HABAKKUK

PREAMBLE

The Old Testament book titled ‘The Oracle that Habakkuk the Prophet saw’, which we refer to as ‘Habakkuk’, appears to have been written before the cities of Palestine were overrun by the Chaldeans (Babylonians) but during a time of moral decay among the people of God.

In addition to being rich in the audio and visual imagery suggested by the title, it is written as poetry.  Hebrew poetic style usually uses a parallel structure, where couplets or short series of phrases are used to repeat the same idea in a different way, to set things in juxtaposition or contrast.  This book addresses God’s approach to dealing with issues of sin – individual and corporate, injustice, violence and exploitation, God’s governance of the nations and the root causes of chaos.

The book takes the form of a dialogue as Habakkuk confronts God and in turn is confronted by God’s response.  As we, the NBC HGF editorial team, began reading the book we were struck by the fact that Habakkuk strikes a cord with what many are feeling in Kenya today.  As we begin our study of this profound book, may God, in some measure, reveal something of what He is doing in our midst at this present moment in our history.

STUDY ONE                                                                       WEEK OF JAN 28^th  

HABAKKUK CONFRONTS GOD

Read aloud:  Habakkuk 1:1-4

1.  What is Habakkuk’s basic complaint against God?

2.  What did Habakkuk see going on that caused him so much distress?

3.  What part of his complaint do you identify with in the situation you find yourself in now?

Read aloud:  God’s response to Habakkuk’s criticism, Habakkuk 1:5-11

4.  What was unexpected in the Lord’s response?

5.  What kind of people was God raising up to address the problems?

6.  What is their basis of justice and dignity?

7.  What was the ‘god’ that the Babylonians relied on?

8.  If you were Habakkuk, would you be satisfied with God’s answer?

9.  Are there similar kinds of people God might use today?

10.  What possible prayer might God be answering through the trouble we see around us today?

STUDY TWO                                                   WEEK OF FEB 4^th  

HABAKKUK’S RESPONSE TO GOD’S ANSWER

Read:  Habakkuk 1:12-17

1.  What attributes and activity of God does Habakkuk, trying to be positive, acknowledge?  How does he explain what God is doing?

2.  But, what is the question troubling Habakkuk that he puts to the Lord (1:13)?

3.  How does Habakkuk show the issue (question 2) working out among people?

Read:  Habakkuk 2:1-5

4.  What does Habakkuk expect?

5.  What does God’s reply mean or imply (2:2-3)?

6. How are the two groups of people contrasted in verse 4?  

7.  In the Old Testament the concepts of ‘justice’ and ‘righteousness’ are included in the same word and ‘faith’ includes ‘faithfulness’.  How is verse 4 expanded in the New Testament (e.g. Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38-39)?

STUDY THREE                                                                     WEEK OF FEB 11^th

[Review of Last Week’s Memory Verse:  Habakkuk 2:3]

Read:  Habakkuk 2:1-6

Read:  Habakkuk 2:6-8 (the first ‘WOE’)

2. Communicate the message of this passage by giving it a title.

3.  Give an example of this from current or past history.

Read:  Habakkuk 2:9-11 (the second ‘WOE’)

4.  Communicate the message of this passage by giving it a title.

5.  Give an example of this from current or past history if you can.

Read:  Habakkuk 2:12-13 (the third ‘WOE’)

6.  Communicate the message of this passage by giving it a title.

7.  Give an example of this from current or past history if you can.

Read:  Habakkuk 2:15-17 (the fourth ‘WOE’)

8.  Communicate the message of this passage by giving it a title.

9.  Give an example of this from current or past history if you can.

Read:  Habakkuk 2:18-20 (the fifth ‘WOE’)

10.  Communicate the message of this passage by giving it a title.

11.  Give an example of this from current or past history if you can.

12.  How do verses 14 and 20 contrast to these five ‘WOES’ (2:6-20)?

13.  We have seen the principle of ‘you reap what you sow’ illustrated in this

passage.  Are you comfortable with the realisation that sin inevitably brings

about appropriate judgement?  Is this good news?

STUDY FOUR                                                                       WEEK OF FEB 18^th   

HABAKKUK SEES GOD AT WORK

[Review of Last Week’s Memory Verse:  Habakkuk 2:14]

Read:  Habakkuk 3: 1-2

1.  What is Habakkuk’s response to Chapter 2?

2.  What does Habakkuk plead for from the Lord?

Read:  Habakkuk 3: 3-15.  Habakkuk’s prayer is interrupted with a vision of God at work.

3.  What Old Testament events does the imagery in this vision remind you of?

4.  Is there a connection between God’s activity here and what Habakkuk pleads for in verse 2?

5.  What do you find in this passage that gives you hope?

Read:  Habakkuk 3: 16-19 

6.  In verse 16 what is Habakkuk’s response to all he has seen and heard?

7.  Describe Habakkuk’s response in verses 17-19.

Read:  Habakkuk 3: 20   

8.  What makes it possible for Habakkuk to live rejoicing in dangerous times?   (See also 2:4.)

9.  Having studied Habakkuk, how are you able to continue believing in the Lord, and serving Him, when all around you is in disarray and the Lord doesn’t appear to be responding?