📖 Chapters 0:00 Habakkuk 1. Habakkuk’s Complaint and God’s Response About Babylon 2:53 Habakkuk 2. Woe to the Wicked and God’s Justice 6:26 Habakkuk 3. Habakkuk’s Prayer and Praise for God’s Power
The Book of Habakkuk is one of the Twelve Minor Prophets in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and the Christian Old Testament, distinguished by its deep theological reflection on the problem of evil and divine justice. Unlike most prophetic books, which primarily contain oracles from God to the people, Habakkuk is structured as a dialogue between the prophet and God, focusing on questions of suffering, injustice, and the sovereignty of God over history. Written during the late 7th century BCE, likely between 612 and 605 BCE, Habakkuk’s prophecy takes place in the final years before the Babylonian invasion of Judah, a period marked by violence, corruption, and social decay.
The book begins with Habakkuk’s complaint to God, questioning why evil and injustice seem to go unpunished in Judah. He asks, "How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?" (Habakkuk 1:2), expressing frustration over the rampant wickedness in his nation. In response, God reveals that He is raising up the Babylonians (Chaldeans) as an instrument of judgment, using them to punish Judah for its sins. However, this answer shocks Habakkuk, as the Babylonians are even more wicked than Judah, leading the prophet to question how a holy and just God could allow a brutal empire to triumph.
In the second chapter, God reassures Habakkuk that justice will ultimately prevail and that Babylon itself will face judgment in due time. This section contains a series of woes against the oppressors, condemning violence, greed, exploitation, idolatry, and arrogance. A key verse, Habakkuk 2:4, declares: "The righteous shall live by faith", a profound statement later quoted in the New Testament (Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38) to emphasize that faith in God’s righteousness sustains believers through difficult times.
The book concludes with Habakkuk’s prayer (chapter 3), a powerful hymn of trust and submission to God’s will. Recognizing that judgment is inevitable, Habakkuk chooses to place his faith in God’s justice and ultimate deliverance, declaring one of the most famous affirmations of trust in all of Scripture: "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines… yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior" (Habakkuk 3:17-18). This passage reflects an unwavering faith despite suffering, emphasizing that true trust in God is not based on circumstances but on His unchanging nature.
