John Calvin Commentary Habakkuk 1:16

"Therefore he sacrificeth unto his net, and burneth incense unto his drag; because by them his portion is fat, and his food plenteous." — Habakkuk 1:16 (ASV)

The Prophet confirms the closing sentence of the last verse, for he explains what that joy was of which he had spoken—namely, the joy by which the wicked, as it were, deliberately provoke God against themselves. It is indeed an abominable thing when the ungodly take delight in their vices, but it is still more atrocious when they deride God himself. Such, then, is the account now added by the Prophet, as though he had said, “Not only do the ungodly congratulate themselves while you spare them, or for a time bear with them; but they now rise up against you and deride all your majesty, and openly blaspheme against heaven itself; for they sacrifice to their own net, and offer incense to their drag.”

By this metaphor, the Prophet suggests that the wicked do not only become hardened when they succeed in their vices, but that they also ascribe to themselves the praise of justice, for they consider that to be rightly done which has been attended with success. They thus dethrone God and put themselves in His place. So now we see the Prophet’s meaning.

But this passage reveals to us the secret impiety of all those who do not serve God sincerely and with an honest mind. There is indeed imprinted on human hearts a certain conviction about the existence of a God, for no one is so barbarous as not to have some sense of religion. Thus, all are made inexcusable, as they carry in their hearts a law sufficient to make them a thousand times guilty.

But at the same time, the ungodly and those who are not illuminated by faith bury this knowledge, for they are wrapped up in themselves. When some recollection of God creeps in, they are at first impressed and ascribe some honor to Him; but this is fleeting, for they soon suppress it as much as they can. Indeed, they even strive to extinguish (though they cannot) this knowledge and whatever light they have from heaven.

This is what the Prophet now vividly describes through the example of the Assyrian king. He had previously said, “This power is that of his God.” He had complained that the Assyrians would give to their idols what was peculiar to God alone, and thus deprive Him of His right. But he says now, that they would sacrifice to their own drag, and offer incense to their net.

This is a very different thing: for how could they sacrifice to their idols if they ascribed to their drag whatever victories they had gained? Now, by the words drag and net, the Prophet means their efforts, strength, forces, power, plans, and policies, as they call them, and whatever else there is which ungodly men arrogate to themselves.

But what does it mean to sacrifice to their own net? The Assyrian did this because he thought that he surpassed all others in craftiness; because he thought himself so courageous as not to hesitate to make war with all nations, considering himself well-prepared with forces and justified in his actions; and because he became successful and omitted nothing calculated to ensure victory.

Thus the Assyrian, as I have said, regarded his idols as nothing, for he put himself in the place of all the gods. But if it is asked from where his success came, we must answer that the Assyrian should have ascribed it all to the one true God; yet he thought that he prospered through his own valor.

If we refer to counsel, it is certain that God is the one who governs the counsel and minds of men; but the Assyrian thought that he gained everything by his own skill. If, again, we speak of strength, from where did it come? And of courage, from where did it come, if not from God? But the Assyrian appropriated all these things to himself.

What regard, then, did he have for God? We see how he now takes away all honor even from his own idols and attributes everything to himself.

But this sin, as I have already said, is characteristic of all the ungodly. For where God’s Spirit does not reign, there is no humility, and people continually swell with inward pride until God thoroughly cleanses them. It is therefore necessary that God empty us by His special grace, so that we are not filled with this satanic pride, which is innate and which cannot in any way be shaken off by us until the Lord regenerates us by His Spirit.

And this can be seen especially in all the kings of this world. They indeed confess that kings rule through God’s grace; and then when they gain any victory, supplications are made and vows are paid. But if anyone were to say to those conquerors, “God had mercy on you,” the answer would be, “What! Was my preparation then nothing? Did I not provide many things beforehand? Did I not attain the friendship of many? Did I not form alliances? Did I not foresee such and such disadvantages? Did I not opportunely provide a remedy?”

In short, they apparently sacrifice to God, but afterwards they mainly regard their drag and their net, and disregard God. It would be well if these things were not so evident.

But since the Spirit of God sets before us a vivid image of the fact, let us learn what true humility is: that we only have this when we think that we are nothing and can do nothing, and that it is God alone who not only supports and sustains us in life, but also governs us by His Spirit. It is He who sustains our hearts, gives courage, and then blesses us, so as to make prosperous what we may undertake.

Therefore, let us learn that God cannot be truly glorified, except when people wholly empty themselves.

He then adds, because in (or by) them is his fat portion and his rich meat. Though some render בראה, berae, as choice meat, and others as fat meat, I still prefer the meaning of rich. His meat then will be rich. The Prophet suggests here that people are so blinded by prosperity that they sacrifice to themselves, and therefore their ingratitude is all the more deserving of reproof; for the more liberally God deals with us, the more reason, undoubtedly, there is why we should glorify Him.

But when people, well supplied and fully satisfied, thus swell with pride and sacrifice to themselves, is not their impiety more completely revealed in this manner? The Prophet not only proves that the Assyrians abused God’s bounty, but he shows through their example what is the disposition of the whole world.

For when people accumulate great wealth and pile up a great heap from the property of others, they become more and more blinded. Thus we see that we should justly fear the evil of prosperity, lest our fatness should so increase that we can see nothing, for the eyes are dimmed by excessive fatness.

Let this, then, be always remembered by us. The Prophet then concludes his discourse. But as only one verse of the first chapter remains, I will briefly address it.