(So glad you are here! If you want to take full advantage of this study, I would suggest either printing out the lessons or having a journal nearby to answer the questions. I would also have a Bible or Bible App open. Go about this at your own pace. I will be posting lessons twice a week - Wednesday/Friday - with homework you can do in between. And please offer any feedback. I'm a first-timer at this!)
To really understand Habakkuk, you have to know more about his life, culture, history.
Wait history-haters! Don’t run off just yet!
In fact, I promise not to use the word, “history” again. Instead, let’s add an ‘s’ and a space and just say “his story.” Deal?
Learning “his story” will bring the book of Habakkuk to life in a new way.
But before we jump in, have you read Habakkuk yet? If not, check out my last post and start there.
If you have read it, then let’s take a deep breath and dive in to Habakkuk’s history … ahem … I mean “his story.”
(I abbreviated the information much as I could. If you want to read more of “his story," here are a couple of websites I love for research - www.biblehub.com; www.studylight.org; www.biblestudytools.com. I love a good Bible Commentary. I use the New Illustrated Bible Commentary. Finally, I would recommend Strong's Concordance that is free at biblehub.com.)
Who:
Unfortunately, not much is known about our guy Habakkuk.
His book is short and personal details even shorter.
We know that he is one of the few prophets to refer to himself as “prophet” (along with Zechariah, Haggai and Jeremiah)
His name may give us a little insight into his heart.
Habakkuk (transliteration “Chabaqquq”) contains the Hebrew word “chabaq,” which means “to clasp or embrace." Though it’s uncertain, it’s possible that his name meant “embraced by God or to embrace God.”
Don’t have any plans on naming my son Habakkuk, but you gotta love that meaning!
Some think that he was a Levite, a tribe of Israel set aside by God to care for and preside over Temple worship, because he mentions musical instructions for worship in the temple in 3:19.
And we also know that he was somewhat of a black sheep in the Prophet flock.
Most of the prophets’ writings are teaching, preaching, pleading with the people to follow Yahweh (God) and instructing them in righteousness.
But not so with Habsters.
His book is personal. You feel as if you are listening in on a heated, dinner-table debate. He questions God, pleads with God.
Finally, through his words we learn so much about his personality, his character.
I personally see a man who isn’t afraid to ask the hard questions.
A man with a loud mouth.
A man who has a raw honesty with God.
A man who genuinely doubts God, yet genuinely worships Him at the same time.
A man who is afraid of the future and tormented by the unknown.
A man who fights for the oppressed, is desperate for justice.
A man who resolves to stand on faith in spite of dark circumstances.
When:
It’s estimated Habakkuk wrote his book a little before 600 BC, possibly around 605 BC, but the date isn’t clear.There’s scrutiny over the exact time because Habakkuk, in typical boy fashion, leaves out that part.
(I swear, if women had written the Bible, we would have had so many more details!)
Most guess that he wrote his book in the 25-year period between the time when Babylon conquered the Assyrian Empire (612 B.C.) and conquered Jerusalem (587 B.C.) -
In this time period our boy, Habs, would have witnessed some seismic, world-altering events that set the scene for Habakkuk’s book. Here are some of those important events to know in order to have context as you read:
- King Josiah - He was one of Judah’s few righteous kings and had just led his people in spiritual revival, teaching Judah to turn from idols and worship the one true God again. But just when the people were turning back to Yahweh, King Josiah dies in battle against the Egyptians in 609 BC. Jehoahaz, Josiah’s son, takes the throne, but Egypt puts Jehoiakim, Josiah’s other dipwit … excuse me. I mean, incompetent, godless, spineless son, on the throne as a vassal king. And what happens? Well, read the next bullet point.
- Idol worship - Judah turns from Yahweh back to idols of clay and metal - the spiritual revival squelched under the reign of Josiah’s sons. The wicked men who tainted the name of Yahweh were in power, suffocating God’s Law under their own lawlessness.
- Babylon - Egypt and Assyria had been the big-dawg powers throughout Habakkuk’s life, but there was a new bully in town. Babylon. Child-sacrificing, women-raping, blood-spilling Babylon. Babylon conquered Assyria’s capital, Ninevah, in 612 BC and then beat up what was left of them and their allies, Egypt, in the famous battle of Carchemish in 605 BC. Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon’s king, allowed Jehoakim (Josiah’s son, king of Judah) to stay on as a vassal king. But it was only a matter of time before Babylon would completely conquer the small nation of Judah in 586 BC.
Phew! That was a lot. You still with me?
Are you starting to see why Habakkuk opens up his book crying to God? There was a lot of drama going on!
Where:
Habakkuk prophesied in Judah to the people of Judah.
What was Judah? In short, God’s people Israel used to be one, unified nation until King David’s grandson Rehoboam became king.
During Rehoboah’s reign, Israel split into two kingdoms. The northern kingdom was called Israel. The southern kingdom was Judah. Its capital? Jerusalem.
What:
Habakkuk’s book is easily broken up into 5 parts:
- Habakkuk Complains (1:1-4)
- God Answers (1:5-11)
- Habakkuk Complains (1:12-2:1)
- God Answers (2:2-20)
- Habakkuk’s hymn of Worship and Trust (3:1-19)
Major questions asked and implied:
How can a just God allow so much injustice?
Why do the wicked prosper?
Does God listen?
Is God’s plan worth trusting?
Is God, Himself, worth trusting?
A Few Major themes:
Trust in God.
God is sovereign.
God hears and responds to his people.
REFLECT:
Now that you know more about Habakkuk, write down your thoughts about his emotional state. What do you think he was feeling during the time of his writings and why?
Is he sounding relatable yet?? Write down any descriptors I mentioned in the “WHO” section that not only describe who Habakkuk was, but may also represent a part of yourself.
Does knowing more about his story shed light on the verses you are reading in his book? If so, how?
PRAY:
Some thoughts to pray about -
Habakkuk was living in a very unsettling, fearful time. So are we in many ways. What fear, violence, destruction is going on in your world? Share those fears with the Lord.
You may also want to ask God to soften your heart to what He wants to teach you through His prophet Habakkuk.
LOOKING AHEAD:
Before we hang out next time, take some time to read and journal about Hab. 1:1-4.
(All my info comes from the following sources: www.biblehub.com; www.studylight.org; www.biblestudytools.com; The New Illustrated Bible Commentary; Dr. Allen's Class Notes on the book of Habakkuk)
A sweet friend of mine asked who the Chaldeans are. Depending on what Bible translation you use, it may use the term "Chaldeans" or "Babylonians." Those two names are interchangeable. "Chaldean" is just another way to say "Babylonians."
ReplyDeleteI look forward to next week's entry. I am a 5th grade teacher at a Christian school and our focus in our Bible lessons is prophets in the Old Testament. It can get heavy at times given all that was going on during that time. It has inspired me, though, to study these men, what they were going through and how it ties to Christ's arrival and what that means for us.
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