Habakkuk 2:6-11 (ESV)
6 Shall not all these take up their taunt against him, with scoffing and riddles for him, and say,
“Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own— for how long?— and loads himself with pledges!”7 Will not your debtors suddenly arise, and those awake who will make you tremble? Then you will be spoil for them.
8 Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder you, for the blood of man and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them.
9 “Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm!
10 You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many peoples; you have forfeited your life.
11 For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the woodwork respond.
How should we read this text?
In previous episodes, we've seen Habakkuk wrestling with God, troubled by the apparent lack of punishment for wickedness. God responded by declaring He would use the Babylonians as instruments of judgment against Judah. This troubled Habakkuk even further—how could God use such a wicked nation?
Here in chapter 2, God addresses that concern. Starting in verse 6, we see the first of five "woe" statements against Babylon. This literary form, common in prophetic books, is like a funeral dirge announcing impending judgment. God reassures Habakkuk: "Yes, I'm using Babylon now, but their judgment is coming."
The first woe targets those who "heap up what is not their own," addressing theft and exploitation committed by Babylon's army. God rhetorically asks, "For how long?" implying such injustice cannot endure indefinitely. Verses 7-8 promise poetic justice—Babylon itself will be plundered by those they've oppressed. Indeed, history records Babylon's fall to the Persian Empire.
The second woe, starting in verse 9, condemns those building their houses by evil gain, seeking security through wealth and power, placing themselves out of reach. Yet, verse 10 clarifies this strategy backfires, bringing shame upon themselves. Verse 11 vividly describes even building materials crying out for justice—creation itself cannot remain silent amid such evil.
The key idea here is that God's justice might seem delayed but is never denied. Those who profit from injustice today are merely storing judgment for tomorrow.
How should the text read us?
This passage confronts our human tendency to seek security in all the wrong places. The Babylonians relied on wealth and power, but God had other plans. We face this same temptation today.
Firstly, this text urges us to examine how we might benefit from unjust systems. While we aren't actively plundering nations, our economic comfort often comes at others' expense—whether through clothes from sweatshops or technology mined under exploitative conditions. This passage challenges us to question the sources of our wealth.
Secondly, and importantly, it calls us to reconsider where we find security. Are we, like the Babylonians, building nests high up through retirement savings, super funds, insurance policies, or career advancements? While these aren't inherently bad, they can become idols when trusted more than God. True security comes only from trusting in God's provision and care.
Finally, this passage reminds us that justice will indeed come, if not in this life, then certainly in the life to come, at God's final judgment. This is a comfort to the oppressed, but also a sobering reminder to those privileged. We should be motivated to pursue justice now, using our influence proactively.
Prayer
Father God,
We confess our tendency to seek security in possessions and power rather than in You. Forgive us for trusting false idols instead of You. Turn our eyes toward Jesus, who provided true security through the cross. Help us live out of that security, recognizing injustices around us and carefully considering the sources of our wealth. Enable us to comfort others rather than contribute to injustice. Ultimately, help us live like Jesus, finding security not in possessions, but in who You are.
We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.