Habakkuk 1:1-17

The Problem of Assyria

Habakkuk

Gordon Churchyard

About the problem of Assyria

Assyria was a country to the north and east of Israel. For many years, it ruled most of the world. Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah lived then. In 722 *B.C. the *Assyrians destroyed Israel. *B.C. means ‘years Before Christ came to the earth’. Israel was a country where 9 or 10 of the tribes (very large families) of the *Jews lived. Judah was a country to the south of Israel. It had two or three *tribes in it: Judah, Benjamin and perhaps Simeon. Jerusalem was the capital of Judah.

The *Assyrians destroyed Israel. The *Assyrians took the people who lived in Israel away to Assyria. They did not take people away from Judah. But soon the *Assyrians started to tell people in Judah what they must do. Sargon the Second and Sennacherib were kings of Assyria. They made people in Judah pay money to Assyria. After that, Judah was not really a free country. Its people were the servants of Assyria.

The *Assyrians were very cruel people. Graham Scroggie tells us some of the things that they did. (He tells us in his book, The Unfolding Drama of Redemption.) They threw away the dead bodies of soldiers. They threw them like dirt. They put lots of human heads together on the ground. They burnt the sons and daughters of their enemies. They burnt their enemies’ cities. They killed many people. The ground was red with blood. They put men on to sticks that had sharp points. They threw dead bodies on to the mountains and into the rivers. The water in the rivers could not move! They cut the hands from kings. They fixed them to walls. They left their bodies for animals to eat. They did many other bad things also.

After about 750 *B.C. Nineveh became the capital of Assyria. It was on the east side of the River Tigris. There was a wall round it. The wall was nearly 100 kilometres long and nearly 40 metres high. It was very wide. Three horses and their chariots could drive together on it. A chariot was a special box without a front or a lid. Soldiers rode in them and horses pulled them. 600 000 people lived in Nineveh. They grew food inside the walls of the city. It fed all the people. The king lived in a big house called a palace. It was very, very nice. Nineveh had beautiful gardens. The gardens had rare plants and animals. The word ‘rare’ means ‘hard to find’. Foreign slaves built all this! They built *temples, *palaces, libraries. They built many other great buildings. They met to *praise their gods in the *temples. (They told their gods that they were great.)

People thought that Assyria was very strong. They thought that nobody could destroy it. They thought that nobody would beat Assyria. They thought that nobody would destroy Nineveh! But Assyria had problems. In 626 *B.C. one of their strongest kings died. Then there were only weak kings. Two other countries became very strong. They were the Scythians and the *Babylonians. We do not know much about the Scythians. The *Babylonians destroyed Nineveh in 612 *B.C.

We want to think about how Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah come into this story.

They were prophets. They lived about 625 *B.C. A prophet tells us what God is thinking. He tells us what God will do. Bible students think that Nahum came first. He said that God would send someone to destroy Nineveh. People who *trusted God would be safe, he said. ‘*Trusted God’ means ‘believed that God would help them’. He probably said this between 660 and 620 *B.C. Then came Zephaniah, about 630 *B.C. He said that the *Assyrian Empire would soon finish. An empire was all the countries that a king ruled. God would save people that *trusted in him, Zephaniah said. Then came Habakkuk. This was about 615 *B.C. The *Babylonians (also called the Chaldeans) would destroy Assyria. Habakkuk said that. But he also said something very important. It is in the *New Testament too. God’s people would live. But they had to *trust in God.

Not all Bible students agree with the dates above. But most students agree on this: that these three *prophets lived about 650 – 600 *B.C.

In these translations, words in brackets … (…..) … are not in the *Hebrew Bible. Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah wrote their books in the *Hebrew language. Words with a *star by them are in the Word List at the end. The notes explain some of these words too.

Habakkuk

Do Not Be Afraid

Jesus said, ‘You will hear about wars and stories about wars. Be sure that this does not frighten you.’ (Matthew 24:6)

About Habakkuk

Habakkuk lived about 600 years B.C. (B.C. means ‘years Before Christ came to the earth’.) He lived in the country called Judah. There is a list of the kings of Judah in the notes at the beginning of Zephaniah in this set of books.

