Habakkuk 2 - Introduction

Write The Vision Plainly

Habakkuk Two

The book of Habakkuk records several brief conversations between the prophet and God concerning the spiritual state of God's people. Habakkuk learned that he must wait in faith for God's judgment against the Chaldeans. Let us learn never to be impatient with God. He will deal with all things in His own time. Those that serve God faithfully will never be disappointed by the final outcome. The just shall by faith, holding on to the promises of the Creator, even though the performance of those promises may be deferred. Habakkuk 2:4 is quoted three times in the New Testament. It is in Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38. Those that live by faith persevere to the end because of this strong relationship with the Creator. Habakkuk recognized the doom of those that rebel against God. Israel was led captive because of her personal sins. Now the Chaldeans would face their own punishment. They were filled with pride and drunkenness. They were a violent and dishonest nation. Their ill gotten wealth and their violence caused their spiritual journey to be slowed and the people to be dirty inside.

The Chaldean people had concern for getting wealth, saving it and spending it for selfish purposes. They gave no thought to others or to their accountability to God concerning their wealth. God's law says, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." (Galatians 6:7) They failed to remember that what is gotten by violence from others is often taken away by violence by others. Covetousness and greed brings God's curse upon us. What is gotten by fraud and injustice will bring poverty and ruin to us. When we wrong others we do much more harm to ourselves. At the close of Habakkuk two God again pronounced a severe woe against both drunkenness and against the folly of worshipping idols. Habakkuk wrote, "The LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him." (Habakkuk 2:20) Literally the message was, "Hush and listen to God."