Habbakuk 1
Habakkuk can
be seen as a conversation with God.
Habakkuk;
Question: “How can God allow Judah to go unpunished (1:1-4)?”
Habakkuk 1:1 The burden which
Habakkuk the prophet did see.
A burden,
meaning a heavy word or divine revelation that is shocking, staggering and hard
to handle, which one must wrestle with to grasp and comprehend.
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!
Habakkuk
waxed poetic like King David when venting his inquiry of protest, yet laments
like Jeremiah Ha Navi (The Prophet) can be heard as well in this verse. He
basically says, “Lord!? Can’t you see all the senseless violence going on in
Judah? Can’t you hear the painful cries of the innocent? How can You not act
upon these things!?”
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.
“Why do I
have to witness such Torahlessness, such wickedness, such injustice on a daily
basis!?”
4 Therefore
the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth
compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.
“You want to
know why such wickedness increases? Because Torah isn’t upheld and the wicked
just get more brazen, not believing they will be punished.”
The Full
Life Study Bible says, “Habakkuk had been praying to God to stop the wrong he
saw among the covenant people. Yet God seemed to be doing nothing but
tolerating violence, injustice, and the destruction of the righteous. His
question dealt with the age-old theme: “Why does God wait so long to punish
evil?” And “Why are our prayers generally not answered quickly?” Note, however,
that these complaints came out of a heart in a righteous God.”
GOD: Answer:
“I will use Babylon to Punish Judah (1:5-11).”
5 Behold ye among the heathen, and
regard, and wonder marvelously: for I will work a work in your days which ye
will not believe, though it be told you.
Consequently
this verse was used by Rav Sha’ul (Apostle Paul) when he spoke in the
Antiochian synagogue.
Acts
13:40-41 Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the
prophets; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in
your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it
unto you.
Rav Sha’ul
was preaching about Messiah revealed in the Tanak and the Gentile converts
desperately wanted to hear more the following Sabbath (v.42) So ultimately the
subject was on Salvation, seems way out of context seeing as Habakkuk was
speaking of Judgment upon Judah.
Well, in
Jewish eyes Salvation and punishment are not head butting opposites. Punishment
according to Deut. 27-28 are blessings in disguise and are designed to cause
one to repent and turn back to, hence, Salvation. Just as we sometimes spank
our children in hopes they will not tread on the wrong path again, so too God
uses chastisement for the same reason.
Hebrews 12:5-11 And ye have forgotten
the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not
thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For
whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he
whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all
are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had
fathers of our flesh which corrected [us], and we gave [them] reverence: shall
we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live For
they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for
[our] profit, that [we] might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening
for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it
yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised
thereby.
So Rav
Sha’ul (Apostle Paul) was saying, “You won’t believe how Salvation has come to Israel, by the
punishment of One Sinless Man!” God was saying to Habakkuk, “You won’t believe
how I will save Judah, through wicked Babylon, yes I know it’s hard to
believe!”
1 Cor. 1:27-29 But God hath chosen
the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the
weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base
things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, [yea], and
things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should
glory in his presence.
The Key Word
Study Bible has this today about the verse, “This was a prophecy regarding
Israel’s rejection of God as was seen in their idol worship. The “work” that
God would perform among them as their captivity in Babylon. God placed them in
exile to purify them from idolatry. Some say that the phrase “work a work in
your days, which you will not believe,” refers to the ministry of Christ while
He was on earth. He performed many signs and miracles. Among the Jews, but they
refuse to accept Him as their Messiah. Paul may have applied these words to the
miracles and signs of the Lord Jesus and His disciples, as well as to the works
that were done in Antioch and the growth of the church that came about
thereafter.”
