"The Flight of Moloch", 1809 watercolor, by William Blake.
Although I am greatly enjoying my year-long journey through my ESV Study Bible, I also find myself frustrated that we are moving so quickly through the text.
We just blasted through Lamentations in three days! It seems almost criminal. I must constantly remind myself that this particular journey is to read through the whole of the Scriptures in a year.
Come January, we can decide where to tread from there.
The Book of Habakkuk is a short book as well, and will be past us in three days. Therefore, I chose to park myself for a few hours this morning, in the book of Habakkuk, to better understand.
As I was reading the study notes, in my ESV Study Bible, I further noticed that Dr. Paul Wegner, from Phoenix Seminary, and Scottsdale Bible Church, provided the study notes for Habakkuk.
Once again I proclaim, how fortunate to have seminary professors as Sunday School Teachers!
The prophet Habakkuk lived during very evil times, in the history of the Hebrew nation. In this particular time, the temple was ignored as the people involved themselves in the worship of false gods. In particular, this was the era of the demon Moloch, who required the live sacrifice of children by fire.
Habakkuk is mortified at the sin of Judah, and complains to God. God responds with "For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told", as God reveals that Babylon will come and destroy all Israel.
Secondly, Habakkuk complains, inquiring why God would use a wicked nation (Babylon) to punish a less wicked one (Judah). God then assures Habakkuk that he will punish all the wicked at the right time.
Thirdly, to help Habakkuk in his understanding, God provided a visionary theophany (a visible manifestation of God). That must have been mind blowing!
And finally, we find Habakkuk, relenting, and rejoicing to the mystery of God with:
Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
19 God, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer's;
he makes me tread on my high places.
The other remarkable thing for us to keep in mind, is that history has left us a remarkable trail, with empirical evidence, to the civilizations, and occurrences testified of in the Scriptures. Although perhaps not enough to silence the world, but certainly, as Josh McDowell says, enough evidence to demand a verdict.
How about you? Do you see Habakkuk as divinely inspired prophet, or simply nice folklore?
