Matthew Henry Commentary Habakkuk 1
Matthew Henry Commentary
Habakkuk 1
Matthew Henry Commentary
Habakkuk 1
"The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see. O Jehovah, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? I cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save. Why dost thou show me iniquity, and look upon perverseness? for destruction and violence are before me; and there is strife, and contention riseth up. Therefore the law is slacked, and justice doth never go forth; for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore justice goeth forth perverted. Behold ye among the nations, and look, and wonder marvellously; for I am working a work in your days, which ye will not believe though it be told you. For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, that march through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling-places that are not theirs. They are terrible and dreadful; their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves. Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves; and their horsemen press proudly on: yea, their horsemen come from far; they fly as an eagle that hasteth to devour. They come all of them for violence; the set of their faces is forwards; and they gather captives as the sand. Yea, he scoffeth at kings, and princes are a derision unto him; he derideth every stronghold; for he heapeth up dust, and taketh it. Then shall he sweep by [as] a wind, and shall pass over, and be guilty, [even] he whose might is his god." — Habakkuk 1:1-11 (ASV)
The servants of the Lord are deeply afflicted by seeing ungodliness and violence prevail, especially among those who profess the truth. No one hesitated to do wrong to their neighbor. We should long to go to the world where holiness and love reign forever, and no violence will be before us.
God has good reasons for His long-suffering toward the wicked, and for the rebukes the righteous endure. The day will come when the cry of sin will be heard against those who do wrong, and the cry of prayer for those who suffer wrong. They were to notice what was happening among the nations through the Chaldeans, and to consider themselves a nation to be scourged by them.
But most people presume on continued prosperity, or believe that calamities will not come in their lifetime. They are a bitter and hasty nation, fierce, cruel, and bearing down all before them. They will overcome all who oppose them. But it is a great offence, and the common offence of proud people, to take glory to themselves.
The closing words give a glimpse of comfort.
"Art not thou from everlasting, O Jehovah my God, my Holy One? we shall not die. O Jehovah, thou hast ordained him for judgment; and thou, O Rock, hast established him for correction. Thou that art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and that canst not look on perverseness, wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy peace when the wicked swalloweth up the man that is more righteous than he; and makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them? He taketh up all of them with the angle, he catcheth them in his net, and gathereth them in his drag: therefore he rejoiceth and is glad. Therefore he sacrificeth unto his net, and burneth incense unto his drag; because by them his portion is fat, and his food plenteous. Shall he therefore empty his net, and spare not to slay the nations continually?" — Habakkuk 1:12-17 (ASV)
However matters may be, God is still the Lord our God, our Holy One. We are an offending people, and He is an offended God, yet we will not entertain hard thoughts of Him or of His service. It is a great comfort that, whatever mischief men design, the Lord designs good, and we are sure that His counsel will stand. Though wickedness may prosper for a while, God is holy and does not approve of that wickedness.
Just as He cannot do iniquity Himself, so He is of purer eyes than to behold it with any approval. We must abide by this principle, even though the dispensations of His providence may for a time, in some cases, seem to us not to agree with it. The prophet complains that God's patience was abused; and because sentence against these evil works and workers was not executed speedily, their hearts were more fully set on doing evil.
Some they take up as with a fishing hook, one by one; others they catch in shoals, as in their net, and gather them in their dragnet, their enclosing net. They admire their own cleverness and contrivance: there is a great tendency in us to take the glory of outward prosperity for ourselves. This is idolizing ourselves, sacrificing to the dragnet because it is our own.
God will soon end successful and splendid robberies. Death and judgment will make men cease to prey on others, and they will themselves be preyed upon. Let us remember, whatever advantages we possess, we must give all the glory to God.
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