35) The Book of Habakkuk

HABAKKUK prophesied before the captivity of Judah by Babylon (1:6). Habakkuk reveals an unique approach of searching the mind of God by asking questions about the ambiguities between the holiness, justice, and mercy of God. He saw the punishment of the sins of the people of Israel by another wicked nation in Babylon, but Babylon did not have the blessing of a covenant with God. God uses the heathen to punish His people, but God also punishes the heathen (Ps. 9:16-17; Luke 17:1). Habakkuk realized these ambiguities in his mind were no doubt his own lack of understanding because he knew that God's answers were going to reprove him (2:1; 2 Tim. 3:16). Habakkuk feared the words of God (Isa. 66:2; Hab. 3:2).

The main subjects of the book are the doctrines of the Tribulation and the glorious return of the Lord Jesus. The words the end and Selah (2:3; 3:3) reveal the time period of the book (See the introduction to the book of Psalms; Ezek. 7:2-6; Dan. 8:17: 12:1-4; Matt. 24:13-14; Mark 13:13; 1 Cor. 15:23-24; Heb. 3:14; 9:26; 1 Peter 1:13; Rev. 2:26). The wicked of the Tribulation will oppress the Jews and endure the plagues in a drunken stupor of liquor and drugs (2:5-17; Rev. 9:21), but the Lord Jesus Christ will return and thresh the heathen for their wickedness (3:12-13). The book contains 3 chapters and 56 verses.