Habakkuk 2: The Lord is Aware, the Lord reigns

[Preliminary Comments: This chapter is simply the Lord basically responding, yes, I know ALL about them and WILL deal with them after I have used them.]

v.1 Habakkuk determines to wait on the Lord for an answer to this conundrum

v.1 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. 

v.2,3 The Lord answers and tells him to write what he hears of the end

v.2 Then the LORD replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. 

v.3 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. 

[Note: An example to follow when confused: wait on the Lord & listen. Speaking of ‘the end’, in the light of what follows, it may simply mean the end of all things, the end of Israel before the Exile comes, or even the end of Babylon. The lack of clarity, one might suggest, is purposeful. God’s ultimate message coming – wait and see, trust me!]

v.4,5 The Lord knows unrighteousness (in Babylon?) prevails

v.4 “See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright— but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness — 

v.5 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. 

[Note: The enemy – presumably Babylon [but it can apply to all God’s enemies] – are known for their pride, greed and never being satisfied with what they have. While these people always exist on this fallen world, the righteous can live [survive and continue] by their being full of faith, i.e. trusting in God.]

v.6-8 These people will be held to account and judged and mocked by onlookers

v.6 “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?’ 

v.7 Will not your creditors suddenly arise? Will they not wake up and make you tremble? Then you will become their prey. 

v.8 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. 

[Note: This surely applies to Babylon who God will hold to account for their arrogance and violence and destruction. Various follies of the wicked follow in the form of three ‘woes’.]

v.9-11 The first folly & judgment: building false security by unjust means

v.9 “Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, setting his nest on high to escape the clutches of ruin! 

v.10 You have plotted the ruin of many peoples, shaming your own house and forfeiting your life. 

v.11 The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it. 

[Note: The first of these speak to unrighteous methods of obtaining security in life, thus demeaning your reputation and bringing self-destruction.]

v.12-14 The second is using violence to establish your own security

v.12 “Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by injustice! 

v.13 Has not the LORD Almighty determined that the people’s labor is only fuel for the fire, that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing? 

v.14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. 

[Note: The second, the attempt to establish yourself using violent means is doomed to incur the Lord’s wrath and judgment.]

v.15-17 The third is licentiousness and debauchery

v.15 “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! 

v.16 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. 

v.17 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. 

[Note: The third, a depraved and decadent lifestyle, will be overturned by the Lord’s judgment coming on them]

v.18,19 In addition idolatry is condemned

v.18 “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. 

v.19 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.” 

[Note: The folly of idolatry also existed in Babylon and came under the Lord’s scrutiny.]

v.20 Despite all this, the Lord reigns from His temple

v.20 The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.

[Note: This final statement is always the ultimate conclusion in the face of the folly of the world.]

[Additional Comments: The chapter is the Lord’s response to Habakkuk: yes, I am aware of all of the wrongs of the Babylonians and even though I am going to use them, I will hold them accountable and deal with their godless unrighteousness. In the Old Testament is the prophecy in Psa 110:1,2 that the Messiah will reign in the midst of his enemies, while 1 Cor 15 reminds us that Jesus IS still reigning [despite what the ‘world’ is doing] and will continue to do so until the end that God has decreed – see 1 Cor 15:24,25. For further reflections on this see the Appendix notes on the book of Job.]

For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, to perhaps think some more about what you have been reading, use the link below: