Habakkuk Book Study

“Triumphing Over Our Trials”

A Study Of The Book Of Habakkuk

 

Introduction:  Trials are a part of life in this sinful world that we live in.  It has been said that we are either in a trial, coming out of a trial, or heading into a trial.  It may be in different degrees, but all of us have trials and problems.  Your trial may be a broken relationship, a “friend” who has stabbed you in back, a difficult work situation, a child who is breaking your heart, the death of a loved one, financial difficulties, health issues, or a host of other trials.  You can fill in the blank regarding your personal trials.

There are different reasons that we have trials.  Sometimes we create them for ourselves, and the trials are really the consequences of our actions.  Other times, we have very little control over them.  Other people create them, or sometimes it seems as though there is no explanation for them.  God’s ultimate purpose in our trials, however, is to produce maturity, character, and endurance.  Ultimately, however, I believe that our trials are produced by one of three reasons:  either it is our sin, someone else’s sin, or God is causing the trial for His glory and our good (John 9:1-3).

The prophet Habakkuk was a man going through a trial that was about to get worse.  His nation was in shambles.  Evil was abounding.  There was no justice.  He questioned God about this problem, and God told him that he was going to use the Babylonians to judge His people.  Habakkuk’s trial was about to get bigger.  The following notes from the Believer’s Study Bible give some background on Habakkuk and his situation.

The notes say, “Although the prophecy is not dated according to the reign of a king, internal evidence presupposes a date between the death of King Josiah (609 B.C.) and the beginning of the Babylonian captivity (605 B.C.).  The deplorable conditions of the people (1:2-4) imply a date after the untimely death of Josiah [who was a godly king who had attempted reform in the nation] at the Battle of Megiddo (609 B.C.) and during the wicked reign of King Jehoiakim (609-597 B.C.; cf. Jer. 22:13-23).  Along with Zephaniah and Jeremiah, Habakkuk warned of God’s approaching judgment through the Chaldeans, i.e., the Babylonians.  Nineveh, the capital of the once-mighty Assyrian Empire, fell to the Babylonians in 612 B.C.  Seven years later (605 B.C.), Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon defeated Pharaoh Necho of Egypt at Carchemish (on the Euphrates), then pursued the Egyptians back through Palestine.  In so doing, Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem and took hostages, including Daniel (Dan. 1:1).  Doubtless he would have conquered the city, if word of the death of his father, Nabopolassar, had not reached him causing him to return immediately to Babylon to ascend the throne.  Nevertheless, the first phase of the Babylonian captivity, of which Habakkuk prophesied, became a reality.”

The nation of Israel was in a mess through immorality and injustice.  Habakkuk had a great burden and was crying out to God for answers.  He wanted God to move among His people and make changes.  However, he was perplexed when God told him that he was going to use the Chaldeans to accomplish this judgment.  Habakkuk was definitely in the midst of a trial.  We are going to examine what Habakkuk wrote and attempt to learn from him in regard to how we can “Triumph Over Our Trials.”  The following is an outline of the book.

 

  1. Introduction (1:1)
  2. Habakkuk’s 1st Question (1:2-4) – When will you act justly and deal with evil?
  3. God’s 1st Reply (1:5-11) – I am going to use the Chaldeans as a tool of judgment.
  4. Habakkuk’s 2nd Question (1:12-2:1) – How can you use those who are more wicked than us to judge us?
  5. God’s 2nd Reply – (2:2-20)
    1. (2-4)  His Word To The Righteous – Trust Him
    2. (5-20) His Word To The Wicked – Judgment Is Coming
  6. The Prophet’s Response Of Prayer (ch. 3)
    1. A Request for Mercy (3:1-2)
    2. A Picture of God (3:3-15)
    3. A Statement of Trust (3:16-19)
      1. God is Sovereign-I will trust that He is in control (v. 16).
      2. God is my Savior-I will rejoice in Him (v. 17-18).
      3. God is my Strength-I will allow Him to lead me in victory (v. 19).

      (VII)  Conclusion

 

(I) Introduction (1:1)-John McArthur defines a burden as “a weighty, heavy oracle of judgment.”  Habakkuk saw this burden so it was given to him in the form of a vision.  He was already burdened by the condition of his nation and was then further burdened through the revelation of God’s impending judgment.  A true prophet is one who has something from God that he has to say-whether it is pleasant or not.  He must speak the truth.  Also, we should be burdened over sin and suffering.

 

(II) Habakkuk’s 1st Question (1:2-4)-When will you act justly and deal with evil?

