Minor Prophets - Habbakuk

An Overview of Habbakuk

Introduction:

(1)    Habbakuk’s name means “to embrace.”

(a)    He is sometimes known as “the prophet who questioned God.”

(b)   His name only occurs in this book of the Bible.

(2)    The date of the book is somewhere between 612 B.C. (i.e., when Babylon captured Nineveh) and 606 B.C. (i.e., the 1st carrying away).

(3)    The message of the book is:

God is going to use Babylon to punish His people, and then He is going to punish Babylon.

Discussion:

I.                   The Prophet’s Problem (Hab. 1):

A.    Question - Verse Two: “How long, O Lord, will I call for help, and Thou wilt not hear? I cry out to Thee, ‘Violence!’ Yet Thou dost not save.”

- Situation (1.1-4) – Evil is in the land and the prophet wonders if God is going to do

   anything about it

B.     Answer (1.5-11) – God states that He is aware of the problem and that He is going to use Babylon to punish Judah

C.     Concern (1.12-17) – The prophet wonders why God would use an evil nation to punish Judah and wonders why this evil nation will not be punished

II.                The Prophet’s Promise from God (Hab. 2):

-          God will also punish Babylon

A.    Mark it down, it will happen (vv. 2-3)

B.     Until then, “live by faith” (v. 4)

C.     Babylon will be punished because:

(1)  Drunkenness and greed (2:5)

(2)  Brutal treatment of the nations (2:6)

(3)  The shedding of blood (2:7-13)

(4)  Being merchants of terror (2:15-16)

(5)  Destroying other lands (2:17)

(6)  Gross idolatry (2:18-19)

            D.  Therefore, the earth should be silenced by awe (v. 20).

III.             The Prophet’s Prayer (Hab. 3):

A.      The prophet acknowledges the report from God and discusses the great power of God (vv. 1-4).

B.      Since God is the Creator and still in control, then He will destroy evil and be triumphant (vv. 5-11).

C.      At first the prophet was concerned, but now he is able to have faith in God no matter what happens (vv. 17-19).

IV.             Lessons:

1.      God is aware of evil.

2.      Evil will be destroyed.

3.      God will take care of matters on His timetable.

4.      What we need to do is to “live by faith” (i.e., “trust and obey”).

a.       It is natural to ask questions.

b.      We must learn to accept the answers or the lack thereof that we get because we must learn that God knows best.

Conclusion:

(1)    In the end, God and His people will stand victorious.

(2)    In the end, evil will ultimately be conquered.

(3)    Do you wish to stand victorious in the end?