Why do you make me see iniquity,and why do you idly look at wrong?Destruction and violence are before me;strife and contention arise. Habakkuk 1:3 Vivid language oozes out of this verse. Last week we looked at the first half. We’re examining the second half this time. As I wrote last time, Hebrew poetry often makes couplets that parallel one another. The second couplet of this verse pairs “destruction and violence” with “strife and contention”. Destruction and Violence The word “destruction” (שֹׁד, shod) comes from a verb (shadad) meaning to “devastate, lay waste, overpower”. The prophet Joel uses this word to […]
Author Archive: Brian Johnson
Habakkuk: Toiling for Troubles
Why do you make me see iniquity,and why do you idly look at wrong?Destruction and violence are before me;strife and contention arise. Habakkuk 1:3 Habakkuk remarks about the terrible things he sees all around him. One common poetic device in Hebrew is to have lines repeat or parallel one another for emphasis. In this verse, we see two pairs of similar ideas. This week we will look at the first couplet, followed by the second next week. Iniquity The word “iniquity” (אָוֶן, aven) describes a wide range of evils. “Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity (aven)” (Proverbs 22:8). “Woe to […]
Video Series: Introduction to History
One of the core classes we take in school is history. Was this a subject you enjoyed or not? How much of it do you remember? Why is it so important that it is a required subject? What actually is history and how does it help us better understand the Bible?
Habakkuk: What is Salvation?
O LORD, how long shall I cry for help,and you will not hear?Or cry to you “Violence!”and you will not save? Habakkuk 1:2 Habakkuk complains that amidst the violence around him, God will not save. What is salvation? What does it mean to be “saved”? This is a common theological word within Christianity, but what do we mean by that? What does the Bible mean by that? Outside the Bible, how do you use the word “save”? I think of saving files on my computer. I save money. A Doctor performs a life-saving surgery. A fireman saves someone from a […]
Habakkuk: Singing a Staggering Prayer of Praise
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth. Habakkuk 3:1 We have finally arrived at the third chapter of Habakkuk’s short book! A quick bit of review is in order to set the context for what’s ahead. Habakkuk begins by complaining about the injustice and violence around him. How can the world be so messed up and God does nothing about it? God answers him saying he was going to act by sending the Chaldeans (Babylonians) to punish Israel and the nations. Habakkuk then responds with another question: how could God use a nation even more wicked than Israel […]
Habakkuk: A Cry for Help
O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? Habakkuk 1:2 Habakkuk begins his first complaint to the Lord, distressed by what he sees and hears. He asks why God has not acted when there is so much injustice. Crying Out There are two words the prophet is using for crying out. The first (translated as “cry for help”) is שׁוע (shiva). It is a desperate request for aid or relief from a bad situation. It only shows up in poetry, predominantly in Job and […]
Habakkuk: A Prophet with a Vision
The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. Habakkuk 1:1 The small scroll of Habakkuk begins with a simple introduction. We learn Habakkuk is a prophet, and he saw an oracle. Let’s unpack that. What is a Prophet? What is a prophet? There are a number of men and women throughout the Bible who are called prophets. We often first think of prophets like fortune-tellers, telling what is to come. While that is part of it, it is more common for them to tell what is currently happening (forthtelling rather than foretelling). Their role is to pass along a message from […]
Introducing Habakkuk: The Prophet Who Questioned God
The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. Habakkuk 1:1 Have you ever felt like the world doesn’t make sense? Have you ever wondered where God is in the midst of the chaos? What would it look like if you asked God some hard questions and he answered you? This year we are going to explore a short book that does just that. After a year traversing the lengthy book of Jeremiah, this year we will be going through the short book of Habakkuk verse by verse. We will largely focus on crossing the linguistic bridge, including looking at Hebrew words/definitions, […]
The Final Word on Jeremiah
It’s hard to believe that I began a year ago to walk through the book of Jeremiah! Jeremiah lived through interesting times as his nation fell apart. He tried to warn people, but few paid attention. Most scoffed at him instead. The pivotal moment in Jeremiah’s life was the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem. He’d been predicting it for decades, lived to see it, and then saw the aftermath. 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles also document Jerusalem’s destruction. When 2 Chronicles recounts the end of the kingdom of Judah, it mentions Jeremiah’s involvement, which is not mirrored in 2 […]
Jeremiah 52
Lifted Heads It’s hard to believe, but we’ve reached the last chapter of Jeremiah! This chapter is an appendix to the book, recounting the capture and destruction of Jerusalem. It closely mirrors the account in 2 Kings 25. We’ve already seen Jeremiah’s account in chapter 39. Each of these accounts has its similarities and differences. Following Jerusalem’s demise, the book ends with an uplifting tale of Jehoiachin’s release from prison. Jehoiachin had surrendered to Babylon and was carried into exile. His uncle Zedekiah was made king in his place (who would reign until Jerusalem’s destruction). Jehoiachin wallowed in prison for […]