Habakkuk Bible Study
Contents
Introduction
1.Context/Audience: For whom is this passage written? What events directly preceded this passage/book?
Habakkuk was a prophet to the souther kingdom of Judah. We know he prophesied approximately 20 years after Zephaniah, around 600 BC, and that his name translates to ‘someone who embraces’. While his name may not sound particularly pleasant, it effectively captures his evolving relationship with God throughout the book. Habakkuk was a man who held tightly to God, who boldly challenged Him, and who sought answers from God, even when the responses were uncomfortable.
2.Who: Who authored this passage?
The prophet Habakkuk is the author of the Book of Habakkuk. He explicitly identifies himself as the writer in the opening verse of the text (Habakkuk 1:1).
3.Where/ When: Where is the event happening? Any significance of location? When is this event happening? Is it fitting with any other contextual timing of any other passages?
Habakkuk's prophecies are directed towards the people of Judah. As the spiritual and political center of Judah, Jerusalem holds great importance. The city's fate is a central concern in Habakkuk's prophecies, reflecting the broader themes of justice and divine intervention. The events described in Habakkuk likely occur during the reign of King Jehoiakim (609-598 BCE). This period was marked by political instability and the looming threat of Babylonian invasion.
4. Timeline of Prophets
Week 1 - God is at Work - Habakkuk 1:1-11
Habakkuk’s prayer: 1: 1-4
In this passage, Habakkuk cries to God for help and he complains why God is not listening. He asks why God is not saving despite his complaints about violence. The prophet couldn’t fathom why God was tolerating wrongdoing. The law seemed to paralyzed or helpless before all the wickedness.
Habakkuk here is practicing interrogatory prayer. Intercessory prayer is when you ask God for things, but interrogatory prayer is when you ask God questions.
The social context of Habakkuk sheds light on his inquiries. For 20 years, there had been silence from God since Zephaniah's time, while the nation continued its downward spiral, ignoring Zephaniah’s warnings. King Josiah's reforms fell short of expectations, leading to his untimely death at Megiddo in 608 BC. Habakkuk delivered his prophecies during the reign of his successor, Jehoiakim, a king marked by worldly desires and selfishness. While his palace expanded, the impoverished grew even poorer during his rule. The streets of Jerusalem were plagued by bribery, corruption, lawlessness, and oppression. Additionally, the Assyrians, who had previously conquered the ten tribes, were now in decline, leaving no dominant global power in place.
God’s Answer: 1: 5-11
God’s answer: God tells to Habakkuk that he is going to do something that might be even unbelievable to Habakkuk. God prophesies to Habakkuk about the entry of Babylonians into Israel.
God was gracious in responding to Habakkuk’s anger, but God gives some interesting response to Habakkuk in this portion that applies to us as well:
“Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded.” - We need to watch and learn! We might sometimes think that God is not hearing our cry or responding to the needs, but may be we need to open oureyes a little more wider and learn. We need to take time to ponder on things and we would be astounded at the work of God around us. Sometimes, the news and current affairs around us should make us ponder on theworks of God but most of the time we choose to ignore not understanding the plans of God.
“For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.” - God tells Habakkuk that God is going to do something amazing an unbelievable in the time of Habakkuk itself. Sometimes God doesn’t share all the details with us because we may not understand or comprehend the plans of God.
“For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own. - God is raising nations in the background as Habakkuk is crying out for help. God tells Habakkuk that he has noticed the evil in Jerusalem and has already acted by raising up the Babylonians to punish the people of Judah.
Key Message:
While we may not always see the evidence, it doesn’t imply that God is not at work! He is actively operating behind the scenes to cultivate a generation that will rise up to advocate for justice.
Reflection Questions:
Why do you think Habakkuk felt frustrated or confused in verses 1:1–4? Can you relate to that kind of frustration in your own life?
What do you think is the difference between intercessory prayer and interrogatory prayer? Have you ever practiced interrogatory prayer with God?
