Habakkuk

“Ha’ ba kook,” as it is pronounced in Hebrew means “wrestler,” which defines the form of his book. Somewhat like Jacob, he wrestles with YHVH presented as a dialogue between himself and YHVH Elohim. Ha ba kook wrestled with what had befallen Judah as the cream of the nation had been taken into Babylon captivity. He could not understand why YHVH Elohim had allowed such a wicked nation to destroy Jerusalem, and carry his people into captivity. In the first four verses if his book we see the prophet’s complaint and immediately YHVH’s answer. Let me read from verse 2.

Hab 1:2 How long, O YHVH, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save?

Hab 1:3 Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.

Hab 1:4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted. (NIV)

Have you ever felt like that? Crying out to the L-rd about some complaint or injustice, you have endured. Then you know something of the depths of despair that Habakkuk felt as he cried out for the whole nation.

We cannot know the mind of G-d, but like Habakkuk all too often feel that we have a legitimate complaint that demands an answer from G-d. We abandon trust in these disheartened hours and irrationally demand an answer from our Creator. If we get a way with it, G-d may or may not give us respond. In Habakkuk’s case, we know he walked with G-d, and what resulted in the form of this book is for the edification of us all. It may not be the case with us individually.

Hab 1:5 "Look at the nations and watch-- and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. (NIV)

YHVH warns that the Jewish people would not believe the work that He was executing, and Habakkuk did not understand nor did G-d explain.

From hindsight, we can understand what was incomprehensible to Habakkuk. In a two felt stroke YHVH Elohim had punished a wayward Judah and completed the dispersal of His people, Israel and now Judah, thereby setting the stage for G-d’s plan that would conclude in Yahshua’s time. That plan laid from eternity pass was the inclusion of Gentile peoples into Israel’s covenant. You and I, Jew, lost Israel, and Gentile, as a result of G-d’s plan have experienced the work of our Creator, and as a result have trusted in the faithfulness of Yahshua, which saves us from past sins, restores us to Him, and brings us back into a covental relationship with our Creator. As YHVH warned we see in this age the majority of Jews still do not believe that Yahshua is their Messiah. In verses 12 and 13 Habakkuk dissatisfied with G-d’s answer shows his frustration and misunderstanding of G-d’s true purpose as he replies

Hab 1:13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?

Hab 1:14 You have made men like fish in the sea, like sea creatures that have no ruler. (NIV)

Audaciously, Habakkuk in these verses accuses YHVH Elohim of not doing that, which is righteous and just. Think on your own lives, and I am sure you will recall when you yourselves have accused G-d of not being just. Neither was Habakkuk alone in this assessment for throughout biblical history, there have been others: Jonah, Job, and John the Immerser, to name but a few. Most likely, you too belong in this list for like these great men of G-d we more often than not fail to recognize that YHVH Elohim has promised us, as believers, that “… in all things G-d works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Rom 8:28). As believers, no matter the circumstances, this is the kind of trust we need to develop. The same trust we find in Yahshua.

Habakkuk in his disappointment, and not understanding nor liking YHVH’s answer takes his frustration one step further. In chapter 2:1 it reads:

Hab 2:1 I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what He will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.

Do you see yourself in this example? You do not like YHVH’s answer so you search about for another one. Perhaps, you take the Bible and let it fall letting chance open it to a section expecting to find your answer there, and after you read everything contained therein, you do not like what you read. So, you do it again, and perhaps again, until you find something more appropriate to your expectations. We all know this is not the way G-d reveals His will to us, but we persist, and seek an answer appropriate to our desires. What we may get is false information or even that which the adversary provides, for we have left our trust and given in to occult influences.

Fortunately, YHVH answered Habakkuk as it stands as a message for us today as well as for his time. In verses 2-4 it says:

Hab 2:2 Then YHVH replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.

Hab 2:3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.

Hab 2:4 "See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright-- but the righteous will live by his faith—

Be attentive for this word translated here as faith is the Hebrew word emunah, and it needs a little explaining. Christendom at large gives it another emphasis: an antinomian emphasis. It literally means firmness; figuratively, it means: moral fidelity, and conveys the meaning of stability, steadiness, truly, truth. We all know that the Bible teaches that Torah is truth and lawlessness or anything anti-Torah is untruth and of the spirit of HaSatan. As believers we need to be advised of the correct definition of this word and not be led astray by how it is commonly used by those that teach that the Torah of G-d is dead.

