Habakkuk 2:6-19 – Part 5
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.
Fourth Woe: Habakkuk 2:15-17
“Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink—
you pour out your wrath and make them drunk,
in order to gaze at their nakedness!
You will have your fill of shame instead of glory.
Drink, yourself, and show your uncircumcision!
The cup in the Lord’s right hand
will come around to you,
and utter shame will come upon your glory!
The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you,
as will the destruction of the beasts that terrified them,
for the blood of man and violence to the earth,
to cities and all who dwell in them.”
–Habakkuk 2:15-17 (ESV)
The Woe Against Degrading One’s Neighbor
In the fourth woe oracle, God takes issue with the immoral debauchery that is degrading and exploitative. The result of which was shame and humiliation as their enemies were left without any dignity or honor. Verse 15 states, “Woe to him who gives his neighbors drink, pouring out your wrath and even making them drunk, in order to look at their nakedness! (HCSB)”. If the cup they were to drink from symbolizes the wrath of the Babylonians, than that wrath was full to the point that their enemies were left in a drunken stupor. Then the Babylonians took full advantage of them and looked on their nakedness. While this could refer to physical nakedness since often in times of war the victims were raped and hauled off naked, there are two other possibilities.
Exposing the Riches
First, their nakedness could refer to exposing the riches of the conquered land as the Babylonians plundered and stripped the nation of anything valuable. We have already seen that God pronounced a woe against plundering. Many of the riches of Judah were found in the Temple and these were carried off along with the people taken into captivity. God could be pronouncing this woe, at least in part, for exposing the Holy of Holies and taking off with the items of worship in the Temple.
A Spiritual Implication
Second, and more importantly, there could be a spiritual implication in that in God’s righteous judgment, the sins of the nation would be revealed, and their shame is exposed. They were not only drinking of the cup of wrath of the Babylonians, but also the cup of wrath that God had promised if they broke their covenant with Him. Judah and Israel both broke their covenant with God and chose to worship false gods. They were guilty of child sacrifices and temple prostitution. God’s woe is for any nation who turns away from Him and chooses to go their own way. That nation’s sin and shame will be exposed.
The Sins of Babylon…and Today
The specific sins mentioned are getting others drunk for the purpose of lust and sexual sins. In verse 17 it gives another result from drunkenness – violence. Drunkenness always leads to other immorality and society is filled with its corrupted fruit. In many ways drunkenness, lust and sexual sins and violence sum up where the moral decay we find in our world today. It is on our televisions, in our magazines, in the movies, littered over the internet and in our families. Today these acts of immorality have spread everywhere across the world. So when God comes to judge in the last days, the judgement will be worldwide. The woe of God’s judgement will be throughout the earth.
They Tyrant, Babylon, will Face the Same Fate
For these sins, God was going to judge Babylon. They were known for their drunken orgies and violence and now they were perverting other nations to be like them. Again, we find God’s judgment is a reversal of the situation and Babylon will experience themselves what they did to others. God says that they will become drunk with shame, not majesty when He brings His cup of wrath to them. They will not be pardoned for any of their offenses but will pay for them in full through God’s terrifying judgment. God’s reasoning is announced at the end of verse 17. He states that His judgment will be because Babylon destroyed the wild animals, shed human blood, and committed violent acts against lands, cities, and the people who live in them.
One Year Bible Reading Plan: August 31
Download the full one-year Bible reading plan here:
[Download not found]
Clicking on the Scripture links above will open a new window where you can read the scripture from the New English Translation at Biblegateway.com or choose the Bible version you prefer to read. Check back each day to get the Scripture to read in the One Year Bible Reading Plan.
Praying, Meditating, and Journaling the Psalms:
Choose one of the following Psalms: One Section of Psalm 119.
1: Read the psalm through in its entirety.
2: Take one verse at a time and pray the verse back to God as it applies to your life.
3: Meditate on the verse and ask the Holy Spirit what He is trying to teach you about God, your Christian walk, or about yourself.
4: Journal what you prayed about and the results of your meditation.
5: Move to the next verse. Continue through the entire psalm this way.
6: Write down one verse that stood out the most to you today on a 3X5 card and carry it with you throughout the day. Memorize the verse and hide it in your heart.
