Five Taunt Songs
Habakkuk 2:1– 4
It doesn’t take much to realize we are living in times that are difficult to navigate. Political
tensions with new corruption intensity every day that are domestic and foreign all connected globally. Cities and states with unbelievable violence issues. Sexual identity issues that are just crazy to even describe. Economic issues. Border issues. Disease issues. Education issues. Sex and slave trafficking issues. Injustice issues everywhere. Media corruption and information issues. But beyond the national and international level, what makes most of our lives difficult are the personal and private pains we carry around.
In a world like this, many of us find ourselves asking, How long, O Lord? How long will all of this threaten life? How long will your church be persecuted? How long until your people are vindicated? How long will I live with this personal pain? How long?… is a biblical question God’s people have often asked in crazy times, especially in the Psalms (I count a dozen of the Psalms that ask God, “How long?”).
Into our fears and confusion in these times, Habakkuk has an amazingly relevant message to to us: “The righteous by faith will live” This little book of only three chapters contains this important statement quoted at key points in three books in the New Testament (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38). If we can understand this verse in its context in Habakkuk, we will have a clear view into the heart of being a Christ Follower. And being a Christ Follower is clarified with refined purpose, in difficult times.
Determined Prophet
Habakkuk prophesied a little over 2,600 years ago in the generation leading up to the three Babylonian invasions of Judah, the southern kingdom of God’s people. The northern kingdom (called Israel) had been conquered by Assyria in 722 BC. Now, a century later, the Assyrian empire is fading, and Babylon is rising to power.
In 612, the Babylonians conquered Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire, which had ruled over God’s people from a distance for a century. In 609, Judah’s young, promising king, named Josiah, was killed in battle against Egypt. Finally, in 605, the Babylonians finished their full conquest of the Assyrians, and that same year, marched to Jerusalem for the first of what would be three invasions of the holy city each time taking a wave of exiles.
But before these invasions come, God reveals ahead of time to the prophet Habakkuk what he is going to do — and the revelation comes not when Habakkuk is minding his own business, but when he is complaining to God about the wickedness he sees around him in his own nation. So he questions God’s justice — and Habakkuk is fired up about it — and God uses the time to reveal his plans to Habakkuk, and also puts him in his place. The book consists of the dialogue between Habakkuk and God and, unlike the other prophets, never addresses the people.
In three short chapters, Habakkuk experiences significant reorientation. He goes from fear to faith, from protest to praise, and in the midst of rampant wickedness, chaos, and upheaval — in crazy times — trusting the God of unshakable justice enables his people to live with patience and joy.
1. The Alleged Injustice Of God.
The book begins with Habakkuk protesting that God seems to be standing idly by while his people fall into widespread evil and injustice (1:2–4). Habakkuk puts himself among the righteous and asks,
Verse 2-4
“How long, Lord, must I cry for help? But you do not listen! I call out to you, “Violence!”
But you do not intervene! Why do you force me to witness injustice? Why do you put up with wrongdoing? Destruction and violence confront me; conflict is present and one must endure strife. For this reason the law lacks power, and justice is never carried out. Indeed, the wicked intimidate the innocent. For this reason justice is perverted”
God responds in verses 5–11 that the wickedness of his own people is not going unnoticed, and to Habakkuk’s surprise, God is already dealing with it — by raising up the wicked Babylonians, “that ruthless and greedy nation” (verse 6), to punish his people. God is not only using the wicked Babylonians; he is raising them up for his purposes — to punish the wickedness of his people. (God is more just than Habakkuk thinks. Don’t think God is unaware of unrighteousness in any land, and we shouldn’t ever think that we are seeing things before God does.)
In other words, Habakkuk, if you think you have a complaint now, wait until you hear this: Yes, I will bring justice — through the invasion of a foreign army. God doesn’t rush to defend himself and immediately relieve Habakkuk’s first complaint. He’s not afraid to have things get worse before they get better. You think that’s bad? Wait till you hear this!
Then, in verses 12–17, Habakkuk protests the justice of punishing wicked people with people even more wicked.
Verse 13
“You are too just to tolerate evil; you are unable to condone wrongdoing. So why do you put up with such treacherous people? Why do you say nothing when the wicked devour those more righteous than they are?”
The prophet appears confident that he has God kind of cornered and does not expect God will be able to answer him sufficiently about his complaint. This is where he is a little more Arrogant than he should. He seems to genuinely think God’s position is indefensible.
Chapter 2:1
“I will stand at my watch post; I will remain stationed on the city wall. I will keep watching, so I can see what he says to me and can know how I should answer when he counters my argument.”
