The prophet Habakkuk was a man of a great spiritual character with commendable zeal to live and serve God. The theme of his book is that God is the ruler of the universe and uses whom He chooses for His will and purposes. Though zealous for his God, Habakkuk was somewhat perplexed over God’s apparent permission of evil in Judah. Here is what chapter two and verses one through four tells us.
“The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity and idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.
“I will take my stand at my watch post and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint. And the LORD answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. “Behold his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4).
Habakkuk is making a strong lament and desperate cry for God to act and do something about his concerns. He believes God is refusing to act on his complaint or his plea for justice because moral and spiritual decline had marred the life of the nation. He asks, “O LORD, how long shall I cry for help and you will not hear? Or cry to you ‘Violence!’ and you will not save” (1:2).
At first thought one is tempted to ask, “Is Habakkuk really “arguing” with God? Is he genuinely questioning the Sovereign God? Or, is he just being curious? The prophet seems angry, frustrated, perplexed, and discouraged because he thinks God did not deal with Judah’s unjust sins of violence and strife. Perhaps he felt that the righteous were being afflicted while the unrighteous were prosperous. Hence he lamented to the LORD about the matter (Habakkuk 1:1-4). But inspite of his lament, Habakkuk declares, “but the righteous shall live by his faith” (v.4). One may be justified to ask, “where is his faith?”
God’s response to Habakkuk’s lament, seems to open up a “dialogue” with Habakkuk. God states, “Look among the nations and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told” (v. 5). And God continues His response to Habakkuk’s concerns through to verse 11, in which He informs Habakkuk to “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told” (v.5). God, unmistakably tells Habakkuk that He, God, is in control and working to carry out His plans.
In his apparent perplexity, Habakkuk appears to be “recognizing” the wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of God by stating: “Are you not from everlasting. O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, You have appointed them for judgment. O Rock, You have established them for reproof.” Habakkuk acknowledges that God does not condone sin. He further states, “You eyes are too pure to approve evil and cannot look at wickedness with favor” (v.13).
In chapter 2, Habakkuk vows to wait and hear “what He will answer concerning my complaint” (2:1). God would like Habakkuk to know and understand that he must wait and have faith in the Almighty who absolutely knows what He is doing and that “who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think to the power at work in us” (Ephesians 3:20). And also, “The righteous shall live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4).
In chapter 3, we see a “repentant” Habakkuk, who prays: “O LORD, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O LORD do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy” (v. 1,2). We also see the prophet’s apparent love for God as He declares, “I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord is my strength” (v. 18,19).
There is a great lesson for Christians to learn in Habakkuk’s repentance. This clearly demonstrates the heartfelt feelings of a man who genuinely knows and loves God. Note what he says, “I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” God knows everything He needs to know about us, because He sees us from our innermost being. “The LORD looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Let us be serious about our relationship with Almighty God, because He requires that we “do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly withy your God” (Micah 68). The point is, we must allow the Lord Jesus to live His life in and through us, which will reveal exactly what the Christian life ought to be and how we are to please God. There is no other way.