Overview of the Book of Habakkuk

The overview of the week for this Sunday is the book of Habakkuk.

The prophet wrote sometime in the 7th century BC before the Babylonian captivity

and the theme of his prophecy has been described as a journey from doubt

to faith.

The book begins with the prophet questioning God.

He couldn't figure out why God was or wasn't doing this or that.

Basically this was a period of moral decay in Jewish society.

Violence and corruption were running rampant and the prophet wanted to know why

God are you not doing anything about it.

The book begins in chapter 1 verse 1.

The burden which the prophet Habakkuk saw.

Oh Lord how long shall I cry and you will not hear.

Even cry out to you violence and you will not save.

Why do you show me iniquity and cause me to see trouble.

For plundering and violence are before me.

There is strife and contention arises.

Therefore the law is powerless and justice never goes forth.

For the wicked surround the righteous.

Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.

So the prophet has this question.

Lord why are you not doing anything about all this iniquity in the nation and the Lord responds

which leads to an even bigger question.

The Lord tells the prophet that no I am going to judge the nation of Judah and

I'm going to do it by raising up the Chaldeans or the Babylonians.

They are going to come in and conquer the Jews and Habakkuk's response is

Lord how can you do that.

The Babylonians are even more wicked than the Jews are.

So that didn't make any sense to the prophet.

Of course ultimately God was going to judge the Babylonians as well.

So this is what leads Habakkuk to have this dialogue

with God.

It really leads him to trust in God even more.

The key verse of the book is chapter 2 verse 4 where the Lord says the

just shall live by his faith.

And that's what God ultimately was telling Habakkuk.

You need to trust me.

You need to trust me.

This verse the just shall live by his faith.

The Apostle Paul quotes this verse in both Romans and Galatians to back up his

doctrine of justification by faith alone.

So in conclusion the book ends with chapter 3 with a prayer and a hymn of faith.

Habakkuk writes though the fig tree may not blossom nor the fruit beyond the

vines though the labor of the olive may fail in the field yield no

food though the flock may be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in

the stalls yet I will rejoice in the Lord I will

joy in the God of my salvation.