Habakkuk 2
(1) A Certain Day is Approaching
I will stay at my guard post and station myself on the city wall. I’ll be on the lookout for what God will tell me and how I’ll reply when I’m corrected.
Then the Existing One responded to me, saying,
“Record this vision by writing it down so that whoever reads it can run.
“This vision is for a specific time which has been scheduled. That time is running toward its goal, panting, and it won’t be a hoax. If it seems like that time is being delayed, just wait for it—it’s coming and can’t be held back.
(4) Crooked People are Never Satisfied
“The soul of an arrogant man is crooked inside of him, but the man who is upright and good will experience life because of his faithfulness and steadiness. Alcohol betrays the arrogant man, getting him to go out in public instead of staying at home. That person’s appetite increases like the grave’s, making him similar to death: never satisfied. He gathers everyone around him and then consumes them all for himself.
(6) Exploiters will be Looted
“Won’t all those people confront him? They’ll sing mocking songs about him and ask difficult questions, saying things like,
‘Trouble awaits people who build wealth on what isn’t theirs, making themselves rich with loans.’
“Aren’t there people [debt collectors] just waiting to chomp down on you? Won’t they take a stand and violently shake you down? Yes, they’ll hit the jackpot on you. Because you looted entire nations, whoever’s left will end up looting you. That will be the end result of all the human blood that that was spilt in this town.
(9) Dishonest Gains are Self-Damaging
“Trouble awaits you if you acquire unethical gains for your own households. You’re building your nest in a high place to avoid calamity, but you’ve brought shame on your household by cutting down countless people. You are opposing your own self! Surely the bricks will shout out from the walls and the rafters will join in from the framework.
(12) The Whole Reason for Work & Money is God
“Trouble awaits you if you build a city on bloodshed or establish a town on injustice.
“Isn’t the Existing One the reason why people have to work so hard to keep their furnaces burning? And isn’t He the reason why you become exhausted for nothing?
“The whole world will be filled with recognition for the Existing One’s splendor. It will fill the earth in the same way that water fills the ocean.
(15) Your Malice will Come Back to Bite You
“There’s misery in store for you who mix other people’s drinks and stir in poison/anger just so you can get them drunk and see them exposed! Doing that will fill you with disgrace instead of honor. Go ahead and drink that yourselves, exposing how uncircumcised you are!
“The Existing One has a cup in His right hand, and when it comes around to you, any dignity you have will be overshadowed by utter disgrace.
“Soon you’ll be covered with the same injustice that was done to Lebanon. You upset them by slaughtering their animals, and now that will happen to you. It’ll happen because of all the human bloodshed and injustice that was done to that town and its inhabitants.
(18) Stop Making Material Things Your God
“What value does an idol bring when its maker has finished carving it? Or what about a metal figurine, which only promotes lies? Whoever made it is placing his confidence in his own handiwork when he creates those worthless things that can’t even talk. There’s misery in store for you who look at a piece of wood and tell it to awaken, or for those who look at a speechless rock and tell it to stir itself up. Is that really your teacher? Just look at it—it’s overlaid with gold or silver, and there’s no breath/spirit inside it at all. But the Existing One can be found in His temple which is set apart. Let the entire world be silenced at Him.”
