Habakkuk is one of the minor prophet books of the Bible we traditionally gloss over—it’s only three chapters long, and its prophecies are mostly God responding to Habakkuk’s questions about the impending judgment on Judah.
This book, however, speaks greatly of God’s compassion in the midst of waiting. God is just, and He will avenge sins. But we can also be sure of His grace because of the work of Jesus Christ!
Overview
Habakkuk questions why God tolerates evil and suffering. God reveals His control over all the nations of the earth, and how He will simultaneously be just and compassionate. His wisdom far surpasses our own, and even though we can never truly know the will of God, the Book of Habakkuk shows how we can be content in the in-between times.
Author
The book of Habakkuk was written by the prophet Habakkuk while he was in Judah. His name means “embracer.” His prophecy shows how God would embrace and protect His people in the midst of the Babylonian exile.
Purpose
Habakkuk focuses on the comfort God gives, especially in the midst of suffering. The Israelites were in the midst of exile, and they struggled to see God’s presence. This book reveals how God can even use evil nations, people, and events to bring about His good purposes—just as He brought life and salvation through a means of punishment: a cross.
Application
As you read Habakkuk, identify areas in your life where you might be struggling to see God’s presence. Maybe you’re waiting for healing, reconciliation, relief. Or maybe your patience is wearing thin as you wait for a new job, a new relationship, or a new home. As you wait, remind yourself of God’s presence, even when you can’t seem to feel or see Him at work in your life. As God told Habakkuk, “For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told” (1:5).
Key Verses
Habakkuk 1:2
O LORD, how long shall I cry for help,
and You will not hear?
Or cry to You “Violence!”
and You will not save?
Habakkuk 2:3
For still the vision awaits its appointed time;
it hastens to the end—it will not lie.
If it seems slow, wait for it;
it will surely come; it will not delay.
Habakkuk 3:18–19
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
GOD, the Lord, is my strength;
He makes my feet like the deer’s;
He makes me tread on my high places.
Scripture: ESV®.
See God’s hand in the midst of waiting by reading the Book of Habakkuk.
