purely conjectural.AUTHOR.
Some have inferred from his Psalm, chapter 3, and the direction to the chief
musician, that he was a chorister in the temple; but this is
purely conjectural.
DATE uncertain.
The prophet evidently lived in the Chaldean period. Many scholars fix the time
of the
prophecy during the reign of Jehoiakim.
MAIN THEME,
The Mysteries of Providence.
KEY VERSE
Hab
1:3
SYNOPSIS.
The book opens
with the prophet in perplexity over the mystery of unpunished evil in the world.
The first two chapters are mainly composed of a dialogue between Habakkuk and
Jehovah.
(1) The
prophet complains to God that he sees sinful violence on every hand, yet no
punishment is visited upon the evildoers
Hab
1:1-4
(2) He
receives a reply revealing the divine plan of using the Chaldeans as a swift and
terrible instrument of judgment upon the wicked nations
Hab
1:5-11
(3) Still the
moral problem is unanswered in the mind of the prophet. How can a holy God use
these wicked heathen to waste and destroy people more righteous than they? Are
the wrong and violence to continue forever?
Hab
1:12-17
(4) The
prophet ascends his watch-tower to look over the world. He receives the reply of
Jehovah, and is told the Purpose of God is soon to be fulfilled, and is
encouraged to wait for it, Hab
2:1-3 Then follows the sentence that has been a watchword in the Christian
Church
Hab
2:4
(5)
Content with the new light received, the prophet utters a series of five woes
against
THE DISHONESTY
Hab
2:6
THE
COVETOUSNESS
Hab
2:9
THE BLOODY
BUILDING ENTERPRISES
Hab
2:12
THE DEBAUCHERY
Hab
2:15
and THE
IDOLATRY of the great world-power
Hab
2:18-20
(6) Finally he
utters a sublime prayer (or psalm of praise), speaking of the majesty and glory
of Jehovah and declaring his unwavering trust in the divine plans
Hab
3:1-19
NOTABLE PASSAGES.
The Morning
Star of the Reformation
Hab
2:4 Ro 1:17 Heb 10:38
The Triumph of Missions
Hab
2:14
The Woe to the
Drunkard-maker
Hab
2:15
An
All-conquering Faith.
Hab
3:17,18
( Outline from Thompson’s Chain Reference
Bible)