Habakkuk 1:1-2:5
Dear RTB’ers,
Habakkuk – the fifth of six minor prophets during this stretch of RTB readings. I feel like the STS authors should have done a better job at laying out this book. The text is actually a conversation between Habakkuk and God, with Habakkuk questioning and God answering. You’ll see God speaking in Hab. 1:5-11 and in Hab. 2:2-20. All the rest of the text in the first two chapters is Habakkuk questioning God, then all of chapter 3 is Habakkuk’s prayer of praise and rejoicing.
In today’s first four verses Habakkuk is asking God why the evil around him (presumably in Judah, particularly in Jerusalem) is going unpunished. God responds with these famous words, Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans… (vv. 5-6a) God tells Habakkuk that He is doing something unbelievable, that He will be punishing Judah by using the Chaldeans (Babylonians) as His instrument! Habakkuk is horrified! He responds, …why do You idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he? (v.1:13b) That is, how can God send the godless Chaldeans up against the God-fearing (but sinful) Judeans? Essentially, Habakkuk asks if God doesn’t have other instruments that He can use to punish the sin in his midst?
God then responds with a good word for us: WAIT. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. (v. 2:3) For us in our everyday lives, God is doing what He will do. Whatever in our lives seems to be going in a wrong direction – it is known to God. If we are uncomfortable with situations around us and are powerless to do anything about them, we just need to wait. God knows all that is going on. We just need to trust Him and wait. And pray. Yes, wait and pray, pray and wait.
Blessings!
See also: July 6 22 (2023) / Habakkuk.