Jeremiah 26 | Habakkuk
Please note, this entry was originally scheduled for August 6.
During the reign of Jehoiakim, the Lord sends Jeremiah to the temple in Jerusalem to preach a message of judgement towards Judah, and to plea with the leaders and the people to repent, and return to God. The priests appeal to the king’s princes, arguing that Jeremiah should be put to death for speaking against the nation. Jeremiah tells them to do as they please, but they will be guilty of shedding innocent blood before God if they kill him. Ultimately, Jeremiah is not executed, but Jehoiakim does arrest and kill another prophet of God named Urijah.
The book of Habakkuk is short, and little is known about this prophet. It is generally accepted that he was a priest, since the 3rd chapter is a prayer of Habakkuk, which is written after the likeness of a psalm of David, and with instructions to be sung with stringed instruments. Habakkuk probably lived as a contemporary of Jeremiah, as the message of God is one of imminent judgement against Judah, which will be fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem in around 587 BC.
In chapter 1 Habakkuk is complaining to the Lord about the unchecked wickedness among the leaders and people in Judah. God responds by telling him that He is raising up the Chaldeans (Babylon) to bring judgement upon Judah. The prophet is dismayed, and asks why God would use an even wickeder nation to judge His people, but the Lord tells him that every proud and evil man will suffer His judgement. This is called out in chapter 2.
In Habakkuk 2:4 we also have a foundational declaration by God, that “the just shall live by faith”, which is greatly expounded on by the New Testament apostles, including Paul and the writer of Hebrews.
Chapter 3 is a prayer of praise and trust towards God, and Habakkuk says that no matter how bad things get, the Lord will always be trustworthy and faithful.