The Big Answer in HABAKKUK 2

By Michael Griego on November 3, 2023 • ( 0 )

Ever wonder why bad people seem to get rewarded while good people suffer? God gives a good answer in the 2nd chapter of the Book of HABAKKUK. ◊

Why does it always seem that the bad guys get ahead at the expense of the good guys? Certainly that’s subjective, but we’ve all wondered why bad people seem to get rewarded while good people suffer.

That is the question in the mind of the prophet Habakkuk in the final years of the 7th century BC when he and his Hebrew countrymen are anticipating an attack by the brutal Babylonians (also called Chaldeans) led by their king, Nebuchadnezzar.

As we saw in last week’s post (see The Big Question in Habakkuk 1), Habakkuk documents his dialogue with God in which he asks God why He lets evil go unpunished and even uses the wicked (Babylonians) to punish the less wicked (Israel).

God’s Answer
After Habakkuk poses his question, Chapter 2 begins with him standing ready and waiting for God’s reply and anticipating his own retort in response. Habakkuk is boldly engaged and raring to go at it with God.

I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.

God begins his response with instructions for Habakkuk to take notes; that is, write this down:

Then the Lord replied:

“Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. (Habakkuk 2:2-3)

Though this sounds like end times, it is a very near-term prophecy relevant to Habakkuk and the Hebrews. The “end” is coming for Jerusalem, which was literally destroyed within the next 20 years.

“See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright—but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness—indeed, wine betrays him; he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples. (v.4-5)

The Coming Woe to the Chaldeans
The Babylonians/Chaldeans are not a righteous people. They do not put their faith and trust in the One True God. Just as we are told in Genesis 15:16 that Abraham “believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness,” Habakkuk is reminded that the righteous believe God and live by that faith; the unrighteous do not.

In fact, “Woe to him” who lives unrighteously, like the Chaldeans, who will themselves be plundered.

“Will not all of them taunt him with ridicule and scorn, saying, “‘Woe to him who piles up stolen goods and makes himself wealthy by extortion! How long must this go on?’Will not your creditors suddenly arise? Will they not wake up and make you tremble? Then you will become their prey.Because you have plundered many nations, the peoples who are left will plunder you. For you have shed human blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them. (v.6-8)

“Woe to him” who dishonestly steal for gain, like the Chaldeans, who will be ruined and forfeit their life.

“Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, setting his nest on high to escape the clutches of ruin! You have plotted the ruin of many peoples, shaming your own house and forfeiting your life.The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it. (v.9-11)

“Woe to him” who build their land with cruel injustice, like the Chaldeans, who will lose it all at the hands of the Lord.

“Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by injustice!Has not the Lord Almighty determined that the people’s labor is only fuel for the fire, that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing?For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (v.12-14)

“Woe to him” who are shamelessly deviant, like the Chaldeans, who themselves will be shamed and disgraced.

“Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk, so that he can gaze on their naked bodies!You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink and let your nakedness be exposed! The cup from the Lord’s right hand is coming around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory. The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and your destruction of animals will terrify you. For you have shed human blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them. (v.15-17)

“Woe to him” who deceive themselves, like the Chaldeans, who trust in their own creation of lies and worship lifeless idols.

“Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman? Or an image that teaches lies? For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’ Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’ Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it.” (v.18-19)

The Answer in Summary
We all see the world around us and process a reasonable answer, or at least an idea of what an answer should be. But it’s our view, not God’s. It’s our sense of justice, not God’s. And it’s our timing, not God’s.

Those that don’t believe in God, like the Chaldeans, have their own set of issues, as they have their own way but don’t see the eventual and inevitable consequences of their own unrighteousness, dishonesty, cruelty, shamelessness, and self-deceit.

But God has an answer. And like Habakkuk, we do well to take note.

Do you have full faith and trust in God?
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“But the Lord is in His temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him.” – Habakkuk 2:20