Habakkuk 2
January 15
Reading: Habakkuk 2
1 I will take my stand at my watchpost
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.
2 And the LORD answered me:
"Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so he may run who reads it.
3 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.
4 "Behold, his soul is puffed up;
it is not upright within him,
but the righteous shall live by his faith.
5 "Moreover, wine is a traitor,
an arrogant man who is never at rest.
His greed is as wide as Sheol;
like death he has never enough.
He gathers for himself all nations
and collects as his own all peoples."
6 Shall not all these take up their taunt against him,
with scoffing and riddles for him, and say,
"Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own—
for how long?—
and loads himself with pledges!"
7 Will not your debtors suddenly arise,
and those awake who will make you tremble?
Then you will be spoil for them.
8 Because you have plundered many nations,
all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder you,
for the blood of man and violence to the earth,
to cities and all who dwell in them.
9 "Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house,
to set his nest on high,
to be safe from the reach of harm!
10 You have devised shame for your house
by cutting off many peoples;
you have forfeited your life.
11 For the stone will cry out from the wall,
and the beam from the woodwork respond.
12 "Woe to him who builds a town with blood
and founds a city on iniquity!
13 Behold, is it not from the LORD of hosts
that peoples labor merely for fire,
and nations weary themselves for nothing?
14 For the earth will be filled
with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.
15 "Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink—
you pour out your wrath and make them drunk,
in order to gaze at their nakedness!
16 You will have your fill of shame instead of glory.
Drink, yourself, and show your uncircumcision!
The cup in the LORD's right hand will come around to you,
and utter shame will come upon your glory!
17 The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you,
as will the destruction of the beasts that terrified them,
for the blood of man and violence to the earth,
to cities and all who dwell in them.
18 What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it,
a metal image, a teacher of lies?
For its maker trusts in his own creation
when he makes speechless idols!
19 "Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake;
to a silent stone, Arise!
Can this teach?
Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver,
and there is no breath at all in it.
20 But the LORD is in his holy temple;
let all the earth keep silence before him."
Habakkuk 2 is the Lord’s response to the second of Habakkuk’s questions. The first question was “Why are Your people getting away with their wickedness?” (vss. 1-4) The Lord said, “They are not. I am going to judge them by sending Babylon to destroy them.” (1:5-11) Then Habakkuk asked God, “How can You do that? They are worse than we are!” (1:12-2:1)
Now, beginning in Habakkuk 2:2, the Lord answers that question about the Lord’s justice. Verses 2-3 serve as the Lord’s introduction to His answer. The Lord’s judgment is unalterable. It will take place.
In verse 4 the Lord gives us the great contrast that is a general principle guiding His judgments. Babylon is the proud one. God’s true people are the humble “righteous who live by faith.” It is they who will take up the taunt-song (v. 6a) against the proud who are drunk, greedy, and brutal. God is telling Habakkuk that those who look to the Lord will eventually rejoice over the downfall of wicked Babylon.
- Woe to those greedy for gain who take it from others.
- Woe to those who provide for their people by hurting other people.
- Woe to those who build their cities with bloodshed.
- Woe to those who encourage drunkenness.
- Woe to those who worship idols.