Habakkuk’s first protest was about seeing all the injustice that was being committed within the people of Judah and seeing no sign from God of judging such a nation. The prophet lived in a time of deep moral and spiritual decay, where violence, oppression, and corruption were no longer the exception but the norm among God’s covenant people. Habakkuk looked around and saw that the law was paralyzed, justice was perverted, and the wicked seemed to prosper without restraint. And so he wanted an answer from God, wondering when He was going to judge Judah and restore righteousness among His people.
This first protest is deeply human and profoundly theological at the same time. Habakkuk does not question the existence of God, nor His power, but rather His apparent silence. The prophet cries out because he believes in a God who is just, holy, and active in history. What troubles him is not that God cannot act, but that He seems unwilling to do so in the face of such blatant injustice. This tension between faith and lived reality is what drives Habakkuk to bring his complaint before the Lord.
After the first protest, God answered the prophet and revealed that He would indeed judge Judah, but not in the way Habakkuk expected. The Lord declared that He would raise up the Chaldeans, also known as the Babylonians, an extremely idolatrous, violent, and corrupt nation, to execute His judgment upon Judah. Undoubtedly, this response was shocking and unsettling to the prophet, because although Habakkuk longed to see the injustice of his nation removed, he did not expect God to use a nation far more wicked than Judah itself as the instrument of divine judgment.
This divine answer introduces a profound theological dilemma. How could a holy God employ an even more unrighteous nation to discipline His people? The Babylonians were notorious for their cruelty, their military aggression, and their arrogance. They worshiped false gods and trusted in their own strength. To Habakkuk, this seemed to contradict everything he knew about the character of God. Thus, his second protest arises not from disbelief, but from a deep struggle to reconcile God’s holiness with His sovereign methods.
12 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.
13 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?
14 And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
15 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.
16 Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.
17 Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?
Habakkuk 2:12-17
First of all, Habakkuk demonstrates that he knows exactly who God is. He addresses Him as the everlasting Lord, his God, and the Holy One. This confession is essential, because even in the midst of confusion, Habakkuk anchors his complaint in the unchanging character of God. He knows that God is holy, morally pure, and incapable of tolerating evil. It is precisely because of this conviction that he struggles to understand why God would allow a wicked nation to triumph over a people who, though sinful, were still comparatively more righteous.
Habakkuk’s language reflects a deep sense of moral outrage. He describes humanity as fish without a ruler, helpless before the Babylonian conquest. The imagery of nets and hooks portrays the ruthless efficiency with which Babylon captures and destroys nations. What troubles the prophet even more is that the Babylonians glorify their own power, attributing their success to their military strength rather than acknowledging the sovereignty of God. This apparent triumph of evil raises a pressing question: will God allow such injustice to continue indefinitely?
Secondly, Habakkuk is fully aware of Israel’s past history with God. He remembers the great victories that the Lord had granted His people, victories that were achieved not by human strength but by divine intervention. If God now allows Babylon to conquer Judah, the prophet understands that there will be no human escape. The God who once fought for His people now appears to stand against them. This reversal intensifies Habakkuk’s anguish, as it challenges his understanding of God’s covenant faithfulness.
However, even in his confusion, Habakkuk expresses hope. When he says, “we shall not die,” he affirms that God’s purposes are ultimately redemptive, not destructive. He understands that judgment is not the final word, but a means of correction. God disciplines His people not to annihilate them, but to purify them. This tension between judgment and hope becomes a central theme throughout the book.
If this first chapter of Habakkuk teaches us anything, it is that God will never tolerate sin, regardless of who commits it. Whether it is His chosen people or pagan nations, God’s holiness demands justice. At the same time, God remains sovereign over history, using even wicked instruments to accomplish His righteous purposes. This truth may be difficult to accept, but it reminds us that God’s ways are higher than our ways, and His wisdom far surpasses human understanding.
For believers today, Habakkuk’s struggle is deeply relatable. We often witness injustice, corruption, and evil flourishing in the world, and we may wonder why God seems silent. Like Habakkuk, we are invited to bring our questions honestly before the Lord, trusting that He is neither indifferent nor absent. God may not always act according to our expectations, but He is always faithful to His character.
Follow this section of the book of Habakkuk closely, as we will continue to explore its three chapters in depth. As the prophecy unfolds, we will see how God responds further to the prophet’s concerns and how faith is refined through waiting. Ultimately, we hope that these inspired words will not only illuminate the message of Habakkuk, but also echo in our own lives, strengthening our trust in the justice, holiness, and sovereignty of God.