FAITH AMID THE RUINS

THE BOOK OF HABAKKUK

TRANSFORMATIVE WORD

HEATH A. THOMAS

Edited by Craig G. Bartholomew

Faith Amid the Ruins: The Book of Habakkuk

Transformative Word

Copyright 2016 Heath A. Thomas

Lexham Press, 1313 Commercial St., Bellingham, WA 98225

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You may use brief quotations from this resource in presentations, articles, and books. For all other uses, please write Lexham Press for permission. Email us at permissions@lexhampress.com.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the Lexham English Bible (leb), copyright 2013 by Lexham Press. Lexham is a registered trademark of Faithlife Corporation.

Scripture quotations marked (esv) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Print ISBN 9781577997177

Digital ISBN 9781577997184

Series Editor: Craig G. Bartholomew

Lexham Editorial Team: Rebecca Brant, Lynnea Fraser,

Donna Huisjen, Abby Salinger

Cover Design: Christine Gerhart

Back Cover Design: Brittany Schrock

I would like to dedicate this book to Amanda Jill Thomas, my partner and best friend. We have known the pain and prayers of Habakkuk over these years. But we have known the faithfulness of God as well. I am grateful for you and love you dearly.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction

2. Prophecy in the Bible

3. A Portrait of Habakkuk

4. Habakkuk’s View of God

5. Prophecy and Poetry

6. Waiting on God

7. Faith in the Faithful God

8. Habakkuk and Jesus

9. Conclusion

Recommended Reading for Habakkuk

1

INTRODUCTION

French philosopher Voltaire held a grudge against the prophet Habakkuk. When questioned by a German scholar about Habakkuk’s life, Voltaire quipped, “Sir, you hardly know this Habakkuk; this rogue is capable of anything!”1

Whatever the reason for his negativity toward the prophet, Voltaire was wrong. Habakkuk was no rogue. In the prophet’s day, destruction and turmoil lay firmly on the horizon. His own people had turned away from God, and the Neo-Babylonian Empire came crushing down on his nation and people. Habakkuk wondered where God was in all of this. He struggled, prayed, and pressed toward God in the midst of catastrophe. Far from being a scoundrel, the prophet is a healthy model of faithfulness to God in the midst of suffering. Habakkuk and his book call us forth to a life of faithfulness to God, even in trying times.

Overview

Habakkuk is a short but powerful prophetic book that uniquely presents an intimate call-and-response format between the prophet and God. No other prophetic book does this in quite the same way, leading Gary Smith to argue that the book of Habakkuk is akin to a “rare look at the private diary of a confused preacher.”2

OUTLINE OF HABAKKUK

Oracle (Hab 1:1)

First complaint (Hab 1:2–4)

First divine response (Hab 1:5–11)

Second complaint (Hab 1:12–17; 2:1)

Second divine response (Hab 2:2–20)

Prayer (Hab 3:1)

Programmatic introduction (Hab 3:2)

The divine ...