HABAKKUK Lesson # 1
DISCUSSING JUSTICE WITH GOD
I. Greetings:
II. Introduction:
Q What do you know about the book of Habakkuk?
Note: The book of Habakkuk has three chapters. It is usually divided into two major parts. The first two chapters are a prophetic oracle, and the final chapter is a psalm.
In regard to the opening part, it primarily a discussion between the prophet and God concerning justice. It is the in the form of two questions by the prophet and two answers by the Lord. Both of the prophet’s speeches are complaints, and therefore the two speeches by God are to those complaints. A true prophet is close to God and such closeness is exhibited by how open and frank the dialogue between the prophet and God is.
In the final chapter of Habakkuk we have a psalm. A psalm is poetry. Often it is lyrics to a song written in poetic form. There are two major types of psalms: lament./complaint and praise/hymn. Habakkuk ends with the later: namely a hymn or a praise of the attributes and majesty of God.
Q Does anyone know what an “oracle” is?
An = The word “oracle” means a word from God or message from God. In the Old Testament there are salvation oracles, judgment oracles, prophetic oracles, etc., and in Habakkuk 2:6-20 we have a “woe” oracle. These verses in chapter 2 are a message from God concerning the judgment of a particular group of people.
III. The First Question or Complaint: Why have You not stopped the wickedness in Israel. Habakkuk 1:1-11.
Note: Habakkuk opens with an invocation.
>>>> Have someone read Habakkuk 1:1-2.
Q What is an invocation?
An = It is a call to God to hear. It comes from a Latin word to “invoke”, to call upon a higher power. It is often the opening words of a religious service.
Note: If you read the psalms you will find a variety of invocations and the type of invocation often indicates the subject of that particular psalm. At least that is the subject that opens the psalm, which often evolves into other subjects and issues.
Q According to 1:2 what subject do you think will follow here?
An = The issue of delay and justice. Delay is often an issue that frustrates us human beings in a variety of ways. We are frustrated in the delays of a hoped for job, romance, vindication, deserved praise, success in our work, a pay raise.
“Delays” also happen in our relationship with God. God seems to deliberately bring about “delay”. It makes God look bad.
Q Why does God let delays happen?
An = After their answers, do not comment, but let them know we will return to this subject at the end of the study. The phrase “how long” is found often in the biblical prayers addressed to God. God often lets delays happen in regard to bringing about justice in the world. Let me give you an example:
>>>> Have someone read Psalm 13:1-3.
Q What does this have in common with our passage?
An = Of the 150 Psalms found in our Bibles 51 of them are lament or complaint Psalms. Remember the Psalter is the song book of ancient Israel. The approved lyrics for the songs of the people of God. How often do we only sing “up” songs and not fully express all the richness of the Psalter and our own experience.
Q What are some modern songs that allow us to legitimately lament?
An = Let them give examples. You give a couple of the ones you know. You might ask them how they feel when they have a chance to sing such songs and what happens inside of them.
>>>> Have someone read Psalm 22:1-5.
Q Who will say these very words found in Psalm 22:1?
An = Jesus Christ. Jesus shows what is legitimate or what is honest questioning. Telling God what is really on your heart is O.K. To question God just to complain and not expect an answer is to merely gripe and can be a form of disbelief. To gripe and complain about God instead of complaining to God is the key. If we realize we are speaking to a Person who will hear and will respond we doing what is encouraged by the Bible.
Note: If you think time allows and if they have not brought it up. You might want to add to other reasons for God’s delays. In Luke 18:1-8, the Lord tells the parable of the unjust judge, saying God is not like such authorities, but gladly and swiftly will listen to His people, but will He find faith on the earth if there is no delay (18:1,8b). God is good and wants to act swiftly, but the greater good for us is delay at times, because it allows opportunity for faith. God risks His reputation, (being willing to look bad), to obtain faith in us with His delay.
In II Peter 3:9 reminds us that God delays judgment so that His patience will allow an opportunity for repentance. God does not desire that any should perish. The delay could be motivated by God’s attempt to offer mercy to sinners.
>>>> Have someone read Habakkuk 1:3-4.
Q What are the particulars of Habakkuk’s complaint?
An = Habakkuk sees the wrongs in his community. God seems to see these same injustices and yet He does not move in judgment to correct them. Therefore, Habakkuk concludes that God is allowing these wrongs. Note the 6 nouns used to describe the society: destruction, violence, strife, conflict, injustice, wrong. (Perhaps, go through each noun).
Note: In verse 4 the law is ignored, so the understanding and practice of justice is lost. All of these are legitimate complaints of the prophet.
RQ Remind you of your city?
Note: Now the Lord will come and answer Habakkuk because he asks legitimate questions.
IV. God’s First Answer: Judgment is Coming Via the Babylonian Army. Habakkuk 1:5-11.
>>>> Have someone read Habakkuk 1:5-6.
Q What is the prophet to be amazed about?
An = that the coming international events are totally unexpected. Conservative scholars think Habakkuk was asking his questions of God before the Neo-Babylonian nation had fully emerged on the international scene (625-610 B.C. or so). The Assyrians were beating the Neo-Babylonian army and were only defeated when help was given to them by the Medes/Persians (and possibly Scythians). No one quite expected the Babylonians to emerge as the replacements for the Assyrian Empire (nor that the Babylonians would beat the Egyptians in 605 and come and conquer all of the Eastern Mediterranean coast or Palestine).
It is similar to the fall of the Soviet Union. No one quite expected that to happen in the mid-eighties.
>>>> Have someone read Habakkuk 1:7-11.
Q What are these Babylonians like?
An = They are nightmares. They do not have morals other than what pleases themselves (1:7), they are fierce warriors (7), with dreaded fast calvary (8), destructive of other cultures(9), who do not fear other civil authorities (10) , but worship their own military might (11).
They are not the type of enemy you would want to attack and conquer your country.
Q Do you like the Lord’s answer?
An = No, most of us would not. We would want judgment, but not judgment by someone who was worse than us. Most of us would prefer revival, not judgment. We should love our town, our state, our country and pray for revival so that judgment could be averted. Revival had come to Judea, but it was not heeded and so now Habakkuk is given an answer none of us would want to hear.
Q Why does God answer in judgment sometimes when we would rather not have such an answer?
An = God does not desire the death of the wicked, but sometimes the only hope for people medically is radical surgery and sometimes the only hope for a people is radical judgment. It is much like the wilderness wanderings in the book of Numbers. God had intended to have the wander the wilderness about one year and the learn the lessons they needed to learn. The Israelites refused to learn and had to wander the wilderness for forty years. The severity of how God corrects or helps us is often up to us. He loves us and is committed to help us.