The country that ruled that part of the world until 612 *B.C. was Assyria. In 612 *B.C. a country called Babylon beat Assyria. Then the *Babylonians ruled that part of the world. Both the *Assyrians and the *Babylonians loved and obeyed false gods. Habakkuk thought that the king and other leaders of the people of Judah did not rule well. Many leaders did bad things and nothing could stop them. These leaders did very cruel things to the people in Judah. We call this ‘oppression’. These leaders did not obey the covenant that they had with God. A covenant is when two people or groups agree. Here the two are God and the people in Judah. God said that wanted to be kind to Judah’s people. They should love him and they should obey him. If they did that, he would be kind to them. But the leaders did not love and obey God. So, God said that he would punish Judah’s people. Punish means ‘hurt someone when they do something wrong’.

God chose the *Babylonians to *punish the leaders of Judah. The trouble was that they *punished the people in Judah with the leaders. Since 625 *B.C. Babylon had become a powerful country. They destroyed many countries and, in 612 *B.C., they destroyed Assyria. Then they destroyed Egypt in 605 *B.C. Later, in 586 *B.C., they destroyed Judah also. There is more about Assyria in the notes at the beginning of Nahum in this set of books.

Habakkuk did not understand this. He knew that someone must *punish Judah. But he did not know why it should be the *Babylonians. The *Babylonians were very bad and cruel people. The *Babylonians loved and obeyed false gods. In his book, Habakkuk talks to God:

• in chapter 1 he asks God a question. Would God ever answer when Habakkuk prayed to God?

• in chapter 2 he waits for God’s answer. God says that he will *punish the *Babylonians later. The whole world would see what God would do.

• in chapter 3 Habakkuk says that he believes that God will do this. God will *punish the *Babylonians and he will make Judah safe.

In this translation, words in brackets … (…..) … are not in the *Hebrew Bible. Habakkuk wrote his book in the *Hebrew language.

The Story of Habakkuk

We know very little about Habakkuk. The name means ‘he who holds somebody close to him’. Bible students think that he lived about 600 B.C. (B.C. means ‘years Before Christ came to the earth’.)

This was a very important time in the history (or story) of the *Jews. After Kings Saul, David, Solomon and Rehoboam, their country became two countries. The north part was called Israel. The south part was called Judah. About 720 *B.C. the *Assyrians destroyed the north part. This was because Israel’s people did not obey God’s rules. But the south part did not think that this would happen to them. They too did not obey God’s rules. But Habakkuk said that it would happen. He was right. In 586 *B.C. the *Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem. They took the people away to Babylon. We call this ‘the *exile’.

Habakkuk had two problems:

1) In Judah, people did not obey God’s rules. Habakkuk did not understand why God did nothing to make them obey him (Habakkuk 1:2-4).

2) God told Habakkuk that he would do something. But Habakkuk thought that this was not possible. He did not understand how God could use *wicked people (like the *Babylonians) to *punish Judah’s people. Judah’s people were not as *wicked as the *Babylonians! (See Habakkuk 1:12-17.)

We still have these problems today. Many countries say that they are Christian. But their people do not live like Christians. When we pray about this, nothing seems to happen. So many people say that God is dead! But God is not dead! He is doing something. If we wait, we will see this. Sometimes he uses people that are not Christians. They can do his work for him. Or he brings good things from the bad things that people do. God still has authority! We must believe it. Even if it does not seem that he has. This is called ‘to live by *faith’. Habakkuk 2:4 says, ‘*righteous people will live by their *faith (in God)’.

This means two things:

• they will continue to believe all through their lives that God will give them help;

• after they die on this earth, they will live with God.

At the end of his book, Habakkuk writes a psalm. A psalm is a song with music. In it, he *praises God. He also says that whatever happens, he will still *praise God. That is the message of Habakkuk to us: Whatever happens, *praise God!

Chapter 1

v1 (These are) the important words that Habakkuk the *prophet received (from God).

(Habakkuk has a problem.)

v2 *LORD, how long must I cry to you for help and you will not listen? (How long) must I shout aloud to you, ‘*Violence!’ and you do not make us safe?

v3 Why do you make me see things that are not right? Why do you let (people do) what is wrong? (People) destroy (things) and there is *violence everywhere. People argue and fight a lot.

v4 So the *law can do nothing and *justice never wins. There is a circle of very, very bad people round the *righteous people and *justice becomes turned round.

