June 10, 2025 • 20 mins
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The book of Habakkuk captures an intimate conversation between a frustrated prophet and God during a time of national crisis, showing how deep faith emerges through honest questioning.
• Habakkuk lived in Judah during a time of moral decay, corruption, and political instability
• Unlike other prophets, Habakkuk speaks to God about the people rather than to the people on God's behalf
• The book is structured as a dialogue—Habakkuk questions, God answers, and the prophet responds
• Habakkuk's first complaint questions why God allows injustice to thrive among His people
• God's surprising answer: He will use the Babylonians as instruments of judgment against Judah
• Habakkuk's second complaint: How can God use a more wicked nation to judge His people?
• God reveals that the Babylonians will also face judgment, declaring "the righteous will live by faith"
• Five woes pronounced against greed, injustice, violence, exploitation, and idolatry
• Chapter 3 shifts from questioning to worship as Habakkuk chooses to trust God despite circumstances
• Habakkuk's powerful declaration: "Though the fig tree does not bud...yet I will rejoice in the LORD"
• The book connects to Jesus through Paul's use of "the righteous will live by faith" in Romans and Galatians
• Key lessons: waiting is part of faith, God will address injustice in His time, and faith means trusting God's character when circumstances don't make sense
Next week we'll explore the prophets who spoke during the exile, continuing our journey through the Bible's prophetic literature.
SOURCES:
- Barry, J. D., et al. (2016). Faithlife Study Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
- Evans, T. (2019). The Tony Evans Bible Commentary. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
- Galan, B., & Curiel, J. (n.d.). Bible Overview [Kindle edition]. Function.
- Longman, T. (n.d.). An Introduction to the Old Testament: Second Edition [Kindle edition]. Function.
- Nelson, T. (n.d.-a). The NIV, Open Bible: Complete Reference System [Kindle edition]. Function.
- Packer, J. I., Grudem, W., & Fernando, A. (Eds.). (2012). ESV Global Study Bible. Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
- Prior, D. (1988). The Message of Joel, Micah and Habakkuk: Listening to the Voice of God (J. A. Motyer & D. Tidball, Eds.). The Bible Speaks Today. Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press.
- Ryken, L. (n.d.-b). Literary Introductions to the Books of the Bible [Kindle edition]. Function.
- Sharp, M. D. (n.d.). Old Testament Prophets for Today.
- Wood, A., Miller, J., & Taylor, M. (2024). Faith in God’s Purpose. In J. A. Kenney, R. L. Nickelson, & T. Z. Stamps (Eds.), The NIV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2023–2024 (Vol. 30). Colorado
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jacqui (00:12):
Greetings listeners.
Have you ever looked around andthought God?
Why aren't you doing something?
Why does injustice keep winning?
Why do the wicked prosper whilethe faithful struggle?
If you've asked these questions, you're not alone.
(00:32):
That's exactly how the book ofHabakkuk begins, but, unlike the
other prophets we've beenstudying, this book isn't a
message to the people.
This book isn't a message tothe people.
It's a conversation with God,an honest, sometimes frustrated
back and forth.
(00:52):
Yes, Habakkuk engages God inconversation.
He brought his frustrations toGod and God responds.
And by the end, we see what itlooks like to trust God when
nothing makes sense.
(01:13):
Well, welcome everyone.
I'm your host, Jacqui Adewole,and this is the Bible Basics
Podcast, where, weekly, we breakdown the basics of the Bible
into understandable, bite-sizedchunks.
Last episode, we looked at themessage of Jeremiah, a prophet
who wept over the sins of hispeople and carried the weight of
(01:34):
God's warning.
Today, we're turning to anotherprophet, one who doesn't come
with a sermon, but with a lot ofquestions.
His name is Habakkuk.
Habakkuk lived in Judah duringa dark and difficult time.
The nation was falling apartmorally, spiritually and
(02:00):
politically.
