Overview

The book of Habakkuk is a prophetic dialogue between the prophet and God, set during a time of moral decline and rising foreign threat. In chapter 1, Habakkuk begins by crying out to God, questioning why He allows violence and injustice to persist among His people (Habakkuk 1:2–4). God responds by revealing that He is raising up the Chaldeans (Babylonians) as an instrument of judgment (1:5–11). Troubled by this answer, Habakkuk questions how a holy God can use a more wicked nation to judge His own (1:12–17). In chapter 2, God tells Habakkuk to write down the vision and assures him that the fulfillment will come at the appointed time (2:2–3). The Lord contrasts the proud with the righteous, declaring, “the righteous shall live by his faith” (2:4). The chapter continues with five “woes” against Babylon, exposing their greed, violence, idolatry, and injustice, and affirming that God will ultimately bring justice (2:6–20). The book reveals God’s sovereignty over nations, His justice that will not delay, and the call for the righteous to trust in Him even when His ways are not fully understood.