CHAPTER 2

1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.

Dazed by what God has said, Habakkuk resolves to "sit, wait and see" what God will say next. Notice that Habakkuk realized waiting and not responding would bring reproval.

Habakkuk had heard God pronounce punitive judgment upon Judah by an evil nation. This was unthinkable! Is not God just? How could He allow such awful things to happen to His people? Is not God omnipotent? Why wouldn't God arrange the events of history to avoid this awful thing?

Yes. Bad things DO happen to good people (if there is such a thing as good people - see Rom. 3:23). God IS just, and will not look upon evil with favor. And God is omnipotent. He CAN change the events of history to fit His will. However, bad things happen because of two reasons.

One, they are the result of God testing and building character. In this case, verse 4 comes into context "...the just shall live by his faith." When a person is truly converted, he will live by full trust in God. Calamities and difficulties will BUILD character. Think of Joseph. He was hated and despised and even sold into slavery by his own brothers. Yet his character remained unimpeached because his life was based on a genuine relationship with God.

Two, they are the result of sin (as in the case of Judah). Judah had continued to worship idols even though God had sent prophet after prophet to decry their sin and call them to repentance. When people determine to live by pride and not surrender to the Lordship of Jesus, God allows the consequences of their own sin to overtake them.

2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. 4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

Habakkuk is told to "write...upon tables." Some used scrolls, but Habakkuk was to use TABLES -- tablets of clay. Notice he was not to write upon ONE but upon "tables" - plural. He was to make many copies so that they would be preserved and spread around as public knowledge.

I believe it is important that God's people WRITE about what God has said. Not only are we to TELL, but also to WRITE. The testimonies we have should be preserved and made public.

The VISION which Habakkuk saw had two implications. First, it was a vision of the destruction of Judah in a time frame over which God had control. "..the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie..." What God had said concerning the destruction of Judah would certainly happen!

Second, it was a vision of the END of worldly powers which corrupt men. For this, let us look at verse 14 for a moment: "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea." Soon God would also destroy the Babylonian kingdom which was a symbol of corrupting world powers. And one day, my friends, Jesus will come again and put a stop to worldly powers which corrupt. He shall set up a kingdom that will not be corrupted, and will rule and reign on earth for 1,000 years! Yes, "..the vision .... shall speak, and not lie!"

I'm not sure Habakkuk UNDERSTOOD all that God was saying. But I AM sure that he WROTE IT DOWN! I'm not sure we understand all that God has said about the millennial kingdom either. But we are to preach it, teach it and write about it!

Two things are important to grasp about verse 4. First, "..his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him." A pride-filled heart is NOT right with God! Regardless of what other actions a person may take (attending church, doing good works, etc) proud actions against others are evidence of not being RIGHT with God.

Second, "..the just shall live by his faith." Justness, or righteousness is not attainable in the natural man. Justness is only CONFERRED by God to those who surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The Bible is very plain about this in many places. Noah was said to be "just" because he "walked with God" (Genesis 6:9) Abraham is said to have been "righteous" because he "believed God" (James 2:23). Justness or righteousness can only be IMPUTED not attained. God imputes righteousness to those who surrender to Christ.

Imputed justness and righteousness results in evidence. The evidence is living by faith:
Living in trust of God; Living according to His express will in the Bible; Living according to His principles regardless of what the world says or does.

5 Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people: 6 Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay! 7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them? 8 Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.

Verse 5 is very interesting because it indicates that the person who acts in pride causes the same results as being DRUNK! Rudyard Kipling once wrote, "If, drunk with sight of power, we loose Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe." (from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody Press) When filled with pride, a person's speech reflect worship of self rather than worship of God!

Another point in verse 5 is that Christians find joy in their home. They will fill it with love and not be constantly "drawn away" by the things of the world.

Looking at verse 6 recalls God's Word in Proverbs.
Proverbs 13:10 says, "Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom." Proud actions cause conflict!
Also, Proverbs 14:3 says, "In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them." Proud talk reflects foolishness!
And finally, Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." The contention bred by pride-filled actions soon brings conflict which destroys!

Judah had acted in pride by corrupting their worship and not clinging to God alone. Yet they refused to believe that God would destroy their national influence. Many Christians have this problem today.

The Babylonians acted in pride by boasting that their power had destroyed Judah when God had already prophesied that He would use them for that purpose. Many world powers have this problem today.

God does not long allow continuance of those who increase self at the expense of others (vs 6). Neither does God long allow those who take advantage of others by imposing high interest ("thick clay"). To do these things is to act in "violence" and to cause innocent "blood" to be spilled (verse 8).

Just as surely as Judah was destroyed, so would Babylon be destroyed. And just as sure as Babylon was destroyed, so will God destroy nations who act in pride. One day, soon I think, our Lord will come and destroy all political factions and set up one government under one Holy Lord!

9 Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! 10 Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul. 11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.

"Woe" indicates WARNING! When a person is consumed with self-power, he has "sinned against" his own soul! Of course all sin is against God. But evil gain by graft, extorionism, and corrupt business practices are means to promote one's self. Seeking to elevate himself "on high" (or above others), he brings shame to himself and to his home! God always turns what people contrive in wickedness to their own destruction and shame.

Take heed my friends! Promotion of self by pride-filled actions in persons, organizations or even nations soon brings destruction!

12 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity! 13 Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?

Here is another strong warning. To build anything "in blood" means to build it in guilt - sin. A person's fame, an organization's power, or a nation's preemmenence built upon sin shall surely fall.

This type of "labour" will be vain and useless. Eventually it will be burned in the "fire" of God's wrath!

At the final judgment day, all those who have opposed the will of God will find their efforts have been VANITY!

14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

The earth was created for the glory of God. And one day the entire earth will be FILLED with the knowledge of His glory. God's power and majesty will certainly be displayed when Jesus comes in power to set up the millennial kingdom. And all mankind will KNOW that Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

15 Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness! 16 Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORD's right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory. 17 For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.

Yet another warning! By shameful acts and practices, the power-hungry will bring humiliation to any who stand in their way. These actions produce "nakedness" (or helplessness) to others. God condemns these actions and makes known that those who practice such will be consumed by their own guiltiness. They will stand before the Lord and receive "the cup of the LORD'S right hand."

Keep in mind that JESUS is the "right hand" of God. The cup of bitterness, anger, hatred toward sin is what Jesus willingly accepted from God on our behalf (Matthew 26:38, 42 and Luke 22:42). Since Jesus willingly accepted this cup, He now HAS this cup!

For those who surrender to Christ, He gives them "power to become sons of God," and to NOT PARTICIPATE in the wrath of His judgment. But to those who refuse Him, the power of God's wrath against sin will be POURED OUT!

This is not only an indication of the final judgment. It is also the manner by which God controls the "rise and fall" of nations throughout history.

18 What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? 19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. 20 But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

I have never understood how a person can make a "god" out of stone or wood and then WORSHIP that image which he himself has made. But people do! Can you understand how a person could worship that which he must move and carry? It doesn't make sense. But people do.

Idols are simply expressions of the imagination of man. They are nothing but what man determines them to be. This also applies to those who say there is no God. For they have imagined in their minds that no one is more important than themselves. They seek to take omniscience and omnipotence to themselves and deny the reality of GOD.

Neither the stone/wood idol nor the self-actualization and educational idol has any "breath" or power!

But there IS GOD!! He is REAL! And He sits far above the imaginations of man in holy perfection. We should stand in awesome wonder of the Creator/Redeemer!!

Let us not try to define Him; but let us accept His own perfect inerrant revelation of Himself in the Holy Bible.

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.