Habakkuk 1

(1) Habakkuk Sees so much Injustice

This is the vision that the prophet Habakkuk was burdened with. 

Existing One, how long will I call for Your help and be ignored? I’m yelling, “Injustice!” but You never come to the rescue. Why are You showing me all this injustice and forcing me to witness all these problems? Yes, I see a lot of injustice and devastation in front of me. There’s so much conflict, and disagreements are increasing. The advice You gave us through Moses is being ignored, and no one ever does things the right way. Integrity has been fully surrounded by corruption, and any semblance of justice comes out twisted. 

(5) God is Raising up Iran

“Look around at all the countries and be amazed, because I’m doing something that you wouldn’t even believe if I told it to you. I am raising up the Chaldeans (southern Iran), those bitter and rash people who spread throughout the whole region, seizing houses that don’t belong to them. They are dreaded and feared. Their prominence and strategic ability is resourced from within their own selves. Their horses are faster than leopards and more eager to strike than wolves at dusk. Their riders come galloping from afar, sweeping in like eagles dive-bombing their prey. They come for the violence, with their eager faces pressing forward. They’re collecting so many captives that they’ve become like grains of sand. They make fun of kings and insult leaders. They laugh at fortresses and pile up rubble to capture them. They’ll sweep through like the wind passing by, but they’ll be charged as guilty. Their own strength is their god.”

(12) Why is God Letting Iran Dominate?

Aren’t You from the beginning of time, oh Existing One, my God who is unlike anything else? We’re not gonna die. You, Existing One, have destined them [Chaldeans] to judge. And You, oh Rock, have established them to correct. Your eyes are too pure to look at evil, and You’re incapable of witnessing trouble and feeling glad about it. Why are You looking at dishonest people and viewing them favorably? Why are You staying silent when bad people are overcoming people who are better than them? Why did you make human beings the same as fish, like teeming animals without a ruler? The Chaldeans are pulling them up on their hooks and dragging them away in their fishing nets. That’s why they’re happily celebrating. That’s why they offer sacrifices to their fishing nets and burn incense to them. They think their nets are the reason why they’re successful and have plenty of food. Are they gonna empty their nets and keep ruthlessly slaughtering other countries?