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World Christian Fellowship 60, High Worple, Rayners Lane, Harrow

Middlesex, HA2 9SZ, United Kingdom Tel: +44 208 429 9292

www.wcflondon.com wcflondon@gmail.com

Book of Habakkuk

Name meaning: Habakkuk’s name means to “embrace” or

“wrestle.” As is usually the case, his name has something to do

with the message of the book. By the end of the prophecy, this

name becomes more appropriate as the prophet clings to God

regardless of his confusion about God’s plans for his people.

Year Written: The book of Habakkuk may have written just after

the death of King Josiah between 609 and 586 BC.

The mention of the Chaldeans (1:6) suggests a late seventh

century B.C. date, shortly before Nebuchadnezzar commenced

his military march through Nineveh (612 B.C.), Haran (609 B.C.),

and Carchemish (605 B.C.), on his way to Jerusalem (605 B.C.).

Habakkuk’s bitter lament (1:2–4) may reflect a time period

shortly after the death of Josiah (609 B.C.), days in which the

godly king’s reforms (2 Kings 23) were quickly overturned by his

successor, Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 22:13–19).

Historical background:

Habakkuk prophesied during the final days of the Assyrian

Empire and the beginning of Babylonia’s world rulership under

Nabopolassar and his son Nebuchadnezzar.

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When Nabopolassar ascended to power in 626 B.C., he

immediately began to expand his influence to the North and

West. Under the leadership of Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian

army overthrew Nineveh in 612 B.C. The Assyrian kings and

royals were forced to flee for their life and they were to take

refuge first in Haran and then Carchemish. Nebuchadnezzar

pursued them and overrunning them in Haran in 609 B.C. and

Carchemish in 606 B.C.

The fleeing Assyrian king looked for assistance from the Egyptian

king Necho, who was trying to come through Judah, was opposed

by King Josiah (2 Chronicles 35:20-24). During this battle Josiah

not only lost but also lost his life leaving his sons to takeover.

Even though Josiah instituted the spiritual reform during the

time of Hilkiah found the Law of God (2 Kings 22-23) the

reformation did not last longer. After his death the nation once

again turn to the idol worship and reverted back to their wicked

ways. (Jeremiah 22:13-19)

These circumstances made Habakkuk to question God’s silence

and apparent lack of disciplinary action (1:2–4) to purge His

covenant people.

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Purpose:

Even when the northern kingdom had been destroyed in 722 BC,

God’s people remained in Judah. However the new empire under

Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonians, much worse than the

previous regime of Assyria on the rise to greater power. When

the faithful people like Habakkuk are seeking the help of God to

deliver them they were for a surprise because God says I am

raising up the Babylonians.

So Habakkuk was wondering what God doing to His chosen

people.

Hadn’t He given the land to His people?

Would He now take it away?

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Habakkuk’s prayer of faith for the remainder of God’s people in

the face of such destruction still stands today as a remarkable

witness of true faith and undying hope.

This book is not a prophesy against the people of Judah or to the

nation but it’s a conversation between God and Habakkuk.

Habakkuk asks God two questions and God answers them both.

Then God ask Habakkuk to write down the vision and then he

ends up prayer of praising to God in the midst of trouble.

Brief Summary

Though sometimes it looks as if God seems to be inactive, but He

is always involved. 1:12 showed that God is using the

Babylonians to achieve His purposes and they were under God’s

control.

God is holy. In 1:13 Habakkuk said that God could not approve

evil.

God hears and answers prayers.

When we pray, we usually have in our minds the way we want

God to answer. When He answers differently, we think He hasn’t

answered at all. God sometimes gives unexpected answers to

our prayers.

God is Just and God is good. He will judge the wicked and he is

concerned for the righteous.

The righteous live by faith and faithfulness. This means we really

believe that God is good and God is just. And we live accordingly.

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The opening verses reveal a historical situation similar to the

days of Amos and Micah. Justice had essentially disappeared

from the Land, violence and wickedness was pervasive, existing

unchecked.

