God's response to Habakkuk's Second Complaint

Habakkuk’s second (608-590 BC) complains in his second prayer to God as follows: 1. How can you look at evil and not act quickly? 2. Why don’t you govern better? Why is everything so confusing? You make society look like no one is in control, like the fish of the sea and the crawling things on the ground. 3. Why do you use evil people to discipline nations when the people you choose are savage sinners themselves? 4. And how do you expect that to improve things?  5. How can I expect a good answer to my questions?  However, just in case, I will listen for one.

God answered Habakkuk’s prayer in Chapter 1:2-4, using language of a swift, violent, and terrifying conquest of Judah.  The judgments unfolded historically in three judgments by the Chaldeans of Babylonia:

1.  In 605 BC, Babylon defeated Egypt at Carchemish ( “kar"  "KEE"  "mish”) and became the dominant power in the region. The first Judean captives and hostages are taken, marking the first deportation of Judah to Babylon, where Daniel is taken.  (Daniel 1:1-6).  While both Judah and the Philistine city-states fell under Babylonian influence, they maintained distinct identities and borders.  Timeline:

2.  In 597 BC, eight years after the defeat of Egypt, Jerusalem falls to the Babylonians, and Judah’s king, Jehoiachin, is deported to Babylonia, and a second major deportation follows.  (2 Kings 24:10-17).

3.  In 586 BC, eleven years after the fall of Jerusalem, the temple was destroyed and burned.  The monarchy ends, and the remnants of Judea are deported to Babylon for a third and final time.  (2 Kings25:1-21).  The stunning stages of conquest and destruction of unbearable terror were Judah’s fate. 

God responds to Habakkuk with two key points for us to consider: 1. the righteous, and 2. the disobedient and rebellious people who are against God. For the righteous, those who trust in God with faith and by that faith is acted out in daily living—He promises that the just shall live in trusting Him for all their needs.  Trusting in Jesus Christ for our salvation, daily provision, and grace. 

 Romans 1:17, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and to the Greek. 17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

"And my righteous ones will live by faith.  But I (Christ) will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away. "Hebrews 10:38

• Live by Faith: The core instruction is that those justified by God ("the righteous") will live by faith.

• Warning Against Retreat: God takes no pleasure in those who "shrink back" or turn away from faith, a path leading to destruction. 

The case against the Chaldeans includes: 1. plunder, exploitation, greed, and empire-building; 2. bloodshed and conquest; 3. humiliation of nations; 4. idolatry and spiritual blindness. See Habakkuk 2:6-20.

The Chaldeans were judged historically when Babylon fell to the Medo-Persians under Cyrus in 539.  Judah was judged by God using Babylon, and Babylon was judged by God 47 years after they destroyed Judah. God used the Medo-Persians to bring down the Babylonian empire.   The fall of the literal Babylonian Empire is described in Daniel 5, where Belshazzar sees handwriting on the wall and the city is taken by the Medes and Persians that same night.

When we pray, do so with honest and sincere intentions. Submit everything to God’s timing and His sovereignty.  Live by faith and trust in God that He has our care in mind (the Good Shepherd) and ‘none can take you out of His hand'.  John 10:28,29 Be a worshipper of God and wait on the Lord to renew your mind daily—through prayer and obedience to His word.  See Romans 2:2 and Isaiah 40:31.