Habakkuk 2:1-4

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Answers Habakkuk’s Second Question

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. Evil is scheduled for termination.

  2. Evil is scheduled for judgment.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Let’s live by faith in the midst of evil.

QUESTIONS

  1. Habakkuk was concerned about the iniquity and violence all around him. He questioned the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous. What was God’s answer to Habakkuk?

  2. God’s answer to Habakkuk prompted another question. What was Habakkuk’s reaction to God’s answer?

  3. Describe Habakkuk’s attitude in questioning God.

  4. What did Habakkuk do after taking his questions to God? What did Asaph do in a similar situation? (See Psalm 73:16-17)

  5. Drawing from these examples, what are we to do when we are perplexed about the evil around us?

ANSWERS

  1. It was an answer that Habakkuk neither expected nor appreciated. God told him that he was going to do something about the iniquity and violence in Judah. He told him that He was raising up the pagan Babylonians (Chaldeans) to invade the land and punish the people of Judah for their evil ways.

  2. He was confused, wondering how God could allow the pagan Babylonian nation, a nation even more wicked, to come in and punish God’s people.

  3. He had the right attitude. He didn’t criticize, question, or doubt God. Because Habakkuk didn’t understand and needed answers he went directly to God.

  4. Habakkuk waited in the watchtower to see how God would answer. Asaph went into the sanctuary to try to understand the problem of evil.

  5. We, too, are to go the watchtower on the sanctuary to see how God will answer us. We are to watch and wait.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. The book of Habakkuk is a vindication of God in light of the suffering and evil that exists in the world. We are to believe God when He tells us that evil is scheduled for termination. God wants us to know what He has prophesied, and then to spread this truth. We are to practice the R & R of Habakkuk – Read and Run. Are you familiar with God’s prophesies? Are you sharing the good news with others?

  2. The earth cannot be filled with the knowledge of the Lord while there is unjudged evil (see Habakkuk 2:14). In Habakkuk 2:3, the end mentioned here is both the end of Babylon and the end of times when all evil will have run its course and will have been judged. See Revelation 17 and 18. Does this knowledge give you a peace and security in God’s promises?

CHALLENGE

  1. Look up Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Hebrews 10:38, and Galatians 3:11. As iniquity, violence, and evil of every sort surrounded Habakkuk, so we are surrounded by evil. The proud and wicked prosper while the humble and righteous suffer. This wrong will be corrected. In the meantime, let’s live by faith in the midst of evil.

KEY VERSES

  • “Write the vision and make it plain, that he may run who reads it.” Habakkuk 2:2

  • “The vision is yet for an appointed time…though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come.” Habakkuk 2:3

  • “The just shall live by his faith.” Habakkuk 2:4

Talks, Old Testament, HabakkukRon ReidHabakkuk 2:1-4