Though the fig tree should not blossom
And there be no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive should fail
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock should be cut off from the fold
And there be no cattle in the stalls,
Yet I will exult in the LORD,
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

Habbakuk 3:17-18

How is that for a statement of trust in God?!! What would lead the prophet Habbakuk to say such a thing?

Well, it took him a while. It didn’t come automatically. In the short book in the Old Testament that bears his name, Habbakuk is questioning God. God answers…but Habbakuk doesn’t like that answer. So he questions again, and God answers again. Habbakuk thinks it over, and remembers how God has acted faithfully in the past. He decides to trust that God knows what He is doing.

Here is my paraphrase of the conversation.

Habbakuk’s First Complaint

“Why do you let so much evil continue in my country, among your own people?”

How long, O LORD, will I call for help,
And You will not hear?
I cry out to You, “Violence!”
Yet You do not save.
Why do You make me see iniquity,
And cause me to look on wickedness?
Yes, destruction and violence are before me;
Strife exists and contention arises.
Therefore the law is ignored
And justice is never upheld.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
Therefore justice comes out perverted.

Habbakuk 1:1-3

Does this sound familiar? How often do we look around and think “This is awful. Why isn’t God doing something to stop this garbage?”

In Habbakuk’s day, the garbage was headed by evil kings. One after another “…did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.” The evil in question was most prominently idolatry, including child sacrifice to pagan gods. But there was also the natural accompaniment of injustice, corruption, and general lawlessness. The righteous who tried to follow God, and the helpless who had no way to defend themselves, were crushed by whomever felt like stomping on them.

About the time that Habbakuk lived, a good king named Josiah tried to stop the downward spiral. He instituted reforms, banished the idols and their priests, and turned the government back toward its roots in God’s law. Josiah was killed at the battle of Megiddo in 609 B.C., however, and the last of the brakes on Judah’s rush to destruction were released.

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God’s Answer: Babylon

“It won’t continue forever. I will send the Babylonians to punish Judah’s evil.”

Habbakuk lived just before and/or during the downfall of his nation of Judah. Today, the world powers competing for dominance include the United States, China, Russia, and the European Union. In Habbakuk’s day, the powers were Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon. Assyria had already conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, ten of the twelve Hebrew tribes who had been led out of slavery in Egypt over 600 years prior. Now Assyria was threatened by Babylon.

Egypt was going to their aid — by way of marching their army through Judah — but was distracted by Josiah at Megiddo ¹. Then Babylon clobbered both Egypt and Assyria at the battle of Carchemish in 605 B.C. That left Babylon on track to come after the little kingdom of Judah, the two southern tribes and the only remnant of the people of Israel.

For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans [Babylonians],
That fierce and impetuous people
Who march throughout the earth
To seize dwelling places which are not theirs.
…
they will sweep through like the wind and pass on

Habbakuk 1:6-11

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Habbakuk’s Second Complaint

“Babylon? They are horrible! How can you stand them, much less use them?”

…
Your eyes are too pure to approve evil,
And You can not look on wickedness with favor.
Why do You look with favor
On those who deal treacherously?
Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up
Those more righteous than they?
…

Habbakuk 1:12-17

The prophet could not understand why God tolerated the evil of Babylon at all, much less why He would allow them to harm His chosen people. Sure, Judah was doing very wrong and deserved to be punished. But two wrongs don’t make a right, do they? Surely God would not let Babylon run rampant and un-checked!

Habbakuk realized, however, that he had no business challenging God to explain Himself. He expected to be smacked down:

I will stand on my guard post
And station myself on the rampart;
And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me,
And how I may reply when I am reproved.

Habbakuk 2:1

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God’s Answer: They Will Be Punished

“They will be punished in their turn. But they are the tool I choose to punish Judah. Don’t worry: I have it under control; I have a plan; and I will be honored above all.”

God didn’t reprove Habbakuk. Instead, He gave a glimpse of the future. It would not happen right away, but Babylon would fall. God was making note of all their crimes, and would bring about justice for them.

For the vision is yet for the appointed time;
It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
For it will certainly come, it will not delay.
…
The cup in the LORD’s right hand will come around to you [Babylon],
And utter disgrace will come upon your glory.

Habbakuk 2:3, 16

When He did take action, in His own time, the entire world would be able to see it. Babylon’s military might, and their idol gods, would do them no good. In contrast, everyone would stand in awe of God’s sovereign power.

For the earth will be filled
With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD,
As the waters cover the sea.
…
But the LORD is in His holy temple.
Let all the earth be silent before Him.

Habbakuk 2:14, 20

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Habbakuk’s Reminder, and Request

“I remember Your works from the past. When You act, it’s like a great storm rolling through. Nothing can stand against You. Please act again in our behalf. In Your just punishment, have mercy on us.”

LORD, I have heard the report about You and I fear.
O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years,
In the midst of the years make it known;
In wrath remember mercy.

Habbakuk 3:2

Habbakuk did a roll call of the mighty deeds of God from the Exodus. The plagues of Egypt, the Red Sea crossing with its destruction of the Egyptian army, the thunder of Mt. Sinai with the Ten Commandments, the conquest of Canaan…In all of these, God protected His people and destroyed their enemies.

You went forth for the salvation of Your people,
For the salvation of Your anointed.

Habbakuk 3:13

But in the midst of it, He also dealt out punishment to the Israelites when they rebelled against Him. Habbakuk knew that Judah had rebelled again, massively and for decades (or even centuries). He knew that well-deserved punishment was coming.

I tremble.
Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress,
For the people to arise who will invade us.

Habbakuk 3:16

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Habbakuk’s Trust

“No matter what, I will trust You…even when things seem totally bleak, I will rejoice at the thought that You are in control. You will make everything come out right.”

We’re back to where we started. After hearing from God that he would punish the evil of first Judah, and then Babylon, then remembering God’s character from His past interactions, Habbakuk chose to trust…and to rejoice that his God is trustworthy.

Though the fig tree should not blossom…I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

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What About Us?

• When we see evil in our own country, what will we do?
  • Will we think God doesn’t see it, or doesn’t care about it?
  • Or will we know that He is aware of exactly what is happening, and remembers and cares about every detail?
• When God punishes our evil, what will we do?
  • Will we complain and whine that He’s being mean?
  • Or will we accept discipline that is deserved, and is given out of love and with a view toward redemption?
• When God uses even our adversaries as the means of punishment, what will we do?
  • Will we think that godless nations are winning?
  • Or will we know that their turn is coming, when God is finished with them?

…And finally…

• When all human hope is lost, tragedy strikes all around us, and we are starving, what will we do?
  • Will we give up in despair, or get angry and turn our backs on God?
  • Or will we remember all He has done for us already, and all He has promised for the future, and continue to “rejoice in the God of my salvation“?

Note: A couple of similar articles on this site are “Why Bad Things Happen” and “God’s Way“.

1. Egypt wasn’t interested in fighting with Judah at the time. They were just passing through, albeit with an army. But Josiah took the battle to them anyway, a mistake that cost him his life.