Habakkuk 1:5-11 - God’s Righteous Response #1.

Habakkuk 1:5-11

“Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days— You would not believe if you were told. “For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, That fierce and impetuous people Who march throughout the earth To seize dwelling places which are not theirs. “They are dreaded and feared; Their justice and authority originate with themselves. “Their horses are swifter than leopards And keener than wolves in the evening. Their horsemen come galloping, Their horsemen come from afar; They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour. “All of them come for violence. Their horde of faces moves forward. They collect captives like sand. “They mock at kings And rulers are a laughing matter to them. They laugh at every fortress And heap up rubble to capture it. “Then they will sweep through like the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty, They whose strength is their god.””

Habakkuk 1:5 -

“Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days—You would not believe if you were told.”

What does God command Habakkuk to do? Look, Observe. Be Astonished. Wonder.

God commands Habakkuk, four times:

Look at what I am going to Do! See and Understand.

Observe and pay close attention.

Be astonished, because of what I am going to do!

And wonder/dumbfounded.

Anyone ever have God answer a prayer request that really astonished you? As if you didn’t think it would be answered?

In this case Habakkuk is getting a much needed response or is he? Because Judah’s unrighteous behavior is like the heathen nations!

I don’t think I would want to hear God’s response, if I was Habakkuk.

Acts 13:41

“Behold, you scoffers, and marvel, and perish; For I am accomplishing a work in your days, A work which you will never believe, though someone should describe it to you”

God is warning Judah of the coming judgement for their rejection of Him. therefore - Isa. 29:9 - Judah’s king has been leading his people away from God, thus illustrating his spiritual blindness and deafness. Has Judah’s king forgot that God is the power to making Israel a great nation! Yet, Judah’s king guide them in the opposite direction of God.

And as a result, because of Judah’s king lack of wisdom Isa. 29:14 God will do/work/accomplish an astonishing act of deliverance and judgement to draw Israel back to Him. It will be so amazing that Habakkuk, nor Judah would believe it even if God had recorded it Himself and hand delivered it to them!

Habakkuk 1:6 -

“For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that fierce and impetuous people Who march throughout the earthTo seize dwelling places which are not theirs.

6. God was not only the cause to Habakkuk's vision, but He is the sovereign cause of Judah’s punishment. 2 Kings 24:2; Jeremiah 4:11-13; He is raising a bitter and angry people, who are impetuous, or hasty, acting rashly, and without thinking as instruments of punishment.

The Chaldean’s march the earth and take possession of land, people and tabernacles, that are not theirs to take.

Habakkuk 1:7-

“They are dreaded and feared;Their justice and authority originate with themselves.

Characteristics of the Chaldean’s

Dreaded - terrifying

Feared - to be feared, be afraid,

Justice - decision, judgment, dispute, case, claim, measure, law

Authority - dignity, elevation, exaltation, raising, lifting up, sovereignty

The Chaldean’s are a godless super power. They dictate and render judgement and authority upon their own wisdom - illustrating pride and arrogance.

Jer. 39:5-9

Implications - Strong; intimidating; ruthless and victorious - Why is such a godless people to victorious. Why does God let them do the things that they do?

Habakkuk 1:8 -

“Their horses are swifter than leopards And keener than wolves in the evening. Their horsemen come galloping, Their horsemen come from afar; They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour.

The Chaldean’s are much swifter [rapid and fast Jer. 4:13] than leopards; more fierce than wolves [Zeph. 3:3 princes care little for the people, but devoured them like lions, judges behaved like ravenous wolves administering judgement to their own benefit] - wolves would be famished with fasting all day and very fierce in attacking covertly at night.

The horsemen are not weary

Ezk. 17:3

Habakkuk 1:9 -

“All of them come for violence. Their horde of faces moves forward. They collect captives like sand.

The Chaldean’s are swift, keen, energized and fly to violence.

Their horde or totality have moved to collect, and gather captives. Their desire for violence is seen in their faces. They will return home with spoils.

Isa. 20:4

Habakkuk 1:10 -

“They mock at kings And rulers are a laughing matter to them. They laugh at every fortress And heap up rubble to capture it.

Isa. 37:13 The Chaldean’s are fearless, and prideful they mock and make fun of kings because the have taken over so many of them easily; rulers are a laughing matter or a joke to them; fortified cities are a joke as well to them. All their victories have encouraged pride instead of repentance, and belief in God.

They pile up Ezk. 26:8] dust to destroy walls and capture and assume control.

Habakkuk 1:11 -

“Then they will sweep through like the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty, They whose strength is their god.”

Jer. 4:11 explains that the Chaldean’s will sweep through like the wilderness/desert wind that instead of cools, scorches the vegetation.  come by turns, pass on, over, fly

But, the Chaldean’s will be held guilty because of their treatment of God’s chosen? and arrogance and failure to recognize God. Dan. 4:30

EAST WIND (קָדִים, qadim). The violent wind blowing from the east, mentioned more frequently in the Bible than other winds. The east wind is described as being scorching (Gen 41:6, 23, 27), probably because it comes into Palestine from the burning desert. It damages crops (Ezek 17:9–10; Jonah 4:8), brings in locusts (Exod 10:13), and dries up springs (Hos 13:15). The east wind is most likely the one responsible for the deaths of Job’s children (Job 1:19). During the exodus, God uses the east wind to part the Red Sea (Exod 14:21).