John Calvin Commentary Habakkuk 1

Most interpreters attribute this burden to the Chaldeans and the Babylonian monarchy; however, I do not approve of this view, and a good reason compels me to dissent from their opinion: for since the Prophet addresses the Jews and, without further specification, calls his prophecy a burden, there is no doubt that he refers to them. Furthermore, their view seems entirely inconsistent, because the Prophet dreads the future devastation of the land and complains to God for allowing His chosen and elect people to be treated so cruelly. What others think is more correct—that this burden belonged to the Jews.

What the Prophet understood by the word משא, mesha, has been stated elsewhere. Habakkuk, then, reproves his own nation here and shows that they had vainly and disdainfully resisted all God’s prophets, for they would eventually find that the prophets' threats would be carried out. The burden, then, which the Prophet Habakkuk saw, was this: God, after having shown long forbearance towards the Jews, would finally punish their many sins. It now follows—

The Prophet confirms here what I have already said and provides a reason for his zeal; he proves that he was not without reason led to such great passion. For he saw that the law of God was, as it were, trodden underfoot; he saw people so hardened in every kind of sin that all religion and the fear of God had nearly been extinguished.

Therefore, as I have already said, the Prophet was not impelled here by a carnal passion, as often happens with us when we defend ourselves from wrongs done to us. For when any one of us is injured, he immediately becomes incensed, while at the same time we allow God’s law to be mocked, His whole truth to be despised, and everything just to be violated.

We are sensitive only about what concerns us individually, and meanwhile, we easily forgive when God is wronged and His truth is despised. But the Prophet shows here that he was not made indignant by any personal feeling, but because he could not bear the profanation of God’s worship and the violation of His holy law.

He therefore says that the law was dissolved or weakened, as if he were saying that God’s law no longer had any authority or respect. Let us therefore learn to rouse ourselves, for we are very cold when the ungodly openly despise and even mock God. Since, then, we are too unconcerned in this respect, let us learn by the Prophet’s example to stimulate ourselves. For Paul also shows, indirectly, that there is just reason for indignation: Be ye angry, he says, and sin not (Ephesians 4:26). That is, everyone ought to regard his own sins so as to become an enemy to himself, and he ought also to feel indignant whenever he sees God offended.

This rule the Prophet now follows: Weakened, he says, is the law. We know that when a sinful custom prevails, there is little authority in what is taught; nor are human laws only despised when people’s audacity breaks through all restraints, but even the very law of God is esteemed as nothing, for they think that everything erroneously done by the consent of all is lawful. We now see then that the Prophet felt great anguish of mind, like holy Lot (Genesis 19:1–38), when he saw almost every respect for God extinct in the land, and especially among the chosen people, whom God had consecrated to Himself above all others.

He then adds, judgement goes not forth perpetually. Absurdly do many regard this as having been said from the perspective of foolish people, who think that there is no such thing as divine providence when things in the world are in a disordered state; but the Prophet simply says that all justice was suppressed.

We find nearly the same complaint in Isaiah 59:4. He then says that judgement did not go forth perpetually because the ungodly thought that they would not have to give an account. Therefore, when anyone dared to say a word against them, they immediately boiled with rage and, like wild beasts, fiercely attacked him.

All then were silent, and nearly struck dumb, when the ungodly thus prevailed and gathered boldness from the daily practice of licentiousness. Hence, Go forth perpetually does not judgement; that is, “O Lord, things are now past hope, and there appears to be no end to our evils, except You come soon and apply a remedy beyond what our flesh can conceive.”

For the wicked, he says, surround the righteous; that is, when there was anyone who continued to retain some regard for religion and justice, immediately the wicked rose up against him on every side and surrounded him before and behind. So it happened that no one dared to oppose the torrent, though frauds, plundering, outrages, cruelty, and even murders prevailed everywhere. If any righteous people still remained, they dared not come out in public, for the wicked beset them on all sides.

He afterwards adds, Therefore perverted judgement goes forth. The Prophet now rises to a higher point: that even the rulers themselves increased the rage for evils and, as it were, supplied fuel to their wickedness, as they confounded all distinction between right and wrong.

For the Prophet does not speak here of private wrongs that anyone might have done, but he speaks of the very rulers, as if he said, “There might have been one remedy; the judges might have checked such great audacity, but they themselves stretch out their hands to the wicked and help them.” Hence the tribunals, which ought to have been sacred, had become, as it were, dens of thieves.

The word משפט, meshiphith, is properly taken in a good sense. Is not judgement then a desirable thing? Yes, but the Prophet says that it was perverted. It was then by way of concession that judgement is mentioned, for he afterwards adds a word to it by which he shows that the administration of the laws was evil and injurious: for when anyone oppressed had recourse to the assistance of the laws, he was plundered.

