Habakkuk Chapter 2

Bible Study at Gospel Light Christian Church, Singapore
by Pastor Dr Paul Choo
Mid-Week Teaching Service on 14 Feb 2001

Introduction: Habakkuk had been troubled by two problems. First, why did God allow wickedness in Israel to continue for so long. Second, why did God want to use a wicked nation (Babylon) to destroy a less wicked nation (Israel). As he struggled with these two problems, he cried out to God (1:2) and then waited for God to answer him (2: 1) and God did.

v. 1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. - Habakkuk turns to God in his time of perplexity and believes that God will answer him. He compares himself to a watchman on a watchtower on lookout duty who does his utmost to look out for signs. He not only stood on the watchtower but also set himself there until he saw what he needed to see. When we seek God's guidance, we must also use all God-ordained means available (eg. pray, study the Bible). God still rewards faithful seekers of the truth. However, many do not receive instruction from God because they do not expect God to teach them and they do not utilize the available means to seek the truth. Habakkuk was being reproved by unbelievers. They said: "If your God is so holy, why does he allow wickedness to continue unchecked? If He is holy, why does He use the wicked Babylonians as His agents?" Therefore, he desired an answer from God to answer these men.

v.2 And the LORD answered me and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it - Since God was going to show Habakkuk an important prophecy, He commanded him to write it down. Important matters should be written down because men forget easily and verbal communication is often corrupted as it is passed from one person to the next. In ancient times, public announcements were often engraved upon clay tablets and posted at public markets. Habakkuk is commanded to engrave this prophecy in large clear print so that even a person running by could read it. Preachers and teachers of God's Word must strive to make God's Word clear so that every hearer will easily understand it.

v.3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and will not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry - The prophecy would be fulfilled in God's appointed time (and not a moment earlier). Though it would take a long time before it was fulfilled, it was sure to be fulfilled. And though it appears to "tarry" (delay, wait) it does not occur one moment later than it should - therefore, in reality it "will not tarry." This prophecy (of Babylon's destruction) did not occur until 66 years after God had foretold it. -

v. 4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith - Though verses 4 and 5 describe the proud Babylonians, it also is a general description of other proud people. The main difference between the ungodly proud man and the godly humble man is clearly described in this verse. The ungodly man is lifted up, ie, he trusts himself. He thinks that he does not need God. The ungodly Babylonians were proud of their abilities and trusted in them. The godly man realizes that he needs God, ie, he lives depending on God - he lives by his faith. The godly Jews realized that they could not understand nor do anything without God's help - and therefore lived by faith in God's help both for his salvation (ROM 1: 17, GAL 3:11) and his daily needs (HEB 10:38).

v. 5 Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, h e is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people - Babylonians were heavy drinkers of wine and when they were drunk (and behaved like fools) they felt like great men (ie, proud). They were not satisfied with their own land (ie, neither keepeth at home) but desired to conquer other nations (ie, enlargeth his desire). And as the grave "cannot be satisfied' (ie,, death is always "swallowing" men endlessly, PRO 30:1516) so they were always conquering nations. This sin of dissatisfaction is a terrible punishment! The conquering Babylonians were probably more unsatisfied with life than the people whom they conquered.

v. 6 Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay -The remaining verses of this chapter contain five "woes" (ie, divine judgments). The first "woe" (v. 6-8) is against those who plunder nations. Though Babylon would conquer many nations, ultimately they would be utterly destroyed and become a "parable" (example) of a crushed city. The peoples whom they had conquered would ultimately "taunt" them (make fun of their destruction) from generation to generation. Habakkuk asks "How long are these Babylonians going to accumulate gold" (ie, thick clay) which is such a useless burden (ie, ladeth himself with it) to the owners.

v.7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them? - Babylon was confident that they had crushed all their neighbors and that none could destroy them but God warns them that they would be destroyed soon (by the Medo-Persians).

v.8 Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee - God warned that they would reap what they sowed.

v.9 Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! - The second "woe" is against those who grabbed from others to ensure their security. The Babylonians destroyed others, so that they could "set their nest on high," like eagles which built their nests on high mountain-sides to protect their young. The walls of Babylon were 25 meters thick and 15 kilometers long but failed to "deliver them from the power of evil."

v 10 Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul - Those who destroy others in order to protect their families have "consulted shame to their house and sinned against their own soul," ie, they have exposed themselves to greater danger.

v. 11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it - The Babylonians killed or silenced their poor victims but "the stone and the beam of timber" that they had taken from their victims to build their houses would "cry out" to God against them.

v. 12 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth. a city by iniquity! - The third "woe" is pronounced against ruthless men who built cities with bloodshed and oppression.

v. 13 Behold is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labor in the very fire, and the people shaft weary themselves for very vanity? - The LORD of hosts (literally: Jehovah-sabaoth or God of armies) warns the Babylonians that their labor (of building great cities) would end in fire and would be pointless (ie, very vanity). God Himself will destroy the work of cruel wicked men.

v. 14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea - The power of the Babylonians would be utterly destroyed but the glory of the LORD would fill the earth so completely ("as the waters cover the sea"). This prophecy refers firstly to the glory that God would receive when the Babylonians were utterly destroyed according to God's prophecy. It also looks forward to the time when the knowledge of the glory of the LORD is revealed through the Gospel. And this prophecy will be completely fulfilled during the Millennial Kingdom.

v. 15 Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness - This fourth "woe" is against those who intoxicate others with alcohol - and thereafter humiliate their victims (ie, mayest look on their nakedness). The Babylonians were guilty of this (DAN 5: 1).

v. 16 Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered. the cup of the LORD's right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory - God would repay the Babylonians for humiliating others through drunkenness by making them drink of the cup of the LORD (which symbolized God's judgment). God's right hand refers to His great power. Therefore, they would be humiliated by God's powerful judgment upon them. They would be so greatly humiliated (ie, "thy foreskin be uncovered"). The glory of Babylon will be turned to shame - as shameful as the vomiting of a drunk (ie, shameful spewing).

v. 17 For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts - The Babylonians had destroyed the forests of Lebanon to obtain timber for their buildings. They also hunted wild beats for fun. God would devastate them in the same way that they destroyed His creation.

v. 18 What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it, the molten image, and the teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? - The fifth "Woe" is against idolaters. Babylon was filled with idols and is called the "mother of harlots" (REV 17:5). How can a dumb idol which is graven by man help its maker. Idols are called "teachers of lies" because they it gives a false idea of God - representing Him as a finite, helpless created being.

v. 19 Woe unto him that sayeth unto the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst o it - Only a fool would expect a piece of carved wood which has no breath to awake and teach him.

v.20 But the LORD is in his holy temple. let all the earth keep silence before him -"But" contrasts idols with God. Idols are silent to man but man should keep silence (ie, stand in reverence) before the great and glorious God (PSA 46: 10) who lives in His holy temple in heaven. Since God is on His throne in complete control of all things, we can enjoy peaceful rest.