In Psalm 88 the writer cannot see why God does not answer his prayer.

The situation about which Habakkuk cries out to God and implores Him to change is the violence which he observes on every hand. God hates violence and injustice. The prophet thinks that, since he is praying for the removal of things obnoxious to God, He certainly will remove them at once.

Habakkuk continues his complaint by asking, "Why dost thou show me iniquity, and look upon perverseness?" "The eyes of Jehovah are in every place, Keeping watch upon the evil and the good" (Prov. 15:3). The Lord sees and knows everything, even the motives that prompt every thought of each individual. According to Habakkuk's question, the Lord shows the prophet the iniquity prevalent on every hand and enables him to see the significance of it all. The Lord shuts the eyes of those who do not want truth, but opens the eyes of those who want it. God especially opens Habakkuk's eyes to see the evil in order that he might pray for the correction of the situation.

The prophet continues his complaint by telling the Lord that destruction and violence are constantly before him, that there is strife on every hand, and that contention is rising up—awful moral and spiritual degeneration. He concludes his complaint by saying that there is no justice, that the wicked compass the righteous, and that justice goes forth perverted.

Habakkuk certainly lived in evil times. He was a bold, courageous servant of God to speak and pray as he did. He reminds one of Isaiah, the statesman prophet, who in no uncertain terms denounced the entire nation for their sins. See Isaiah, chapter 1. Amos the prophet was likewise bold and courageous in the denunciation of the people of his day and time. See Amos 5:6-24 and 8:4-10. In this connection one should read the denunciation of sinners by John the Baptist (Matt. 3:1-12). He should likewise read the scathing rebuke by the Lord Jesus administered to the scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. (Matt. chapter 23).

"Behold ye among the nations, and look, and wonder marvelously; for I am working a work in your days, which ye will not believe though it be told you. 6 For lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, that march through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling-places that are not theirs. 7 They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves, 8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves; and their horsemen press proudly on: yea, their horsemen come from far; they fly as an eagle that hasteth to devour. 9 They come all of them for violence; and the set of their faces is forwards; and they gather captives as the sand. 10 Yea, he scoffeth at kings, and princes are a derision unto him; he derideth every stronghold; for he heapeth up dust, and taketh it. 11 Then shall he sweep by as a wind, and shall pass over, and be guilty, even he whose might is his god" (Hab. 1:5-11).

Let us bear in mind that the verses above are God's answer to the prophet's complaint. To Habakkuk it seemed that God was indifferent toward the rising tide of wickedness and sin among His Chosen People.
 

The Lord proceeded to show the prophet that He was not indifferent to the terrifying conditions, but that He was providentially preparing to meet the challenge—at the proper time. He introduced his message to the prophet by calling upon the heathen nations round about, saying, "Behold ye among the nations, and look, and wonder marvelously; for I am working a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you."

The Lord knew that, though the nations could see what was transpiring before their eyes, they would not understand the situation. Moreover, He informed the nations that He was working a work in their day which they would not believe, though it should be told them.

Jehovah, the God of Israel, is the God of creation. Everything throughout the entire universe is under His control. He is the undisputed sovereign who is working all things together for the good of those who love Him, even those who are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). He rules all things as He steers the course of history according to His eternal plan. Moreover, He overrules the free choices and actions of His creatures and makes everything contribute to the advancement of His eternal purpose.

The Apostle Paul, in his speech at Mars Hill, gave us in panoramic form God's creative activity and plan of the ages: "The God that made the world and all things therein, he, being Lord of heaven and earth dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 neither is he served by men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 and he made of one every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 that they should seek God, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from each of us: 28 for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring" (Acts 17:24-28). On God's eternal blueprint, figuratively speaking, the time and circumstances of the rise and the fall of every nation is indicated. The Lord told Habakkuk that the work He was performing was His bringing back to life the old Babylonian Empire, which had gone down before the victorious Assyrians.
 

"They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves" (Hab. 1:6,7). The Chaldeans, as well as the Assyrians, were some of the cruelest and most heartless peoples of antiquity. Habakkuk called them a bitter and a hasty nation. They had no hesitation to march into the territory of a nation with which they were at peace, for the sake of plunder. To them might was right.
 

The description of the Chaldean army appears in verses 8-11. The prophet, in delivering the Lord's message, seems to be using hyperboles throughout the description; their horses are swifter than leopards; they are more fierce than the evening wolves—a seeming exaggeration. Their horsemen march proudly on; they fly as an eagle that hastens to devour. In their onward march they take captives as the sand—certainly an exaggeration indicating very many. As they go forth, they scoff at kings and deride princes. They likewise deride strongholds; they go marching invincibly onward.

The entire description of this fighting machine seems to go far beyond the reality of Habakkuk's day. Would the God of truth, who always speaks rightly and soberly use such exaggerations as are seen in this description? This interpretation is altogether conceivable, but there is another explanation which seems to me to accord with all the facts.

The key to the entire situation seems to be found in the statement of verse 11: "Then shall he sweep by as a wind, and shall pass over, and be guilty, even he whose might is his god." The leader of this army sweeps by as a wind and passes onward, but he is guilty, "even he whose might is his god." Though Nebuchadnezzar was proud and boasted of great Babylon which he had built, there is no indication in the Biblical record that he actually worshipped might as his god.

There is a law which obtains throughout the Bible, known by Biblical students as the law of double reference. According to this principle, the inspired writers at times spoke of something close at hand and then blended the description with a situation more remote. May not the description of the Chaldean army be an illustration of this law? The prophet at first saw the well disciplined, trained, and equipped Chaldean army in the immediate future, but in the distant future—the Tribulation—he saw a mightier and better equipped army, the modern, mechanized war machine, of him "whose might is his god"—the Antichrist. This interpretation seems to be favored by the statement, "For the vision is yet for the appointed time" (Hab. 2:3). The vision is for the appointed time—the time of the end of the age.

The interpretation just given seems to be favored by the fact that the Apostle Paul understood verse 5 to be a case of double reference. He knew from the facts of the context of this verse that the writer referred to the literal Neo-Babylonian Empire. Paul also sees in this verse the working of God in the first century of the present dispensation in sending Christ to purchase redemption for the human family. In his message in the synagogue of Antioch of Pisidia, he proclaimed the Gospel and warned his audience not to reject Christ and the gospel. In order to enforce this warning, he quoted verse 5 of Habakkuk, chapter 1. Hence, in the days of Habakkuk and in the first century God was working—but in two different spheres.