King Josiah, the last good king, had died in battle.
After his death, his son,jehoahaz became king, but only
for three months.
Pharaoh Necho II of Egyptremoved him from power, put him
in chains and took him to Egyptwhere he later died.
(02:24):
We see that in 2 Kings, 23,31-34.
In his place, necho madeJehoiakim, another of Josiah's
sons.
The new king Jehoiakim ruledwith corruption and cruelty,
undoing much of his father'sreforms.
Meanwhile, babylon was rising,Egypt and the weakened Assyrian
(02:51):
empire were losing ground andsoon Judah would be caught in
the crossfire.
Injustice filled the land,violence was normal, people had
turned from God and prophetslike Habakkuk were left watching
it all unfold, very concernedabout their nation and wondering
(03:14):
God, why are you silent?
Why aren't you doing something?
So just who was Habakkuk?
You'll find he was differentfrom most prophets we've studied
.
We don't get a dramatic callstory.
There's no background about hisfamily or hometown.
(03:35):
What we do get is a personal,honest conversation between him
and his God.
Unlike other prophets who speakto the people on God's behalf,
habakkuk speaks to God aboutwhat he sees around him.
He doesn't deliver a publicmessage.
(03:56):
He asks hard questions andwe're invited into that private
exchange.
There's no indication he'sspeaking on behalf of the
nations, but his questions sounda lot like what others were
probably thinking why is singoing unpunished?
(04:16):
Why isn't God doing something?
What unfolds is a back andforth.
Habakkuk brings hisfrustrations and confusion to
God.
God responds with truth andvision and by the end Habakkuk
moves from protest to praise.
His name likely means toembrace or to cling, and some
(04:43):
say it may also suggest towrestle.
All three show up in his story.
He wrestles with what he sees,he clings to what he knows about
God and embraces a deeper faitheven when nothing around him
changes.
(05:04):
Let's move on to the content ofthe book.
Habakkuk is short, just threechapters, but it's structured
around a powerful conversationbetween the prophet and God.
Chapters one and two are thatdialogue.
Habakkuk brings his complaints,god responds.
(05:25):
Twice the prophet asks why eviland injustice seem to go
unchecked.
Twice God answers, but not inthe way Habakkuk expects.
Chapter 3 is a shift.
It's no longer about questions,it's about worship.
(05:45):
Habakkuk prays, remembers God'spast faithfulness and chooses
to trust him in the present,even as judgment looms.
Let's look at that content alittle closer.
The book opens with a cry that'sas relevant today as it was
(06:06):
then.
Quote how long, lord, must Icall for help, but you do not
listen, or cry out to youviolence, but you do not save.
That's chapter 1, verse 2.
Habakkuk is watching his ownpeople spiral into injustice and
(06:26):
corruption.
The law feels powerless, thewicked seem to be winning and
God, well, he seems silent.
Habakkuk doesn't hold back.
He says why aren't you doingsomething?
And God answers, but not in theway Habakkuk was hoping.
Quote look at the nations andwatch and be utterly amazed, for
(06:51):
I am going to do something inyour days that you would not
believe, even if you were told.
That's chapter 1, verse 5.
But that sounds hopeful untilGod reveals what he's doing.
I'm raising up the Babylonians,that ruthless and impetuous
(07:13):
people.
That's chapter 1, verse 6.
Wait, babylon.
They were violent, arrogant andoppressive, the last people
anyone would expect God to use.
God says in chapter 1, verses 6to 11, that they're like a
(07:33):
predator on the hunt, sweepingthrough nations, worshiping
their own strength and showingno mercy.
He'll use them as hisinstrument of judgment against
Judah.
That's not the answer Habakkukwanted.
God is doing something, but itraises even more questions.
(07:56):
Instead of resolving Habakkuk'sconcerns, god's answer only
deepens them, because thesolution sounds worse than the
problem.
Let's examine them inHabakkuk's second complaint and
God's reply to it.
