HABAKKUK:

THROUGH THEDARK TUNNEL

WITH GOD

Robert C.Newman

Introduction

Author: named Habakkuk, otherwise unknown

Place: Judah, shortly before Babylonian captivity

Date: prob about 605 BC, reign of Jehoiakim

Setting:rampant sin in Jewish society

Habakkuk’s First Complaint to God:(1:2‑4)

How can you let such evil in society go unpunished?

Picture of Jewish society of time cast in generalterms

Certainly resembles much in our society today

God’s First Answer: (1:5‑11)

    I'm not: I'm sending invadersto destroy that society!

    Explicit reference toChaldeans = Babylonians, but characteristics fairly general for worldconquerors

Could God raise up Communism or some other invaderor disaster to destroy our society?

Habakkuk’s Second Complaint: (1:12‑2:1)

    How can you let such wickedconquerors destroy those more righteous than themselves?

    Babylonians certainly morewicked than Israelites, though possibly not when different level of light takeninto account; but many righteous in Israel will also suffer.

    Communists, etc. more wickedthan us, though perhaps not when different level of light taken into account;if some such happens to U.S., many righteous will suffer.

God’s Second Answer: (2:2‑20)

    Depend on me; the wicked (includingconquerors) will get what they deserve & the righteous what they hope for.

    Doesn't deal with question ofrelative levels of light, but with response of wicked and righteous.

Problem of Delay (2:2‑5)

              Wickedbecome arrogant (Eccl 8:11; Lk 18:7‑8)

              Righteousmust live by faith/faithfulness

    Woes to Wicked (6‑20) ‑appears to be generalized so as to have application both to wicked in Israeland wicked Babylonian conquerors; and to wicked in our society

            Plunders(6‑8): to be plundered

            Unjust(9‑11): to get justice

             Greedy(12‑14): to lose all

            Seducers(15‑17): to be overwhelmed by violence

            Idolaters(18‑20): to be confronted by real God

Habakkuk’s Response of Prayer & Trust(3:1‑19)

Calls on God to Intervene (2)

God's Intervention (3‑15)

Usesimagery from Exodus, from theophanies

             DivineWarrior motif

             Looksto end of age

Habakkuk's Response (16‑19)

             Fear& trembling (16a)

             Trustin face of calamity (16b‑18)

(thejust will live by faith)

             Godis my strength & protection (19)

(notjust a dark future, but a dark tunnel this side of a bright future)

How will we respond if such disaster comes uponus?