Today’s passage: Habakkuk 1:1-11
Helpful thoughts:
- This book was written by the prophet Habakkuk, most likely no later than 640-609 B.C.
- In the book, the prophet laments the decline of Judah’s commitment to the Lord and God’s responses. It is more of a “conversation” between the Lord and Habakkuk than a “Thus says the Lord” kind of prophecy.
- The sad things asked about in verses 2-4 are not about any other nation. This was the condition of Judah.
- God’s answer to Judah’s sin is to raise up Babylon against them. Babylon is not more righteous than Judah, and Habakkuk will protest, asking about the justice of this decision in the next passage.
Questions to consider:
- How is Babylon described in verses 5-11. Why would it seem to make sense for Habakkuk to dislike the idea of Babylon being used by God to judge Judah?
- Who was the god of the Babylonians according to verse 11? Even though the Babylonians had false gods they worshiped, what is God acknowledging about the people? Whom were they truly trusting in? What would we expect God to do if man trusts in himself? (Would Babylon last forever? – Daniel 5:13-31)
- What do you think Habakkuk would have wanted God to say in response to His lament? When we do wrong, why do we struggle with not being able to choose the consequences? How can this struggle even relate to the necessity of believing in Christ’s sacrificial/substitutionary death on the cross?