Hab 2:6-20 | KingComments | STEP | In the form of a taunt-song, the downfall of Babylon is described in . In “all of these”, that is the nations, speak. They express themselves in a taunt-song. The song is prophetic in content and has validity for all times and nations (cf. ; ). A “taunt-song” and “mockery” are actions of people who enjoy mocking others. “Insinuations” are a veiled form of mockery, which must be deciphered. The enigma lies in the fact that it applies to Babylon, but then to the Medes and then to the Greeks and so on. All nations will not only ridicule Babylon, but also use him as an example to point out to others what will happen to those who have no respect for God or their fellow human beings. The song has five stanzas. Each stanza contains a “woe to him”. The first four begin with it; in the fifth stanza it is in another place ( ). Each stanza consists of three verses. There is also a further explanation which is started with “because” or “for”. The first ‘woe’ comes over him because of the appropriation of goods that do not belong to him. It concerns his looting and plundering. It is the sin of greed, of not being satisfied with what one has. We live in the time when the realm of the beast, that is the united Europe, is taking more and more shape. It is a realm of violence that appropriates what does not belong to it. “For how long?” is again the question of the tormented soul. The answer to this question is: seventy years. All those from whom Babylon has enriched himself will turn against him ( ). Then Babylon himself is the booty of the nations it has exploited. It is conquered by the Medes and the Persians. The reason for the foregoing is given in . The surrounding nations will strike Babylon and shake it empty. Babylon will be measured with the same standard of measure they have measured ( ).

‏ Habakkuk 2:6-20

Taunt-Song, Mockery, Insinuations – First “Woe”

In the form of a taunt-song, the downfall of Babylon is described in Hab 2:6-20. In Hab 2:6 “all of these”, that is the nations, speak. They express themselves in a taunt-song. The song is prophetic in content and has validity for all times and nations (cf. Mic 2:4; Isa 14:4).

A “taunt-song” and “mockery” are actions of people who enjoy mocking others. “Insinuations” are a veiled form of mockery, which must be deciphered. The enigma lies in the fact that it applies to Babylon, but then to the Medes and then to the Greeks and so on. All nations will not only ridicule Babylon, but also use him as an example to point out to others what will happen to those who have no respect for God or their fellow human beings.

The song has five stanzas. Each stanza contains a “woe to him”. The first four begin with it; in the fifth stanza it is in another place (Hab 2:6b ; 9 ; 12 ; 15 ; 19). Each stanza consists of three verses. There is also a further explanation which is started with “because” or “for”.

The first ‘woe’ comes over him because of the appropriation of goods that do not belong to him. It concerns his looting and plundering. It is the sin of greed, of not being satisfied with what one has. We live in the time when the realm of the beast, that is the united Europe, is taking more and more shape. It is a realm of violence that appropriates what does not belong to it.

“For how long?” is again the question of the tormented soul. The answer to this question is: seventy years. All those from whom Babylon has enriched himself will turn against him (Hab 2:7). Then Babylon himself is the booty of the nations it has exploited. It is conquered by the Medes and the Persians.

The reason for the foregoing is given in Hab 2:8. The surrounding nations will strike Babylon and shake it empty. Babylon will be measured with the same standard of measure they have measured (Mt 7:2).

Second “Woe”

The second ‘woe’ comes over Babylon because of his greed and self-exaltation. After the plunder and looting of the ‘woe’ of the previous verses, the ‘evil gain’ is a natural successor, by which he wants to ensure his house of steadfastness and durability (Hab 2:9). ‘Gain’ is here negative, it is ‘evil gain’, because that gain has been unlawfully, in an evil way, obtained.

Babylon has used his loot to secure himself in such a way that he thinks he is inviolable and unreachable to evil, no matter from which side it may come. Nobody can approach him. He thinks in his pride that he will stay out of the grip of evil. He considers his rule as impregnable as an eagle’s nest on high. Building his nest on high characterizes the high-flying thoughts of the heart. With this arrogant attitude and his fortress built high up, Babylon resembles Edom who also felt safe at an impregnable height (Oba 1:3-4).

By “his house” (Hab 2:9) and “your house” (Hab 2:10) is meant the dynasty of Nebuchadnezzar, which includes the royal family, including the king. Just as an eagle builds his nest high up to protect it from destruction (Job 39:27), so the Chaldean tries to raise and strengthen his kingdom through robbery and looting so that his family cannot be taken away from him.

By wickedness Babylon dug the grave of his own structure (Hab 2:10). What he means as strengthening himself will become a disgrace to him. Everything that is directed against God will return on him like a boomerang (Jer 7:19). Whatever the wicked has in mind to satisfy his ambition, greed, pleasure, or whatever desire, the only thing this selfish pursuit leads to is shame and death.

God, however, says: “He who sins against me injures himself; All those who hate me love death” (Pro 8:36b). This applies to a great extent to Babylon. The judgment that afflicts him is the counterpart of the judgments he himself has brought on others. Whatever a man sows, he will reap.

Even the inanimate things will accuse Babylon of blood guilts and sin and testify of his wicked actions (Hab 2:11; cf. Lk 19:40). Likewise with all the works of God: they have a voice and witnesses of Him by Whom they were created. Similarly, all the works of a man have a voice and testify of him who created them or used them. The crying of the stone is because of the crimes committed in order to build with them. The stones cry out for revenge (cf. Gen 4:10), because they have been robbed or bought with robbed money in order to build. The answer of the rafter has the meaning of agreeing to the cry of the stone.

