Habakkuk - Chapter 1

You’re sending WHO to judge US?!?

Habakkuk – Chapter 1

Review

1. What did we discuss in the Intro?  What do we know about H?
1. Minor prophet
2. In Judah
3. Major empire of the time is Assyrians.  Babylonians are coming on to the scene.
4. He may have been a musician.
5. Likely a Levite.

Introduction

1. How did you all do this week reading Habakkuk?
2. What’s your opinion of Habakkuk (thus far)?  Easy, hard, straightforward, confusing, basic, advanced, etc?
3. What is your opinion of this chapter?  Easy or lots of questions, difficult and convoluted?
1. Pretty simple.  Basic QA (…Q???) format.
4. Comforting to hear H. plead his case with God.  He’s not content to just stand by and watch his people be slaughtered (again).  He asks God about it.  Questioning, yes, but respectfully.

Lesson

1. vv. 1-4 [READ – Hab 1:1-4]
1. First, there’s a lot said in v 1 alone:

                                                               i.      Oracle – “the communications, revelations or messages delivered by God to prophets.” 

                                                             ii.      Habakkuk, the prophet – Habakkuk was a prophet.  This verse is pretty much all we need to know/believe it.

                                                            iii.      NASB / KJV / etc states “saw”.  NIV says “received” – difference?  What does either (or both) of these words tell us about Habakkuk, the chapter?  How was it written?

1.       Habakkuk was written in retrospect, likely right after the praise Habakkuk felt/experienced in Chapter 3.

2. V 2-4 is what he saw; his grievance:

                                                               i.      How long will I call for help?

                                                             ii.      Why do you make me see iniquity?

                                                            iii.      Why do you cause me to look on wickedness?

                                                            iv.      In other words, how long will you allow this sin/situation to continue?

3. H. doesn’t just ask questions.  He adds some commentary along the way.

                                                               i.      You will not hear.

                                                             ii.      You do not save.

4. What’s happening that he’s complaining about?  We don’t know, exactly.  We just know what he tells us that he sees.

                                                               i.      Violence

                                                             ii.      Iniquity

                                                            iii.      Wickedness

                                                            iv.      Destruction

                                                             v.      Strife

                                                            vi.      Contention

                                                          vii.      The law is ignored (which law? THE Law; the Mosaic Law, in my opinion.)

                                                         viii.      Justice is never upheld

                                                            ix.      Wicked surround the righteous (could be literally, since the Assyrians were known to haul people off, etc.  But I think this is more of a figurative phrase since the rest of the descriptions lead me to believe that this is a falling of H.’s countrymen.  They’ve abandoned God (again!))

                                                             x.      Justice comes out perverted

                                                            xi.      Is there a relationship between any of these, perhaps groupings, cause/effect?  I think the last 5 are the result of the first 6.  Ie, the last 6 are the EFFECT of the first 6 CAUSES.

2. vv. 5-11 [READ – Hab 1:5-11]
1. “Um, excuse me, Habakkuk.  This is God.  Actually, I’ve kinda got a plan all worked out.” 
2. H should:

                                                               i.      …be watching for, among the nations around him.

                                                             ii.      …be astonished, in wonder.

3. Why?  God’s plan:

                                                               i.      Will happen in H.’s days.

                                                             ii.      Raising up the Chaldeans (Babylonians)

4. Chaldeans (Babylonians)

                                                               i.      Fierce

                                                             ii.      Impetuous

                                                            iii.      March throughout the earth

                                                            iv.      Seize dwelling places that are not theirs

                                                             v.      Dreaded and feared.

                                                            vi.      Their justice and authority originate from themselves

                                                          vii.      Horses swifter than leopards and keener than wolves

                                                         viii.      Horsemen come galloping from afar

                                                            ix.      Horsemen fly like an eagle swooping down to devour (quick hit)

                                                             x.      They come for violence

                                                            xi.      They move forward (ie, they won’t be stopped.  They WILL make progress towards their goal)

                                                          xii.      They collect captives like sand (many captives)

                                                         xiii.      They mock kings/rulers by laughing at them

                                                         xiv.      They laugh at fortresses

                                                          xv.      They capture fortresses by heaping rubble

1.       This is how they got Nineveh from the Assyrians.  N. had HUGE walls, but the Babylonians piled up dirt and rubble up the side of the walls to build huge ramps.

