New International Version (NIV)
1 The prophecy that Habakkuk received
2 How long, LORD, must I call for help, but You do not listen?
Or call out to You, “Violence!” But You do not save?
3 Why do You make me look at injustice?
Why do You tolerate wrong doing
Destruction and violence are before me;
There is strife and conflict abounds
4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.
New King James Version (NKJV)
1 The burden which the prophet Habakkuk saw
2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and You not hear?
Even cry out to You, “Violence!” and You will not save.
3 Why do You show me iniquity, and cause me to see trouble?
For plundering and violence are before me; there is strife and contention arises.
4 Therefore the law is powerless, and justice never goes forth, for
The wicked surround the righteous; therefore, perverse judgment
proceeds.
Dr. J. Vernon McGee is well-known for his “Bible bus” – well, I think we need a time machine for this study!
That’s how I feel when I look at this enduring little book with its timeless message. A time machine taking us from right here right now back to long, long ago and far, far away – in an instant! And it still feels like it is all happening today!
I hope you’ll join us on this incredible journey. Come on board!
How About HabakkuK
AUTHOR: Habakkuk is only mentioned two times in the Bible:
Once here in Chapter 1 verse 1 and then again in verse 1 of Chapter 3.
There is no other mention of him in the Bible to give us some clues as to who he was.
So we have to look at the text to glean any information we can
In chapter 1, verse 1, he calls himself a prophet.
His message, or oracle, is translated “burden” in our older versions. (Actually I think “burden” is a better word for most of the prophetic messages recorded in the Old Testament!)
There is another hint in chapter 3, verse 1. Here is recorded a special prayer/hymn/poem by Habakkuk, similar in form to many of the psalms.
We don’t know what shigionoth means. It is probably a musical term of some sort, maybe relating to tempo or mood.
The prayer/hymn here in Chapter 3 does appear to be designed especially for temple use.
Jesus was familiar with all the psalms and often sang them at worship. Maybe He sang this one, too!
Look at Habakkuk’s final note (end of chapter 3) For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.
This is a clue that perhaps Habakkuk was a Levite and member of the choir or band.
The temple choir was a big deal. We read about it in 1Chronicles 23:1-5. “When David was old and full of years…” it begins.
Here is recorded a lot interesting information about the Levites and their temple duties.
Ezekiel and Jeremiah were also Levites and so it would not be unusual for a prophet to come from the tribe of Levi.
Bel and the Dragon
There is an old apocryphal (mythical) writing called Bel and the Dragon.
(Bel was one of the chief gods worshipped by the Babylonians.)
Habakkuk is mentioned in that story and it goes like this:
Habakkuk prepared a bowl of stew (they called it pottage) to take to the reapers in his field. On his way to the field, an angel stopped him and told him to take the stew to Daniel, who was in Babylon Judah
A true story about Habakkuk, though, at least about his “burden,” was that 200 years before the birth of Christ, a group of pious Jews settled at Qumran on the northwestern shores of the Dead Sea . (200 BC)
They were an oppressed group of faithful Jews who were seeking refuge and relief from the religious leaders in Jerusalem
their time was spent in copying the Old Testament texts.Apparently they had a particular love for Habakkuk.
These refugees prepared an unusual verse-by-verse commentary on the first two chapters of Habakkuk. They (who lived about 200 BC) even compared their problems (400 years after Habakkuk, who lived about 600 BC) to those Habakkuk had faced. (And so do we – isn’t that interesting?
Another indication that God’s Word is timeless!
Another indication that God’s Word is timeless!
No other prophet had a greater influence on their writings, life-style and theology than he. Some of those ancient documents are now called The Dead Sea Scrolls.
.
.
You can go to the site Gallery of the Dead Sea Scrolls and see a
photo of one of the Habakkuk fragments. (You don’t have to get on the time machine to do that!)
And Habakkuk’s influence has continued through the Middle Ages, into the Reformation, right up to our time.
It’s a little book with a great big message for all times!
Fun Projects for Lesson 1
1. Read all three chapters once a day (about 5 minutes)
2. Study the first four verses.
3. List 4 things that are happening in our society today that makes you as upset about our world/nation as Habakkuk was about his.
4. Write your own paraphrase of verse 2.
5. In 1 Chronicles 23:1-5 we read about how the Levites were
assigned duties for temple worship.
How many Levites were counted to participate in the worship?
How many were to be supervisors? Gatekeepers?
How many were designated to “praise God with the musical
instruments”?