Historically, Christian commentators have used this verse to promote antinomianism, claiming we live by faith alone, ignoring Yahshua’s explicit definition of a true believer found in the Seven-fold witness in the Book of Revelation. We need to realize that there is nothing contained within this word emunah, translated faith in English bibles used in this context to mean G-d’s Torah is abrogated. In fact, this verse proves the opposite.

Yes, G-d is going to do a great work, He is going to bring Israel back to be re-united with Judah, and yes, the Gentiles who have become partakers of the covenants of Israel will be included, and yes, we will reconciled and brought back to the Father by trusting in Yahshua’s faithfulness, but then we are subject to the Covenant of Torah if we are to maintain our status as true believers. All of you here know this and have seen it in the scriptures for yourselves. If any do not, this is not the forum at this moment to disclose to you G-d’s plan of salvation. We do this constantly. You must persevere and you shall know if the Ruach HaKodesh is calling you.

However, I will give you a couple of clues to consider, arming you against antinomian teachings that may lead you to seek the true light.

1. You are told that Yahshua fulfilled all the law; therefore, the law (Torah) is now dead, obsolete or done away with. Do you know that the Law is comprised of 613 commandments? Many of these commandments are for women, and many are for the Temple and the Priesthood. If we apply the general English understanding of the word translated, as “fulfilled” Yahshua could not have fulfilled the whole law. He was not a woman nor was He a Levitical priest. Therefore, we must search for a different understanding of this word fulfilled. It is there, in the Greek, and nothing about this word means abrogation of the Torah.

2. You are told we are under a New Covenant, a covenant of Grace implying that the Torah or Law is abrogated, outdated, and a different dispensation. Jeremiah 31:311 is cited as the proof text for this doctrine. Have you every thoughtfully read Jer 31? It is about the last days. YHVH Elohim says He will unite the House of Judah and the House of Israel in the appointed time. Historically, this has not been accomplished. Israel is still lost to history even though Judah is back in the land; no one can identify biological Israelites or their locations. Again, if we accept the commonly understand English meaning of the term this action of G-d is still in the future. Why? Because the House of Judah and the House of Israel have not been reunited and will not be until the Millennium reign of Yahshua. Therefore, we are not under a new covenant.

These two examples should give you fuel for thought, and excite caution within you that all you have heard all your life from minister and pastors is not based on biblical evidence or good exegesis, but derives from man-made doctrines inconsistent with G-d’s word.

Today before our very eyes YHVH Elohim is preparing His nation Israel for the revelation of Yahshua as their Messiah. YHVH has begun the regathering of His people, Jews, biological Israelites and Gentiles into His chosen remnant as Messianic Jews. We are being prepared and strengthened for the Tribulation that is coming. G-d faithfully tells Habakkuk that the vision is for an appointed time, and we are to wait, for it will surely come (2:3).

For clarity read with me Habakkuk 1:2 and Habakkuk 2:3 for these verses work in concert.

1:2 reads: Hab 1:2 How long, O LORD, will I call for help, And You will not hear? I cry out to You, "Violence!" Yet You do not save.

Hab 2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

In the Book of Hebrews the same prophecy is repeated in chapter 10:37, but employed here instead of the word “it” is the word “HE” prophesizing the second event of Yahshua.

Heb 10:37 For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and not delay. (Remember Hebrews was written after Yahshua’s first event therefore the writer of Hebrews is talking about Yahshua’s second event)

If we allow for this later revelation from the Book of Hebrews we may gain more insight into the verse in Habakkuk 2:3 for in 2:3 in the original manuscript of Hebrew the pronoun “it” does not appear. Therefore, it may read thusly:

“but at the end He shall speak, and not lie: though He tarry, wait for Him; because He will surely come, He will not tarry.”

Sometime, during the Tribulation the Jewish People will realize that Yahshua is the promised Messiah and they need the reconciliation provided by His work and redemption of all Israel will be theirs.

And in Hab 2:20, we read: But YHVH is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

This is the central message of Habakkuk and in chapter 3:17, 18 we get the feeling that Habakkuk finally understands G-d’s plan for he writes:

Hab 3:17 Though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls,

Hab 3:18 Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

Habakkuk finally realizes that Israel may be temporarily destroyed, dispersed and persecuted, but in the end it is all for the redemption of all Israel, yet the result is that all Israel will exult in YHVH the G-d of Salvation.

1 Jer 31:31 "Behold, days are coming," declares YHVH, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,