Habakkuk can't believe what hejust heard.
(08:18):
God is going to use Babylonthem to use Babylon them.
He's not just confused now,he's troubled.
So he brings it back to God.
(08:38):
Quote Lord, are you not fromeverlasting?
My God, my Holy One, you willnever die.
Why then do you tolerate thetreacherous?
Why are you silent while thewicked swallow up those more
righteous than themselves?
Those are verses 12 and 13.
In other words, god, I havecomplete faith and trust in you.
(09:01):
But how can you use peopleworse than us to judge us?
But instead of walking away,Habakkuk leans in.
He chooses to wait and listen.
Quote I will stand at my watch.
I will look to see what he willsay to me.
(09:21):
That's chapter 2, verse 1.
And God answers this time witha vision.
Quote write down the revelationand make it plain on tablets so
that a herald may run with it,for the revelation awaits an
appointed time.
Though it linger, wait for it.
(09:43):
It will certainly come and willnot delay.
That's chapter 2, verses 2 and3.
God is telling Habakkuk I seewhat's happening, I have a plan.
It's on the way, even if itdoesn't come as fast as you want
, make sure the people see thisand will know that it will
(10:07):
happen.
Then comes a key verse inchapter 2, verse 4, one that
echoes all the way into the NewTestament the righteous will
live by his faith, unquote,while the proud trust in
themselves.
God says the righteous live bytrusting him, even when his ways
(10:31):
don't make sense.
Then God pronounces five woes.
These are poetic judgmentsagainst Babylon and those like
them.
These are found in chapter 2,verses 6 through 19.
First, woe to the greedy, thosewho steal and exploit others
(10:53):
for personal gain.
Then there's woe to the unjustbuilders.
This is one who uses wealth andpower to create a false sense
of security through injustice.
Then there's woe to the violentoppressor who builds their
empire through violence andcruelty.
(11:14):
There's woe to the corruptexploiters.
They exploit and humiliateothers for personal pleasure or
control.
And number five, woe to theidol worshipers who trust in
man-made idols instead of theliving God.
(11:36):
So now Habakkuk is able to get aclear vision of the situation
they face.
It's not God being inattentive,it's about the sin in the land.
And so this second dialoguesection ends with this powerful
line the Lord is in his holytemple.
(11:59):
Let all the earth be silentbefore him.
That's chapter 2, verse 20.
In other words, god sees sin,God knows about the sin, and God
is still on the throne All theearth must reverence and worship
in humble submission to theliving God.
(12:23):
Humble submission to the livingGod.
Now, after all the questioning,confusion and waiting,
something shifts in chapterthree.
Habakkuk doesn't get all theanswers, but what he does get is
a clear understanding of whoGod is, and that changes
everything.
(12:44):
The final chapter is written asa prayer and it reads like a
psalm.
It's poetic, powerful and fullof praise.
Here's a snippet Lord, I haveheard of your fame.
I stand in awe of your deeds.
Lord, repeat them in our day,in our time.
(13:05):
Make them known In wrath.
Remember mercy.
That's chapter 3, verse 2.
Habakkuk remembers what God hasdone in the past, his power, his
justice, his saving acts, andit gives him confidence that God
(13:25):
is still in control now, eventhough what's coming terrifies
him.
He says so in verse 16.
He chooses to trust God anyway.
Then, in one of the mostbeautiful declarations of faith
in all of Scripture, habakkuksays in chapter 3, verse 17 and
(13:58):
18, quote Though the fig treedoes not bud and there are no
grapes on the vines.
Though the olive crop fails andthe fields produce no food,
though.
There are no sheep in the penand no cattle in the stalls.
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,I will be joyful in God, my
Savior.
Unquote.
(14:18):
No crops, no livestock, novisible signs of hope.
Still Habakkuk chooses torejoice.
He finishes with this line fromchapter 3, verse 19.
The sovereign Lord is mystrength.
