Habakkuk: Habakkuk 2:1-Habakkuk Waits for the Lord’s Response to His Argument

Habakkuk 2:1 I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint. (NIV84)

Habakkuk 2:1 I am determined to stand at my watch post. Namely, I am determined to station myself in the watchtower. Specifically, I am determined to keep myself watching in order to see what he might want to say to refute me so that I would be able to respond to support my argument. (Pastor’s translation)

Habakkuk 2:1 contains five statements.

The first asserts that Habakkuk was determined to stand at his watch post.

The second defines the first and asserts that the prophet was determined to station himself in the watchtower.

The third identifies what Habakkuk will be doing in his watch post in the watchtower, namely he was determined keep himself watching.

The fourth identifies the purpose of the third and asserts that the prophet was determined to keep on watching in order to see what the Lord might want to say to refute him.

Finally, the fifth presents the result of the fourth and asserts that Habakkuk would be able to respond to the Lord’s refutation to support his argument.

Now, as we noted the first statement in Habakkuk 2:1 asserts that the prophet Habakkuk was determined to stand at his watch post and the second defines the first and asserts that he was determined to station himself in the watchtower.

Therefore, second statement is defining Habakkuk standing at his watch post as being stationed in the watchtower of the city’s wall.

Of course, a city’s guards or sentries and their watch posts were stationed in the watchtower of the wall of the city.

These two statements are figurative language for the prophet Habakkuk awaiting the Lord’s response to his complaint for choosing the Babylonians to discipline the apostate citizenry of his nation, the southern kingdom of Judah.

In other words, the prophet Habakkuk is saying that he was determined to wait for the Lord’s response to his complaint just as a guard or sentry is stationed at his watch post awaiting a courier with a message for the city’s leaders and citizens.

This interpretation is indicated by the third, fourth and fifth statements in Habakkuk 2:1.

We noted that these three assert that the prophet Habakkuk was determined to keep himself watching.

The purpose of which was to see what the Lord might want to say to refute him.

The result of hearing the Lord’s refutation of his argument would enable him to respond to support his argument.

In other words, as a result of hearing what the Lord has to say to refute him would enable Habakkuk to respond to the Lord to support his argument.

In other words, Habakkuk believes that he will have more to say to the Lord in support of his argument despite what the Lord might have to say to refute this argument.

Again, Habakkuk is comparing his determination to wait for the Lord’s response to his complaint just as a guard or sentry who is stationed in a watchtower of a city wall is determined to receive a message from a courier regarding enemy troop movements.

Just as the sentry or guard would communicate this message to the leaders and citizens of a city so Habakkuk would communicate this message to the leaders and citizens of the southern kingdom of Judah.

Thus, Habakkuk 2:1 unites Habakkuk 1:12-17 with Habakkuk 2:2-20.

The former contains Habakkuk’s complaint against the Lord for choosing the Babylonians to be His instrument to discipline the apostate citizenry of the southern kingdom of Judah in 605 B.C.

The latter contains the Lord’s response to the prophet’s complaint which asserts that He will ultimately judge the Babylonians as well for their unrepentant wicked behavior.

Therefore, Habakkuk 2:1 unites the prophet’s complaint and the Lord’s response to this complaint.

This interpretation is indicated by the fact that the five statements in Habakkuk 2:1 look ahead in anticipation of the Lord’s response in Habakkuk 2:2-20 to the prophet’s previous complaint in Habakkuk 1:12-17.

All five of these statements in Habakkuk 2:1 express the prophet Habakkuk’s determination to hear and obey the Lord’s Word or message regarding his complaint for choosing the Babylonians to be His instrument to discipline the apostate citizenry of the southern kingdom of Judah in 605 B.C.

In other words, he has made a volitional decision to hear the Word of God, which expresses his great humility.

In Habakkuk 1:1, Habakkuk identifies himself as “the prophet” (articular form of the noun nā·ḇî(ʾ)), which expresses the fact that he represented God and received a message from the God of Israel, which he in turn was to communicate to the citizens of the kingdom of Judah in 605 B.C. during the reign of Jehoiakim.

Here in Habakkuk 2:1, the prophet alludes to his role as a prophet of God by asserting that he was standing at his watch post and had stationed himself in the watchtower and was keeping himself watching in order to see what the Lord might want to say through him to the citizens of Judah so that he would know how to respond to them in regard to his complaint.

There were a number of activities that the prophets of God were involved in such as communicating doctrine, issuing judgments, communicating future events, serving in the Temple, performing miracles, proclaiming Messianic prophecies, and interceding through prayer for the people (Hab. 3).

An inspired prophet could be identified using the tests for prophets in Deut. 13:1-5; 18:14-22.

Now, the prophet Habakkuk is alluding to prayer when he asserts in Habakkuk 2:1 that he was standing at his watch post and was determined to station himself in the watchtower.

This he defines as keeping himself watching in order to see what the Lord might want to say through him to the citizens of Judah so that he would know how to respond to the citizens of Judah in regard to his complaint.

This serves as a good example for pastors in the church age and for all Christians, namely, to enter into prayer before studying or hearing the Word of God.

This would indicate that Habakkuk was a man who was devoted to prayer like Daniel and Paul and of course the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Each and every one of you must continue to make it your habit of not ceasing to be occupied with praying. (Pastor’s translation)

Habakkuk 2:1 not only indicates that the prophet Habakkuk was waiting on God in prayer but specifically, that he was attempting to listen to God in prayer.

In other words, his waiting on God refers to him waiting to hear the voice of God in prayer.

God’s voice is heard through the communication of the Word by the Spirit.

Thus, Habakkuk was waiting on God in prayer, listening to what the Lord might say to him in response to his complaint.