Now you can enhance your Bible Reading with the Verse Mapping Template
Our Verse Mapping download is FREE and includes 6 pages: 3 pages of instructions for using the template and the 2 page template, plus the cover page. If you’re looking to go deeper into God’s Word, learn more about God and develop a stronger spiritual life, Verse Mapping will help you dig into the scriptures. As you apply God’s Word to your life, you will develop a more intimate knowledge and relationship with God.
Week 35: August 28-September 3
Visit our three retail experiences:
We Recommend:
Clicking the link on our recommended resources will take you to Christianbook Distributors’ website.
| NET, The TEXT Bible, Hardcover, Comfort Print By Thomas Nelson The NET The Text Bible is a new approach to engaging God’s Word, with the attention and in-depth nature of your favorite podcast, as if you’re in such a thought-provoking conversation with a friend that you lose all track of time because you are communicating on a level that piques your interest on multiple subjects and emotions. With a four step Bible study approach: Talk to God; Encounter God and humanity; eXamine your heart; Talk to others, this Bible features study notes, questions and articles all designed to get you to dwell on the biblical stories; to let your heart and mind truly soak in the warmth of God’s wisdom and truth found in the Scriptures. |
Focus on the Text:
- Text-ing the Text: use the 4-step process of Scripture engagement
- Big Q of the Text: big life questions with short answers
- Praying the Text: learn how to start praying God’s Word right back to Him
- Get to Know the Text: provides concise history of a major event or character
- Follow the Thread: navigate the Bible across topics
- Anatomy of the Text: describes parts of speech or important types of literature such as parables or apocalyptic books
- Terms of the Text: what you need to understand about some of the unique words in the Bible
- “Who is God?”: 100 short devotions on the person and character of God
More Features:
- Book introductions
- 8 full-color maps
- Clear and readable 9-point NET Comfort Print
Spiritual Formation Is…: How to Grow in Jesus with Passion and Confidence
| Spiritual Formation Is…: How to Grow in Jesus with Passion and Confidence – eBook By Rod Dempsey & Dave Earley / B&H Academic Rod Dempsey and Dave Early draw on years of experience as pastors, church planters, professors, and transformed believers to equip readers to grow in their spiritual walk with Christ. Spiritual Formation Is challenges believers to grow upward, inward, and outward in their spiritual formation by loving God, loving one another, and loving our neighbors. Written in a down-to-earth, approachable style that invites readers to come as they are, Spiritual Formation Is introduces the principles, philosophy, and practice of sanctification. |
Praying the Bible
| Praying the Bible By Donald S. Whitney / Crossway Ever feel “stuck” when you try to talk to the Lord? Learn to pray the Scriptures and you’ll never be lost for words again! In this practical guide, the best-selling author of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life shows you how to pray through portions of God’s Word, letting it shape your thoughts and petitions. 128 pages, hardcover from Crossway. |
Wellspring Christian Ministries is a proud Affiliate of Christianbook Distributors.
Brand New Design in the Spreadshop Store
God’s goodness is all around us, and He blesses us every day. This design reminds us that His goodness is running after us and overflows in abundance. So sing His praise and make it glorious!
Then Sings My Soul
From the hymn, “How Great Thou Art.” We can sing praise to God in all circumstances because God is good all the time.
Visit our YouTube Channels for Christian playlists and our short animated devotionals.
Animated Devotionals
Contemporary Christian Music Playlist
Southern Gospel Playlist
Just Hymns
God, Love, and Marshmallow Wars
by Julia M. Bruce
What’s Inside God, Love, and Marshmallow Wars?
This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:
- Scripture to memorize and meditate on
- Conversation Starters
- Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages
- Romance Builders
- Relationship Builders
- Personal reflections
- Date ideas
- Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples
Now in the WCM Store! Buy your copy today for only $24.95
paperback edition
Also available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.
Join the community of couples on Facebook who are committed to intentionally growing their marriage and learning how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.
Bible Studies, Bibles, Books & More
Looking for a Bible Study, Bible, book or Christian gift? We are an affiliate with Christianbook Distributors and receive an 8% commission on any item purchased through one of our links. However, the commission never increases your cost of any item. View some of our favorite items by clicking on the logo and thank you for supporting our ministry.
Wellspring Christian Ministries receives an 8% commission on any purchased made from Christian Book Distributors through any affiliate link on this site. Your price for any item is the same as purchasing from CBD directly.
See our other recent posts:
904.239.8937
A non-profit ministry located in Jacksonville, FL
Follow us on:
