As is true of the many other prophets, habakkuk is a short book. Habakkuk is speaking as a watchman, standing upon his watch tower looking for the coming enemy. But habakkuk had a problem with regard to the inherent justice of god who would use the wicked babylonians. The book of habakkuk was likely written between 610 and 605 b. Habakkuk has a unique position among prophets as he openly questions wisdom of god. He was identifying the wickedness and sin of judah before them. Of course the prophet habakkuk wrote about conditions in his day and in 606 bc in the type, but the antitype pertains to the great company in the near future. Habakkuk 2 in this chapter we have an answer expected by the prophet habakkuk 2. During the time of the minor prophets, the nation of israel had divided into two separate countries, each with its own government. One or two hebrew words peculiar to habakkuk occur hab 1. Jehovah summons attention to his purpose of sending the chaldeans as the avengers. As is usually the case, his name has something to do with the message of the book. After this second lament, habakkuk vows to wait and hear what he will answer concerning my complaint 2. Habakkuk wrote it just before the fall of judah in the southern kingdom.
This was made to assess how well you know the book. Plundering and violence confront me, contention and discord flourish. It is reasonable to conclude that the warning the prophet gave under inspiration is also relevant for us today. Habakkuk 1 bible study guide points and questions for. Various critics of habakkuk s book also wanted to misinterpret the name of the chaldeans or chaldees. A commentary is added to each verse in which the incidents of the time of the jewish commentator are explained to be the fulfilment of habakkuks prophecy. The pattern of divine revelation and prophetic response is consistent with the rest of the. We are to be watchful in prayer, understanding that it is not only you who are. To the chief musician, with my stringed instruments, suggesting that he was connected with the temple worship in jerusalem. The book of habakkuk, chapter 1 king james version. Upon the first attack of the babylonians followed two more in 597 and 586 bc, which lead to jerusalems destruction and to the babylonian captivity of judah. Introduction the prophecy of habakkuk habakkuk 1 and 2 the prayer of habakkuk habakkuk 3 habakkuk.
Habakkuk 1 commentary matthew henry commentary on the. There are verbal, thematic, and structural parallels which unite chapter 3 with chapters 12 6. The name habakkuk means embracer, not in the romantic sense, but in a comforting sense and this is a great book of comfort. God by him foretels the punishment of that abuse of power by the sword of war, and the desolations which the army of the chaldeans should make upon. Habakkuk then receives a second answer from the lordan answer in which the lord promises a vision 4. Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves.
O lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known. The book of hosea consists of fourteen chapters, which was the record for a minor prophet until zechariah tied it a couple centuries later. All this however had not yet taken place when the book of habakkuk was written. Habakkuk portrays christ as the god of my salvation. The book of habakkuk is narrative history, written by the prophet habakkuk. But habakkuk had a problem with regard to the inherent justice of god who would use the wicked babylonians against a people who, wicked as they were, were yet. O lord, how long shall i cry, and thou wilt not hear. Habakkuk s expostulation with jehovah on account of the prevalence of injustice. The burden the grievous calamities, or heavy judgments. This hebrew manuscript was written around 75 bc and contains the two first chapters of the book of habakkuk.
I think it relates to the fact that he was wrestling with a difficult issue. Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance. In this case, habakkuk begins with an argumentative lament. In habakkuk chapter 1, the prophet finds it hard to understand why god tolerates the evil that the people were doing. The insights tom has gained from memorizing the entire book of habakkuk and the great contributions they offer to bible students. Habakkuk or the book of habakkuk is a prophetic text belonging to the neviim section of the jewish bible tanakh. I do not know any more uptodate and relevant question than that one. The book of habakkuk chapter 1 is taken from jimmy swaggarts, the expositors study bible. Extensive verse by verse explanation, illumination and clarification of this prophetic book seen though the lens of middle east culture and the ancient near east.
We dont know much about the prophet habakkuk from any other book in the bible. Gods first command to habakkuk is to look and observe. Habakkuk protests that gods act of judgment is even more unjust than the injustice god is supposed to be punishing. Habakkuk 1 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on. Habakkuk chapter 2 matthew henry complete commentary on. Habakkuk 1 niv bible the prophecy that habakkuk the. Date the prediction of the coming babylonian invasion 1. It is in the form of a song that makes fun of the proud oppressor.