In short, the Prophet means that all things, both private and public, were corrupt among the people. It now follows:

The Prophet turns his discourse to the Jews, after relating the private conversation in which he reasoned earnestly with God for having so patiently tolerated the obstinate wickedness of the nation. Now, so to speak, equipped with God’s command (as was indeed the case), he acts as a herald and proclaims an approaching destruction. He indeed adopts a preface, which ought to have awakened drowsy and careless minds. He says—look, see, be astonished, be astonished; these repetitions considerably increase the alarm. He twice tells them to see, and he twice exhorts them to be astonished, or to wonder. He then briefly proclaims the judgment of God, which he afterwards more fully describes. Thus, we now perceive the Prophet's objective and the manner in which he proceeds with his subject.

And he tells those among the nations to behold, as if he had said that they were unworthy to be taught in God's school; he therefore appointed other masters for them, namely the Chaldeans, as we will soon see. He might have said, "Look to God"; but as the Prophet had so long spent his labor in vain and without profit while teaching them, he sets the Chaldeans over them as teachers. He says, "Behold, you teachers among the Gentiles." There is indeed an implied contrast here, as if he said—"God has until now often called you back to himself and has offered himself to you, but you have refused to look to him. Now then, as he is weary of being patient for so long, he appoints other teachers for you; learn now from the Gentiles what you have until now refused to learn from the holy mouth of God himself."

The Greek translators no doubt read בגורים, for their version is—"Behold, you despisers." But in Hebrew there is no ambiguity about the word.

He afterwards adds—And wonder, you wonder! By these words the prophets express how dreadful God's judgment would be, which would astonish the Jews themselves. If they had not been extremely stubborn, they might have quietly received instruction, for God would have addressed them by his prophets as if they were his own children. They might thus, with calm minds, have listened to God speaking to them; but the time had now come when they were to be filled with astonishment. Thus we see that the Prophet meant this in essence: that there would be a new mode of teaching, which would overwhelm the unwilling with astonishment, because they would not tolerate being ruled gently when the Lord required nothing from them but to make themselves teachable.

After saying that God's judgment would be dreadful, he adds that it was close at hand—a work, he says, will he work in your days. They had already often been warned of that vengeance, but as they had disregarded it for a long time, they always remained sunk in their own self-delusions, like people who are accustomed to delay and search everywhere for some excuse for indulging themselves. So when the people became hardened against all threats, they thought that God would always tolerate them. Therefore, the Prophet expressly declares that the execution of what they considered a fable was close at hand—He will work, he says, this work in your days.

He then adds—You will not believe when it is told to you; that is, God will execute such a punishment as will be incredible and exceed all belief. The Prophet no doubt alludes to the lack of faith in the people and indirectly rebukes them, as if he said—"You have until now denied faith to God's word, but you will at last find that he has told the truth; and this you will find to your astonishment, for as his word has been considered incredible by you, so also incredible will be his judgment." In short, the Prophet implies this: that though the Prophets had been mocked by the Jews and despised as inventors of fables, yet nothing had been said by them that would not be fully accomplished.

This reward then was to be paid to all the unbelievers, for God would in the most dreadful manner avenge their impiety, so that they themselves would be astonished and become an astonishment to others. We now understand what the Prophet meant by saying that the Jews would not believe the work of God when it was told to them, that is, the vengeance which he will soon describe.

This passage is quoted by Paul and applied to the punishment then awaiting the Jews. For Paul, after offering Christ to them and seeing that many of them regarded the preaching of the Gospel with scorn, added these words—"See," he said, "and be astonished, for God will work a work in your days which you will not believe."

Paul at the same time made a suitable application of the Prophet's words. For as God had once threatened his people through his Prophet Habakkuk, so he was still consistent with himself. Since he had so severely punished the contempt of his law among his ancient people, he could not surely tolerate the impiety of those people whom he found to have acted so malignantly and ungratefully, yes, so wantonly and perversely, as to reject his grace, for this was the last remedy for the Jews.

No wonder then that Paul set this vengeance before them, when the Jews of his time persisted in rejecting Christ through their unbelief. The explanation now follows.

This verse is added by the Prophet as an explanation, for it was not enough to speak generally of God’s work without reminding them that their destruction by the Chaldeans was near at hand. He does not indeed in this verse explain what would be the character of that judgment which he had mentioned in the last verse (Habakkuk 1:5), but he will do this in what follows.

Now the Prophets differ from Moses in this respect, for they show, as it were by the finger, what he threatened generally, and they declare the special judgments of God, as is indeed evident from the demonstrative adverb, “Behold.”

