Habakkuk 2:2-20
Notes
Transcript
God answered Habakkuk’s first complaint, the 4 questions about the evil and violence in Judah.
Which led to more questions and concern in the mind of Habakkuk.
God’s response was for Habakkuk to consider the Babylonians a wicked nation more evil than the Kingdom of Judah.
God told Habakkuk he wouldn’t believe it and the is exactly how he responded.
The answer opened a far more serious concern from Habakkuk.
The prophet concluded his response with verse 1 - Habakkuk 2:1
He will wait for God’s answer, the picture is like he sits back folds his arms awaiting God’s answer — Develop
2 Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.
3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.
This is the word of God…
God begins His response
God begins His response
We don’t know how long Habakkuk had to wait for God to respond.
What are we to think when God does something beyond our comprehension? — Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
in verses 2-3 the reply comes but yet again not in the way Habakkuk expects.
God instructs His prophet to write down the prophecy in a way that is plain and easy to understand.
It shows the importance of the written word of God!
God affirms the trust worthiness of the written word that it will reveal the truth and not a lie.
The fulfillment will require waiting but it will come to pass at the right time.
Contrast of the Babylonians and the righteous
Contrast of the Babylonians and the righteous
In verse 4 — Habakkuk 2:4
4 “See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright— but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness—
Here is the contrast — Babylonians are puffed up
The righteous live by faith!
The Babylonians were full of arrogance with no regard for humility.
They had inflated egos, everything was about them and no one else.
In complete contrast stood the righteous person who lives by faith.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
The righteous person lives in a way where everything is about God!
Even though Habakkuk has received bad news of the impending doom of God’s judgment upon wicked Judah, there is judgment coming for the Babylonians.
The 5 Woes
The 5 Woes
The five woes share a common theme of judgment upon the Babylonians.
The plunderer will be plundered — Habakkuk 2:6-8
6 “Will not all of them taunt him with ridicule and scorn, saying, “ ‘Woe to him who piles up stolen goods and makes himself wealthy by extortion! How long must this go on?’
7 Will not your creditors suddenly arise? Will they not wake up and make you tremble? Then you will become their prey.
8 Because you have plundered many nations, the peoples who are left will plunder you. For you have shed human blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.
They will be taunted with ridicule and scorn.
As they have taken from nations so to their goods will be taken.
God doesn’t forget the evil men that men of the world do.
2. The secure will becomes unsecure — Habakkuk 2:9-11
9 “Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, setting his nest on high to escape the clutches of ruin!
10 You have plotted the ruin of many peoples, shaming your own house and forfeiting your life.
11 The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.
The Babylonians use ill-gotten wealth to build security in the threat of disaster.
3. The Babylonians will be replaced through devastation — Habakkuk 2:12-14
12 “Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by injustice!
13 Has not the Lord Almighty determined that the people’s labor is only fuel for the fire, that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing?
14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Bloodshed and injustice were the foundations of the Babylonian empire.
When a society is built on a foundation of violence and injustice, the seeds of its own destruction have been sown — Proverbs 14:34
34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.
4. Their glory will be tuned to shame — Habakkuk 2:15-17
15 “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk, so that he can gaze on their naked bodies!
16 You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink and let your nakedness be exposed! The cup from the Lord’s right hand is coming around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.
17 The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and your destruction of animals will terrify you. For you have shed human blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.
Babylon’s imperial ambitions made nations drink from its cup of anger.
They became drunk and intoxicated with power.
It is a metaphor of the hideous nature of Babylonian imperial aggression.
5. Their idols are worthless before the Lord — Habakkuk 2:18-20
18 “Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman? Or an image that teaches lies? For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak.
19 Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’ Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’ Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it.”
20 The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.
The Babylonians were known for their worship of Marduk, the chief deity of their pantheon.
Idols like Marduk were the creation of a corrupt people and represent gods who do not exist.
So alas Babylon will end!
Conclusion
Habakkuk began his dialogue with the Lord in the form of a frustrated complaints about the state of affairs in Judah.
The seeming silence of God in all the violence and injustice.
Now Habakkuk is hushed in reverential silence.
God has provided the answer to resolve the questions of Habakkuk’s perplexed mind.
God does deal with evil — This is Babylon today — Note the picture
