According to the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, Habakkuk means (embrace). This book would be the eighth, in order, of the Minor Prophets. Of the facts of the prophet's life, we have no certain information.

One important aspect of the ancient Old Testament order of the Hebrew Bible is that the 12 prophetic works of Hosea through Malachi, sometimes referred to as the Minor Prophets, were designed as a single book called The Twelve. Habakkuk is the eighth book of The Twelve.

Habakkuk lived in the final decades of Judah, Israel’s southern kingdom. It was a time of injustice and idolatry, and he saw the rising threat of the Babylonian empire on the horizon. Unlike the other Hebrew prophets, Habakkuk doesn’t accuse Israel or even speak to the people on Yahweh’s behalf. Instead, all of his words are addressed to Yahweh. The book of Habakkuk tells us about Habakkuk’s personal struggle to believe that Yahweh is good when there is so much tragedy and evil in the world.

Habakkuk sees the darkness of the world as an invitation to have faith in Yahweh’s promise to one day set things right. Living with such faith means trusting that Yahweh loves this world and works to one day eliminate all evil forever.

In this chapter 2 we have an answer expected by the prophet (verse 1), and returned by the Spirit of Yahweh, to the complaints which the prophet made of the violence’s and victories of the Chaldeans in the close of the prior chapter. The answer is,  

I. That after Yahweh has served his own purposes by the prevailing power of the Chaldeans, has tried the faith and patience of his people, and distinguished between the hypocrites and the sincere among them, he will consider with the Chaldeans, will humble and bring down, not only that proud monarch Nebuchadnezzar, but that proud monarchy, for their boundless and greedy thirst after dominion and wealth, for which they themselves should at length be made a prey (verses 2-8).

 II. That not they only, but all other sinners like them, should perish under a divine woe.  

1. Those that are jealous are greedy of wealth and honors (verses 9, 11).  

2. Those that are harmful and oppressive and raise estates by wrongful acts and the violent seizure of someone’s property (verses 12-14).  

3. Those that promote drunkenness that they may expose their neighbors to shame (verses 15-17).  

4. Those that worship idols (verses 18-20).

As we read in that verse 15, we seen a severe woe is pronounced against drunkenness; keep in mind that it is very fearful against all who are guilty of drunkenness at any time, and in any place, from those in high place even do to the beer joints. To give one a drink who is in need, other words, one who is thirsty and poor, or a weary traveler, or ready to perish, is charity; BUT to give a neighbor a hard drink, that he may expose himself, may disclose secret concerns, or be drawn into a bad bargain, or for any such purpose, this is wickedness! To be guilty of this sin, to take pleasure in it, is to do what we can towards the murder both of soul and body. There is woe to him, and punishment answering to the sin. The folly of worshipping idols is exposed. The Lord is in his holy temple in heaven, where we have access to him in the way he has appointed. May we welcome his salvation, and worship him in his earthly temples, through Yahshua Messiah, and by the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Woe = Note the five woes in verses: 6, 9, 12, 15, and 19.

Never forget that every crime there is linked a curse, to every sin a suffering, to every wrong a woe. You can be sure that "your sins will find you out!”

Join me as we go Chapter by Chapter, Verse by Verse, Unraveling the Words of Yahweh!

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