Habakkuk Waits for God's Answer
Study note
After pouring out his complaint, Habakkuk took his place on the watchtower to wait for God's reply. This pictures a guard standing at his post, ready to receive a message. God's response included one of the most important verses in all of Scripture: 'The just shall live by his faith.' This verse is quoted three times in the New Testament and became the foundation of the apostle Paul's teaching on salvation by faith.
1 I will climb up to my lookout post and stand guard on the watchtower. I will keep my eyes open, waiting to see what God tells me and how he answers my complaint. I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
2 Then the LORD gave his answer: "Write down this vision. Carve it clearly on tablets so anyone who reads it can spread the message quickly." And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
3 "This vision points to a specific moment in the future. It is rushing toward that day, and it will not prove false. If it seems slow in coming, wait for it patiently — it will definitely arrive, right on time." For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
4 "Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith." Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
First Woe: Against Greed and Theft
Study note
God now spoke five 'woes' against Babylon. A 'woe' is a strong warning of coming disaster and judgment. The first woe condemned Babylon's endless greed. Like a man drunk with wine who is never satisfied, Babylon swallowed up nation after nation. But one day, the very people they robbed would rise up against them.
5 On top of that, wine is a traitor to the proud man. He is restless and never satisfied at home. His appetite is as big as the grave — like death itself, he can never get enough. He tries to swallow up every nation and gobble up every people for himself. Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:
6 But all those conquered peoples will eventually mock him with cutting insults: "Disaster is coming for the one who hoards what belongs to others! How long can this last? He is burying himself under a mountain of stolen goods." Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!
7 "Your creditors will suddenly wake up. The people you have been squeezing will rise up shaking with anger. Then you will be the one getting robbed." Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?
8 "You robbed nation after nation. So all the surviving peoples will rob you right back. This is payback for the blood you spilled. It is payback for the violence you brought on lands, cities, and everyone living in them." Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.
Second Woe: Against Unjust Gain
Study note
The second woe targeted those who built their wealth through dishonest and violent means. Babylon tried to make itself safe by building high and strong, like a bird placing its nest on a high cliff. But the very stones and beams of their buildings would cry out as witnesses against their crimes.
9 Trouble is coming for the one who builds his power through crooked deals. He builds himself up so high that he thinks trouble can never reach him! Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!
10 "Your schemes have brought shame on your own family. By crushing so many peoples, you have condemned yourself." Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.
11 "The stones in your walls will cry out in protest, and the wooden beams in your ceiling will back them up." For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.
Third Woe: Against Bloodshed
Study note
The third woe condemned the practice of building cities through violence and slave labor. Babylon was famous for its massive building projects, including the great walls and hanging gardens. God declared that all their efforts would be burned up, but His glory would one day fill the whole earth.
12 Disaster is coming for the one who builds a city with the blood of innocent people! It is coming for the one who builds a town on crime! Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity!
13 Has the LORD of Armies not already decided that everything the nations build will be fuel for the fire? People exhaust themselves for nothing. Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?
14 One day, the knowledge of the LORD's glory will fill every part of the earth. It will be like water filling the ocean from shore to shore. For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
Fourth Woe: Against Cruelty and Shame
Study note
The fourth woe condemned those who humiliated and degraded other nations. Babylon was known for shaming the peoples it conquered. God warned that the same shame would come back on them. The destruction of Lebanon's forests and wildlife pointed to Babylon's wasteful conquest of the land and its resources.
15 Doom is coming for the one who gets others drunk. He pours out drinks and pushes them to guzzle. He does it just to see them shamed and stripped bare! Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!
16 "Now your own shame will overflow instead of your glory. Your turn to drink has come! The cup from the LORD's own hand is swinging around to you, and total disgrace will drown out any glory you thought you had." Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORD's right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory.
17 "The destruction you brought on the forests of Lebanon will now destroy you. The slaughter of its animals will come back to haunt you — because of the blood you shed and the havoc you wreaked on lands, cities, and everyone in them." For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.
Fifth Woe: Against Idol Worship
Study note
The final woe mocked the foolishness of idol worship. Babylon was filled with idols of wood, stone, gold, and silver. Habakkuk pointed out how useless it was to pray to something you made with your own hands. The chapter closes with a powerful contrast: while idols are lifeless and silent, the living God sits in His holy temple, and all the earth should be silent before Him.
18 What good is an idol that someone carved? What value is a metal statue that feeds people lies? The maker trusts in his own creation, but all he has produced is a speechless fake. What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?
19 Disaster is coming for the one who says to a wooden block, "Wake up!" or to a silent stone, "Stand up and guide us!" You can coat it in gold and silver, but there is not a spark of life anywhere inside it. Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.
20 But the LORD is present in his holy temple. Let the entire earth fall silent and stand in awe before him. But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.