The Book of Habakkuk is an interaction between a burdened prophet and a sovereign God. Written during the dying days of the Judean kingdom, these sermons dive into the questions we ask when God seems silent in the face of rampant evil. Discover how Habakkuk journeys from agonizing doubt to triumphant faith, learning the foundational biblical truth that the righteous shall live by faith. It is a powerful reminder that even when the world is unraveling, God is orchestrating all of human history for His glory and the ultimate salvation of His people.
Who Wrote The Book?
Authored by the prophet Habakkuk (whose name is often understood to mean "one who embraces" or "wrestles"), this minor prophet ministered in Judah around 610–605 B.C., during the deeply corrupt era following the death of King Josiah. Unlike other prophets who primarily delivered God's word to the people, Habakkuk uniquely speaks to God on behalf of the people. He cries out against the violence and injustice running rampant in Judah, only to be stunned by God's revelation that He is raising up the ruthless Chaldeans (Babylonians) to judge His own covenant people.
What Is The Primary Theme?
The Sovereignty of God Over Nations: God is not a passive observer of history. He actively raises up and tears down empires—even profoundly wicked ones—to accomplish His holy, redemptive purposes and discipline His church.
The Problem of Evil and Divine Justice: Habakkuk boldly questions how a holy God can use a nation more wicked than Judah to enact judgment. The Lord assures the prophet that Babylon, too, will ultimately face absolute, terrifying divine justice for its pride and idolatry.
Justification by Faith: This book contains the central, stabilizing truth that later became the cornerstone of the Reformation and the Apostle Paul's theology in Romans and Galatians:
"Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith. Indeed, because he transgresses by wine, He is a proud man, And he does not stay at home. Because he enlarges his desire as hell, And he is like death, and cannot be satisfied, He gathers to himself all nations And heaps up for himself all peoples." (Habakkuk 2:4-5, NKJV)