Hearing the Message of Habakkuk

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Title
Copyright
CONTENTS
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
C H A P T E R 1
	QUESTIONING GOD’S SILENCE: WHEN GOD TAKES NO ACTION AGAINST EVIL PEOPLE
		Habakkuk 1:1–4
		HABAKKUK’S COMPLAINT (1:2–4)
		God Is Not Doing What Habakkuk Knows God Can Do (1:2)
		God Is Doing Nothing about the Things God Himself Condemns (1:3)
		God’s Moral Order Is Impotent and Perverted (1:4)
		OUR RESPONSE
		QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION OR DISCUSSION
C H A P T E R 2
	QUESTIONING GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY: WHEN GOD DOES TAKE ACTION THROUGH EVIL PEOPLE
		Habakkuk 1:5–17
		GOD’S ANSWER (1:5–11)
		God Is at Work—but in a Surprising Way (1:5b)
		God Is Raising Up the Babylonians (1:6–11)
		HABAKKUK’S STRUGGLE (1:12–2:1)
		What Habakkuk Affirms (1:12a)
		What Habakkuk Accepts (1:12b)
		What Habakkuk Argues (1:13–2:1)
		QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION OR DISCUSSION
C H A P T E R 3
	LIVING BY FAITH
		Habakkuk 2:1–4
		A WORD FOR ALL THE WORLD (2:2)
		A CALL FOR CONFIDENT PATIENCE (2:3)
		A FUNDAMENTAL DIVIDE (2:4)
		The Proud (2:4a)
		The Righteous (2:4b)
		QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION OR DISCUSSION
C H A P T E R 4
	DECLARING GOD’S JUDGMENT: FIVE MARKS OF SOCIAL EVIL
		Habakkuk 2:5–20
		THE AGENT BECOMES THE TARGET
		Jeremiah’s Letter to the Exiles
		Jeremiah’s Denunciation of Babylon
		THE CERTAINTY OF JUDGMENT
		FIVE WOES
		1. Wealth by Plunder (2:6–8)
		2. Security Built on Oppression (2:9–11)
		3. Transient Glory; God’s Glory (2:12–14)
		4. Degradation of Nations; Destruction of Nature (2:15–17)
		5. Idolatry, Confusion and Lies (2:18–19)
		SILENCE!
		QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION OR DISCUSSION
C H A P T E R 5
	TRUSTING GOD’S WORD
		Habakkuk 3:1–19
		HABAKKUK REQUESTS FRESH PROOF OF GOD’S CHARACTER (3:1–2)
		1. That God Would Be at Work Today as He Had Been in the Past
		2. That When God Acts in Wrath, He Would Remember Mercy
		HABAKKUK REMEMBERS THE STORY OF GOD’S POWER (3:3–15)
		3:3–4
		3:5
		3:6–7
		3:8–10a
		3:10b
		3:11
		3:12–15
		HABAKKUK RESOLVES TO LIVE BY FAITH IN GOD’S WORD (3:16–19)
		Resolved to Wait—in the Face of Paralyzing Fear (3:16)
		Resolved to Rejoice—in the Face of Terrifying Loss (3:17–18)
		Resolved to Be Strong—in the Face of All Obstacles (3:19)
		QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION OR DISCUSSION
	CONCLUSION
		WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE AS PEOPLE WHO LOOK FOR GOD AT WORK IN THE WORLD
		WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE AS PEOPLE WHO LIVE BY FAITH
		WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE AS PEOPLE WHOSE PRAYER INCLUDES LAMENT AND PROTEST
		WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE AS PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE STORY OF GOD—THE WHOLE BIBLE
		WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE AS PEOPLE WHO ARE ON A MISSION FOR GOD
	SCRIPTURE INDEX
	SUBJECT INDEX