The Prophet’s New Complaint (Habakkuk 1:12-2:1)

Like Job, who does not really get the answer from God that he wanted, so God’s answer to Habakkuk’s question creates even more questions. “Why aren’t you judging Your people for their unrighteousness, God?” “Oh, I’m going to judge them alright by the hands of the Babylonians.” “What…?”

¹² Yahweh, are you not from everlasting?
    My God, my Holy One, you will never die.
You, Yahweh, have appointed them to execute judgment;
    you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish.
¹³ Your eyes are too pure to look on evil;
    you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous?
    Why are you silent while the wicked
    swallow up those more righteous than themselves?

Habakkuk has taken us into his deepest thoughts and concerns and we see him struggling with God’s answer to him. He is a servant of Yahweh and so he acknowledges who Yahweh is, the Ancient One, the Holy One. Of a certainty he must acknowledge that Yahweh has appointed Babylon to punish the people. Israel deserves punishment. In fact, Habakkuk has been desperate for it. But to use the Babylonians to do this seems a violation of God’s holiness and justice. The Babylonians are worse than Israel!

We have all felt this struggle. God why did you take this good person in that accident and spare the one at fault? What are you thinking God? How do we square Your righteousness with the unfairness in the world and the seeming imperfection of Your judgments?

¹⁴ You have made people like the fish in the sea,
    like the sea creatures that have no ruler.
¹⁵ The wicked foe pulls all of them up with hooks,
    he catches them in his net,
he gathers them up in his dragnet;
    and so he rejoices and is glad.
¹⁶ Therefore he sacrifices to his net
    and burns incense to his dragnet,
for by his net he lives in luxury
    and enjoys the choicest food.
¹⁷ Is he to keep on emptying his net,
    destroying nations without mercy?

God if you are using the Babylonians as punishment I have three problems. One, their punishment is indiscriminate, gathering up whatever comes into the net, the righteous and the unrighteous. Two, they think their power comes from themselves and fail to give You credit for their success. And three, it is all to serve their comfort and luxury. There is nothing holy about this people.

^2:1 I will stand at my watch
    and station myself on the ramparts;
I will look to see what he will say to me,
    and what answer I am to give to this complaint.

Habakkuk determines to wait on Yahweh’s response, like a watchman on the walls looking for any approaching enemies, desperate for an answer to this dilemma. He has brought the complaint to the right Person. And Yahweh has a penchant for answering us when we bring the hard questions to Him.