Habakkuk, the prophet, lived and preached during the final days of the nation of Judah, a time of profound spiritual and moral decay following the brighter period under King Josiah. Witnessing the callousness and sinfulness of his country, Habakkuk cried out to God, questioning how long such intolerable conditions would persist. God responded that the Babylonians would serve as His instrument of correction upon Judah, a revelation that deeply troubled Habakkuk and brought him to his knees. His name, derived from the Hebrew verb meaning "embrace," reflects his ultimate choice to cling firmly to God, regardless of the fate of his nation, as seen in Habakkuk 3:16-19. Though little is known about Habakkuk personally, as he is not mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament, the context of his writings places him in a period after the fall of Nineveh to the Babylonians in 612 BC and before the fall of Jerusalem in 587 BC, likely around 606 BC during the early reign of the godless king Jehoiakim. This was a time of transition for Judah, from Assyrian to Babylonian dominance, marked by spiritual decline after Josiah's reforms were abandoned following his death in 609 BC. Habakkuk's anguished cry against the perversion of justice and the moral decline of his nation echoes the struggles of his time, as he waited for God's answer to his plea, "How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but You do not listen?" God's unexpected response, that He would use the fierce Babylonian armies to judge Judah, presented Habakkuk with a new dilemma: how could a holy God use a more sinful nation to punish His people? This question tormented him, as he grappled with the moral implications of God's plan. Yet, Habakkuk emerged as a prophet of faith, with the keystone of his message in Habakkuk 2:4, emphasizing that the righteous must live by faith in God amidst historical turmoil. His prophecy addresses timeless personal and historical questions about God's involvement in history and the presence of evil, speaking directly to modern concerns with the same urgency as in his day. In his distress, Habakkuk followed a deliberate process to confront his doubts. He stopped to think deeply, refraining from hasty words, and reminded himself of God's everlasting nature, holiness, sovereignty, and faithfulness. Applying these principles, he concluded that the Babylonian invasion must be a tool in God's hand for the correction and purification of His people. When still troubled by the moral quandary of using a wicked nation, he committed the problem to God in faith, detaching himself to wait for divine insight, as expressed in his resolve to stand at his watch and see what God would say. Through persistent expectation, Habakkuk received God's assurance that the Babylonians would also face judgment, while His people were to live by faith in Him. Ultimately, Habakkuk's journey led him to a profound trust in God as the Lord of history, finding joy and strength solely in Him, even in the face of impending invasion. His hymn of faith in Habakkuk 3:17-19 encapsulates this resolve, affirming that despite national calamity, his focus remained on God's enduring presence and control over all events.

Habakkuk, the prophet, begins his book with deep concern, questioning why God seems slow to answer his prayer for revival in Israel. When God reveals His plan to use the Chaldean-Babylonians to punish His people, Habakkuk struggles with how a righteous God could employ a wicked nation for such a purpose. Despite his initial doubts, he patiently waits for divine insight, standing as a vigilant observer of Judah's spiritual decline, deeply stirred by God's revelations. In his dialogue with God, Habakkuk's faith is tested as he grapples with the impending judgment on Judah and the subsequent retribution on the Chaldeans, filling him with terror and awe. Yet, he finds solace in prayer, appealing to God to revive His work and show mercy amidst wrath. His open-mindedness allows him to wrestle with challenging issues, directing his probing questions to God and awaiting His response. As his understanding of God's person, power, and plan grows, Habakkuk concludes his prophecy with a psalm of unqualified praise. He recalls God's past mighty acts, expressing firm confidence in God's unchangeable and reliable nature. His prayer in the final chapter, structured as a formal composition and poem, reflects a humble approach, acknowledging God's worth and seeking renewal of His deeds in his time. Habakkuk's journey transforms from initial mystery and complaint to certainty and confidence. Though terrified by the coming invasion, he trusts in the Eternal, finding hope in God's creative and redemptive works. His prayer, designed for public worship, stands as a majestic expression of faith, embracing God's salvation despite impending calamities. Even as he anticipates violence and destruction, Habakkuk overcomes fear by turning to God, rejoicing in the God of salvation. His knowledge of God's mighty acts and faithfulness sustains him, allowing him to cling firmly to God regardless of the fate of his nation. In the face of potential devastation, he resolves to trust God, finding strength and joy in the Lord, the God of his salvation.

Habakkuk, the prophet, stands as a faithful servant of the Supreme God, setting a positive example by waiting upon the Eternal for answers rather than succumbing to impatient cynicism. He grapples with the troubling reality of the Chaldean-Babylonians, a bloody and ruthless people, being used by God to come against His own people in Judah, despite their lack of respect for moral law. In time, God reveals to Habakkuk that the proud, self-confident sinner will be condemned, while only the faithful believer will stand acquitted before His judgment and partake of eternal life. God assures Habakkuk that He has taken notice of the sins of the Chaldeans and will gloriously vindicate Himself by bringing judgment upon them. Habakkuk's prophecy is unique in its approach, as he imparts God's message by sharing how it first came to him and resolved the questions puzzling him, rather than directly addressing the people of Judah as a spokesman of the Eternal. With enthusiasm, Habakkuk sings a psalm of holy rejoicing in chapter 3, reflecting on past instances during the Exodus, the conquest, and the times of the judges, when God similarly justified His righteousness and demonstrated His sovereignty to the world. Through a taunt song in chapter 2, comprising five woes against the wicked Chaldean oppressor, Habakkuk, inspired by God, portrays the misery of a person or nation that thinks it can do without God, highlighting the Chaldeans' greed, selfish ambition, covetousness, violence, and idolatry. God's assurances to Habakkuk—of His grace, glory, and government—transform him from a worrier to a faithful worshipper, affirming that the righteous will live by faith in the righteous God alone.