In the midst of these dark days, the prophet cried out for divine

intervention (1:2–4). God’s response, that He was sending the

Chaldeans to judge Judah (1:5–11), creates an even greater

theological dilemma for Habakkuk.

Why didn’t God purge His people and restore their

righteousness?

How could God use the Chaldeans to judge a people more

righteous than they (1:12–2:1)?

God’s answer that He would judge the Chaldeans also (2:2–20),

did not fully satisfy the prophet’s theological predicament.

Ultimately, Habakkuk realized that God was not to be worshiped

merely because of the temporal blessings He bestowed, but for

His own sake (3:17–19).

Brief Outline of the book:

The Prophet’s Confusions (1:2–2:20)

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His first complaint (1:2–4)

He lists six different problems.

1. Sin,

2. Wickedness,

3. Destruction,

4. Violence,

5. No justice in the courts, and

6. The wicked outnumbered the righteous.

Does this sound like our society?

Habakkuk raises a good question which normally I encounter

when I ask for a question and answer sessions in my overseas

preaching.

Why does evil go unpunished?

Why do the wicked prosper?

Why doesn’t God do something?

God’s first response (1:5–11)

God is doing something. He is rising up a foreign nation, the

Babylonians, to come and destroy Judah. He tells Habakkuk, “You

would not believe if you were told.” Why? Because they are

really wicked. They were worse than the Jews.

God doesn’t always give us the answers we want or expect. We

usually have it in our mind how we want God to answer our

prayers. When He does it differently, how do you respond?

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His second complaint (1:12–2:1)

Although he accepts the answer, he doesn’t like the answer. God

does not change is important because it means God keeps His

promises and He has made promises to Israel. Habakkuk knows

that God will not totally destroy Israel because of his covenantal

promises. That is why he says, “We will not die.” God’s answer

indicates that things are going to get worse, not better.

There is a balance between self-pity, hopeless resignation and

staying mad at God. As usual, the correct response is somewhere

in the middle. Habakkuk has received one answer, and he had

more questions.

God’s second response (2:2–20)

God says, don’t worry about the Babylonians, they will get theirs

too.

Staying in faith and faithfulness is not true and perhaps use the

illustration of someone who “knows” that smoking is bad for

them, but doesn’t stop. If you could really know their heart, you

would find that they don’t think anything will happen to them. It

is the same syndrome in which people think accidents only

happen to other people.

➢ Woe to the Proud 2:4-5

➢ Woe to the Greedy 2:6-8

➢ Woe to the Dishonest 2:9-11

➢ Woe to the Violent 2:12-14

➢ Woe to the Sensual 2:15-17

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➢ Woe to the Idolater 2:18-20

The Prophet’s Prayer (3:1–19)

Petition for God’s mercy (3:1, 2)

Praise of God’s power (3:3–15)

Promise of God’s sufficiency (3:16–19)

This chapter is been prophesied as a song! You will see at the end

the music note.

Also you will find the word ‘selah’ three times here in verses 3,9

and 13 apart from the Psalms. We have detailed messages about

selah, it simply means ponder and meditate.

He pleads for mercy in the midst of the judgment (1-2).

He is afraid of what is coming. He knows it will be awful.

Undoubtedly he will suffer too.

He praises God's majesty and power (3-15).

He promises to wait on the Lord (16-19).

What is coming is frightening, but he commits himself to wait and

trust in God.

Key Verses:

Habakkuk 1:2, “How long, Oh Lord, must I call for help, but you

do not listen? Or cry out to you, ‘Violence!’ but you do not save.”

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Habakkuk 1:5, “Look at the nations and watch and be utterly

amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you

would not believe, even if I told you.”

Habakkuk 1:12, “Oh, Lord are you not from everlasting? My God,

My Holy One, we will not die.”

Habakkuk 2:2-4, “Then the Lord replied: Write down the

revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run

with it. For the revelation waits an appointed time; it speaks of

the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it

will certainly come and not delay. See, he is puffed up; his desires

are not upright - but the righteous will live by his faith.”