Third “Woe”

The third ‘woe’ comes over Babylon because of the oppression of conquered peoples. The striving of Babylon to establish his kingdom permanently through sinful gain is also shown in the building of cities with the blood and sweat of subdued peoples (Hab 2:12). The material with which Babylon builds his cities is obtained by bloodshed. Prisoners are used in its construction.

The result of the history of man does not lie in the events themselves, but in the revealed intention of “the LORD of hosts” Who directs the events (Hab 2:13). He is the cause of the fact that all the edifices which have come into being in this way will not last.

The fact that He presents Himself here as “the LORD of hosts”, means that all the hosts in heaven and earth are at His service, they are under His authority. He is the Supreme Commander over all created powers, but especially over Israel. Everything that stands up against Him is judged by Him. Babylon will experience it when its kingdom finds its end through fire. All his work is in vain. “Toil for fire” means that their hard labor that consumed the forces with which they built the city, all that hard labor and its results will turn out to be fuel for the fire that will consume them. Nothing remains of it (Jer 51:58).

Unlike Hab 2:13, what does remain is what comes in its place: the kingdom of God (Hab 2:14). When all human hostile powers are wiped out, the kingdom of God and of His Christ will replace all kingdoms. As a result, the earth will be filled “with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD” (Num 14:21; Isa 11:9). “The waters” that “covers the sea” is a picture of the overwhelming fullness, in its length, breadth and depth.

God’s intention when He created the earth was that it would reflect His glory. His glory later filled the tabernacle and the temple, His dwelling place on earth. Soon the whole earth will be His dwelling place. Everything on earth will then be in complete agreement with Him, so that He can rest again in His works. He will then be praised forever (Psa 72:19).

Fourth “Woe”

From cruelty in the third ‘woe’, the prophet in the fourth ‘woe’ about Babylon moves to his shameless treatment of his “neighbors”, whom he should love. Drunkenness makes shameless (Hab 2:15; Gen 9:21). Babylon gets the nations drunk to let his lusts run wild.

God will make Babylon drunk and strip him of all feelings of shame and make him naked and take away all honor (Hab 2:16; Jer 25:15). Babylon is given the cup to drink that he has given others to drink, that he may also lie down drunk. This cup is given to him by the LORD. Jeremiah also speaks of the cup of the LORD, which is full of his wrath, and which he gives the nations to drink (Jer 25:26).

The “utter disgrace” can also be translated by “disgraceful vomit”. This shows that everything that they have swallowed in their voracity comes out again as vomit. What was their glory then, will now be covered with this vomit. Thus the LORD will cause Babylon to wallow like a drunk in his own vomit, which will be a disgusting and nauseating sight.

They deforested Lebanon in the north, where they entered the country, making it bare and bald through their military campaigns (Hab 2:17). They killed the animals that were there. Land, city and inhabitants in Hab 2:8 refer to the nations, while here Judah and Jerusalem with its inhabitants are meant. Babylon has caused a massacre there. But the violence he has inflicted on others will return on his own head, so that he will be covered up underneath.

Fifth “Woe”

The fifth and final ‘woe’ comes over Babylon because of the greatest of all sins: idolatry. This “woe” is pronounced in the second part of this stanza (Hab 2:19). This evil is focused directly against the LORD Himself. The LORD is replaced by a self-made image.

To powerfully indicate its utter worthlessness, the prophet asks what use an idol has (Hab 2:18; Isa 44:9-10; Jer 2:11). Of course, an idol is of no use at all. The idol is “a carved” image that teaches lies. The idol is a “a teacher of falsehood” who promotes to his worshipers the delusion that he is God and can do what can be expected of the true God, while it is a void idol. How foolish it is to rely on something made by one’s own hands.

An idol can be so overlaid with all earthly riches, it is and remains a dead thing, there is no life in it and life never comes into it (Hab 2:19). Such a god can do nothing for anyone. It is supreme foolishness to call to dead matter in the expectation that there will be a reaction. Even worse is that by such worship of an idol the true God is denied. God does not give His glory to anyone else. He who despises Him will be despised by Him (1Sam 2:30b). He pronounces His “woe” on those who call on an idol.

Be Silent Before God

After the song, the contrast suddenly comes out of Habakkuk’s mouth. Habakkuk has become a different person. He has been impressed by everything he has seen and heard about Who God is. The word “but” with which he begins, points to the contrast that exists between the idols and the living God, Who sees and rules everything. He is not hidden behind gold and silver, but alive in heaven, “His holy temple”, ready and willing to help His people.

He is the Almighty One in Whose presence it is appropriate to remain silent with reverence (Zec 2:13; Zep 1:7a), in the awareness that He makes the judgment go forth. This applies to the whole earth, for He is the God of “all the earth”. Silence is due to Him because of His impressive majesty. It suits man to be silent before God. What He has to say is more important than what we have to say. Habakkuk especially calls on the proud braggarts to keep their mouths shut before that majesty.

Job is also silent when he comes face to face with God and proclaims: “I lay my hand on my mouth” (Job 40:4). He becomes silent before God. Then God can speak to him. He is an example to us in this. When we become silent before God, He can answer our questions.