Unlike other prophetic books which address the people of the land, the book of Habakkuk stands out as it flips the script as it takes on the structure of a conversation between Habakkuk and God. 

The book is estimated to be set after the passing of King Josiah. By then, the threat of the Babylonians had materialised and was eminent. These events leave Habakkuk with two complaints to God. 

Habakkuk’s two complaints are not so far from our reality as we watch the world grow increasingly evil and perverted. We too may have asked God similar questions. 

Where is God’s Justice?

Habakkuk’s first complaint is found in Hab 1:2-4.

It seems as though there was no more justice in the land. The righteous suffer at the hands of the wicked and the laws have lost their authority to govern the people and maintain order. Even God seems to no longer care about the injustice, keeping His silence despite Habakkuk’s cries.

This complaint is not too far from our reality as we watch the world grow increasingly evil and justice is perverted. 

The poor are exploited with harsh working conditions. The vulnerable are despised and looked down upon. The righteous are deemed fools and mocked by the wicked.

At times we too may have questioned: Where is God? Does He not see the injustice in the world?

And when we try to comprehend all the evil in the world, it is too painful for us (Psalms 73:16). It is only when we enter into the sanctuary of God, just as Habakkuk did, that we can better come to terms with the wickedness of the world.

God’s response to Habakkuk in Hab 1:5-11 reveals that the Babylonian threat was part of God’s plan. In fact, it was God who was “raising up the Chaldeans” (Habakkuk 1:5) and He knew exactly how “terrible and dreadful” the Babylonians were (Habakkuk 1:7). 

God was still in control. He knew what He was doing even when He worked through the wicked.

This is the comfort we can receive as Christians today. 

That God is still in control of the world. Even politicians and world leaders are instituted by God and though they may be unrighteous by God’s standard, we must trust that God knows what He is doing.

Does this mean wickedness will go unpunished? 

No, as this is against the nature of God. 

The punishment of the wicked will surely come in the future (Psalms 37:38). It may not be today, nor tomorrow, nor in their lifetime. But when the world ends, all the peoples both dead and alive will stand before God and be “judged according to their works” (Revelations 20:12). Anything that “defiles, or causes an abomination, or a lie” will not be found in the Book of Life (Revelations 21:27) and they will be “cast into the lake of fire” (Revelations 20:15).

Why Use the Wicked?

Habakkuk responds to God’s answer with a follow-up question in Habakkuk 1:13. 

Why use the wicked?

Again, we may likewise ask a similar question today. If we were in Habakkuk’s shoes, we may also assume that God will only punish the wicked. Why should the righteous suffer as well? 

But in this instance, how would we respond if God gives us an answer that we do not like? What if God says that it is because we ourselves have sinned and become abominable in His sight? Or that we are lacking in faith and need to undergo fiery trials to be refined?

However, despite the difficulty Habakkuk faces, he does not lose faith nor resent God. In fact, he remains steadfast and humble as seen in Habakkuk 2:1. He does not assume that his own perspectives are right and that God is the one who has erred. Instead, Habakkuk acknowledges that his inability to understand stems from a wrong concept he likely holds. And thus he chooses to wait vigilantly, for God to correct his misunderstandings.

For us today, let us learn from Habakkuk’s humility and faith in God. Though we may not understand God’s will for us, we must believe that God’s way is higher than our way (Isaiah 55:8-9) and that He is still in control of all things.