Habakkuk Theme Trace - Live by Faith

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith[1]… In Whom or What? 

                During a period where Israel was being heavily influenced by foreign cultures and religions, the prophet Habakkuk began by entreating the LORD to respond to his cry for help. He cried out for salvation from violence and wickedness[2]. Their kingdom had been divided; Israel had since fallen to Assyria, and Judah was foolishly following in their footsteps of rebellion from the LORD's covenant. They believed YAHWEH was their National God, but they also worshipped the Astral gods: Molech, Asherah and the Baals. Their hearts were unfaithful and proud. Habakkuk's pleas imply that he associated vindication and redemption with the character of God. He came before the LORD with expectations and God’s answers helped him to see the coming judgment as a reproof[3]. In the near future, God would use a nation more wicked than Judah in order to subdue and discipline them. This was a source of struggle for Habakkuk, whose heart was to serve YAHWEH alone. When Habakkuk made his petition to the LORD, he retreated to his watchpost[4] where he stationed himself to intentionally wait for the LORD's response. This reflects the trust Habakkuk had in YAHWEH, because he anticipated receiving an answer. 

                Throughout his own wrestling, he maintains a heart of praise. Habakkuk proclaims things he knows to be true of God, the Rock[5] who is “of purer eyes”, amid asking questions[6] that display the difficulty he is having in accepting God’s plan. Raised up to be a prophet to the LORD's chosen people, Habakkuk passionately longed for the day when Israel and all creation will be restored to their rightful place in the kingdom of God. He speaks with reverence and awe: “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14).

Even in his questioning, Habakkuk knows when to be silent[7] before the LORD and how to walk in healthy fear[8] of His testimonies: “I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us” (Habakukk 3:16). Two variations on the way this verse could be translated, firstly, that Habakkuk is terrified of the coming invasion, but has reconciled his fears with his trust in the sovereignty of God; yet another phrasing of the verse (depending on Bible translation) could imply that he deeply fears the coming doom but trusts that when the time is right, the LORD will deliver them from those who oppress Israel. Either way, the essence of the verse is that Habakkuk has put his faith in YAHWEH, and will not allow the circumstances in which he finds himself to alter that trust. Whether the LORD will solely deliver them into the hands of the Babylonians- or the prophecy also includes Israel one day being delivered from the hands of the Babylonians, Habakkuk knows that God is righteous- and in that peace of understanding he will wait quietly. His faith is not contingent upon when the LORD will save His people, Habakkuk knew the covenant was everlasting, and probably grasped through his dialogue with God that man cannot place his trust in the circumstances. His hope was in the person of God, not necessarily in His plan. This is reiterated as Habakkuk ends his prayer: in the midst of necessity, desperation, unfortunate conditions, He would rejoice in the One who remains constant in His Peace, Holiness, and Promises.

                Depending on in whom or what you put your faith, this ability is determined. Each person puts their hope or faith or trust in something or someone. It may be willpower, success, a lover or yourself. But as sure as history repeats itself, the law of letdowns proves as true as the testimony of the ages: only the Creator God is trustworthy and one in whom we can rightly place our faith. "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible." (Hebrews 1:1-3) All other objects of adoration will fail us, whereas we can feel let down by the LORD and yet know that His sovereignty is unarguably perfect. Those originally present in Habakkuk's time had long been forgetting their God, and He went to great lengths to remind them of their need for him and His desire for relationship with them. These words would have been a source of comfort for the righteous who were living by faith during the exile, and the timelessness of the message encourages generations of the remnant that survived aforementioned captivity. In order for believers to better develop their own trust in the LORD, they can call to memory His faithfulness and testimonies and reflecting on who they know Him to be, rather than focus their energy on the circumstances in which they find themselves.

                Questions arise from humanity now as much as they have in ages past. Where are you, LORD, and how can you stand by while these situations infiltrate our world/ my life? God does not shy away from these petitions and cries, and we are free and invited to speak our hearts openly to Him. Yet, as Habakkuk exemplified, at some point it is the stepping back from presenting these fears and questions to the LORD that allows us to fix our eyes on Who we know Him to be: Someone on whom we can quietly wait. Whether wrestling or waiting, let us aim to remember and welcome the peace of His presence- trusting the God of our salvation to act in His sovereignty.

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[1] Contrast: Habakkuk 2:4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.

[2] Atmosphere: Habakkuk 1:2 “O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you ‘Violence!’ and you will not save?” 

[3] Atmosphere: “… O LORD, you have ordained them as a judgment… established them for reproof.”

[4] Imagery: Habakkuk 2:1-2 “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. And the LORD answered me:”

[5] Who: Habakkuk 1:12 “Are you not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? … O LORD… O Rock…”

[6] Question: Habakkuk 1:13 “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?”

[7] Contrast/Atmosphere: Habakkuk 2:18-20 “What profit idol? … But LORD holy temple; all earth silence before him.

[8] Atmosphere: Habakkuk 3:2 “O LORD, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O LORD, do I fear. In the midst of the ears revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.”