In one sense, it is remarkable that God does not just hammer him and give Habakkuk the beatdown right there. God has unbelievable grace for such a fool. He did with Job. And David and so many others. He does with Habakkuk. He does with us. But that doesn’t mean that God doesn’t bring a rebuke. The rest of chapter 2 is God setting Habakkuk straight — and then comes chapter 3
2. God’s answer: Trust Him In Difficult Times.
Habakkuk 2:2–4
"The Lord responded: “Write down this message! Record it legibly on tablets, so the one who announces it may read it easily. For the message is a witness to what is decreed; it gives reliable testimony about how matters will turn out. Even if the message is not fulfilled right away, wait patiently; for it will certainly come to pass – it will not arrive late. Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion, but the person of integrity will live because of his faithfulness”
If Habakkuk thought Babylon would get off the hook in invading and decimating Judah, God makes it clear that his justice will most certainly come. Write it down. This will happen. It’s just a matter of time. Wait for it. You can stake your life on it. The day of reckoning will come for Babylon in all its pride and violence. The prideful (“puffed up”) will be destroyed. But “the righteous” — whether the remnant in Judah, or Habakkuk himself — will live. God will see to it that the wickedness of the wicked will catch up with them, but the righteous will survive. This marks a point of decision for the prophet in his frustration — will he be puffed up, like Babylon, or submit to God and trust him?
By Faith, You Live
How is it, then, that one can be numbered among the righteous? The answer, which makes this passage so powerful, and so significantly quoted in the New Testament, is faith. It is not the works of the righteous that save them. It is their faith in God in the midst of these difficult times. It is not looking to themselves (works), but to God (faith).
And it’s not that those who are already righteous then have faith, but that those who have faith are those who are righteous. We learn in Romans 4:4,5 more about this dynamic:
It’s not that Habakkuk and the righteous remnant of God’s people deserve his salvation in any way, shape, or form. Rather, they are ungodly in themselves. They are unrighteous on their own. But by faith, they are righteous — somehow considered righteous by God — and will be saved.
This is a powerful promise for us today in our difficult and unsettling times. As we think about what might feel at times, like the world is unraveling into chaos, and the personal hard things and burdens that you might be carrying around, we can preach to ourselves, “The righteous by faith will live” When trials come, there is two kinds of people: those who are puffed up and raise their fist at God and question God, and then those who fall to their knees in humility and trust and walk by faith when it’s more than they can understand.
Five Taunt Songs
But faith needs an object. That’s where the rest of chapter 2 comes in. Verses 5–20 reveal to Habakkuk the justice that God will bring upon the wicked Babylonians, and all who are puffed up and without faith. God is righteous. He will answer Habakkuk’s first complaint with the Babylonians as his instrument of justice, and he will answer the second complaint with his justice five times against the wicked. God gives five woes or “taunt songs” in two sets (verses 6–14 and 15–20), each ending with a declaration of God’s glory (verses 14 and 20).
The First Set
Verses 6–8
Woe to the extortionist (Babylon, and all the extortionist); The one who accumulates what does not belong to him is as good as dead.
Verses 9–11
Woe to the dishonest (cheater, thief); The one who builds his house by unjust gain is as good as dead.
Verses 12–14
Woe to the unrighteous builder; The one who builds a city by bloodshed is as good as dead.
Then verse 14 and the first spectacular promise:
Verse 14
“For recognition of the Lord’s sovereign majesty will fill the earth just as the waters fill up the sea”
Speak this promise into the face of your fears: the Lord’s sovereign majesty will fill the earth just as the waters fill up the sea.
Then the second set:
Verses 15–17
Woe to the shameless (perverse); You who force your neighbor to drink wine are as good as dead.
Verses 18–19
Woe to the makers of (speechless) idols; The one who says to wood, ‘Wake up!’ is as good as dead.
Then verse 20 and the second promise:
Verse 20
But the Lord is in his majestic palace. The whole earth is speechless in his presence!
The overwhelming point is that God will bring justice. It is recorded Five times, that he will bring justice. You might think He is slow and taking His time — because of your impatience. But make no mistake, he will not sweep human wickedness and rebellion under the rug.
Every unrighteous act will have its repayment. Every extortionist, victimizer, cheater, thief, shamer, and maker of idols will eventually have his own acts return to him. (And it did happen for Babylon, which fell just one lifetime later in 539 BC.)
So let’s go back to Habakkuk. At this point, not only are the makers of idols now silenced, but also Habakkuk. At the end of chapter 2, God’s revelation is done. And there’s a break before the next chapter. It just kind of hangs there. Chapter 2 is the silencing of Habakkuk with the justice of God.
Then, once Habakkuk finally regains his voice in Chapter 3, he then begins his anticipated response — and will flesh out for us, in at least two specifics, what it means to trust God in very difficult times.
3. The Heart Of Our Experience Will Be Patience And Joy. (3:1–19)
Habakkuk started by questioning God’s justice. Now, he is blown away at the invincible, unstoppable, unattackable justice of God, and so chapter 3 is a prayer, in faith, asking God to remember mercy, and save his people as he punishes their enemies. Habakkuk is now convinced that God will repay Babylon; now he has faith; now he prays for deliverance for God’s people. And in doing this, he turns to what God has accomplished in the past on behalf of his people when he rescued them in Moses’s day, and Joshua’s, and David’s:
Habakkuk 3:2
Lord, I have heard the report of what you did; I am awed, Lord, by what you accomplished.
