Habakkuk 2:1-20: The Watching Prophet

The Watching Prophet, Habakkuk 2:1-20

The Waiting on God (1-3)

J. Vernon McGee quips that "Habakkuk says that he is going to the watchtower to wait. (When he says, “watchtower,” he doesn’t mean that he is going to read a magazine!").

It is crucial for every Christian. It is good to “be still and know that [He is] God.” (Psalm 46:10). Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

KJV Commentary--“The writer of Hebrews quotes the last part of this verse (cf. Hebrews 10:37),” For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry,” to apply to the coming of our Lord. We, like Habakkuk, wait for fulfillment of the Lord’s Word; but the Word given to each is different. Habakkuk waited for the fulfillment of the Word of the Lord pertaining to the destruction of Chaldea, but we wait for the fulfillment of the Word of the Lord pertaining to His return. From our perspective we can see that the Lord completely fulfilled His Word to Habakkuk, and we can have assurance that He will fulfill His Word to us just as completely.

The Wicked Chaldeans (4-5)

The righteous man has a life of faith, simple trust in God. (v. 4 key verse)

From the pen of Martin Luther, it became the battle cry of the reformation--"The just shall live by his faith!"

The wicked Babylonian:

1. He is a drunkard.

2. He is proud.

3. He is one who roams, unable to be at rest.

4. He is insatiably greedy.

5. He likes to dominate others.

Habakkuk could be easily be describing many a modern-day American.

The Woes of the Chaldeans (6-20)

FIVE WOES AGAINST THE INJUSTICES & EVILS OF BABYLON

• 6-8, Lust, greed--wealth by extortion; promise of plunder

• 9-11, Greed, pride--set nest on high; shame will come

• 12-14, Perversity, violence--resort to bloodshed which will only fuel their own destruction

• 15-17, Corrupting--treating people disgracefully will come back to haunt them

• 18-20, Idolatry--trust their own creation, fail to bow to Creator; Result = no redeemer

The LORD Himself testifies that the final outcome of human history will be worship of the one Holy and Righteous King. Hallelujah!