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Habakkuk the prophet
His name is thought to be derived from a root meaning 'to embrace'. Very little is known about him, but because of the musical arrangement of chapter three, it has been suggested that he was a Levite. He is the only OT prophet to call himself a prophet (1:1). He is not mentioned anywhere else in the OT. This may indicate that he belonged to one of the professional guilds of prophets (1 Chr 25:1). His contemporary was Jeremiah, while Zephaniah and Nahum were ministering earlier in his life.
Habakkuk appears in the legend of Bel and the Dragon in the Apocrypha. In the account, Habakkuk was taking bread and a bowl of stew to some reapers in a field. He was seized by his hair by the angel of the Lord and taken to Babylon, where he took the food to Daniel while was in the lion's den. Daniel had been thrown to the lions by the Babylonians because he refused to worship and had killed a great dragon revered by the Babylonians. This may have been an earlier time that Daniel was thrown into the den of lions. The account in Daniel chapter 6 took place during the time of the Persians after 539 BC, nearly seventy years later, long after the lifetime of Habakkuk.
Historical background
God is 'rousing the Chaldeans' to be the instrument of his judgement on Judah (1:6). The Chaldeans would refer to the Babylonian empire which overthrew the Assyrian empire in 612 BC and defeated Pharaoh Necho of Egypt at Carchemish in 605 BC. Pharaoh Necho also defeated and killed King Josiah of Judah at the battle of Megiddo (2 Kg 23:29, 2 Chr 35:20). After these victories, Judah was at the mercy of the Chaldeans.
The book of Habakkuk is normally dated either just before, or just after, the battle of Carchemish in 605 BC. The rousing of the Chaldeans may still be future still future and something to be wondered at (1:5), but the detailed description of the Chaldean methods of warfare (1:7-11) may imply that they were already well known.
The reformation of Josiah had proved ineffective to stop for any length of time the iniquity and perverseness of the nation. Now God must punish them and he is rousing the Chaldeans to do this. Habakkuk's ministry probably spanned the reigns of: Josiah (640 - 609), Jehoahaz (609), and Jehoiakim (609 - 598), with the prophecy set in Jehoiakim's reign around 605 BC.
A unique prophetical book
The oracles of Habakkuk come in a unique form, different from any of the other written prophets, in which the prophet brings oracles of judgement upon Judah or the nations. Two chapters of the Book of Habakkuk consists of a dialogue between Habakkuk and Yahweh, while the third is in the form of a prayer, more like one of the Psalms.
Questions of theodicy
The word ‘theodicy’ comes from the Greek for God (theos) and justice (dike). A theodicy is an attempt to defend the difficult theological problem of the apparent contradiction between the sovereignty and the justice of God. It attempts to answer the question, ‘If God is all-good and all-powerful, why does he allow pain and suffering in the world?’ The problem arises from the belief that all of history was under the control of a sovereign God, but this belief seems to be in direct and complete conflict with the reality of suffering and evil in the world. In his book, Habakkuk is essentially asking similar questions to the Book of Job.
Habakkuk asks if God really is in control, then why is there so much evil in the world. And if God really is righteous, then why does he allow evil empires to conquer smaller nations and inflict dreadful suffering on them? The historical setting of the ever-growing threat from the Babylonians at the time of Habakkuk would appear to completely contradict the belief in the justice of a sovereign God.
Earlier prophets, including Isaiah, had already predicted invasions from Assyria and Babylon, but this treat from the north was the heart of the problem that Habakkuk was facing. Yes, Judah have been wicked and persistently unfaithful, but they were nowhere near so cruel and depraved as the Assyrians or Babylonians. Habakkuk could not understand why God would call on the Babylonians to destroy the nation of Judah.
Outline of the book
Habakkuk's first question or complaint (1:1-4)
Why is God allowing such injustice and wickedness to flourish in Judah?
God's reply (1:5-11)
I am rousing the Chaldeans: they will represent the coming of God's judgement and wrath on his people for their apostasy.
Habakkuk's second question or complaint (1:12 - 2:1)
How can God use such a wicked and faithless people as the Babylonians as his instrument of judgement. Habakkuk can accept God using a heathen nation to punish another heathen nation, but not to punish Judah, God's chosen people. The Babylonians are far more evil than Judah.
God's reply (2:2-20)
He has seen the unrighteousness of the Chaldeans and their greed, pride, cruelty and idolatry. He will gloriously vindicate himself by bringing his judgement on them. Men will seem to triumph but in the end God's righteousness will be vindicated. God is sovereign and will use the nations to achieve his perfect will. The unjust will die, but the righteous shall live by faith (2:4)
Habakkuk's response (3:1-19)
His doubts satisfied, he breaks out into a psalm of rejoicing in which he recalls how God in the past has vindicated his righteousness and saved his people. Habakkuk speaks out his word of faith in 3:17-19 - Even though I may loose everything,
"Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
God, the Lord is my strength ..."
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