As stated in the introduction, Israel was in shambles.  Since the death of godly Josiah and the ascension of wicked Jehoiakim; iniquity, immorality, and injustice had taken over.  Apparently, Habakkuk felt like God was not answering his prayers because he said, “How long shall I cry and you will not hear?”  Habakkuk was hurting and struggling with the situation.  However, he did the right thing by turning to God and pouring out his heart to him.  He did not understand why God, who is holy, put up with this sin.  There is nothing wrong with asking God questions-especially if we are trusting Him and genuinely seeking understanding and help.

 

(III) God’s 1st Reply (1:5-11)-I am going to use the Chaldeans as a tool of judgment.

God’s reply blew Habakkuk’s mind.  He could not believe that God would use the wicked Chaldeans to judge His own people.  The Lord describes their power, ferocity, and conquests.  He told Habakkuk that he would be astounded by what He was doing.  It is important for us to recognize that God is sovereign.  He is in control of all things.  Nothing happens that God doesn’t cause or allow to happen.  This world belongs to Him.  He is Lord of nature, nations and history.  Rulers are simply pawns in His hand.  God is all-powerful and can use whomever He sees fit for whatever He sees fit.

 

(IV) Habakkuk’s 2nd Question (1:12-2:1)-How can you use those who are more wicked than us to judge us?

Habakkuk was confused and flabbergasted by God’s response.  He did not understand how God could use those who were more wicked than them to judge His own people.  However, we must remember that God says that “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways” (Isaiah 55:8).  In 2:1, Habakkuk said that he was listening for God to correct him.  He was respectful and reverent and genuinely searching for answers.  That is important.  People today are still perplexed by the question of evil in the world and how a holy and loving God can allow it.  I believe there are some lessons in Habakkuk’s words that we can apply that will help us deal with that difficult issue.  They are:

  1. Our faith must be rooted in the character of God and not in circumstances in the world.  Everything Habakkuk was thinking, saying and asking was rooted in the character of God.  This is key to our faith.  God is trustworthy because of who He is.  A faith problem is always rooted in having misconceptions about God.  We will either look at God through our circumstances or our circumstances through God.  Habakkuk saw God as:
    1. Eternal (v. 12)
    2. Personal (v. 12-13)
    3. Holy (v. 12-13)
    4. Judge (v. 12)  {God will deal with evil.}
    5. Sovereign (v.12-God had appointed them for judgment.)
    6. Rock (v. 12-He was faithful and secure.)
  2. Sin is sin.  We have no right to compare ourselves to others.  Each of us has to answer for ourselves.
  3. God’s people receive chastisement now-but the wicked receive eternal judgment (see Psalm 73).
  4. This was his last question.  So God’s answer satisfied.  He chose to trust God (2:4).  It is ok to ask questions, but ultimately, we must trust God.  The ultimate reason to trust God, with this question and every other question, is because of His Son, Jesus Christ.

 

(V) God’s 2nd Reply (2:2-20)

A.  His Word To The Righteous-Trust Him (v. 2-4):  I would like to begin this section by defining faith and then moving on to look specifically at the truths this passage teaches us about faith.  My definition of faith is simply:  Taking God at His Word and acting upon it.  True faith involves truly hearing from God, believing what is heard, and acting obediently upon it.  True faith involves the mind, emotions, and will.  Faith is more than intellectual assent, but we must know and somewhat understand something intellectually before we can believe it.  Real faith includes the emotions in the sense that true faith embraces Christ in our hearts and causes us to love Him.  However, it also involves our wills because true faith surrenders the will to Christ in obedience and acknowledges Him as Lord.  Warren Wiersbe writes, “True Bible faith is confident obedience to God’s Word in spite of circumstances and consequences….  This faith operates quite simply.  God speaks and we hear His Word.  We trust His Word and act on it no matter what the circumstances are or what the consequences may be.  The circumstances may be impossible, and the consequences frightening and unknown; but we obey God’s Word just the same and believe Him to do what is right and what is best.  The unsaved world does not understand true Bible faith, probably because it sees so little faith in action in the church today.  The cynical editor H.L. Mencken defined faith as ‘illogical belief in the occurrence of the impossible.’  The world fails to realize that faith is only as good as its object, and the object of our faith is God.  Faith is not some ‘feeling’ that we manufacture.  It is our total response to what God has revealed in His Word.”

With that said in the way of introduction, let’s examine the truths of the passage specifically.

