Overview of Habakkuk
Looking at the culture and the world today could get a person depressed. Actions and behaviors that are wrong are deemed as right. Sometimes you wonder why God allows wickedness to continue.
Habakkuk had the same question. Habakkuk was an Old Testament prophet to Judah after the nation of Israel was divided into two. Israel (Northern Kingdom), Judah (Southern Kingdom).
The people of Judah were wicked. They had turned from obeying God and Habakkuk wanted to know why God allowed it to continue.
See an outline of the book of Habakkuk below.
1. Habakkuk’s First Complaint: Why does evil go unpunished? (1:2-4)
2. God’s answer to the First Complaint: I will raise the Babylonians to punish the wicked (1:5-11)
3. Habakkuk’s Second Complaint: How can a loving God allow the wicked Babylonians to punish a less wicked people? (1:12-2:1)
4. God’s answer to the Second Complaint: I will eventually punish all the wicked-including Babylonia (2:2-20)
5. Habakkuk’s Prayer of Praise (3:1-19)
Bible Overview
“The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted.” Habakkuk 1:4 NLT
Living by faith is difficult because we don’t understand the ways of God fully. Habakkuk poured out his heart to God. He was broken over the sins that he saw in Judah. He wanted to know why God continued to let Judah to keep sinning. Habakkuk questions God in his honest and emotional prayer of lament, complaint, and wonder. Why did God tolerate evil? Why use wicked people to punish less wicked people?
Each time God hears and answers Habakkuk. Judah would be punished for their wickedness. All the wicked would be punished. God is powerful and in control. When we as believers genuinely believe in the sovereignty of God, we understand we will never fully understand His ways.
We need to strive to be faithful to Him. “But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God” Habakkuk 2:4b NLT God will redeem those faithful to Him.
In the end, Habakkuk takes comfort that God will act at the right time and that He will redeem those who were faithful.
“yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.” Habakkuk 3:18-19 NLT
Sometimes we need to pour out our hearts to God. Our frustration, complaints, fears, and worries. Our heart is heavy because we don’t understand. We feel like Habakkuk. Let’s mimic Habakkuk. Ask God your questions, then go to His Word. He has given us His word to speak to us when we wonder why. Read about the attributes of God and his promises. Understanding the character of God will help our faith. We learn that God will never fail the faithful. His plan for them is good.
Reference: Bible Overview (2012) Henderson Rose Publishing
