Matthew henry 18 october 1662 22 june 1714 was an english commentator on the bible, who published his works in 1706, sixvolume exposition of the old and new testaments 17081710 or complete commentary, provides an exhaustive verse by verse study of the bible, covering the whole of the old testament, and the gospels and acts in the new testament. An overview of the book of habakkuk sermon by christopher. Interestingly the book that bears his name begins with an extended description of the coming of the chaldeans. Habakkuk overview and outline reasons for hope jesus. More specifically, habakkuk was written 15 to 20 years before 606 bc, which would be in the range of 621626 bc. According to the apocryphal book bel and the dragon, habakkuk ministered to the prophet daniel bel 3339. This summary of the book of habakkuk provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of habakkuk. The book of habakkuk is traditionally divided into five sections. Unlike the other prophets of god habakkuk did not speak to the people for god, but spoke to god concerning the people. Two words are key not because of their repetition but because of the content of the book. Theodicy, wisdom, and prophecy in the book of habakkuk. Habakkuk introduction old testament matthew henry st. The word includes the inward revelation as well as the open vision. The book of habakkuk provides excellent guidelines and practical principles for putting your godgiven vision into action.
Chapter 3, habakkuk and theodicy, examines the theme of theodicy in habakkuk and also compares it to other passages in the hebrew bible that address this topic. The book of habakkuk is the eighth book of the twelve prophets of the hebrew bible, and this collection appears in all copies of texts of the septuagint, the ancient greek translation of the hebrew bible completed by 2 bc. A summary, synopsis or recap is a shortened version of the original. The book is about gods relationship to the present experience of violence and injustice. The most popular bible verses from habakkuk found 56 verses habakkuk 1. The lord gives his answer to habakkuk, essentially stating, you wouldnt believe it if i told you habakkuk 1. Bible study guide book of habakkuk saturday, september 1, 2012 background on habakkuk habakkuks name means to embrace or wrestle. I think it relates to the fact that he was wrestling with a difficult issue. Through dialogue with god, habakkuk embodies a way to live in the time between present suffering and future deliverance.
The holy bible has sold more copies than any other book. When habakkuk laments over yahwehs silence over the unrighteous behavior of the wicked among him, he learns to his surprise that the lord is working by raising up the mighty, violent chaldeans to judge judah, that this is not a conflict with. Habakkuk 1 gw habakkuks vision the divine bible gateway. The book of habakkuk pictures a frustrated prophet, much like jonah, though habakkuk channeled his frustration into prayers and eventually praise to god, rather than trying to run from the lord as jonah did. Instead of taking jehovahs message directly to the people, he takes the complaint of the people to jehovah, representing them in the complaint homer hailey.
Udoekpo, std assistant professor of sacred scripture sacred heart school of theology, wisconsin 53 abstract issues of theodicy and the sovereignty of god dominate habakkuks theology. One is why as habakkuk struggled with the issues here and the other is faith as declared in 2. How long, lord, must i call for help, but you do not listen. Of the three chapters in the book, the first two are a dialog between yahweh and the prophet. Habakkuk is the only prophet to devote his entire work to the question of the justice of gods government of the world. The book of habakkuk begins with habakkuk crying out to god for an answer to why gods chosen people are allowed to suffer in their captivity habakkuk 1. Yahweh answers that the vision habakkuk saw will certainly come to pass also affirming that babylon is not right. It speaks to us about going to god in prayer, and trusting in him when he seems silent. The book of habakkuk was probably written during the reign of king jehoiakim and after the book of nahum. Every prophet is unique in his own right, habakkuk being no exception.
There are a number of helpful commentaries on the book of habakkuk, and the following are five of the best. It is believed that the book of habakkuk was written to judah around the year 606 b. As is usually the case, his name has something to do with the message of the book. Habakkuk is the first of two related prophecies of the twelve minor prophets written in the postassyrian period. The prophet habakkuk faced the violence and injustice of king jehoiakim 609597 see jeremiah 22.
An unconventional look at the challenge of theodicy digital. The book of habakkuk was likely written between 610 and 605 b. Less debate exists over the structure of the book, although its genre has been variously classified as liturgy, prophetic vision, wisdom, and lament. Although much of the content of habakkuk is not unique, the means that the prophet uses to communicate the content is unique. Commendation theodicy in habakkuk is a welcome addition to the interpretation of the prophetic message of habakkuk. Yahweh summons habakkuk to publish a vision chazon that will. A dialogue between habakkuk and yahwehgods justice revealed. Of the man habakkuk nothing is known outside of the book that bears his name. Summary of the book of habakkuk essay 701 words bartleby.
