Habakkuk 1:1  “The burden…”
Message which he had to get out.

2  “O LORD, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear…”
I know the feeling.  I know God is there and that He hears me, but it seems like He’s not listening.  How easy to think something is wrong with me, and there may be, but it seems no matter what I do, nothing changes.  Only time passes by, and I’m running out of time.

3  “Why do You show me iniquity, And cause me to see trouble…”
Why show me all these things when You’re not going to do anything about them, nor are you going to allow me to participate in them?  Perfect storm for frustration and trust issues.  In Habakkuk’s case, he saw evil and injustice all around him, but it seemed God had turned a blind eye and a deaf ear.

6  “…indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans…”
Habakkuk was upset over all the injustice within the Jewish nation which he saw.  Now God tells him that He has been watching and working.  He is going to bring in the Chaldeans or Babylonians and use them as His instrument to judge Israel, the southern kingdom, for their rebellion.  The northern kingdom has been decimated by the Assyrians several years earlier.

10  “…they heap up earthen mounds and seize it”
Siege mounds.  One of the ways the Babylonians brought down other nations.  Besiege their cities and starve them out.

11  “…He commits offense, Ascribing this power to his god”
Babylonians are not righteous by any means.  They don’t recognize that God is the one allowing them to do what they do, especially in regard to Israel.  When they attack Israel, they will commit the offense of believing their false god gave them the power to succeed.  God will judge them for that.  World doesn’t ascribe much to false gods, but it does think it is the author of its own destiny.  Self has become the new god.

12  “Are You not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One?  We shall not die.”
Surely that’s not what You meant to say, God.  You’re above all of that.  You are holy.  Surely You wouldn’t destroy Your people with such an evil nation.  Habakkuk asked the question, now he doesn’t like the answer.

13  “…Why do You look on those who deal treacherously, And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours A person more righteous than he?”
How can You use the wicked to judge the righteous?  Funny to think that he had just been complaining about the unrighteousness of the people.  Even as bad as they were, he didn’t see them as bad as the Babylonians.  We make the same mistake.  All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  There is none righteous, no, not one.  And God can do whatever He wants, and it will be perfect.

15-17  “…They catch them in their net…Therefore they sacrifice to their net…Shall they…continue to slay nations without pity”
Babylonians are rampaging all over the world capturing and destroying people like a fisherman with a net.  And then they treat their net like a god, like it gave them the power to succeed.  Are You going to allow them to continue to do this unhindered?  I don’t think we have to be careful about what we ask God, but we should be aware.  Aware that He is God, He’s sees all, He knows all, and He works all things for His glory and for our good.  Our part is to trust Him.  Will see if Habakkuk learns that.  Hope I can learn that.

I hope you enjoy reading and studying His word.  May it accomplish what He desires.  Please feel free to comment or post questions.  Thanks for reading!

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.