The book of Habakkuk, though brief, offers a profound and intensely personal dialogue between a prophet and his God. It is a testament to the wrestling of faith in the face of overwhelming injustice and divine mystery. At its heart lies the anguished cry, "How long, O Lord?" a question that echoes through the corridors of human suffering and finds resonance in the hearts of believers across generations. Habakkuk’s complaint is not a sign of weak faith, but rather a bold expression of a deep longing for God’s righteousness to prevail, even when His ways seem inscrutable.
The Prophet's First Complaint: Injustice Unchecked
Habakkuk begins his prophecy with a lament over the moral decay and violence he witnesses within Judah. The land is rife with wickedness, and the law has lost its power. He cries out to God, perplexed by the apparent divine inaction:
O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention. Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.
This is a raw, honest complaint. Habakkuk sees evil flourishing, justice perverted, and God’s people suffering. He cannot reconcile God’s holy character with the pervasive unrighteousness. His "how long" is a plea for intervention, a desperate longing for the Lord to act and restore order according to His divine standard. It is a question that many believers have asked when confronted with the seemingly endless reign of sin and suffering in the world.
God's Astonishing Answer: The Chaldeans Are Coming
God's response to Habakkuk's initial complaint is swift and startling. He reveals that He is indeed at work, but in a manner that will undoubtedly shock and dismay the prophet:
Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you. For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs. They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves. Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat. They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand. And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it. Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.
The Lord announces that He is raising up the Chaldeans (Babylonians), a fearsome and ruthless nation, to execute His judgment upon Judah. This is a "work" that will be so unbelievable that Habakkuk will scarcely credit it. God is not idle; He is actively orchestrating events, even through wicked instruments, to accomplish His purposes. This revelation presents a new, even more perplexing dilemma for the prophet.
The Prophet's Second Complaint: Why Use the More Wicked?
God's answer does not resolve Habakkuk's distress; it deepens it. If Judah is wicked, then Babylon is surely more so. How can a holy God use an even more unrighteous nation to punish His chosen people? This leads to Habakkuk’s second, more theological complaint:
Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them? They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad. Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous. Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?
Habakkuk appeals to God's eternal nature and holiness. He acknowledges that God is using Babylon for judgment and correction, but he cannot reconcile God’s purity with His apparent tolerance of Babylon's greater wickedness and their idolatrous pride in their own power. This is a profound theological struggle: how can God use evil to punish evil, and why would He allow the more wicked to devour the less wicked?
Habakkuk's Stance of Expectation: Waiting on the Watchtower
Having laid out his complaint, Habakkuk does not despair. Instead, he takes a posture of resolute expectation, climbing to his watchtower to await God's further response:
I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
This is a pivotal moment. It signifies a transition from complaint to confident waiting. Habakkuk has presented his case to God, and now he waits patiently for divine revelation. He is prepared to receive whatever God says, even if it involves reproof. This demonstrates a deep trust in God's ultimate wisdom and a willingness to submit to His truth, even when it is difficult to comprehend.
God's Further Revelation: The Just Shall Live by His Faith
God answers Habakkuk's patient waiting with a profound and timeless truth, a cornerstone of biblical theology:
And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
God instructs Habakkuk to write down the vision clearly, indicating its certainty and importance. The vision pertains to an appointed time, a future judgment upon Babylon. Though it may seem to tarry, it will surely come. This teaches us about God's perfect timing. Crucially, God contrasts the arrogant pride of Babylon, whose "soul which is lifted up is not upright," with the steadfast perseverance of the righteous: "the just shall live by his faith." This verse, quoted three times in the New Testament (Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38), becomes a foundational principle of justification by faith. It assures Habakkuk, and us, that despite the chaos and injustice, the righteous will endure, not by their own power or understanding, but by trusting in God's character and promises.
God then pronounces a series of five "woes" against Babylon (Habakkuk 2:6-20), detailing their impending judgment for their greed, violence, and idolatry. This directly addresses Habakkuk's second complaint, assuring him that Babylon's wickedness will not go unpunished. God will ultimately deal with all evil, in His perfect timing and according to His righteous standards.
The Prophet's Prayer of Faith: From Complaint to Confidence
The final chapter of Habakkuk is a magnificent prayer, a testament to the transformative power of divine revelation. Having received God's answers, Habakkuk's spirit moves from questioning to worship, from complaint to profound confidence. He recalls God's mighty acts in history, acknowledging His power and sovereignty:
O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.
Habakkuk trembles at the thought of God's coming judgment, but also pleads for mercy and for God to "revive thy work." He remembers God's past demonstrations of power and faithfulness, such as the Exodus and the journey through the wilderness. This recollection of God's historical faithfulness builds his trust for the future. He acknowledges God as the Almighty, the Holy One, whose glory fills the earth and whose power is beyond human comprehension.
The Triumph of Faith: Rejoicing in the Lord
The climax of Habakkuk's journey is his declaration of unwavering faith, even in the face of dire circumstances. He paints a picture of utter desolation, yet his joy remains steadfast in the Lord:
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.
This is the ultimate triumph of faith. Habakkuk has moved from "how long" to "yet I will rejoice." He understands that true joy is not dependent on circumstances but on the unchanging character of God. Even if all earthly provisions fail, his salvation in God remains. The Lord God is his strength, enabling him to navigate life's challenges with the surefootedness of a deer on mountain heights. This profound declaration serves as an enduring beacon of hope for all who grapple with the mysteries of divine providence.
Conclusion: Our "How Long" and God's Faithfulness
Habakkuk’s journey from complaint to confident worship offers invaluable lessons for believers today. We, too, often find ourselves asking, "How long, O Lord?" when confronted with persistent evil, unanswered prayers, or seemingly inexplicable suffering. The book of Habakkuk teaches us several vital truths:
Like Habakkuk, we are called to stand on our watchtower, waiting patiently and expectantly for God’s revelation. As we meditate on His past faithfulness and His unchanging promises, our "how long" can transform into a triumphant "yet I will rejoice." For the God who answered Habakkuk's cry is the same God who faithfully guides and sustains His people through every season, until the day when all His purposes are perfectly fulfilled.