Habakkuk had awful things going on in his time, and he asks God, How can you allow these bad things to happen? This topic parallels our time. We know very little about Habakkuk. There is a hint in the 3rd chapter that he may have been a Levite and a singer. He was a prophet around 620 B.C. Israel has become so corrupt that God has allowed an invasion by the Syrians and assimilated the Israelites into their culture. Babel has risen to power at this time. He lived between King Josiah who was a very good king, loved God, loved people, and was a very good person. After he died, bad kings came along and took Israel down. Bad leaders take a nation down.
Habakkuk 1:12-17
12 ¶ Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. God, we know you are there. Aren't You in control? Know that you are rising up the Chaldeans to power to correct the Israelites. They are an evil race. How can you allow these evil things to happen? Why don't you do something? How can you sit back and watch these terrible things happen to innocent people?
13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore looks thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holds thy tongue when the wicked devours the man that is more righteous than he? God, since You are so pure and good, look at what the Chaldeans are doing. They are on the rampage down here, abusing others, being horrible and treacherous, and You are not doing anything about it. 14 And makes men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no... |