Habakkuk 2:20, “But the Lord is in His Holy temple; let all the

earth be silent before Him.”

Habakkuk 3:2, “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.”

Habakkuk 3:19, “The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes

my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the

heights.”

Conclusion:

The questions raised by the prophet Habakkuk represent some

of the most fundamental questions in all of life. The answers

provide us the crucial foundation stones on which to build a

proper understanding of God’s character and His sovereign ways

in history.

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The core of his message lies in the call to trust God (2:4), “the just

shall live by his faith.”

The New Testament references credit unusual importance

theologically to Habakkuk. The book of Hebrews(10:38) quotes

the prophecy of Habakkuk(2:4) in relation to the believers are

required to be strong and faithful in the midst of trial and

afflictions.

The apostle Paul uses the same verse twice (Romans 1:17;

Galatians 3:11) to emphasize the doctrine of justification by faith.

Faith is not a one-time act, but a way of life. The true believer,

declared righteous by God, will habitually persevere in faith

throughout all his life (Colossians 1:22,23; Hebrews 3:12–14). He

will trust the sovereign God who only does what is right.

Do you know the relationship between divine judgment and

divine blessing?

Many think that the Divine Judgement and Divine blessings as

opposites and have no relationship. But I would like to mention

that many think that the judgment as something that has little to

do with me and much to do with my enemies. At the same time

they like to think of God’s blessings and salvation are theirs,

unrelated to judgment. But I would like to confirm that I have

come to the conclusion that divine judgment and divine blessings

are very closely inter-related.

God’s judgment is the means whereby He delivers us from our

enemies (2:4-15; 3:15, 19).

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Divine judgment purifies the righteous remnant (3:9).

God’s judgment is the means by which God brings about our

blessings. When God removes the wicked, it is so He may come

and dwell with us.

In addition, when God removes the wicked, He gives their

possessions to His faithful remnant (2:5-7, 9-10). The judgment

of the wicked is the means to our blessing.

The final blessings on Zion pronounced in 3:14-20 are largely

unfulfilled, leading us to conclude that these are messianic

prophecies that await the Second Coming of Christ. The Lord has

taken away our punishment only through Christ who came to die

for the sins of His people (Zephaniah 3:15; John 3:16). But Israel

has not yet recognized her true Saviour. This is yet to happen

(Romans 11:25-27).

The promise of peace and safety for Israel, a time when their King

is in their midst, will be fulfilled when Christ returns to judge the

world and redeem it for Himself. Just as He ascended to heaven

after His resurrection, so will He return and set up a New

Jerusalem on earth (Revelation 21). At that time, all God’s

promises to Israel will be fulfilled.

Application for today:

1. It is permissible to question what God is doing, although

with respect and reverence. Sometimes it is not evident

to us what is going on, especially if we are thrown into

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suffering for a period of time or if it seems our enemies

are prospering while we are just barely getting by.

2. The Book of Habakkuk affirms that God is a sovereign,

omnipotent God who has all things under control. We

just need to be still and know He is at work. He is who He

says He is and does keep His promises. He will punish the

wicked. Even when we cannot see it, He is still on the

throne of the universe.

3. We need to stay focused on this: “The Sovereign Lord is

my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he

enables me to go on the heights” (Habakkuk 3:19).

Enabling us to go on the heights is taking us to the higher

places with Him where we are set apart from the world.

4. Sometimes the way we have to go to get us there is

through suffering and sorrow, but if we rest in Him and

trust Him, we come out where He wants us.

5. The message of Habakkuk is very comforting to us

because we live in a wicked society. We can look back at

what Habakkuk wrote, see that it came true, that God

really is in control, that God did protect the righteous

even though they went to Babylon (eg. Daniel, Shadrack,

Meshack and Abednego) and He eventually brought

them back to the land. Therefore, my faith in God can be

bolstered by the prophecy and historical events that

show God’s word is true.