Bible reading & studying in one year 12/25/2021 Habakkuk 1-3 By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 Bible reading & studying in one year 12/25/2021   Habakkuk 1-3

 By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts& Gospel music/ pastoral ministry & counseling

 

The Times of the book of Habakkuk--

Habakkuk name means “embracer”, because his love for God. Though nothing is known of the prophet himself, we know something of his times. Prophesying just before Nebuchadnezzar first invaded Judah in 605(and took Daniel and others as captives to Babylon), Habakkuk was commissioned to announce the Lord’s intention to punish Judah by this coming deportation into Babylon. The reigning king in Judah, Jehoiakim, is described by the prophet Jeremiah this way; “ your eyes and your heart are intent only upon your own dishonest gain, and on shedding innocent blood and on practicing oppression and extortion” (Jer.22:17;cf.Hab.1:2-4 and 2 Kings23:34-24:5).

Habakkuk’s questions—

             The book presents a picture of a man who trusted God, yet was perplexed. Habakkuk’s questions were two: (1) Why did God permit the increasing evil in Judah to go unpunished (1:2-4)? (2) How could a holy God justify using the Babylonians, a people more wicked than the Jews to punish the Jews (1:12-2:1)? The answer to the first question is recorded in 1:5-11 and to the second in 2:2-20. Thus the book is a theodicy, a defense of God’s goodness and power in view of the existence of evil.

Contents –

 The best known verse in Habakkuk is 2:4 (quoted in Rom.1:17; Gal3:22; Heb.10:38), not only because it was the heart of God’s answer to Habakkuk’s questions, but because the N.T. shows that its truth is central to the doctrine of Justification by faith. Another favorite verse is 2:20. Chapter 3 is a great psalm of praise, scarcely equaled anywhere else in the O.T.

God answered Habakkuk’s questions 1:5-11 and 2:2-20,

“I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwelling place not their own. They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law to themselves and promote their own honor. …they all come bent on violence…” (Habakkuk 1:.6-7,9)

“See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright, but the righteous will live by his faith. Indeed, wine betrays him; he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the grace and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples. Will not all of them taunt him with ridicule and scorn, saying, “woe to him who piles up stolen goods and makes himself wealthy by extortion! Because you have plundered many nations, the peoples who are left will plunder you. For you have shed man’s blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them. We to him who builds his realm by unjust gain to set his nest on high, to escape the clutches of ruin! You have plotted the ruin of many peoples, shaming your own house and forfeiting your life. The stones of the wall will cry out and the beams of the woodwork will echo it. Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by crime.(Habakkuk 2:4-12)

“Of what value is an idol, since a man has carved it? or an image that teaches lies? Fro he who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. Woe to him who says to wood, “come to life!” or to lifeless stone, “wake up!” can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it. But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.”(Habakkuk2: 18-20)

All the victims of the injustices described in the song of verses 6-20.The “woes” are addressed to five different classes of evildoers: greedy usurers (vv.6-8); extortioners who think they are secure (vv.9-11); rulers who build cities with the blood and sweat of others less fortunate (vv.12-14); Jehoiakim squandered state funds and used forced labor to build a new palace for himself); lascivious people who use alcohol as a prelude to perversion (vv.15-17); and idolaters who worship inanimate objects (vv.18-20). These woes are not pronounced against the Babylonians only, but also against Israelites who practiced these evils.  

Then Habakkuk’s praise 3:1-19

Lord, I have heard of your fame;  I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy. (v.2). God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount-Paran. His glory covered the heavens and his praise filled the earth. (v.3) He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age –old hills collapsed. His ways are eternal.(v.6).

I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us. Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer. He enables me to go on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments. (vv.16-19).

 Habakkuk was astonished at this vision of God. The last part of the verse should probably be translated “that I should be resting quietly in the day of trouble when He comes up against the people who will invade us. Though the Chaldean invasion would strip the land (v.17), Habakkuk would rejoice in the Lord.(v.18), who makes his feet like the feet of a deer (lit., gazelles’ feet, signifying surefooted confidence). This prayer was sung to the accompaniment of stringed instruments.    

 Bibliography,

 Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986