you made men like the fish of the sea,
Like creeping things without a ruler over them?”
2. (:15a) Vultures Take Advantage of Such Vulnerability
“The Chaldeans bring all of them up with a hook,
Drag them away with their net,
And gather them together in their fishing net.”
3. (:15b-16) Victory Celebrations of the Wicked are Especially Galling
“Therefore they rejoice and are glad.
Therefore they offer a sacrifice to their net
And burn incense to their fishing net;
Because through these things their catch is large,
And their food is plentiful.”
4. (:17) Vexing Question: How Long?? (back to question of vs 2)
“Will they therefore empty their net
And continually slay nations without sparing?”
Blue: The action depicted signified a seemingly perpetual operation. They emptied their net so they could fill it again, again, and again. When would God put a stop to the Babylonians’ greed for conquest? How could He let a people continue in power when they so openly worshiped that very power as their god? Habakkuk was confused.
D. (2:1) Waiting for a More Definitive Answer
“I will stand on my guard post
And station myself on the rampart;
And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me,
And how I may reply when I am reproved.”