The revelation in Habakkuk concerning God’s eternal salvation to sinners was brought out by a conversation between the prophet and God.
In the first dialogue between the prophet and Jehovah, the prophet inquired of Jehovah concerning the iniquity, distress, destruction, and contention that he saw (v. 2-4). Regarding violence, he said, “How long, O Jehovah, shall I cry / And You do not hear? / I cry out to You, Violence! / And You do not save” (v. 2). According to the prophet’s view, violence was prevailing. Then the prophet went on to ask, “Why do You cause me to see iniquity / And look upon distress?” (v. 3a).
In His answer to the prophet (vv. 5-11), Jehovah said that He was doing a work in the prophet’s days which he would not believe if it were told to him (v. 5; cf. Acts 13:40-41). Then Jehovah said that He was raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who, being terrible and dreadful, would come to do violence and devastation on Judah (vv. 6-11).
In verse 12 we have the beginning of the second dialogue between the prophet and Jehovah.
Habakkuk 1:12—2:1 is the prophet’s inquiry of Jehovah.
In verse 12a the prophet said, “Are You not from everlasting, O Jehovah, / My God, my Holy One? We will not die.” Then he said that Jehovah, the Rock, has appointed the Chaldeans to judgment. However, he went on to ask why He, who does not behold evil and who cannot look upon distress, looks upon them who deal treacherously and keeps silent when the wicked Chaldeans swallow up His elect, who are more righteous than they (vv. 12b-13). According to Habakkuk, the people of Israel were more righteous than the Babylonians, yet they were suffering the violence of the Babylonians. Habakkuk’s word here indicates that he was angry with God.
In verses 14 through 16 the prophet said that Jehovah makes man like the fish of the sea and like the creeping things; that they take all of them up with a hook, drag them off in their net, and gather them into their seine; and that they offer sacrifices to their net and burn incense to their seine. He then concluded his inquiry by asking, “Will they then empty their net / And continually slay the nations without sparing?” (v. 17).
After making his inquiry of Jehovah, the prophet stood and watched to see what Jehovah would speak to him and what He would reply concerning his complaint (2:1).
In 2:2-20 we have Jehovah’s answer to the prophet.
In His answer to the prophet, Jehovah told him to write the vision (concerning God’s judgment on the Chaldeans) and render it plainly upon tablets, so that he who reads it might run (v. 2).
Jehovah went on to say that the vision (concerning His dealing with the Chaldeans) was yet for an appointed time and that it hastened toward the end and would not lie. Though it tarried, the prophet should wait for it; for it will surely come; it will not delay (v. 3).
In verse 4a Jehovah said that the Chaldeans were puffed up and that their soul was not upright within them. Surely it would be fair and just for Jehovah to judge them.
Of the books of the Minor Prophets, only Habakkuk shows us God’s eternal salvation to sinners. This matter is revealed in 2:4b: “But the righteous one will live by his faith.” The apostle Paul quoted this word three times in the New Testament (Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38). Here, to live means to have life and live.
According to the background of Habakkuk, both Israel (God’s elect) and Chaldeans (the nations) were under God’s judgment. Under God’s judgment all sinners, whether Jews or Gentiles, are destined to die (Rom. 6:23). How can sinners escape God’s judgment and be saved eternally? The unique way for sinners to obtain God’s eternal salvation is to believe in God’s embodiment, Christ, that they may become righteous and be justified to have life and live.
God’s eternal salvation is not merely to save our body from suffering but to save our whole being—spirit, soul, and body—for eternity (1 Thes. 5:23). The way for us to receive such a salvation is to believe in Christ so that we may be justified by God and thus be qualified to have life, the eternal life, the divine life, and live by that life (Rom. 3:24; 5:1-2; Eph. 2:8). This is the New Testament gospel in an Old Testament prophetic book.