Running head: HABAKKUK: THE MINOR PROPHET WHO QUESTIONED GOD 1

Habakkuk: The Minor Prophet Who Questioned God

Tama Treat

Biblical Perspectives in Western Culture

Southern Nazarene University

August 5, 2019
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Habakkuk: The Minor Prophet Who Questioned God

Habakkuk was a minor prophet who would have lived around 605 BC before the

destruction of Judah’s capital city, Jerusalem based on his writing about the Babylonian

invasion. Habakkuk is an unusual name that means "embrace” or in some teachings to “wrestle."

This is ironic as this is exactly what Habakkuk does, he wrestles with God’s ways and timing but

eventually he embraces that God’s timing is not for him to understand. Habakkuk was unusual in

his methodology and stood out from other prophet due to his philosophy. He was a prophet who

spoke to God for the people instead of speaking to the people on behalf of God. It is obvious that

Habakkuk felt comfortable speaking to God and asking questions. The book of Habakkuk paints

a picture of a frustrated prophet, who channels his frustration into prayers and eventually praise

to God.

“Of the three chapters in the book, the first two are a dialog between Yahweh and the

prophet. The message that "the just shall live by his faith" (2:4) plays an important role in

Christian thought. It is used in the Epistle to the Romans, Epistle to the Galatians, and the Epistle

to the Hebrews as the starting point of the concept of faith”. (Sweeny 1991 pg. 9)

Habakkuk struggled with wickedness continually consumed God's people. He told God

said that it didn't seem like He was doing anything about their actions, that He did not care.

However, God responded and said that something was happening: He was going to raise up the

Chaldeans (also called Babylonians) to punish Judah. Habakkuk was in disbelief, “How could

God, who is "too pure to look on evil" (1:13), appoint such a nation "to execute judgment" (1:12)

In this book, the Babylonians were described as a cruel nation who would march through

the whole land of Judah and take many captives. The Babylonians had no manners or respect for
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authority and did what they wanted to do, but, still, God would still use this cruel nation of

Babylon to discipline His children, the nation of Judah.

Habakkuk was utterly confused and distraught that this could happen, he wanted answers,

yet not the ones he was getting from God. He stood watch on the tower as a “watcher of men”

until God answered him. God told Habakkuk to be patient and wait on Him to deal with His

people in a just manner. God told him to get a tablet and write what he saw and heard. He said

that all unrighteous nations will fall. He does not endorse their actions. Yet, this will happen at

an appointed time. God said there would be many "woes" brought on Judah for serving false

gods and not serving Him. He said the righteous will live by their faith. Habakkuk 2:4 says

Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. This is

the major theme of Habakkuk; to live by faith.

God sent Habakkuk five woes to write: the first two are about debt, money, power and greed,

the thirds is about violence and slavery, the fourth was on wickedness, corruption immorality,

with the fifth being on serving false idols. Habakkuk trembled and was afraid of the things that

God said would happen to His people because of their wickedness and disobedience, but

Habakkuk also believed and trusted in God. He said that the LORD was his strength.

In chapter 3 Habakkuk pleads for God to send a revival and spare the people to end corruption as

he had done in the past. The prophet ends the book with a prayer or a psalm of praise and prayer.

After hearing God’s coming judgment and expressing his deep concern and disagreement, he still

asks God to be merciful during the judgement and expresses the miracles that had been previous

done. God’s awesome presence at Mount Sinai and His power to intervene for His people (3:3-

7). The division of the Red Sea and later the Jordan River, enabling the Israelites to enter the

Promised Land (3:8-10). His powerful intervention for the Israelites in battle (3:11-15).
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Yet, God's powerful appearance illustrates that when He eventually confronts human evil,

everyone will pay attention. Habakkuk trembles at the thought of what is yet to occur, but

nothing that happens on the earth can remove God’s promises: “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I

will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like

deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills” (3:18-19). Habakkuk understood that

God was in control, and Habakkuk promised to trust God no matter what happened. All of this

leads up to the Future Exodus The book ends by comparing the ancient exodus and a future

exodus when God defeats evil, brings justice and rescues all the oppressed.
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References
Gowan, D. E. (2009). The triumph of faith in Habakkuk. Eugene Or.: Wipf & Stock.

Groeschel, C. (2018). Hope in the dark: Believing God is good when life is not. Grand Rapids,

MI: Zondervan.

Thomas, Heath A.. Faith Amid the Ruins: The Book of Habakkuk . Lexham Press. Kindle

Edition.

Varughese, Alex, ed. (2006). Discovering the Bible: Story and Faith of the Biblical

Communities. NIV Life Application Study Bible. (2005) Grand Rapids: Zondervan.