How necessary this was, we may gather from the perverseness of that people. For however distinctly the Prophets showed them God’s judgments, so that they saw them with their eyes, yet so great was their insensibility that they despised such apparent denunciations. What, then, would have been done if the Prophets had only said in general, ‘God will not spare you!’? This, then, is the reason why the Prophet, having spoken of God’s terrible vengeance, now declares in express terms that the Chaldeans were already armed by Him to execute His judgment. The rest we leave for tomorrow.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as our sins cry continually to heaven, each of us may turn to repentance, and by condemning ourselves of our own accord may anticipate Your judgment, and thus stir ourselves up to repentance, that being received into favor, we may find You, whom we have provoked to take vengeance, to be indeed our Father. May we be so preserved by You in this world, that having at length put off all our vices, we may attain to that perfection of purity to which You invite us. Thus lead us more and more to Yourself by Your Spirit, and separate us from the corruptions of this world, that we may glorify You before men, and be at last made partakers of that celestial glory which has been purchased for us by the blood of Your only begotten Son. Amen.

[Exposition continues from previous day's lecture]

In the lecture of yesterday, the Prophet began to show from whom the Jews were to expect the vengeance of God: even from the Chaldeans, who would come, not by their own instinct, but by the hidden impulse of God. God indeed testifies that He would be the author of this war, and that the Chaldeans would fight, as it were, under His auspices.

I am He, He says, who excites, etc. Then by calling the Chaldeans a bitter and hasty nation, He intended seriously to terrify the Jews, who had heedlessly despised all threats. It was not indeed a subject of praise to the Chaldeans that they were bitter and impetuous, but the Lord could turn these vices to a good purpose, inasmuch as He elicits light from darkness.

When, therefore, we read that the Chaldeans were bitter, and also hasty, God thus intimates that He can employ the vices of men in executing His judgments, and yet thereby contract no spot or blemish; for we cannot possibly pollute Him with our filth, as He scatters it far away by the brightness of His justice and equity.

He afterwards adds, They shall march through the latitudes of the earth, to possess habitations not their own. He means that there would be no obstacles in the way of the Chaldeans, but that they would spread themselves over the whole earth and occupy regions far remote.

For those who fear dare not thus disperse themselves; on the contrary, they advance cautiously with a collected army. But those who have already obtained victory march on to lay waste the land. This is what the Prophet says the Chaldeans would do.

The meaning is that they would not come to carry on an uncertain warfare, but that they would enjoy a victory, for they would by an impetuous course fill the land, so as to occupy tents or habitations not their own. It was indeed a matter of blame in the Chaldeans that they thus made inroads on their own neighbors; but, as I have said, God intended only to fill the Jews with terror, because He found that all threats were despised. He therefore meant to show how terrible the Chaldeans would be, and the Prophet confirms the same in the next verse.

By saying that the Chaldeans would be terrible and dreadful, he does not praise their virtues. Instead, as I have already reminded you, he shows that they would be prepared to do His service by executing His vengeance; and He so regulated His judgment that He used their cruelty for a good purpose.

Thus we see that the worst of men are in God's hand, just as Satan is, who is their head. Yet God is not implicated in their wickedness, as some irrational people maintain, for they say that if God governs the world by His providence, He thereby becomes the author of sin, and men's sins are to be ascribed to Him.

But Scripture teaches us far otherwise: that the wicked are led here and there by the hidden power of God, and yet the fault is in them when they act in a deceitful and cruel manner, and that God always remains just, whatever use He may make of instruments, indeed, even the very worst.

But when the Prophet adds that its judgment would be from the nation itself, he means that the Chaldeans would act according to their own will. When anyone indeed obeys laws and willingly submits to them, he will freely allow either judges or umpires in case of a dispute. But he who insists that all things be done according to his own purpose rejects all judges.

The Prophet therefore means that the Chaldeans would be their own judges, so that the Jews or others would complain in vain about any wrongs done to them. “They shall be,” he says, “their own judges and shall execute judgment, for they will not accept any arbitrators.” The word judgment, taken in a good sense, is used here for law (jus); as if he said, “Whatever the Chaldeans will claim for themselves, it shall be theirs, for no one will dare to interfere, and they will not submit to the will of others; but their power shall be law, and their sword a tribunal.”

We now understand the Prophet’s meaning. We must always bear in mind what I have already said: that God had no participation in these vices, but it was necessary that the stubbornness of an irreclaimable people should be corrected in this way, or at least broken down. The Lord, in the meantime, could use such instruments in such a way as to preserve some moderation in His judgments.