CHAPTER 2

(626 B.C.)

GODS ANSWER: HE WILL PUNISH THE CHALDEANS LATER; THEY ARE ROBBERS

¹I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what He will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. (I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, pertains to a watchtower that is speaking symbolically [Ezek. 3:17; 33:2, 6; Mic. 7:4]. And will watch to see what He will say unto me, means that Habakkuk, totally unlike the modern prophets, believed that a man could pray and the Lord would answer.

And what I shall answer when I am reproved, seems to imply that Habakkuk felt that his questions addressed to the Lord may not be proper. He expects reproof, but instead will be given an in-depth answer by the Lord.)

²And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the Vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run who reads it. (Write the Vision, and make it plain upon tables, was carried out to the letter by Habakkuk, in the form of the Book that bears his name; consequently, the Lord wanted not only Habakkuk to hear the answer, but all men, and for all time. The phrase, That he may run who reads it, speaks of those who are charged with a Divine Message, who were to use all dispatch in making it known.)

³For the Vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. (For the Vision is yet for an appointed time, actually speaks of the Second Coming of Christ, as proved in Heb. 10:37; however, it could also pertain to something promised personally by the Lord to an individual, but long delayed! Even though delayed, it is not forgotten, but is actually for an appointed time.

But at the end it shall speak, actually says in the original, at the end it shall breathe, meaning that it breathes and pants or hastes toward the end. And not lie, expresses the certitude of this coming action.

Though it tarry, wait for it, means that it is not going to happen at the moment; consequently, faith is to wait with confidence for that which the Vision promises. In doing so, the heart oppressed by feelings to which Faith itself gives birth is sustained and comforted. God, Who values Faith, will certainly intervene and not tarry.)

⁴Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his Faith. (The first phrase of this Verse speaks of one who is proud, presumptuous, thinking much of himself, despising others, and who is not straightforward and upright before God. As such, he carries in himself the seeds of destruction. But the just shall live by his Faith, implies a loving trust in God, confident in His Promises, resulting in due performance of His Will.

This Passage can be translated, As to the just, through his Faith, he shall live. This is the great Passage used by the Apostle Paul on the basis of his great argument of Faith versus works [Rom. 1:17].)

⁵Yes also, because he transgresses by wine, he is a proud man, neither keeps at home, who enlarges his desire as Hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathers unto him all nations, and heaps unto him all people (Habakkuk now begins to express the results of the individual who trusts in his own resources and not God, and speaks of the person proclaimed at the beginning of Verse 4.

Yes also, because he transgresses by wine, is meant to express the ways of the world, more so than literal inebriation. Neither keeps at home, refers to the unfettered sexual appetites, unfaithfulness, as well as ever attempting to conquer new horizons, even at the expense of family and home.

Who enlarges his desire as Hell, means that as Hell is never satisfied with the number of people who enter its confines, neither is the worldling satisfied, irrespective of his attainments or accomplishments. And is as death, and cannot be satisfied, proclaims the lustful desire of the human family which does not know God.

But gathers unto him all nations, signifies the Babylonians overrunning one nation after the other, but still not satisfied. The phrase, And heaps unto him all people, refers to the Babylonians, as all conquerors, putting more and more people under subjection to them [Mat. 20:25-26]):

⁶Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him who increases that which is not his! how long? and to him that lades himself with thick clay! (The question in the form of an exclamation concerns itself with this spirit made evident in the previous Verse, which has characterized humanity for all time. Sooner or later, oppressed people rise up against their oppressors, exactly as was done in the former Soviet Union, and has been done through the ages. The idea is: as all these oppressors, wherever they may be, oppress the people by ruinous taxation or levies, likewise, the oppressor is piling up debt to Almighty God, Who cares for the oppressed [Jer. 17:11].)

⁷Shall they not rise up suddenly who shall bite you, and awake who shall vex you, and you shall be for booties unto them? (The question, Shall they not rise up suddenly who shall bite you...?, actually refers to the Persians, who destroyed the Babylonian power as quickly and as unexpectedly as it had arisen. As well, it applies even to the individual who oppresses others, that ultimately the oppressor will be bitten.

And you shall be for booties unto them, concludes this question asked by the Lord. As the Babylonians looted their conquered peoples, likewise, they shall be looted!)

⁸Because you have spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil you; because of mens blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all who dwell therein. (Even though Nebuchadnezzar was an Instrument of God in punishing Judah and Jerusalem, still, he took his commission too far, as is described here by the Lord. He laid a heavy hand of violence on Gods People, and likewise the Babylonian Empire would suffer the same injustice. The idea is that Gods People, whether Jews or Gentiles, are to be treated only as the Lord dictates.)

THE CHALDEANS ARE COVETOUS: WOE TO THEM

⁹Woe to him who covets an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! (As the first Woe concerned oppression, this Woe concerns covetousness. The idea of this Verse pertains to rich men gathering wealth in order to establish their families in assured affluence; but they, in reality, devise shame to their children and ruin to their own souls because of the injury done to others.

Woe to him who covets an evil covetousness to his house, actually refers to the leadership of Babylon, which would conclude in Belshazzar, who thought to secure its stability and permanence by amassing godless gain.)

