Habakkuk
maleDivided MonarchyMeaning: “Embrace”
A prophet who wrestled honestly with God over injustice and the rise of Babylon, and learned to live by faith — "the just shall live by his faith."
Biography
Habakkuk is unique among the prophets: rather than delivering oracles to the people, his book is a candid dialogue between the prophet and God about the problem of evil and injustice.
The questions
Habakkuk first cried out, "O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear?" — troubled that violence and injustice went unpunished in Judah (Habakkuk 1:2–4). When God answered that He would raise up the Babylonians to judge Judah, the prophet was even more perplexed: how could a holy God use a nation more wicked than His own people?
The just shall live by faith
God's answer became one of the most important verses in Scripture: "the just shall live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4) — quoted three times in the New Testament as a cornerstone of the gospel (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38). The book ends in a magnificent psalm of trust: "Although the fig tree shall not blossom... yet I will rejoice in the LORD" (Habakkuk 3:17–18).
Life Timeline
Questions God about injustice and the rise of Babylon
Receives the answer: "the just shall live by his faith"
On the Bible timeline
Habakkuk belongs to the The Divided Monarchy era (c. 930 – 586 BC).
- c. 930 BCThe Kingdom Divides
- 722 BCThe Fall of Samaria
- 586 BCThe Fall of Jerusalem
Themes & lessons from Habakkuk
Biblical themes that run through the passages where Habakkuk appears.
Scripture Appearances
2 verses in 1 bookHabakkuk2 verses
Habakkuk 1:1
The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.
Habakkuk 3:1
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth. upon: or, according to variable songs, or, tunes, called in Hebrew, Shigionoth
Frequently asked about Habakkuk
Who was Habakkuk in the Bible?
A prophet who wrestled honestly with God over injustice and the rise of Babylon, and learned to live by faith — "the just shall live by his faith."
What does the name Habakkuk mean?
The name Habakkuk means “Embrace”.
What did Habakkuk do in the Bible?
Habakkuk served as prophet.
Where does Habakkuk appear in the Bible?
Habakkuk is mentioned 2 times across 1 book: Habakkuk.
What can we learn from Habakkuk?
The story of Habakkuk touches on themes of prophets — explore each to study the lessons drawn from Habakkuk's life.
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