Week 2 - We will not Die - Habakkuk 1:12 - 2:1
Habakkuk’s response to God’s answer: 1: 12-2:1
General:
After hearing God’s response, Habakkuk is both surprised and troubled. Although Habakkuk asks for justice to be revealed in the first portion of chapter 1, when God reveals His plan it becomes harder for Habakkuk to digest. And God himself had told Habakkuk that if all the plans were told, Habakkuk would not even believe it. And in this passage Habakkuk brings his counter argument to God on why God’s plan may not be a great plan.
Application:
So, often we ask God for clarity in plans. But when God shows up with His plan, we find it harder to accept it. Sometimes we ask God to help us mature in spiritual life but sometimes those maturing needs long periods of wilderness and hardships which becomes harder for us to understand as it happens. And thats probably why God holds back from revealing all the details of His plans to us. he phrase “Be careful what you ask for!” has a great deal of merit.
Sometimes it feels like life has a way of responding to our wishes in ways not only that we could not have foreseen but in ways that sometimes seem downright worse than the way things were before! It is possible that Habakkuk the prophet felt that way after hearing God’s initial response to his voiced complaint in the beginning of the book.
13 “You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?”
Habakkuk also doesn’t understand why God uses the wicked to silence those more righteous than them. Habakkuk kinda does a comparison between who is more wicked: Babylonians or the people of Judah? Habakkuk probably said, “The Babylonians?! The Babylonians?! They live far more wickedly than your people.”
The prophet suggests that Yahweh’s holiness should have caused Him to prevent the oppression of the people of Judah, so he utters the much-quoted words, ‘Your eyes are too pure to look on evil’ (1:13). But on a good note, again, instead of speaking evil against God, he goes to God Himself for the remedy for his perplexity.
v15 "The wicked foe pulls all of them up with hooks, he catches them in his net, he gathers them up in his dragnet; and so he rejoices and is glad" These vivid images were prevalent in the ancient world and were often used to describe the tyrannical rulers of the time. Rulers, in their propagandistic declarations, utilized proverbs or metaphors to convey their might. They portrayed their ability to ensnare enemies like fish or birds caught in a net (see Hosea 5:1).
1:12 "Are you not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? We shall not die."
This is one of the biggest take-way from this portion. In this passage, despite his many observations, Habakkuk begins by honoring God, the Holy One of Israel, affirming, "we shall not die”. Habakkuk uses worshipful language as he begins. He speaks of God as “from everlasting.” He speaks of God as “my Holy One.” He recognizes that, yes, God will save His people: “We shall not die.”
He recognizes that God has the right to use the Babylonians: “you have ordained them as a judgment” and “you…have established them for reproof.” This truth remains relevant for us today. When we face painful circumstances that do not change, or when we witness the apparent success of wicked actions in our world, we must refocus our attention on the unchanging nature of God and place our trust in Him.
Key Message:
God’s plans may confuse us, but His character can always be trusted.
Even when life doesn’t make sense, we can anchor ourselves in the truth that God is holy, eternal, and sovereign. Like Habakkuk, we may not understand the “how” or “why,” but we can still say with confidence: “We shall not die.” God’s justice may be delayed, and His methods may surprise us, but His faithfulness never fails.
Application:
We often ask God for clarity, but when He reveals His plan, it may not align with our expectations. Growth in faith often comes through wilderness seasons—times of waiting, hardship, and uncertainty. Like Habakkuk, we may wrestle with God’s ways, but we are invited to bring our questions to Him, not away from Him.
Habakkuk doesn’t turn bitter—he turns to God. He ends this section by saying:
“I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts…” (2:1)
He chooses to wait and watch, trusting that God will answer again.
Reflection Questions:
Have you ever asked God for something and then struggled with the way He answered?
What does Habakkuk’s response teach you about how to handle confusion or disappointment with God?
How can you remind yourself of God’s character when His plans don’t make sense?