In our time repeat those deeds; in our time reveal them again. But when you cause turmoil, remember to show us mercy!
In verses 3–15, his praise takes the form of celebrating the justice and power of God as a divine warrior who goes out on behalf of his people. He rules over nature. God marches toward the enemy of his people like an unstoppable army approaches battle (verse 6). He has his horses and chariots of salvation (verse 8). He is the divine warrior, with bow and arrows and spear (verses 9, 11). He angrily tramples down the nations (verse 12) meaning he will separate the righteous from the unrighteous. And he is the same God in Habakkuk’s day that he was in Moses’s — and the same in our day.
Turn of Mercy
Then in this grand, intimidating, harrowing vision of God as the divine warrior, there’s the turn of mercy for his people in
Verse 13
“You march out to deliver your people, to deliver your special servant. You strike the leader of the wicked nation, laying him open from the lower body to the neck. Selah”
God revealed his strong, justice five times in chapter 2, and now, acknowledging that, and renewed in his faith, Habakkuk is pleading for mercy, for salvation (verses 13 and 18).
The vision of God as the divine warrior, fighting for his people, against their enemies culminates in verse 15 (“But you trample on the sea with your horses, on the surging, raging waters”); Habakkuk then finishes with one of the most beautiful and powerful affirmations of faith in all the Bible.
First, verse 16. Remember God said in 2:3, “Even if the message is not fulfilled right away, wait patiently; for it will certainly come to pass – it will not arrive late”
Now, Habakkuk says,
Verse 16
“I listened and my stomach churned; the sound made my lips quiver. My frame went limp, as if my bones were decaying, and I shook as I tried to walk. I long for the day of distress to come upon the people who attack us”
Before, the prophet was fearful and his faith was thin. He was impatient. Now, he is confident and walking by faith — faith that God will administer his perfect justice in his perfect timing. He is patient.
The heart of what God commended in chapter 2 was verse 4: “Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion, but the person of integrity will live because of his faithfulness” The charge to Habakkuk was: Live by faith — even and especially when trying times come. When everything around your is crumbling when your natural patience is fried, this is the moment for true faith. This is the time for leaning hard on God, for trusting his perfect timing and his perfect justice. This is the time, church.
Then, in verses 17–18, we have this amazing expression of his faith — the faith commended in 2:4 and now lived out in 3:17–18.
Verses 17,18
“When the fig tree does not bud, and there are no grapes on the vines; when the olive trees do not produce, and the fields yield no crops; when the sheep disappear from the pen, and there are no cattle in the stalls, I will rejoice because of the Lord; I will be happy because of the God who delivers me!”
Habakkuk now gladly submits to the sovereign hand and plan of God. Will you do that in the chaos of 2023?
He embraces the coming exile and its utter destruction and famine. Because his trust is renewed in God, he can face the worst pains and losses, knowing that God will rescue him eternally in the end.
He began disoriented and devastated, fearful and faithless. And he took it to God, and God in his mercy showed himself to Habakkuk. Now, Habakkuk walks in faith and patience, and most amazingly: joy. “I will rejoice because of the Lord; I will be happy because of the God who delivers me!.” Joy! Not begrudging submission, but delighting submission.
Verse 19
“The sovereign Lord is my source of strength. He gives me the agility of a deer; he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain”
And joy leads to song. The book’s final line reads, “This prayer is for the song leader. It is to be accompanied by stringed instruments” (3:19). Habakkuk has ended in song! He has caught a glimpse of the glory of God, and despite the certain suffering that looms on the horizon, he knows that this God will be enough for him.
Habakkuk learns, like Job, that “no matter how difficult conditions might become, he must continue to believe, continue to trust the promises of God, and have confidence that the Lord of all the earth would do right”. Habakkuk learns to sing praise, not just in good times, but in great calamity (I can’t help but wonder if this, among other things, is what God is doing for the American church. Will we keep singing?).
Hardship Is Not The End
For God’s people — for those who are righteous by faith — hardship is not the end of the story. It never ends in pain for the people of God. It never ends in darkness. It never ends in trouble. Devastation never has the last word. Our story doesn’t end like that
Six hundred years before Christ, God gave Habakkuk a glimpse into the truth he would make so plain on a cross and with an empty tomb: when times are darkest, God is ready to shine his brightest. So, in the most difficult times, trusting our sovereign God enables us to live with patience and joy.
On this side of the cross, how much more than Habakkuk can we say in our most difficult times — without minimizing the agony or repressing the pain — I will rejoice because of the Lord; I will be happy because of the God who delivers me!