                                                         xvi.      They sweep through like the wind

                                                       xvii.      Their strength is their god.

5. But…

                                                               i.      The Babylonians will be held guilty.

3. vv. 12-17 [READ – Hab 1:12-17]
1. H. changes his tone in addressing/referring to God

                                                               i.      Lord

                                                             ii.      My God

                                                            iii.      My Holy One

                                                            iv.      Rock

2. H. talks in terms of God’s characteristics

                                                               i.      H. KNEW God’s characteristics.

                                                             ii.      Eyes are too pure to approve evil

                                                            iii.      Cannot look on wickedness with favor

3. H. talks in terms that he knows (head rather than heart)

                                                               i.      We will not die.  (A remnant will be maintained)

                                                             ii.      You have appointed them judge

                                                            iii.      You have established them to correct (Israel)

4. H. asks questions based in reason

                                                               i.      You cannot look at wickedness with favor, so how do You look with favor on those who deal treacherously?  Why are you silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they?

1.       He’s makes one point well (the first one), but makes a statement that Israel is more righteous than the Babylonians.  Are they?

                                                             ii.      Will they (Chaldeans) continuously slay nations without sparing? (v 17)

5. H. shows understanding of God’s answer (even though he doesn’t understand why).

                                                               i.      He uses a metaphor of the Chaldeans being fishermen/hunters, Israel like unruly fish/animals.

1.       Chaldeans bring Israel with a hook.  Symbolizes the violence, bloodshed.

2.       Israel dragged away – Chaldeans (and pretty much all the empires) would take Israel and other conquered nations away from their homeland as slaves.

3.       Chaldeans (like fishermen/hunters) celebrate after a good catch.

4.       They offer sacrifice/burn incense to their net – related to the previous statement that they regard their strength as their god. (v 11)

6. Final thought on this passage (for discussion), why did the church fathers that set the book/chapter/verse references in place break chapter 1 and 2 in between an obvious Q/A block?

                                                               i.      Is there a strong relationship between Q/A/Q in terms of action/reaction/reaction?  Ie, H questions, God answers, H reacts.  H.’s reaction is very important.  There is a contrast between H.’s questions and his reaction to the answer.  List some of them.

1.       The questions seem based from frustration, borderline disrespectful, in my opinion.  The reaction to the answer is much more respectful.

2.       The questions have some semi-illogical statements in them for someone that knows God so well (ie, You do nothing, you do not hear, etc).  The reaction section is much more reasonable and though-out and deliberate.

3.       The questions almost seem like H. is trying to talk to God as a peer.  In the reaction, he remembers his place.

                                                             ii.      We’ll see in Chapter 2 that God’s second answer stands on its own just fine.

Summary

1. What’s your key verse?
1. v 12
2. Contrast the first question with the second?
1. In the first question, H. gets a little saucy.  In the second question, he’s not nearly as harsh.  In fact, he praises God by some of the names he calls Him. 
2. He could be in shock from God’s answer, but he’s not encroaching on the line of being disrespectful like he was in HOW he asked the first question.
3. Do you ever question God?
1. Of course.  Questioning God is OK.  He made us with minds and thoughts and intelligence (to varying degrees).  It’s not asking that is wrong.  It can be HOW you ask/question.
2. Questioning God begins a dialog.  Communication begets deeper relationships.  That’s what God wants.
3. Why/When do you question God?
4. Do you always get an answer (like H. did) when you question God?
1. No.  But, I think Habakkuk (the book) is a great example of getting an answer he’d (H.) probably rather not have.
5. Why?
1. I think it’s for multiple reasons:

                                                               i.      We couldn’t understand it anyway.  At least, not the details.

                                                             ii.      We need to have comfort/faith that everything works for God’s glory and our good.

                                                            iii.      Many times, we do get an answer.  We’re just to busy, stubborn, etc to hear, recognize, or accept it.

6. H. talks in the last part of this chapter in terms of God’s characteristics.  How does one do that?  Can you?
1. By knowing God more and more intimately.
2. Spending time with God.
3. Experiencing things (situations, good, bad, questions, etc) with Him.

Print | posted on Saturday, April 30, 2005 6:17 PM |