In this message we will continue to consider the second dialogue between the prophet and Jehovah and then go on to consider the prophet’s song to Jehovah.
After the prophet’s inquiry of Jehovah (1:12—2:1), Jehovah answered Habakkuk (2:2-20), revealing His judgment upon the Chaldeans (vv. 5-20). In His answer to the prophet, Jehovah spoke concerning the five woes to the Chaldeans.
First, because the Chaldeans had plundered many nations, the Chaldeans would be plundered and made booty to the nations (vv. 5-8). After just over seventy years, God recompensed Babylon. While the king, Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson, was feasting in his palace using the utensils from God’s temple, he saw the vision of the writing on the wall (Dan. 5). In that same night, Darius the Mede defeated Babylon and killed the king.
Second, Jehovah judged the Chaldeans because of their taking evil gain for their houses by violence, sinning against their own soul (vv. 9-10). As a result of this judgment, the stone would cry out from the wall of their houses and the rafter would answer from the timber of the houses (v. 11).
Third, the Chaldeans would receive the righteous recompense for building cities by bloodshed and establishing towns by iniquity (v. 12). It was of Jehovah that the peoples toiled for vanity and that the earth would be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah as the water covers the sea (vv. 13-14). This is mysterious. While all these things are taking place, something particular, something mysterious would be happening on earth—the earth would be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah.
Fourth, because the Chaldeans made their neighbor drunken with poison in order to look at their nakedness and did violence, destruction, and bloodshed to their cities, they would be sated with shame, with the cup of Jehovah’s right hand and with disgrace upon their glory (vv. 15-17).
Fifth, the Chaldeans made the graven idol, the molten idol, and the dumb idols and said to them, “Awake!” and “Arise!” Therefore, they would be cheated by the idols and gain no profit (vv. 18-19). Verse 20 concludes, “Jehovah is in His holy temple: / Be silent before Him, all the earth!”
Habakkuk 3:1-19 is the prophet’s song to Jehovah.
First, we have the prophet’s song in prayer (vv. 1-2). In his prayer he asked Jehovah to revive His work in those years (vv. 1-2a), and he asked Him to make it known in those years that He will remember compassion in wrath.