  1. The basis of faith is the Word of God (2:2-4).
  2. The basis of God’s Word is the perfect character of God (1:12).
  3. Faith is the way we are made right with God (2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38,  see the example of Abraham in Genesis 12, 15, 22, Romans 4, Galatians 3, and see Romans 3, Ephesians 2:8-9, John 6:29, Acts 16:31).
  4. Faith is the way the righteous live their lives.  John MacArthur says, “Faith is not a one-time act, but a way of life.  The true believer, declared righteous by God, will persevere in faith as the pattern of his life.”  Timothy George writes, “This means that saving faith cannot be reduced to a one-time decision or event in the past; it is a living, dynamic reality permeating every aspect of the believer’s life.”
  5. The proud do not trust God (Luke 18:9-14, Romans 3:10-4:8, 1 Corinthians 18:31, James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5-7, Isaiah 66:1-2, Proverbs 16:5, 18-19).
  6. Faith and pride are opposites because faith is dependence and pride is independence.
  7. A person who truly trusts God is a humble person.  We have to humble ourselves  in order to trust God.
  8. We are only made right by faith because God gets the credit and glory that way.  If it were any other way, we would get glory that would increase our pride.
  9. We can only live by our own faith-not anybody else’s faith.
  10. True faith always produces godly action (see chapter 3).
  11. God wants us to trust Him in the midst of difficult situations in life.

 

B) His Word To The Wicked-Judgment (2:5-20)

The Lord now goes on to describe the proud man.  Remember that He has just contrasted the unrighteous (proud) with the righteous (trusting).  He now proceeds to elaborate on the wicked and the judgment that is coming to them.  Verse 5 specifically refers to the political/military conquests of the wicked Babylonians.  However, this applies to all the wicked.  It is especially relevant to our world today.  Also, remember as we read it that Babylon is modern day Iraq.

James Montgomery Boice writes of this section, “The way of the righteous is the way of faith in God.  The way of the wicked is the way of drawing back from faith in God.  The first submits to God and trusts God.  The second submits to no one.  The person who chooses the second way is arrogant.  He says, ‘I don’t need religion.  I can take care of myself.  I can do without God.’  The bulk of this chapter shows the course and dismal end of the ungodly.  In 2:6-20 we find what scholars call a ‘taunt song.’  It is the kind of song that a once-oppressed people might direct against its former oppressor.  Often taunt songs begin with the word ‘woe’ or ‘alas.’  In this case, there are five occurrences of the word ‘woe,’ each of which marks a stanza within the song.  The first woe is in verse 6; the stanza it introduces is in verses 6-8.  The second woe introduces verses 9-11.  The third woe introduces verses 12-14.  The fourth woe introduces verses 15-17.  The final stanza encompasses verses 18-20, but the woe comes in the middle in verse 19.  These five stanzas show the misery of the person or nation that thinks it can do without God.”

Let’s examine these five woes and the sins that prompt them.

 

  1. Selfish Ambition (v. 6-8).  They were greedy and selfish and didn’t care who they hurt to get what they wanted.  Warren Wiersbe writes, “Of itself, ambition can be a good thing, but if it motivates people to be greedy, selfish, and abusive, it’s a bad thing.”  God wants us to be ambitious to please Him and spread the gospel (Romans 15:20, 2 Corinthians 5:9).
  2. Covetousness (v. 9-11).  This is desiring what belongs to someone else, and they did not just desire.  They went and got it.  It is prompted by dissatisfaction and greed.  God wants us to learn that our lives do not consist in what we possess.
  3. Violence and exploitation of people (v. 12-14).  They hurt people and used people for their own selfish gain.  However, Babylon is a reminder that what man builds apart from God will never last.
  4. Drunkenness and Seduction (v. 15-17).  This can be applied personally and nationally, literally and figuratively.  Note the following Bible verses:  Proverbs 20:1, 21:17, 23:20-21, 29-35; Romans 13:13; Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 8; Galatians 5:21; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:7; Genesis 9:20-27, 19:30-38; Romans 13:11-14).
  5. Idolatry (v. 18-20).  What is idolatry?  Warren Wiersbe says, “Romans 1:25 gives the best answer:  worshipping and serving the creature instead of the Creator…It’s the popular philosophy of the world that man is the highest thing in the universe and can pull himself up by his own bootstraps to any level he chooses…..Idols are dead substitutes for the living God (Ps. 115).  Whatever people delight in other than God, whatever they are devoted to and sacrifice for, whatever they couldn’t bear to be without, is an idol and therefore under the condemnation of God.  Most people in civilized countries don’t worship man-made images of things in nature, but if the above definition is correct, modern society has its idols just as the Babylonians did……Albert Schweitzer said, ‘Anything you have that you cannot give away, you do not really own; it owns you.’  I’ve met people who so idolized their children and grandchildren that they refused to let them consider giving their lives for Christian service.”  Idolatry is expressed through:
    1. Statues
    2. The Babylonian religious system expressed in things such as divination, sorcery, spiritism, demonism, astrology, etc.  Boice comments on this by saying, “Unfortunately, we also have this in our time.  It is hard to understand why an educated, scientifically minded, modern people such as we imagine ourselves to be should be so intrigued by spiritism and the occult; but our chapter explains it perfectly,  It is simply the end condition of a people who will not walk by faith in God but who trust to their own devices instead.  We trust ourselves, but we are not adequate for the trust.  So, finding no help in mere human beings and having rejected the true God, we turn to superstition.  The most widespread American version of occult practices is astrology, and I have often asked myself why astrology is so popular in our ‘enlightened’ age.  I have found three explanations.  First, astrology offers religion without moral responsibility.  This is inherent in the very axioms of astrology which substitute a causality of stars and planets for human free will, liberty, and responsibility.  It is fatalism, and fatalism absolves man from duty….Second, astrology offers revelation without the disconcerting doctrines of the Bible.  It pretends to give a word from beyond, but it does not speak of sin, death, or judgment.  The Bible does……Third, astrology offers salvation without a real Savior…..If there is to be peace and love in the world, then the Lord Jesus Christ, who alone is the embodiment of peace and love, must provide it.”
    3. People 
    4. Things (material possessions, money, position, fame, etc.)

