Key Verse: Habakkuk 2:4, "See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright - but the righteous will live by his faith."
Do you remember Job? He was a man who suffered and wanted God to answer his questions. Habakkuk is another Old Testament character who tried to question God. Job asked why God was punishing him; Habakkuk wanted to know why God hadn't punished the nation of Judah.
Habakkuk was a prophet during the closing days of Judah's history, probably during the reign of King Jehoiakim. The prophet watched as people violated God's laws without shame. The Israelites were living as if the God who miraculously delivered their ancestors had never existed.
The first part of the book of Habakkuk records two dialogues between the prophet and God. The conversations went something like this -
Habakkuk: God, how can you let the sins of Judah go unpunished?
God: I'm preparing the Babylonians as a way to Judge and punish Judah.
Habakkuk: God, why would you punish sinful Judah by using the pagan Babylonians?
God: I will punish both Judah and the Babylonians because sin cannot go unpunished.
The book of Habakkuk concludes with a beautiful prayer of praise sung by the prophet. Habakkuk acknowledged God as his source of strength in times of trouble. Habakkuk's questions caused him to experience God's wonder in a powerful way.
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