He makes my feet like the feetof a deer.
(14:40):
He enables me to tread on theheights Unquote.
Habakkuk may still notunderstand everything, but now
he knows enough.
He knows that faith in God willenable him to endure the
hardships to come.
Habakkuk doesn't get all theanswers, but he gets what he
(15:03):
needs a deeper trust in God.
I hope this beautiful prayerleads all of us to that place
where we can know that, nomatter what, god is our strength
.
Now, how does this book connectto Jesus?
Well, let's go back to that keyverse in God's second reply to
(15:26):
Habakkuk the righteous will liveby faith.
In the New Testament, paulquotes this verse in Romans 1.
:1 1.17 and Galatians 3:11 toexplain the heart of the gospel
how we are made right with Godnot through our efforts but by
(15:48):
trusting in Jesus.
It shows up again in Hebrews,chapter 10, verse 38, reminding
believers to persevere in faith,especially in the face of
suffering.
This one line becomes a coretruth of the Christian life.
We don't live by what we see.
(16:10):
We live by trusting in thecharacter and the promises of
God.
And that's exactly whereHabakkuk lands.
He knows judgment is coming,but he also trusts that God will
redeem his people.
He says in chapter 3, verse 13,you come out to deliver your
(16:32):
people, to save your anointedone.
That hope points forward toJesus.
God's ultimate redemption comesthrough him, not by raising up
another earthly kingdom, but bysending his son.
As Paul says in Ephesians.
(16:52):
Chapter 2, verses 1 through 10,salvation is by grace, through
faith.
That's what Habakkuk longed forand what we now see fully in
Christ.
So what can we learn fromHabakkuk?
Habakkuk may be short, but itdelivers some of the Bible's
(17:14):
most powerful lessons aboutfaith in hard times.
At the center of it all is thistruth.
You should have this in yourspirit by now.
Come on and say it with me.
Chapter 2, verse 4.
The righteous will live by hisfaith.
That one verse summarizes God'splan for his people, then and
(17:42):
now.
Here's what that teaches us.
First, waiting is part of faith.
Habakkuk didn't get quickanswers, but he listened,
watched and trusted.
Second, god sees everything andhe'll deal with injustice.
Judgment might seem delayed,but God hasn't forgotten.
(18:05):
Third, faith means clinging toGod even when nothing makes
sense.
Fourth, god is our strengthwhen we feel weak.
When we feel weak and finally,when we find ourselves asking
the same questions Habakkuk didwhy is there so much evil?
(18:30):
Where is God in all of this?
We can follow his example.
Habakkuk shifted his focus fromthe why to the who.
The book of Habakkuk invites usto do the same to trust God's
character even when we don'tunderstand his timing, and to
(18:53):
believe that he is just,faithful and worth clinging to
no matter what.
So, in conclusion, if thisepisode helped you to see
Habakkuk in a new way, questions, doubts and all, consider
(19:16):
sharing it with someone younever know who might need the
reminder that faith isn't abouthaving all the answers.
It's about trusting the God whodoes.
It's about trusting the God whodoes.
Next time we're turning acorner.
We've been looking at prophetswho spoke before the exile, but
now we'll enter a new chapterthe voices who spoke during the
(19:37):
exile.
No-transcript.
Greetings listeners.
Have you ever looked around andthought God?
Why aren't you doing something?
Why does injustice keep winning?
Why do the wicked prosper whilethe faithful struggle?
If you've asked these questions, you're not alone.
(00:32):
That's exactly how the book ofHabakkuk begins, but, unlike the
other prophets we've beenstudying, this book isn't a
message to the people.
This book isn't a message tothe people.
It's a conversation with God,an honest, sometimes frustrated
back and forth.
(00:52):
Yes, Habakkuk engages God inconversation.
He brought his frustrations toGod and God responds.
And by the end, we see what itlooks like to trust God when
nothing makes sense.