What does it look like to “stand at your watch” and wait on God in your current season?
In what ways can you declare, like Habakkuk, “We shall not die,” even when circumstances feel overwhelming?
Week 3 -Righteous Shall Live by His Faith - Habakkuk 2:2-20
2 Then the Lord answered me and said, “Write the vision And engrave it plainly on [clay] tablets So that the one who reads it will run. 3 “For the vision is yet for the appointed [future] time It hurries toward the goal [of fulfillment]; itwill not fail. Even though it delays, wait [patiently] for it, Because it will certainly come; it will not delay.[AMP]
In this section, God instructs Habakkuk to write down the revelation “plain”, possibly to ensure that it is easy for everyone to comprehend. When God discloses His plans, it's so that Habakkuk can prepare the people for what is to come.
God further informs Habakkuk that all revelations are destined for a specific time. He assures Habakkuk that His revelations will not be false; even if it seems to take a while, they will undoubtedly come to pass without delay. In life, what we often perceive as a delay is merely the revelation waiting for its appointed moment in God's timing. Sometimes, waiting is too hard for us and tend to give up so easy. But on reading this portion we are reminded that, in life, we need to have a long term view and a greater vision of God’s plan for our life.
4 “Look at the proud one, His soul is not right within him, But the righteous will live by his faith [in the true God].[AMP]
It is in this exchange that God reveals to Habakkuk, "the righteous will live by his faith" (2:4). Righteous people are commanded to live by faith; they must practice obedience and trust that Yahweh will remain faithful to His covenantal promises.
Habakkuk 2:4 is mentioned three times in the New Testament:
Romans 1:17: Paul says, “For in the gospel a righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” He uses this verse to show that righteousness through faith is for everyone, both Jews and Gentiles.
Galatians 3:11: Paul states, “Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” He emphasizes that we are justified before God through faith, not by following the law.
Hebrews 10:38-39: The author writes, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back. But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.” This encourages believers to patiently wait for God's promise and not lose faith.
When Habakkuk said, “The righteous shall live by his faith,” he was reaffirming a principle seen in Abraham’s life (Genesis 15:6). It means that those who have faith in God will receive eternal life and avoid God's judgment.
List of Sins of Babylonians
God used the Babylonians to judge others but didn't ignore their own evil actions.Here are the some of the sins listed in the last portion of Habakkuk 2:
Theft and Extortion:
“Woe to him who piles up stolen goods and makes himself wealthy by extortion! How long must this go on?” (Habakkuk 2:6)
Plundering and Violence:
“Because you have plundered many nations, the peoples who are left will plunder you. For you have shed human blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.” (Habakkuk 2:8)
Unjust Gain:
“Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, setting his nest on high to escape the clutches of ruin!” (Habakkuk 2:9)
Bloodshed and Injustice:
“Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by injustice!” (Habakkuk 2:12)
Drunkenness and Exploitation:
“Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk, so that he can gaze on their naked bodies!” (Habakkuk 2:15)
Destruction of Nature:
“The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and your destruction of animals will terrify you. For you have shed human blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.” (Habakkuk 2:17)
Idolatry:
“Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman? Or an image that teaches lies? For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak.” (Habakkuk 2:18)
“Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’ Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’ Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it.” (Habakkuk 2:19)
God responds to Habakkuk by assuring him that the righteous will endure and the wicked will face consequences. God is aware of everything happening, and He is neither powerless nor unjust. He is the living God, unlike the lifeless idols made by humans. After providing Habakkuk with the answer he needed, God concludes with, "Let all the earth be silent."
Key Message:
Even when God’s justice seems delayed and evil appears to prosper, the righteous are called to live by faith—trusting in God’s character, His timing, and His ultimate justice. God sees all, knows all, and will act in His perfect time. Our role is not to shrink back in fear or frustration, but to stand firm in faith.
Reflection Questions:
What does it mean to you to “live by faith” in your current season of life?
How do you respond when God’s promises seem delayed?