Background: Because Habakkuk mentions Babylon (1:6) it is assumed that he worked at the end of the 7th c. BC. The prophet .questions God about his justice: why does he turn a blind eye to cruelty and wickedness? How can he use wicked people to punish people who are better than them? God gives no direct answer (2) but promises that one day he will punish all oppression and injustice. Ch3 is a poem about God coming to punish all wickedness and concludes with a statement by the prophet of his trust in God, no matter what happens. 3chs
Author: Habakkuk
Date Location: The prominence of Babylonia Hab indicates a post-612BC., but Babylon apparently had yet invaded Judah, placing the book before 605. Though no kings mentioned the nation’s sad spiritual condition suggests a date near the end of Josiah’s reign, perhaps after the wicked Jehoiakim replaced him in 609 (2Ch36:8 Jr22:18, 19)
Recipients: Among Judeans (1:2-4)
Purpose: To announce
*Judah’s sinfulness will be punished
*Though Babylon will be God’s instrument for punishing Judah, it too will be punished in due time.
*God will preserve Judah’s faithful remnant (2:4)
Unique Features:
*Consist entirely of a dialogue between God and his prophet (parts of Jonah, Job and a few other books feature such dialogue). All other prophetic books consist mainly of records of prophets’ preaching
*Hab saw one of the greatest manifestation of God’s glory (3:3-15)
*Hab and Jer were the last prophets to the Southern Kingdom before Babylonian captivity-thus Hab’s 11th hour explanation as to why God was using Babylon and whether or not a remnant would survive
Comparison:
Isa
*Taunt the proud Babylonians (2:6-20 Is14)
*Woes (2:6, 9, 12, 15 Is5:5-23) and other occurrences
*The righteous or just who trust in the Lord (2:4Is26:1-10)
*Visible manifestation of God (3 Is6)
*NT quotes 2:4 with emphasis:
*The righteous, Ro1:17
*will live, Ga3:11
*by faith, He10:38
Abbreviations: Hab./ Hb
MV: Kings and Priests and Sisters, Rv1:6 MK3:35
Bib1Yr: Ro1, 2Rome
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