(01:13):
Well, welcome everyone.
I'm your host, Jacqui Adewole,and this is the Bible Basics
Podcast, where, weekly, we breakdown the basics of the Bible
into understandable, bite-sizedchunks.
Last episode, we looked at themessage of Jeremiah, a prophet
who wept over the sins of hispeople and carried the weight of
(01:34):
God's warning.
Today, we're turning to anotherprophet, one who doesn't come
with a sermon, but with a lot ofquestions.
His name is Habakkuk.
Habakkuk lived in Judah duringa dark and difficult time.
The nation was falling apartmorally, spiritually and
(02:00):
politically.
King Josiah, the last good king, had died in battle.
After his death, his son,jehoahaz became king, but only
for three months.
Pharaoh Necho II of Egyptremoved him from power, put him
in chains and took him to Egyptwhere he later died.
(02:24):
We see that in 2 Kings, 23,31-34.
In his place, necho madeJehoiakim, another of Josiah's
sons.
The new king Jehoiakim ruledwith corruption and cruelty,
undoing much of his father'sreforms.
Meanwhile, babylon was rising,Egypt and the weakened Assyrian
(02:51):
empire were losing ground andsoon Judah would be caught in
the crossfire.
Injustice filled the land,violence was normal, people had
turned from God and prophetslike Habakkuk were left watching
it all unfold, very concernedabout their nation and wondering
(03:14):
God, why are you silent?
Why aren't you doing something?
So just who was Habakkuk?
You'll find he was differentfrom most prophets we've studied
.
We don't get a dramatic callstory.
There's no background about hisfamily or hometown.
(03:35):
What we do get is a personal,honest conversation between him
and his God.
Unlike other prophets who speakto the people on God's behalf,
habakkuk speaks to God aboutwhat he sees around him.
He doesn't deliver a publicmessage.
(03:56):
He asks hard questions andwe're invited into that private
exchange.
There's no indication he'sspeaking on behalf of the
nations, but his questions sounda lot like what others were
probably thinking why is singoing unpunished?
(04:16):
Why isn't God doing something?
What unfolds is a back andforth.
Habakkuk brings hisfrustrations and confusion to
God.
God responds with truth andvision and by the end Habakkuk
moves from protest to praise.
His name likely means toembrace or to cling, and some
(04:43):
say it may also suggest towrestle.
All three show up in his story.
He wrestles with what he sees,he clings to what he knows about
God and embraces a deeper faitheven when nothing around him
changes.
(05:04):
Let's move on to the content ofthe book.
Habakkuk is short, just threechapters, but it's structured
around a powerful conversationbetween the prophet and God.
Chapters one and two are thatdialogue.
Habakkuk brings his complaints,god responds.
(05:25):
Twice the prophet asks why eviland injustice seem to go
unchecked.
Twice God answers, but not inthe way Habakkuk expects.
Chapter 3 is a shift.
It's no longer about questions,it's about worship.
(05:45):
Habakkuk prays, remembers God'spast faithfulness and chooses
to trust him in the present,even as judgment looms.
Let's look at that content alittle closer.
The book opens with a cry that'sas relevant today as it was
(06:06):
then.
Quote how long, lord, must Icall for help, but you do not
listen, or cry out to youviolence, but you do not save.
That's chapter 1, verse 2.
Habakkuk is watching his ownpeople spiral into injustice and
(06:26):
corruption.
The law feels powerless, thewicked seem to be winning and
God, well, he seems silent.
Habakkuk doesn't hold back.
He says why aren't you doingsomething?
And God answers, but not in theway Habakkuk was hoping.
Quote look at the nations andwatch and be utterly amazed, for
(06:51):
I am going to do something inyour days that you would not
believe, even if you were told.
That's chapter 1, verse 5.
But that sounds hopeful untilGod reveals what he's doing.
I'm raising up the Babylonians,that ruthless and impetuous
(07:13):
people.
