Habakkuk 2
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CHAPTER 2
The Lord’s Answer (2:1–20)
1 Having voiced his second complaint (Habakkuk 1:12–17), Habakkuk resolves to wait for God’s answer. He will stand like a watchman on the city wall who challenges an approaching visitor and then waits for his response.
2–3 The rest of the chapter contains God’s gracious answer to His troubled PROPHET. God tells Habakkuk to write down the revelation he is about to hear so that, when it is fulfilled, Habakkuk’s words will give proof that the revelation had indeed been from God. The revelation concerns the end (verse 3)—that is, the destruction of Babylon, which took place in 539 B.C., about seventy years after Habakkuk wrote these words. Habakkuk is told to wait for it, it will not delay (verse 3). God may seem slow to fulfill His word, but it will surely be fulfilled at His appointed time (see 2 Peter 3:8–9).
There is an important lesson here: God gives humans a glimpse of the “end” so that we might have faith and hope. But the timing is always in God’s hands. When God seems to delay, we get discouraged; our faith wavers. But God is saying here that we must hold on in faith no matter how bad our present situation seems. Though salvation linger, we must wait for it in faith (see Hebrews 6:9–12; 10:32–39).
4–5 See, he is puffed up (verse 4); the “he” represents the Babylonians and, in particular, their king. He is arrogant, and as greedy as the grave3 (verse 5); he takes captive all the peoples.
At the end of verse 4, the Lord interjects a very important line: . . . the righteous will live by his faith. The Babylonians are not upright; they may think no one will destroy them, but their end will surely come. The righteous, however, will live; they will be blessed and protected by God. And they will live by [their] faith. The FAITH Habakkuk refers to includes not only believing but also being faithful, being obedient to God’s commands (see James 2:14–24).
Habakkuk’s meaning is that those who really trust in God and seek to obey Him will come under His special blessing; they will, on average, live long and abundant lives (see Leviticus 18:5; Deuteronomy 6:1–3; Ezekiel 18:5–9 and comments). In the same way, a nation which is characterized by RIGHTEOUSNESS will also enjoy prosperity and protection.4 God is, in effect, saying to Habakkuk: “Yes, Judah is in a terrible situation; it is about to be conquered by Babylon. But if the people of Judah will live by faith, if they will trust and obey me, they and their nation will ultimately be delivered. Babylon, on the other hand, will be destroyed.”
6–8 From here to the end of the chapter, God records (through Habakkuk) how all of them (Babylon’s victims) will one day taunt Babylon, saying, “Woe—retribution—to him who has done such evil!” (verse 6). Though the victims do the taunting, the retribution is from God. And it will be just: Babylon plundered many nations (verse 8); therefore, it will be plundered.5 The Babylonians shed man’s blood; therefore, their own blood will be shed (see Genesis 9:6).
9–14 Like an eagle, Babylon has set its nest on high, thinking that no one can disturb it (verse 9). But Babylon, which has ruined so many peoples, will itself be ruined. Even the stones and beams of its buildings—purchased with the plunder of other nations—will cry out and “testify” against Babylon (verse 11).
Everything Babylon has gained will be fuel for the fire of judgment. Ungodly nations exhaust themselves for nothing; their glory quickly disappears(verse13).But the knowledge of God’s GLORY will fill the earth, and all people will see His glory and submit to Him (Philippians 2:9–11).
Even now the radiance of God’s glory, Jesus Christ, is being made known throughout the earth (Hebrews 1:3), and when His Gospel has been preached to all nations, then the end will come (Matthew 24:14).
15–17 Babylon, which makes others drunk in order to shame them, will itself be filled with shame (verses 15–16). It will soon be Babylon’s turn to drink the cup from the LORD’s right hand—that is, the “cup” of God’s wrath, of God’s judgment (see Isaiah 51:17–23).
18–20 These final verses deal with Babylon’s idolatry and the utter folly of worshiping idols (see Psalm 115:1–8; Isaiah 40:18–20; 44:9–20). Idols cannot speak (verse 18); they have no breath (verse 19). They are lifeless.6 But God is not lifeless; He is in His holy temple (heaven) and He rules over the entire earth (verse 20). Therefore, let all the peoples of the earth be silent before him; let them fear the living God and submit to Him.
For modern believers, the book of Habakkuk offers great hope. As in ancient Judah, things are not well in our world today. In particular, believers in many countries are suffering grievously at the hand of modern “Babylonians.” Habakkuk tells us to hold on to God in faith; we are to live by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). God is in control of our circumstances, and for each of us He has a plan that He is working out in His own time. Let us live by faith, and God will not only be with us in our earthly suffering but He will also deliver us from the power of evil and grant us ETERNAL LIFE with Him in heaven.