1.
Background
Habakkuk, a
prophet (Ch.1:1)
is
troubled about the forthcoming
Judgment on Judah. In the first place, at the
continuing
evil that he sees in the land; and then he is troubled at the
prospect
of God punishing Judah by a nation more wicked than they.
God's
replies to Habakkuk is seen in
the chapter
outline
below.
2.
Lessons for us
1. Habakkuk went directly to God to speak of his
concerns
and poured out his heart.
2. God is in control, and no matter how black things look we
are
to cling to God; Habakkuk's name means embrace/cling.
3. God sometimes use the wicked to chastise His own people, but hasn't
forgotten their judgement, which will follow swiftly.
3.
Key verse
Behold,
his soul
which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by
his faith.
Hab. 2:4
|
The latter part of the verse is quoted three
times in
the NT :
Rom.1:17; Gal.3:11;
Heb. 10:38
4.
Chapter outline.
Section | Ref. | Notes |
Conversation 1
| 1:1-11
| Habakkuk
|
1:1-4
| troubled
by:
a) apparent neglect of his prayer
b) apparent indifference to wickedness
|
God
| 1:5-11
| God's
silence does not
mean
indifference but:
a) He was about to do something
b) He would use the Chaldeans to punish
|
|
Conversation 2
| 1:12-2:20
|
Habakkuk
|
1:12-
2:1
| troubled by:
the fact that a Holy God could punish a sinful nation by one more
wicked.
NB..
2:1
sees Habakkuk acknowledging his own ignorance
|
God
| 2:2-20
| God
:
a) commanded Habakkuk to write the vision
b) would save the just through faith
c) punish the Chaldeans
d) then pronounces five woes on the Chaldeans.
|
|
Habakkuk's
prayer. | 3:1-19
| Habakkuk
on hearing God's answers is satisfied and pours out his heart in prayer.
| a)
| He pleads for God's
mercy | 3:1-2 |
| b) |
He speaks of
God's
glory | 3:3-16 |
| c) |
He shows
confidence
in God
| 3: 17-19 |
|