That's chapter 1, verse 6.
Wait, babylon.
They were violent, arrogant andoppressive, the last people
anyone would expect God to use.
God says in chapter 1, verses 6to 11, that they're like a
(07:33):
predator on the hunt, sweepingthrough nations, worshiping
their own strength and showingno mercy.
He'll use them as hisinstrument of judgment against
Judah.
That's not the answer Habakkukwanted.
God is doing something, but itraises even more questions.
(07:56):
Instead of resolving Habakkuk'sconcerns, god's answer only
deepens them, because thesolution sounds worse than the
problem.
Let's examine them inHabakkuk's second complaint and
God's reply to it.
Habakkuk can't believe what hejust heard.
(08:18):
God is going to use Babylonthem to use Babylon them.
He's not just confused now,he's troubled.
So he brings it back to God.
(08:38):
Quote Lord, are you not fromeverlasting?
My God, my Holy One, you willnever die.
Why then do you tolerate thetreacherous?
Why are you silent while thewicked swallow up those more
righteous than themselves?
Those are verses 12 and 13.
In other words, god, I havecomplete faith and trust in you.
(09:01):
But how can you use peopleworse than us to judge us?
But instead of walking away,Habakkuk leans in.
He chooses to wait and listen.
Quote I will stand at my watch.
I will look to see what he willsay to me.
(09:21):
That's chapter 2, verse 1.
And God answers this time witha vision.
Quote write down the revelationand make it plain on tablets so
that a herald may run with it,for the revelation awaits an
appointed time.
Though it linger, wait for it.
(09:43):
It will certainly come and willnot delay.
That's chapter 2, verses 2 and3.
God is telling Habakkuk I seewhat's happening, I have a plan.
It's on the way, even if itdoesn't come as fast as you want
, make sure the people see thisand will know that it will
(10:07):
happen.
Then comes a key verse inchapter 2, verse 4, one that
echoes all the way into the NewTestament the righteous will
live by his faith, unquote,while the proud trust in
themselves.
God says the righteous live bytrusting him, even when his ways
(10:31):
don't make sense.
Then God pronounces five woes.
These are poetic judgmentsagainst Babylon and those like
them.
These are found in chapter 2,verses 6 through 19.
First, woe to the greedy, thosewho steal and exploit others
(10:53):
for personal gain.
Then there's woe to the unjustbuilders.
This is one who uses wealth andpower to create a false sense
of security through injustice.
Then there's woe to the violentoppressor who builds their
empire through violence andcruelty.
(11:14):
There's woe to the corruptexploiters.
They exploit and humiliateothers for personal pleasure or
control.
And number five, woe to theidol worshipers who trust in
man-made idols instead of theliving God.
(11:36):
So now Habakkuk is able to get aclear vision of the situation
they face.
It's not God being inattentive,it's about the sin in the land.
And so this second dialoguesection ends with this powerful
line the Lord is in his holytemple.
(11:59):
Let all the earth be silentbefore him.
That's chapter 2, verse 20.
In other words, god sees sin,God knows about the sin, and God
is still on the throne All theearth must reverence and worship
in humble submission to theliving God.
(12:23):
Humble submission to the livingGod.
Now, after all the questioning,confusion and waiting,
something shifts in chapterthree.
Habakkuk doesn't get all theanswers, but what he does get is
a clear understanding of whoGod is, and that changes
everything.
(12:44):
The final chapter is written asa prayer and it reads like a
psalm.
It's poetic, powerful and fullof praise.
Here's a snippet Lord, I haveheard of your fame.
I stand in awe of your deeds.
Lord, repeat them in our day,in our time.
(13:05):
Make them known In wrath.
Remember mercy.
That's chapter 3, verse 2.
Habakkuk remembers what God hasdone in the past, his power, his
justice, his saving acts, andit gives him confidence that God
(13:25):
is still in control now, eventhough what's coming terrifies
him.
