Habakkuk 2:6-19 – Part 2
In this next section of our journey through the book of Habakkuk, five woes are pronounced against the tyrants that take Judah captive. We will provide a short introduction in this post and address each woe in a separate post.
Note: We encourage you to click the link above and read the section in Habakkuk this post will discuss prior to reading the post.
First Woe: Habakkuk 2:6-8
Shall not all these take up their taunt against him, with scoffing and riddles for him, and say, “Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own— for how long?— and loads himself with pledges!” Will not your debtors suddenly arise, and those awake who will make you tremble? Then you will be spoil for them. Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder you, for the blood of man and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them. –Habakkuk 2:6-8 (ESV)
When the Babylonians (the Chaldeans) eventually came against Judah, they came as sent by the LORD. God allowed their sinful desire to conquer Judah to come to fruition. If God had not allowed them to do it, they never could have conquered Judah and exiled God’s people from the Promised Land. Although God allowed it as a means to punish His people who turned against Him, the Babylonians fortunes would turn. God assured Habakkuk that He would deal with Babylon and promised that just as they had plundered many nations, so one day others would plunder them. They would reap what they had sown.
The Woe Against Plunder
The first woe oracle begins in 2:6 as God proclaims against the one who accumulates what does not belong to him. The idea of plundering one’s enemies in battle was considered acceptable in both the ancient Near East and the Greco-Roman world. In fact, the word “trophy” originally referred to the Greek practice of bringing home the armor of a defeated enemy and setting it up on a wooden frame so that it could be displayed in public. For the victors, plunder was a source of pride, a cause for celebration, and a symbol of total victory. But for the loser, the surrender of plunder symbolized their disgrace, humiliation and total defeat.
When the Babylonians came, they were terrible and dreadful, plundering Judah and carrying off the people into captivity as they gave all the credit for their victory to their false gods. They were said to have destroyed lands, cities, nations, and people for the resources that they could gain .The Babylonians were perfect examples of the proud and Habakkuk could take comfort in the fact that God would deal with them. Habakkuk learned that God’s employment of the Chaldeans did not mean the permanent power of this evil nation over God’s chosen people.
What does the Bible say about plundering?
It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud. Proverbs 16:19
All who pass by plunder him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors. Psalm 89:41
Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place. Jeremiah 22:3
Woe to the Plunderer: What Goes Around, Comes Around
Through plundering other nations and/or people, Babylon became rich through extortion. As a result, they will become the ones who are plundered as those who they robbed will, in turn, rob them. Those who were once conquered by Babylon become Babylon’s creditors and Babylon’s glory is reversed to shame.
The Woe Refused Babylon’s Fortunes
Verse 8 provides the reason that a reversal of fortunes will occur. As they robbed and plundered, they killed and committed violent acts. But that too is reversed and now comes back upon them, and they become the ones who are plundered and whose blood is shed.
Snyman believes that the offenders in this woe oracle are not limited to Babylon, but also applies to the rich and arrogant people in Judah that stole from their fellow Judeans as they took goods “in pledge” or through extortion of the poor and vulnerable and expected interest on the loans that these goods served as a deposit. However, the “deposit” was never returned to the borrower.[1]
What does the Woe Mean for us Today?
We shouldn’t just think that it speaks to them alone. These same ‘woes’ that were brought against Babylon could easily be applied to Judah at that time as well. And more than that, they could be applied to any world power or ruling class that has dominance and seeks to use that control to exploit, intimidate and steal from those below them. What Babylon, the world power at that time does, so have all world powers done throughout the age… and it still goes on. Time moves on but the unconverted human heart remains the same. God is never pleased when a nation or even an individual plunders and takes advantage of others. His justice can always be counted on.
In Romans 12:19, Paul writes, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” God’s wrath is God’s settled anger toward sin expressed in the repayment of suitable vengeance on the guilty sinner and it is connected with God’s response to something that deserves vengeance. God’s people would remain captive to Babylon for 70 years (Jeremiah 25:9-13), but in 539 BC, the Persian King Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon and made a decree that the people of Judah could return to their home lands in Judah.
[1] Snyman, Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah, 74.
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