Habakkuk 1:1-2:20

Memory Verse: Habakkuk 2:4

Commentary

Introduction

Outline

I. Title (1:1)

1. What is an oracle? Who received this one?

II. The First Complaint and Answer (1:2-11)

2. What was Habakkuk's complaint? (2) What was common in Judah? (2) What had he been praying about? (3)

3. Was what the Lord going to do certain? (5) What was the Lord's shocking reply? (6) What kind of people were the Babylonians?

4. When Babylon comes what will they bent on? (8-9) Who was their God? (10-11) Was this the only time the Lord said Babylon would destroy Judah? (2 Chron. 32:31; and 2 Kings 20:16-19; Micah 4:10; Jer. 20:4-6) Why is the Lord's word to us sometimes shocking, even though we have read and studied the Bible?

III. The Second Complaint and Answer (1:12-2:20)

5. From verse 12 what can be learned about the relationship between Habakkuk and the Lord? What did he find hard to believe? What did he know about God and yet was confused about? (13) Is he the only one who has these kind of questions? (Ecc. 3:14-17, 7:15-18; Acts 1:6)

6. What conclusion did Habakkuk have? (14-15) What question did he have? (16-17) What was Habakkuk going to do till he got an answer? (2:1)

7. What did the Lord say about the revelation he was about to give? (2-3) What two type of people was it about? (4-5) What does it mean to live by faith? (Rom. 1:16-17; Gal. 3:10-14; Heb. 11:1-2)

8. The Lord pronounces five woes against those who do not live by faith. What is the first? (6-8) What is the second? (9-11) And the third? (12-14) What will happen when Babylon falls, especially when Jesus comes again? (14)

9. How are things turned around according to the fourth woe? (15-18) What is the definition of an idol in verse 18 and how do people still make idols?

10. How does the Lord compare to an idol? (19-20) How does this revelation shed light on the life of faith?