Determining the date of the book of habakkuk is quite a bit easier than dating most books. In other words, if you want to be wise, you must study and observe, truly seeking to understand. Since he prophesied the coming babylonian army and its destruction of judah, he prophesied some time before that invasion. Book of habakkuk overview insight for living ministries. Reading the chapter before looking at the notes, while working with the notes, and after finishing with the. Habakkuk chapter 2 matthew henry complete commentary. Israel, the northern country consisting of ten tribes, and judah, the remaining two tribes in the south. There is absolutely no information about the background or person of habakkuk recorded. The book of habakkuk is quoted several times in the new testament, including the book of acts. Jan 31, 2017 the insights tom has gained from memorizing the entire book of habakkuk and the great contributions they offer to bible students. It has subdivisions of why does god permit injustice and allow o. Habakkuk and the book of habakkuk your bible quotes. Habakkuk starts with a lament, in his own voice, directed to god. Almost all information about habakkuk is drawn from the book of the bible bearing his name, with no biographical details provided other than his title, the.
The prophet habakkuk decries the sins of judah but grapples with the fact that gods chosen people will suffer at the hands of enemies even more wicked than they. The princes were exactly those who had oppressed the lower part of the population habakkuk 1. Review questions topical studies first steps for new believers what everybody should know about god the inspiration of the scriptures lesson 1. Habakkuks challenge is set up as a dialogue between the prophet and god, in which habakkuks opening complaint about injustices in judean society 1. What makes this book so unusual even among the prophets is that much of it is a debate between the prophet and god. He said, i will stand on my guard post and station myself on the rampart. The first few verses of habakkuk chapter 1 introduces his misery on the vision he saw filled with grave injustices. Habakkuk esv the oracle that habakkuk the prophet. Intro to habakkuk biblica the international bible society. Filled habakkuk 2 gods answer to habakkuks questions in habakkuk 1.
The pattern of divine revelation and prophetic response is consistent with the rest of the book 7. Oct 31, 2010 habakkuk protests that gods act of judgment is even more unjust than the injustice god is supposed to be punishing. In verse 1, the writer, habakkuk, gives advice to himself that is useful to us all. Most prophetic books start with judgment in the voice of god. For while the prophet was complaining of iniquity among the jews, 1st, god foreshows him the desolations which the chaldeans would make. Habakkuk wants an answer from almighty god, as to why he has allowed his people to be so blinded that they were taken into these kenite nets the one world system. We primarily learn about habakkuk and the babylonians. Here in this text we can see that this is not a suggestion. However there is support for considering chapter three as part of the book of habakkuk. Habakkuk 1 commentary james burton coffman commentaries. Its purpose was that habakkuk was announcing a familiar message of judgment. O lord, how long shall i cry for help, and you will not listen.
The most important hint to habakkuk s time of service and to the date of his book is found in chap. This truth is echoed throughout the new testament romans 1. Comfort in probably the most distressing problem that human beings have to face. This book was penned by the prophet habakkuk at a time when the babylonians were in authority. This burden, or prophetic vision, communicated to habakkuk, was against the chaldeans as well as the jews.
Habakkuk, who was active around 612 bc, was a prophet whose oracles and prayer are recorded in the book of habakkuk, the eighth of the collected twelve minor prophets in the hebrew bible. Habakkuk 1 commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. The prophet complains to god of the violence done by the abuse of the sword of justice among his own people and the hardships thereby put upon many good people v. In chapters 12, habakkuk poses some difficult questions to god.
Its authorship is attributed to habakkuk, a prophet who lived approximately during the 7th century bc. Habakkuk chapter 1 explained discover the 66 books of. A general date may be determined by readings such as habakkuk 1. The prophet declared the righteous will live by faith, which emphasizes the heart of the books message. Habakkuk with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. That after god has served his own purposes by the prevailing power of the chaldeans, has tried the faith and patience of his people. In the bible as a whole, only job delivers a more pointed challenge to divine rule. This is certainly not the only time this happens in the bible think of abraham defending the city of sodom, but no other book has such an extended argument with god as habakkuk. This chapter begins with the salutation habakkuk 1.
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