John Calvin Commentary Habakkuk 1:11

"Then shall he sweep by [as] a wind, and shall pass over, and be guilty, [even] he whose might is his god." — Habakkuk 1:11 (ASV)

The Prophet now begins to give some comfort to the faithful, lest they should succumb under such grievous evils. He has until now directed his discourse to that irreclaimable people, but he now turns to the remnant; for there were always among them some of the faithful, though few, whom God never neglected. Indeed, for their sake he often sent his prophets; for though the multitude derived no benefit, yet the faithful understood that God did not threaten in vain, and were thus retained in his fear.

This was the reason why the prophets were accustomed, after having spoken generally, to address the faithful, and as it were to comfort them apart and privately. And this difference should be noticed, as we have said elsewhere; for when the prophets denounce God’s wrath, the discourse then is directed indiscriminately to the whole body of the people; but when they add promises, it is then as though they called the faithful to a private conference, and spoke in their ear what had been committed to them by the Lord. The truth might have been useful to all, if they had returned to a right mind; but as almost the whole people had hardened themselves in their vices, and as Satan had dulled the minds and hearts of nearly all, it was fitting for the Prophet to have a special regard to the chosen of God. We now then understand his purpose.

And he says—now he will change his spirit. He encourages the faithful to have hope, because the Chaldeans, after having poured forth all their fury, will be punished by the Lord for their arrogance, for it will be intolerable. This may indeed seem unconvincing to ungodly men; for what wonder is it that the Chaldeans, after having obtained so many victories, should grow haughty and exult in their success, as is commonly the case?

But as this is a fixed principle with us, that men’s pride becomes intolerable to God when they extremely exult and preserve no moderation—this is a very powerful argument—that is, that whoever thus raises his horns shall suddenly be laid prostrate by the Lord. And Scripture also always sets this before us, that God beats down supercilious pride, and does this that we may know that destruction is near all the ungodly, when they thus grow violently mad, and do not know that they are mortals.

It was then for this reason that the Prophet mentions what he says here: so that the faithful might hope for some end to the violence of their enemies, for God would check their pride when they transgress. But he says—then He will change his spirit; not that there was any humility in the Chaldeans before, but that success intoxicated them, indeed, and deprived them of all reason.

And it is a common thing that a person who has fortune, as it were, in his hand, forgets himself, and thinks himself no longer a mortal. Great kings do indeed confess that they are men; but we see how madness takes hold of them; for, as I have said, being deluded by prosperity, they consider themselves to be nothing less than gods.

The Prophet refers here to the king of Babylon and all his people. He will change, he says, his spirit; that is, success will take away from him whatever reason and moderation he had. Now since the proud betray themselves and their disposition when fortune smiles on them, let us learn to judge men according to this test.

If we would judge any man rightly, we must see how he bears good and bad fortune; for it may be that he who has borne adversity with a patient, calm, and resigned mind, will disappoint us in prosperity, and will so exalt himself as to be entirely another man.

The Prophet then does not speak without reason of a change of spirit; for though the Chaldeans were proud before, they were not so extremely haughty as when their pride passed all bounds, after their many victories. He will change then his spirit; not that the Chaldeans were another kind of people, but that the Lord thus revealed their madness which was hidden before.

He then adds—he will pass over. The Prophet intended to express that when the Lord allowed the Chaldeans to rule far and wide, a way was thus opened for his judgments, which is far different from human judgment. For the more power men acquire, the more boldness they assume; and it seemed to contribute to establishing their power that they knew how to use their success.

But the Lord, as I have said, was secretly preparing a way to destroy them, when they thus became proud and passed all bounds. Hence the Prophet does not simply condemn the haughtiness and pride of the Chaldeans, but shows that a way is already open, as it were, for God’s judgment, so that he might destroy them, since they would make themselves intolerable.

He afterwards adds—and shall act impiously. The verb אשם, ashem, I refer to the end of the verse—where he ascribes his power to his own god. And the Prophet adds this explanation, so that the Jews might know what kind of sin would be the sin of the king of Babylon.

He then charges him with sacrilege, because he would think that he had become the conqueror of Judea through the kindness of his idol, so that he would treat as nothing the power and glory of the true God. Since then the Babylonian would transfer God’s glory to his own idol, his own ruin would be thus made ripe; for the Lord would undertake his own cause, and execute vengeance on such a sacrilege. For he speaks here, no doubt, of the Babylonian, and according to his view, when he says—

This his strength is that of his god; but if any were inclined to explain this of the true God, as some do, he would offer a harsh and forced interpretation; for the Babylonians did not worship the true God, but were devoted, as it is well known, to their own superstitions.

The Prophet then, no doubt, makes known here to the faithful the pride with which the Babylonians would become elated, and thus provoke God’s wrath against themselves; and also the sacrilegious boasting in which they would indulge, ascribing the victories given them to their own idols, which could not be done without daring reproach to the true God. It now follows—