Where did the musical instruments come from?
Habukkuk Study
Table of Contents
Lesson 1 Introduction and Information
on author
Bel and the Dragon
Bel and the Dragon
Projects for Lesson 1
Table of Contents
Lesson 2A Historical Timeline and Optional
Quiz #1
Lesson 2 The Date
Josiah's Revival
Projects for Lesson 2
Lesson 3A Back to the Dead Sea Scrolls
Lesson 3 Habakkuk's 1st Complaint
Projects for Lesson 3
Optional Quiz for Lessons 1-3
How to figure award points
for Lessons 1-3
Lesson 4 God's response to Habakkuk's
1st complaint
Outline of book
Lesson 5 Powerful Enemies & Siege
Ramps
Lesson 6A The Church in the Roman Empire
Augustine's City of God
Projects for 6A
Lesson 6 Habakkuk's 2nd Complaint
Projects for Lesson 6
Optional Quiz #2 (over lessons
4-6)
How to figure award points
for Lessons 4-6
Lesson 7 God Answers Habakkuk's
2nd Complaint
Notes on papyrus and alphabet
Projects for Lesson 7
Lesson 7A Last Kings of Judah
Lesson 7B John Stott on Daniel
Lesson 8 Messengers
An Important "By the Way"
Faith is a Noun
Lesson 8A Messengers in American History
Lesson 9 The Just Shall Live by Faith
Lesson 9A Martin Luther's Text
Lesson 9B A Word from G. K. Chesterton
John Milton
Pot at the End of the Rainbow
Projects
Optional Quiz #4
How to figure points for 7-9
Lesson 10A Dante Goes to Hell
Lesson 10 God Begins His Answer to
Habakkuk's 2nd Challenge
- the 1st 2 Woes
Projects for Lesson 10
for Lessons 4-6
Lesson 7 God Answers Habakkuk's
2nd Complaint
Notes on papyrus and alphabet
Projects for Lesson 7
Lesson 7A Last Kings of Judah
Lesson 7B John Stott on Daniel
Lesson 8 Messengers
An Important "By the Way"
Faith is a Noun
Lesson 8A Messengers in American History
Lesson 9 The Just Shall Live by Faith
Lesson 9A Martin Luther's Text
Lesson 9B A Word from G. K. Chesterton
John Milton
Pot at the End of the Rainbow
Projects
Optional Quiz #4
How to figure points for 7-9
Lesson 10A Dante Goes to Hell
Lesson 10 God Begins His Answer to
Habakkuk's 2nd Challenge
- the 1st 2 Woes
Projects for Lesson 10
Lesson 11A C. S. Lewis - The Purpose
Lesson 11 God Continues His Answer
The 3rd and 4th Woes
God's Purpose in Creation
Keeping the Main Thing the
Main Thing
Lesson 11B T. S. Eliot's Wasteland becomes
a rose garden
Projects for Lesson 11
Lesson 12 God finishing His answer
The 5th Woe
Projects for Lesson 12
Optional Quiz #5
How to figure points for 10-12
Lesson 13 The Folly of Arrogance
Whatever Happened to...?
Lesson 14A Thoughts on Jehoiachin -
Charles Spurgeon.
Part V. of outline: Habakkuk's
Lesson 12 God finishing His answer
The 5th Woe
Projects for Lesson 12
Optional Quiz #5
How to figure points for 10-12
Lesson 13 The Folly of Arrogance
Whatever Happened to...?
Lesson 14A Thoughts on Jehoiachin -
Charles Spurgeon.
Part V. of outline: Habakkuk's
Prayer/Psalm of praise,
(Verses 1-2)
Projects
Note: This is a really long
lesson. But it is wonderful --
perhaps you should break it up
into several -- and I promise
you will savor every bit of it!
Lesson 15 Song of Habakkuk - Chapter 3
Lesson 16 Act V - Final Scene
Projects
Lesson 17 Act V - Final Scene (con't)
Projects
Lesson 17A Benjamin Franklin's Review
Lesson 18 Curtain Call - Final Exam
(Verses 1-2)
Projects
Note: This is a really long
lesson. But it is wonderful --
perhaps you should break it up
into several -- and I promise
you will savor every bit of it!
Lesson 15 Song of Habakkuk - Chapter 3
Lesson 16 Act V - Final Scene
Projects
Lesson 17 Act V - Final Scene (con't)
Projects
Lesson 17A Benjamin Franklin's Review
Lesson 18 Curtain Call - Final Exam