(The *LORD answers.)

v5 ‘Look at (all) the countries and watch. You will become very, very surprised because I will do something in your *lifetime. And you will not believe it. (You will not believe it) even when I tell you about it!

v6 I will make the *Babylonians strong. They will be cruel and they will do things fast (and without thought). They will go across the whole earth. And they will take homes that are not theirs.

v7 People will be afraid of (the *Babylonians). They will really frighten people. (The *Babylonians) will make their own rules and they will write their own *laws.

v8 Their horses will run faster than *leopards. And they (the *Babylonians) will be more cruel than *wolves in the night. Their men on horses will ride fast (and they will frighten people). The riders on horses will come from far away. They will fly as *vultures that hurry to eat (something).

v9 They will all come for *violence. Large crowds of them will come as a wind in the sandy places. They will put (as many) people into prison as (there are bits of) sand (in these places).

v10 They will say things about kings that are not kind. And they will laugh at the leaders (of the people). They will know that city walls will not keep them out. They will build earth as high as the walls and they will take (each city).

v11 Then they will rush past like the wind and they will go on (to somewhere else). They will think that their own god has made them strong.’

(Habakkuk has another problem.)

v12 *LORD, you have always been alive. (You are) my God. (You are) my *Holy God. (So) we will not die. *LORD, you have given (the *Babylonians) a job. It is to bring (us) *justice. And you, (our) Rock, have sent them to *punish us.

v13 (But) your eyes are too *holy to look at very bad (men). You cannot look at anything that is wrong. So why do you let these bad men (live)? Why do you say nothing? These bad people are killing those who are better than them.

v14 And you have made people like fishes in the sea. (You have made them) like animals that move with no rulers.

v15 (The *Babylonians) will catch all of them, with the *hooks that they use to fish with. They will catch them in their fishing *nets and they will put them in their special holding *nets. This makes them (the *Babylonians) very happy and full of pleasure.

v16 So they make *sacrifices to their *nets and they burn *incense to their special holding *nets. (They do that) because their *nets give them a good life. And so they have the best food.

v17 So will they empty their *nets always? Will they destroy countries without *mercy?

Notes on Habakkuk Chapter 1

Verses 2-4 The *prophet is writing about what happens in his own country. There is *violence. And the *law cannot do anything to stop it. More than this, ‘*justice becomes turned round’. This means that people can do wrong things. But they make it seem like they are doing good things.

Verse 5-11 The *LORD says that he will do something. He will *punish his people in Judah. But he will use the *Babylonians to do it! This will surprise people like Habakkuk. It will surprise them because the *Babylonians have false gods. They are *wicked people. There is a lot of sand in the *desert. So verse 9 means that they will put a lot of people into prison.

Verse 12 - 2:1 Habakkuk shows his surprise. Surely God cannot use people like the *Babylonians! God is *holy and clean and *righteous! Surely he cannot even look at these *wicked people! The *prophet says that he will watch for the answer. He will stand on something high, like the walls of the city (of Jerusalem) or one of its towers. A tower is a high building.

This publication is written in EasyEnglish Level A (1200 words)

Assyrians ~ these people came from the country called Assyria.
Jew ~ a person who is born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
tribe ~ a very large family.
temple ~ God’s house in Jerusalem; or the house of any god.
palace ~ a building where the king lives.
praise ~ tell someone how great they are (or words that do it).
Babylonians ~ these people came from the country called Babylon.
trust ~ believe that someone will be good to you; believe what someone says.
trust ~ believe that someone will be good to you; believe what someone says.'New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, which the writers wrote after Christ’s birth.
prophet ~ he or she says what God is saying; or he says what God will do.
Hebrew ~ the language that the Jews spoke.
Jew ~ a person who is born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
punish ~ hurt people because they have done bad things.
exile ~ away from your own country.
wicked ~ very, very bad.
righteous ~ very, very good; only God is really righteous.
LORD ~ a special name for God that only his servants should use.
Lord ~ someone with authority; also a name for God. (It is not the same Hebrew word as LORD.)
Hebrew ~ the language that the Jews spoke.
Jew ~ a person who is born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
violence ~ to be cruel and to hurt people a lot.
violence ~ to be cruel and to hurt people a lot.
law ~ the rules of a country; here, God’s rules for men and women.
justice ~ when people do what is right.
lifetime ~ as long as someone lives.
leopard ~ a very big cat that can run very fast.
vulture ~ a big bird that eats dead animals.
holy ~ very, very good; only God is really holy.
holy ~ very, very good; only God is really holy.
hook ~ bit of metal that someone bent, to catch fish.
net ~ bag with which people catch fish.
sacrifice ~ something that people burned for their gods; usually it was animals but sometimes it was food or people.
mercy ~ to be kind to people when you do not have to be kind.
desert ~ land full of sand; it is so dry that not many plants grow there.