The Prophecy of Habakkuk is a book in the Old Testament, attributed to the prophet Habakkuk. It is a unique text that combines elements of prophecy, poetry, and prayer, and it addresses profound questions about God's justice and the problem of evil. The book is traditionally divided into three chapters and is considered one of the twelve Minor Prophets.

Authorship and Historical Context

Habakkuk is identified as the author of the book, though little is known about him outside of this text. The prophecy is generally dated to the late 7th century BC, during a time of significant turmoil and transition in the ancient Near East. This period saw the rise of the Babylonian Empire, which posed a threat to the Kingdom of Judah. The historical backdrop of the book is crucial for understanding its themes, as Habakkuk grapples with the impending Babylonian invasion and the moral and spiritual decay of his own people.

Structure and Content

The book of Habakkuk is structured as a dialogue between the prophet and God, followed by a psalm of praise. It can be outlined as follows:

1. Habakkuk's First Complaint (Habakkuk 1:1-4): The book opens with Habakkuk's lament over the violence, injustice, and wickedness rampant in Judah. He questions why God seems indifferent to the suffering and wrongdoing around him. "How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but You do not listen, or cry out to You, 'Violence!' but You do not save?" (Habakkuk 1:2).

2. God's First Response (Habakkuk 1:5-11): God responds by revealing His plan to raise up the Babylonians as an instrument of judgment against Judah. This response is startling, as the Babylonians are depicted as a fierce and ruthless nation. "Look at the nations and observe—be utterly astounded! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe even if someone told you" (Habakkuk 1:5).

3. Habakkuk's Second Complaint (Habakkuk 1:12-2:1): Troubled by God's use of a wicked nation to punish His people, Habakkuk questions the justice of this divine plan. He struggles with the idea that a more wicked nation could be used to judge a less wicked one. "Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate the faithless? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?" (Habakkuk 1:13).

4. God's Second Response (Habakkuk 2:2-20): God instructs Habakkuk to write down the vision, assuring him that justice will ultimately prevail. The Babylonians, too, will face judgment for their arrogance and idolatry. This section includes the famous declaration, "But the righteous will live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4), emphasizing the importance of faithfulness amidst uncertainty.

5. Habakkuk's Prayer (Habakkuk 3:1-19): The book concludes with a prayer that is both a psalm and a theophany, celebrating God's past deliverance and expressing trust in His future salvation. Habakkuk resolves to rejoice in the Lord despite the coming hardships. "Though the fig tree does not bud and no fruit is on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the sheep are cut off from the fold and no cattle are in the stalls, yet I will exult in the LORD; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!" (Habakkuk 3:17-18).

Theological Themes

The Prophecy of Habakkuk addresses several key theological themes:

· Divine Justice and Sovereignty: The book explores the tension between God's justice and the presence of evil in the world. It affirms God's sovereignty over nations and history, even when His ways are inscrutable to human understanding.

· Faith and Righteousness: Habakkuk emphasizes the necessity of living by faith, trusting in God's promises and character despite present circumstances. This theme is echoed in the New Testament, particularly in Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38.

· The Problem of Evil: Habakkuk's dialogue with God reflects the age-old question of why a just and powerful God allows evil to persist. The book does not provide easy answers but invites believers to trust in God's ultimate justice and goodness.

· Hope and Perseverance: Despite the impending judgment and suffering, Habakkuk's final prayer is a testament to hope and perseverance. It encourages believers to find joy in God, regardless of external circumstances.

The Prophecy of Habakkuk remains a profound and relevant text, offering insight into the nature of faith, the mystery of divine providence, and the assurance of God's ultimate justice.Prophecy Of Habakkuk

consists of three chapters, in the first of which he foreshadows the invasion of Judea by the Chaldeans, and in the second he foretells the doom of the Chaldeans. The whole concludes with the magnificent psalm in ch. 3, a composition unrivalled for boldness of conception, sublimity of thought and majesty of diction.

Habakkuk
... a post-exilic psalm. The psalm, however, is fittingly enough associated with
the prophecy of Habakkuk. Its belief in the accomplishment ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/habakkuk.htm

Of the Prophecy that is Contained in the Prayer and Song of ...
... Book XVIII. Chapter 32."Of the Prophecy that is Contained in the Prayer
and Song of Habakkuk. In his prayer, with a song, to whom ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 32 of the prophecy that.htm

Authorship.
... without any clue to the writer's name, except what is afforded us by the LXX title,
which treats the piece as an extract from a prophecy of Habakkuk, son of ...
/.../daubney/the three additions to daniel a study/authorship 2.htm

Daniel.
... [5410] The holm-oak. [5411] In the LXX. the story of Bel and the Dragon bears a
special heading as "part of the prophecy of Habakkuk."--Westcott. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/jerome/the principal works of st jerome/daniel.htm

Language and Style.
... A. Scholz, too, is of opinion (p.146) that the Habakkuk title makes for a Hebrew
original, because the real prophecy of Habakkuk was undoubtedly Hebrew, and ...
/.../daubney/the three additions to daniel a study/language and style 3.htm

Of the Predictions Concerning the Salvation of the World in Christ ...
... the grave, and we know that this prophecy is fulfilled in this very thing. Of what
else than the advent of Christ, who was to come, is Habakkuk understood to ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 31 of the predictions concerning.htm

Entire Sanctification in Prophecy.
... Does not Habakkuk answer beautifully to this description? The prophecy of Zechariah
contains a number of visions, which are, no doubt, full of instruction to ...
/.../clark/the theology of holiness/chapter v entire sanctification in.htm

Chronology.
... Habakkuk's prophecy is now dated as late as 600 (Driver in Hastings' DB
art. Habakkuk; Kirkpatrick in Smith's D. B^2. art. Habakkuk ...
/.../daubney/the three additions to daniel a study/chronology 3.htm

Nahum and Habakkuk.
... The Prophecy. As Nahum prophesied the fall of Assyria for its oppression of Israel,
Habakkuk tells of God's judgments upon the Chaldeans because of their ...
/.../the way of salvation in the lutheran church/chapter xxi nahum and habakkuk.htm

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