Habakkuk 1:1-4

Habakkuk's complaint concerning evil -- Habakkuk 1:1-4: Habakkuk identified himself simply as "the prophet." He wrote, "The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see." (Habakkuk 1:1) He was given a message from God and that message was written in this little book. The prophet had great respect for the Almighty and for His revelation. Habakkuk lamented the corruption and violence that was going on in Judah. He had been praying to God for help. Now he asked God, "How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save?" The prophet knew that Judah had just gone too far to avoid God's judgment and he wondered when God would do something. He lamented the horrible spiritual condition of God's people. He had watched terrible injustice. He was concerned that God allowed violence, lawlessness, crime, and cruelty to continue and to spread everywhere. The people had become careless both in the practice and the enforcement of the Law. Habakkuk felt that justice was lost in all of the wickedness. The criminals had crowded out honest people and God's Laws were both twisted and ignored.