He says so in verse 16.
He chooses to trust God anyway.
Then, in one of the mostbeautiful declarations of faith
in all of Scripture, habakkuksays in chapter 3, verse 17 and
(13:58):
18, quote Though the fig treedoes not bud and there are no
grapes on the vines.
Though the olive crop fails andthe fields produce no food,
though.
There are no sheep in the penand no cattle in the stalls.
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,I will be joyful in God, my
Savior.
Unquote.
(14:18):
No crops, no livestock, novisible signs of hope.
Still Habakkuk chooses torejoice.
He finishes with this line fromchapter 3, verse 19.
The sovereign Lord is mystrength.
He makes my feet like the feetof a deer.
(14:40):
He enables me to tread on theheights Unquote.
Habakkuk may still notunderstand everything, but now
he knows enough.
He knows that faith in God willenable him to endure the
hardships to come.
Habakkuk doesn't get all theanswers, but he gets what he
(15:03):
needs a deeper trust in God.
I hope this beautiful prayerleads all of us to that place
where we can know that, nomatter what, god is our strength
.
Now, how does this book connectto Jesus?
Well, let's go back to that keyverse in God's second reply to
(15:26):
Habakkuk the righteous will liveby faith.
In the New Testament, paulquotes this verse in Romans 1.
:1 1.17 and Galatians 3:11 toexplain the heart of the gospel
how we are made right with Godnot through our efforts but by
(15:48):
trusting in Jesus.
It shows up again in Hebrews,chapter 10, verse 38, reminding
believers to persevere in faith,especially in the face of
suffering.
This one line becomes a coretruth of the Christian life.
We don't live by what we see.
(16:10):
We live by trusting in thecharacter and the promises of
God.
And that's exactly whereHabakkuk lands.
He knows judgment is coming,but he also trusts that God will
redeem his people.
He says in chapter 3, verse 13,you come out to deliver your
(16:32):
people, to save your anointedone.
That hope points forward toJesus.
God's ultimate redemption comesthrough him, not by raising up
another earthly kingdom, but bysending his son.
As Paul says in Ephesians.
(16:52):
Chapter 2, verses 1 through 10,salvation is by grace, through
faith.
That's what Habakkuk longed forand what we now see fully in
Christ.
So what can we learn fromHabakkuk?
Habakkuk may be short, but itdelivers some of the Bible's
(17:14):
most powerful lessons aboutfaith in hard times.
At the center of it all is thistruth.
You should have this in yourspirit by now.
Come on and say it with me.
Chapter 2, verse 4.
The righteous will live by hisfaith.
That one verse summarizes God'splan for his people, then and
(17:42):
now.
Here's what that teaches us.
First, waiting is part of faith.
Habakkuk didn't get quickanswers, but he listened,
watched and trusted.
Second, god sees everything andhe'll deal with injustice.
Judgment might seem delayed,but God hasn't forgotten.
(18:05):
Third, faith means clinging toGod even when nothing makes
sense.
Fourth, god is our strengthwhen we feel weak.
When we feel weak and finally,when we find ourselves asking
the same questions Habakkuk didwhy is there so much evil?
(18:30):
Where is God in all of this?
We can follow his example.
Habakkuk shifted his focus fromthe why to the who.
The book of Habakkuk invites usto do the same to trust God's
character even when we don'tunderstand his timing, and to
(18:53):
believe that he is just,faithful and worth clinging to
no matter what.
So, in conclusion, if thisepisode helped you to see
Habakkuk in a new way, questions, doubts and all, consider
(19:16):
sharing it with someone younever know who might need the
reminder that faith isn't abouthaving all the answers.
It's about trusting the God whodoes.
It's about trusting the God whodoes.
Next time we're turning acorner.
We've been looking at prophetswho spoke before the exile, but
now we'll enter a new chapterthe voices who spoke during the
(19:37):
exile.
No-transcript.
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