Habakkuk 2:14 - Forerunner Commentary

Habakkuk 2:14

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<< Habakkuk 2:13 Habakkuk 2:15 >>

Habakkuk 2:12-14

Third Woe: Using violence to gain. This breaks, of course, the sixth commandment, "You shall not murder." The Chaldeans would use whatever means, to the spilling of rivers of blood, to get what they wanted.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Habakkuk

Related Topics: Chaldean Cruelty | Chaldeans | Murder | Rivers of Blood | Sixth Commandment | Spilling of Rivers of Blood | The Sixth Commandment | Third Woe | Using Violence to Gain

Habakkuk 2:13-14

These two verses really form one thought, which is that God allows man to labor in futility, in vain, to prove a greater point and to show the tremendous contrast between man's way and His way. Verse 14 supplies the reason for this vast difference, as well as making a wonderful promise. God allows evil to go seemingly unpunished because He is showing the stark contrast between man's way and His way, and He promises that one day He will make things right by absolutely flooding this world with the knowledge of His way.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Habakkuk

Related Topics: Contrast between Man's way and God's way | Evil Unpunished | Flooding World with Knowledge of God | Futility | Laboring in Futility | Laboring in Vain | Vanity

Habakkuk 2:5-20

This section is part of God's answer to the prophet's second question, and it is primarily directed at the particular circumstances of Habakkuk's day regarding the Chaldeans. Obviously, we can derive symbolic spiritual meaning regarding ourselves and modern-day Babylonians. The passage, verses 5 through 20, is a series of five woes that God pronounces on the Chaldeans for their particular sins. The five woes are five particular infractions of the commandments that God promises to punish them for, and in the end, this consoles Habakkuk. Knowing that the Chaldeans would not get away with their depradations of Judah, he is reassured that this was indeed the God he knew and understood. The Chaldeans would get what was coming to them.

These five woes succinctly describe modern society, which in the church we call Babylon. God chooses to describe these particular sins of Babylon, and their primary theme is gain, filthy lucre. It is no coincidence that our modern society is founded on the same shaky foundation. Everybody wants to get his "due" however he can. He will get it by oppressing others, by plotting and coveting, by promoting violence, by promoting debauchery and getting other people in trouble and shaming them, and so forth. Their idol, of course, is gain.

This passage, then, has present-day implications. Just like Habakkuk, we can be comforted that, though the wicked seem to have the upper hand now, God is not blind to what they are doing. He has seen their wickedness, and they will have to give a full account for their evil deeds.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Habakkuk

Related Topics: Babylon | Chaldeans | Coveting | Filthy Lucre | Financial Oppression | Five Woes | Gain | Getting our "Due" | Habakkuk | Justice | Oppressing Others | Oppression of Poor | Plotting | Plotting | Poor, Oppression of | Promoting Debauchery | Promoting Violence

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