Habakkuk Chapters - WEB Bible
Habakkuk is unique among the prophets as an extended dialogue between the prophet and God. Habakkuk complained about injustice in Judah; God replied He would use Babylon as His instrument of judgment; Habakkuk protested that this seemed unjust; God answered that the wicked would be judged and "the just shall live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4). This verse became foundational for Paul's theology in Romans and Galatians and for Luther's Reformation. Habakkuk Bible chapters conclude with a magnificent prayer of worship that chooses to rejoice in God even when the fig tree does not blossom and the fields produce nothing (3:17-18).
About Habakkuk
Habakkuk is the thirty-fifth book of the Bible and the eighth Minor Prophet, written around 605-598 BC and spanning 3 chapters. Habakkuk is unique among the prophets in that it is structured as a dialogue between the prophet and God -- a wrestling match of honest questions and divine answers. Habakkuk first cries out to God asking why He tolerates Judah's rampant injustice without acting. God answers that He is raising up the Babylonians as His instrument of discipline. Habakkuk recoils in theological shock -- how can a holy God use a nation more wicked than Judah to punish His own people? God's second answer points to the certain downfall of Babylon and the ultimate triumph of His purposes, and calls Habakkuk to patient, trusting faith. The book concludes with one of scripture's greatest prayers of trust. Major themes include wrestling honestly with God in prayer, the problem of theodicy (God's justice in a suffering world), faith as the foundation of the righteous life, and God's sovereign use of even evil human powers to accomplish His purposes. Key verses include Habakkuk 2:4 -- The righteous person will live by his faithfulness -- quoted three times in the New Testament -- and Habakkuk 3:17-18 -- Though the fig tree does not bud...yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. Habakkuk KJV Bible reading models courageous faith through uncertainty. Read the Book of Habakkuk online here in full.