The prophet habakkuk faced the violence and injustice of king jehoiakim 609597 see jer 22. The book of habakkuk niv audio holy bible high quality and best speed book 35 duration. The book betrays the influence of liturgical forms, suggesting that either habakkuk was a cult prophet or that those responsible for the final form of the book were cult personnel. The book of habakkuk one of the twelve minor prophets is an intensely personal testimony played out against a highly political backdrop. Little is known about habakkuk except that he was a contemporary of jeremiah and a man of vigorous faith rooted deeply in the religious. Aug 30, 2017 the book of habakkuk niv audio holy bible high quality and best speed book 35 duration. Yahweh answers that the vision habakkuk saw will certainly come to pass also affirming that babylon is not right, and his people will live by faith 2. The book of habakkuk, also called the prophecy of habacuc, the eighth of 12 old testament books that bear the names of the minor prophets. Development of a practical theodicy through a biblical. Abstract a theological reading of the book of habakkuk offers insight into the problem of.
The book comes alive when we realise how habakkuks world ties together with. Habakkuk the anchor yale bible commentaries francis i. As the prophet habakkuk stood in jerusalem and pondered the state of his nation, judah, he must have been dumbfounded. There is nothing known about this prophet outside of this book, and it is believed that habakkuk wrote the book himself, but it.
The sovereignty of god in habakkuk american journal of biblical. It is generally accepted that habakkuk was written to judah the southern kingdom. The prophecy of this book is a mixture of the prophets addresses to god in the peoples name and to the people in gods name. The book of habakkuk differs from other books of prophecy in one special aspect. Many interpret the book of habakkuk as a theodicy, a defense of gods goodness and power given the existence of evil. Apr 18, 2009 the book deals with this question and the required response of faithful trust in god. Commentary on the book of habakkuk by matthew henry old. Habakkuk deals with deep issues of human existence and darkness in the world. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The name of a prophet and of the eighth book of the minor prophets, which is entitled the oracle that habakkuk the prophet received hab. Habakkuks vision the divine revelation that the prophet habakkuk saw. Ko argues that the three scenes of the book utilize lament, woe oracles, and a song of victory respectively. Instead, habakkuk takes up the question of the attentiveness of god to the demise of righteous sufferers and the free range that the wicked have over against them. Habakkuks prophecy is dated to around 605 bc, the time of king jehoiakim and before nebuchadnezzar first invaded judah and took daniel and others as captives to babylon.
Issues of theodicy and the sovereignty of god dominate habakkuks theology. When habakkuk speaks of his message as a burden, it is to convey something of its weightiness. Habakkuk, who was active around 612 bc, was a prophet whose oracles and prayer are recorded in the book of habakkuk, the eighth of the collected twelve minor prophets in the hebrew bible. This sensible, clearly written book deserves the attention of all serious old testament scholars and students. The vision in habakkuk university of gloucestershire. A paradigm for the suffering righteous today michael u. Habakkuk was a sensitive and passionate man, completely devoted to the lord. Pdf theodicy, wisdom, and prophecy in the book of habakkuk. The book is thus a theodicy, a defense of gods goodness and power in view of the problem of evil. A practical theodicy is a defense of gods righteousness which is faithful to the scripture, simple to understand, acknowledges the progression in the grief process, allows the sufferer to grieve and cry out to god.
Likewise, the book of sirach or ecclesiasticus, also written in the 2nd century bc, mentions the twelve prophets. This is the first in a series on the book of habakkuk. A study of the book of habakkuk cornerstone church. Pouring his heart out, and our merciful lord listening intently to the complaints and answering, is what is most striking in this small book of the bible. The chaldeans babylonians remain a threat, even in the final, edited form of the book. Habakkuks final plea by giving him a vision which he is to write on tablets, so he may. In the bible as a whole, only job delivers a more pointed challenge to divine rule. The vision which habakkuk saw will certainly come to pass at the appointed time 2.
I am reading it in english, georgian and azerbaijani. Habakkuk watches and quickly realizes this in a vision 2. This book is the oracle which habakkuk the prophet received 1. These questions led me to the book of habakkuk, which tells a story that is. In the book of habakkuk, god provided a paradigm for a practical theodicy. The book of habakkuk represents the visionary output of habakkuk, one of. That is, when yahweh commands the prophet to write the vision hab. The majority of the book consists of a dialogue between habakkuk and yahweh. This dialogue and its subsequent psalm of praise also provide perhaps the clearest attempt of providing a theodicy4 in all the prophet writings. He sought to understand the existence and continuation of evil in light of gods righteousness. Ko, theodicy in habakkuk journal of hebrew scriptures. The prophetic book of habakkuk in the hebrew bible is extremely brief when. Habakkuk, theology of bakers evangelical dictionary of. Book of habakkuk overview insight for living ministries.
It is attributed to the prophet habakkuk, and was probably composed in the late 7th century bc. Its good to see you here this morning, and its good to be in the house of the lord amen. The name habakkuk means wrestle, wrestlinghence the mental and moral struggle presented in habakkuks prophecy. Habakkuks question how long, o lord, am i to cry for help, but you will not listen. The book of habakkuk is the eighth book of the 12 minor prophets of the bible. Palmer robertson the books of nahum, habakkuk, and zephaniah new international commentary on the old testament, 1990.
1626 198 857 348 998 1401 170 1057 929 800 630 1103 1460 1525 348 177 607 223 1000 621 1159 676 1242 378 1521 1473 1407 1297 1242 475 365 1381 156 703 1236 698 1191 1282 873 179 375