Nahum 2
Habakkuk chapter 2 begins with the prophet Habakkuk standing at a watchtower, having asked God a question and waiting for God’s answer. This chapter can be divided into two parts. From verses 1 to 3, it contains Habakkuk’s attitude of waiting for the response and the scene where God commands him to write down the vision. From verse 4 to the end of verse 20, God’s declarations about the destruction of the wicked, the life of the righteous, and the pronouncement of five woes follow.
1verseHe who dashes in pieces has come up against you. Keep the fortress! Watch the way! Strengthen your waist! Fortify your power mightily!
2verseFor the LORD restores the excellency of Jacob as the excellency of Israel, for the destroyers have destroyed them and ruined their vine branches.
3verseThe shield of his mighty men is made red. The valiant men are in scarlet. The chariots flash with steel in the day of his preparation, and the pine spears are brandished.
4verseThe chariots rage in the streets. They rush back and forth in the wide ways. Their appearance is like torches. They run like the lightnings.
5verseHe summons his picked troops. They stumble on their way. They dash to its wall, and the protective shield is put in place.
6verseThe gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace is dissolved.
7verseIt is decreed: she is uncovered, she is carried away; and her servants moan as with the voice of doves, beating on their breasts.
8verseBut Nineveh has been from of old like a pool of water, yet they flee away. “Stop! Stop!” they cry, but no one looks back.
9verseTake the plunder of silver. Take the plunder of gold, for there is no end of treasure, an abundance of every precious thing.
10verseShe is empty, void, and waste. The heart melts, the knees knock together, their bodies and faces have grown pale.
11verseWhere is the den of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion and the lioness walked with the lion’s cubs, and no one made them afraid?
12verseThe lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs, and strangled prey for his lionesses, and filled his caves with the kill and his dens with prey.
13verse“Behold, I am against you,” says the LORD of Armies, “and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions; and I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers will no longer be heard.”
The Righteous Live by Faith (2:4)
Habakkuk 2:4 is an important verse that influences the whole Old and New Testaments; it says, “The righteous will live by his faith.” This shows the life posture of those who trust God, even when God’s justice and judgment seem to be delayed. At that time, Babylon oppressed the world through pride and violence, but God’s purpose ultimately emphasizes that He gives life to those who live by faith.
The Pronouncement of the Five Woes
- First woe: a warning to those who take what belongs to others unjustly (2:6-8)
- Second woe: those who harm others for unlawful gain (2:9-11)
- Third woe: those who build a city with violence and wickedness (2:12-14)
- Fourth woe: those who lure their neighbor with alcohol to expose their shame (2:15-17)
- Fifth woe: those who make idols and put their trust in them (2:18-20)
These five woes are meant to make us look back not only at Babylon of that time, but also at all the world’s unjust powers, human pride, and lives obsessed with material things and idols.
God’s Sovereignty and Glory in Silence
Verses 14 and 20 of chapter 2 declare that God will ultimately reveal His glory to the entire world, and in the final verse He proclaims, “The LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.” This message reminds people of human limitations and the absolute nature of God’s sovereignty. It carries the meaning of waiting quietly under God’s eternal rule, even if forces of evil are present.
Meditation Points
- How is the statement that the righteous live only by faith also a challenge to me today?
- In what concrete ways does my belief that God will surely accomplish justice show itself in my daily life and faith?
- What attitude do I have toward God’s judgment on the world’s injustice and wickedness, and toward waiting in silence?
Try Applying It to Yourself
- When difficulties or injustice appear in life, make an effort to strengthen your trust in God’s timing and ways.
- May it be a time of decision to sincerely examine my heart about misguided values, idols, and pride, and return to God.
- Let us pray that my faith may mature further as I wait quietly before God who seems to be present in silence.
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