¹⁰You have consulted shame to your house by cutting off many people, and have sinned against your soul. (This Passage refers to the very means the Empire took to secure its power, but proved to be its ruin.)

¹¹For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it. (This is evidenced by the great palace in Babylon, as well as the other great buildings, which were built by the enforced labor of miserable captors and adorned with the fruits of fraud and pillage.)

¹²Woe to him who builds a town with blood, and stablishes a city by iniquity! (This is the third Woe mentioned; it concerns violence and cruelty. The other two are found in Verses 6 and 9. The phrase, Woe to him who builds a town with blood, concerns mighty Babylon, or any city for that matter, built by riches gained by the murder of conquered nations. And stablishes a city by iniquity! refers to a city, or anything, built as the result of sin.)

¹³Behold, is it not of the LORD of Hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity? (God has ordained for the fire the great and strong cities and palaces which the nations weary themselves in building.)

GODS ULTIMATE PURPOSE IN THE EARTH

¹⁴For the Earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. (This Passage is very similar to what Isaiah said in 11:9 of his Book. As the Lord answers Habakkuk, His Statements, although alluding to coming Babylon, rather uses Babylon to symbolize the world as a whole without God. However, the Holy Spirit proclaims: For the Earth shall be filled, not with injustice, murder, greed, avarice, hate, or oppression, but instead with the knowledge of the Glory of the LORD. This will take place in the coming Millennium, beginning immediately after the Second Coming of Christ.)

WOE TO DRUNKARDS

¹⁵Woe unto him who gives his neighbour drink, who puts your bottle to him, and makes him drunk also, that you may look on their nakedness! (This Woe speaks of drunkenness. Woe unto him who gives his neighbor drink, refers, first of all, to the deepened idol worship and debauchery to which the conquered nations were exposed upon their defeat by the Babylonians. All sense of nationhood was taken away from these conquered peoples, with them virtually reduced to slaves; consequently, they were reduced to constant inebriation in order to try to stand the pain, etc.

As well, even though in a secondary position, it pertains to all those who make and distribute alcoholic beverage. The Lord has pronounced a Woe of violence on all who participate in this scourge of debilitation to ones fellow man.

That you may look on their nakedness! refers to the total debilitation of the individual. Nakedness refers to the person having no covering or protection, being exposed to the mercy of others, of which there is precious little.)

¹⁶You are filled with shame for glory: drink you also, and let your foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORDs right Hand shall be turned unto you, and shameful spewing shall be on your glory. (You are filled with shame for glory, proclaims the very opposite type of glory to that in the Promise of the knowledge of the Glory of the LORD. That Glory is wonderful to behold, while this glory is shame.

Drink thou also, and let your foreskin be uncovered, refers to the uncircumcised. To be uncircumcised meant that the person was not in Covenant relationship with the Lord and was consequently judged as a heathen.

The idea of the phrase is: the Babylonians, i.e., the world, have no relationship or Covenant with God. Consequently, the cup of the LORDs right Hand shall be turned unto you, which means that judgment will surely come, and figures not only the destruction of the Babylon of ancient times, but the entirety of spiritual Babylon, the worlds system.

And shameful spewing shall be on your glory, refers to the cup of the Wrath of God, which will be poured out upon her.)

¹⁷For the violence of Lebanon shall cover you, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of mens blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all who dwell therein. (For the violence of Lebanon shall cover you, pertains to violence against Jerusalem and the Temple called here Lebanon, because it was built with cedars brought from thence. And the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, here pictures the nations as wild beasts, which would rend the Chaldean Monarchy. This was effected by the Medes and Persians.

The last phrase refers to Judah and Jerusalem. When Nebuchadnezzar took the city, the slaughter was terrible, with the Lord promising vengeance because of the violence. And yet, this Prophecy is given before the Babylonians even came to power or Nebuchadnezzar was even born!)

WOE TO IDOLATERS

¹⁸What profits the graven image that the maker thereof has graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusts therein, to make dumb idols? (The question, What profits the graven image that the maker thereof has graven it?, goes to the heart of Babylonian thought. They would attribute all their success to their gods. The molten image, further reinforces the fact that the thing is made, designed, and fashioned by man and, therefore, worthless.

The phrase, And a teacher of lies, refers to the customs and culture built around this idol, which encouraged its worshippers in lying delusions, which is an entire contrast to Jehovah, Who is Truth.)

¹⁹Woe unto him who says to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. (This is the fifth and final Woe, and speaks to idolaters. Woe unto him who says to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach!, actually means, in the Hebrew, shall this teach? an emphatic question expressing astonishment.

Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, implies that in the mind of the maker the precious metal denotes some type of special worth. While the precious metal may be valuable, still, that was true before it was placed on that idol.

There is not breath at all in the midst of it, presents the fact that despite the accoutrements, it is still a dead, lifeless object!)

²⁰But the LORD is in His Holy Temple: let all the Earth keep silence before Him. (The first phrase refers to Heaven itself and means that man should consult Him, not these dumb idols. He is a Living God, whereas these other things have no breath in them. As such, He will demonstrate this fact so effectually that all the Earth will stand hushed in silence before Him. In idolatry the idol is silent and its worshippers eloquent.)