Introduction to the Book of Habakkuk In the three chapters of this book,
the prophet Habakkuk addressed his words to God, not people.
In this frank dialogue with God, Habakkuk asks two questions that were
troubling him.
He asks first why God allows wicked people to prosper without being punished.
Habakkuk saw that the leaders of Judah were oppressing the poor.
God answers and says that Judah would be punished by the foreign power Babylon.
Then Habakkuk asks why God would use a nation even more sinful than Judah to
punish his people.
God answers and explains that the Babylonians would also be punished once
they had accomplished his purpose.
Habakkuk then confesses his continuing trust in God's ways and offers praise for
the greatness of God.
Not long after Habakkuk wrote, the southern kingdom of Judah did fall to
the Babylonians and many were taken captive.
But God's purposes would still be fulfilled.
As Habakkuk so beautifully declared, Although the fig tree shall not blossom,
neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labor of the olive shall fail and the
fields shall yield no meat, the flock shall be cut off from the fold,
and there shall be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.