HABAKKUK

Chapter 1

1: Habakkuk saw the condition of Judah in a special way: with a heart that was exceedingly troubled at the way things were.

2: Just like our land today, Judah was full of violence.

3: Habakkuk was wondering what part he had to play in all this. Habakkuk surmised God had placed him in the land of Judah in that specific time for a particular reason.

4: The courts were corrupt.

5: God replies to Habakkuk, "I'm going to do something about all this."

"What are you going to do, Lord?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

6-11: "I'm going to have the Babylonians invade and take this nation into captivity."

 12-17: "How can you do that, Lord?! They're more wicked than we are!"

Chapter 2

1: When Habakkuk didn't receive an answer to this last question right away, he resolved to wait for one. Habakkuk expected to be reproved, but that didn't mean he was going to give up on God replying to him. Meanwhile, Habakkuk went about his business in eager anticipation.

2-19: God answers Habakkuk, in part, with the phrase that sustains all Christians: namely, "The just shall live by faith." (verse 4)

The explanation, I think, can be summed up as, "One day, Habakkuk, Babylon, because it is as wicked as it is, will also be destroyed, not only because of all the evil it has perpetrated against other nations but for how it has dishonoured and failed to worship and glorify Me."

Chapter 3

1: Habakkuk replies to the Lord.

2: Whenever Christians pray for justice to be done, we should also not neglect to, as well, ask God to remember mercy in His wrath.

3-16: Habakkuk looks back at incidents in Israel's history as well as to the future after what God has told him in the previous chapter.

17-19: "I know there are terribly difficult times ahead. However, even if all the crops fail and there's no food in the grocery stores, the big box stores, the dollar stores, the convenience stores, the gas stations, the restaurants, or anywhere else, I will still trust, rejoice and get my joy from the Lord because He gives me strength, enables me to walk through the parts of life that are difficult to navigate and lifts me up."