Babylonians Attack Judah | Writing of Book of Habakkuk | Babylonians Conquer Judah |
c. 605 and 597 BC | c. 605 BC | c. 586 BC |
The prophet Habakkuk was filled with questions for God. Unlike many other God-appointed spokesmen, Habakkuk publicly expressed his inner frustration at evil and at God’s perceived lack of response to it. The prophet pleaded, “How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen?” (1:2). Habakkuk’s longing for answers and his cries for deliverance match the fervor of many of the psalms that David wrote during a similarly treacherous time in his own life.
The tone of Habakkuk’s questions reveal two central frustrations. First, he did not understand why evil ran unchecked among the people of God; it seemed as if God left the sins of Judah unpunished. Second, Habakkuk watched as the pagan Babylonians prospered and were even used as God’s instrument to conquer his own people. How could God bless a nation that so obviously stood in opposition to God’s commands?
God graciously responded to Habakkuk’s laments, and he pronounced five woes on the Babylonians because of their evil deeds (2:6–19). While it may seem that the Babylonians prospered while the people of God perished, God would see to it that all would be made right in the end: God would judge—and judge perfectly.
Habakkuk concluded this brief book with a prayer of praise to God (3:17–19). In it, he beautifully captured the deep-rooted faith that is sustained by a high view of God’s control in the world. Though outwardly it may seem that evil is winning and the righteous are perishing, God will judge justly and set things right. Habakkuk called Judah to not lose hope, even if external signs of blessing from God’s hand were scarce. With the prophet, God’s people “will be joyful in God my Savior” (3:18), knowing that he is good and his perfect purposes will prevail.
Ultimately, such joyful hope is only possible because of the work of Jesus Christ. He is God’s perfect answer to the evil that pervades our fallen world. God took the greatest act of evil in human history—the murder of his innocent Son—and used it to open the way of salvation for all who will trust in Jesus’ saving work. And God, through Christ, will one day purge the world of evil, sin and death forever and prove once again to be the God who saves.
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.