 

VI.  The Prophet’s Response Of Prayer

Habakkuk began by looking at his circumstances, and he ended by looking at God.  He began by questioning and ended by trusting.  That faith was expressed in this incredible prayer.  It is probably one of the greatest prayers recorded in the pages of Scripture.  The prayer includes:

 

A.  A Request For Mercy (v. 1-2)

1.   Hearing from the Lord

  1. Fearing the Lord
  2. Asking God to revive His work
  3. Praying for mercy

 

B.  A Picture Of God (v. 3-15)

Habakkuk looked back and remembered God’s previous acts.  This built his faith.  I believe this is a key activity for us to do in order to be encouraged during difficult times, build our faith, and have a strong prayer life.  It is important that we remember how God has worked in our lives personally and the examples of how He has worked in the past in the lives of His people that are recorded in Scripture.  God’s nature and character are unchanging so we can glean a picture of God and the principles regarding how He works by looking at the past.  It is especially important that we think through situations biblically.  Habakkuk saw:

  1. The glory of God displayed at Mt. Sinai (v. 3-5)
  2. The conquest of Canaan (v. 6-15)

We glean a picture of God from these verses that portrays:

    1. God’s holy character-He is perfect.  He will always do what is right.
    2. God’s glory-He is great and majestic.  It is about Him-not us.
    3. God’s power-He is all-powerful and can do whatever He chooses.  He is infinitely more powerful than our enemies and our problems.
    4. God’s sovereignty-God is on His throne and in control of all things.  Nothing happens by accident.  Nothing happens that God does not cause or allow to happen.  Anything that comes to us has passed by Him first.
    5. God’s past faithfulness-God is unchanging and can always be counted on.  He is perfectly trustworthy.  He always takes care of us and will never leave us or forsake us.  He is always good and is working all things for my good (Romans 8:28).
    6. God’s gracious salvation-God delivers and favors His people even though we do not deserve it.  He will give us victory as we trust Him.

 

C.  A Statement Of Trust (v. 16-19)

1.  God is Sovereign-I will trust that He is in control (v. 16).  Application:  Know Scripture and live based on it instead of feelings.

2.  God is my Savior-I will rejoice in Him (v. 17-18).  Application:  Choose to worship no matter what the circumstance.

3.  God is my Strength-I will allow Him to lead me to victory (v. 19).  Application:  Rest in the Lord and allow Him to renew us (Isaiah 40:28-31).

 

Conclusion:  This prophecy, which began with questions and gloom, ends on a great note of faith and victory.  Habakkuk ends the book by writing, “He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills.”  This speaks of God leading him through to victory.  It speaks of the fact that even though his circumstances did not change-He changed.  That is even more important!  It shows us that God may not choose to change our circumstances, but He can enable us to walk above our circumstances.

What kind of adversity and difficult circumstances are you facing today?  Will you look to God and see the difficulties through Him?  Will you choose to trust the Lord?  God is Sovereign.  He is Savior to those who trust Christ.  He is our Strength.  Will we let Him be God in our lives?

We are like Habakkuk in that we all have questions.  However, we also need to be like Habakkuk and realize that ultimately God Himself is the Answer.  In the words of Charles Spurgeon, “God is too wise to be mistaken and too good to be unkind, so when you can’t trace God’s hand-trust God’s heart.”