Of the personal history, or even parentage, of this prophet Scripture is silent. He must have lived and prophesied some time before the ruin of Judah, or even its first invasion by the Babylonians, as he foretells the triumph of the Chaldeans -"that hasty and bitter nation"-over Immanuel's land and people. Nahum announced the destruction of the Assyrians who destroyed the Kingdom of Israel, so our prophet proclaims the utter ruin of the Chaldeans, who in turn destroyed the Kingdom of Judah. We have not so much the historical treated of in this book; the moral element prevails.
As to the subject matter of the prophecy, it is easily apprehended. The complete overthrow of the Kingdom of Judah and captivity of her princes, rulers, and people by the Chaldeans—whose warlike prowess and justly celebrated cavalry are described in language terse and beautiful—with the utter destruction of Judah's conquerors and glorious intimations of latter-day blessing for Israel, are the themes of which Habakkuk treats. The character of the Chaldean monarchy as hasty, bitter, avaricious, violent, terrible, dreadful, proud, swift in conquest, fierce as the evening wolves, imperious, idolatrous, treacherous, the instrument of Jehovah's vengeance upon Judah and the nations, is described in poetic and powerful terms in Hab. 1:6-17. The spiritual exercises of the prophet and his identification with the people in their sin and with the future remnant of Israel (in this like Christ) turning to Jehovah and hoping in His mercy are weighty and precious instruction. O for more heart to thoroughly identify oneself with the afflictions and trials of God's people—to watch and wait for the coming in of God in power and grace into the circumstances!
Luke (Acts 13:41) quotes Hab. 1:5, and Paul applies Hab. 2:4 three times: (1) Rom. 1:17; (2) Gal. 3:11; (3) Heb. 10:38. These quotations in their connections are exceedingly interesting. The word "selah" meaning to "pause" occurs three times in the third chapter, occurring also about seventy times in the book of Psalms; that chapter also supplies other points of resemblance to the book of Psalms.
"In the small compass of this book may be found, as in a compendium, all the glories and excellencies of prophetic poetry. Nothing can be more magnificent and sublime than the Divine hymn which terminates his prophecy—nothing more terrible than his threats—nothing more biting than his scorn—nothing more sweet and safe than his consolations." Again, "it were difficult to find words to set forth adequately the exalted claims and peculiar merits of this high minstrel of grief and joy, of desolateness and hope, of scorn and tenderness."
It will be observed that in Hab. 2 there are five woes with which the Chaldeans are taunted by the various nations and peoples so cruelly oppressed by the great Babylonian power; and further, this chapter supplies the answer to the perplexed spirit of the prophet, as shown in the previous one, especially from Hab. 2:12-17. The Chaldeans, instead of accomplishing the judgment of God—as a mission to which she was Divinely designated—maintained a haughty independence of God, and mocked its vengeance upon Judah in proud self-will Jehovah is righteous in taking vengeance upon the destroyers of His people as these woe-stanzas indicate, which are as follows:-
The first woe (Hab. 2:6-8), greed and cruelty of the Chaldeans.
The second woe (Hab. 2:9-11), covetousness and self-exaltation of the Chaldeans.
The third woe (Hab. 2:12-14), blood the foundation of the civil power of the Chaldeans.
The fourth woe (Hab. 2:15-17), corruption and violence of the Chaldeans.
The fifth woe (Hab. 2:19, 20), idolatry of the Chaldeans.
GENERAL DIVISIONS.
1.-The prophet troubled in contemplating the judgment of Judah by the Chaldeans who in turn are judged. Hab. 1
2.-The prophet in faith waits upon God for a solution of that which troubles his heart, and is informed that the Chaldeans will be judged because of their sins. Hab. 2
3.-The prophet turns to Jehovah for the revival of His work; for joy and salvation too. Hab. 3