Agenda: Narratives
1. How to interpret Poetry
2. The Bible GPS on Psalm 32
3. The Bible GPS on Jeremiah 48: 29-33
4. The Bible GPS on Habakkuk 1: 1-11
5. The Bible GPS on Lamentations 1: 1-9
6. The Bible GPS on Song of Songs 2: 3-13
Habakkuk
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Message to the
original receiver
The GPS
DIFFERENCES of
Language
Tradition
Time
Situation
History
APPLICATION
21st
Century
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Message to the
original receiver
The First Process: Understanding
1. Situation
2. Type of literature
3. Analyze the passage
S.T.A.R.T.
4. Relate the message to the rest of the Bible
5. Test your findings
The Steps of Understanding
1. Situation
S.T.A.R.T.
1. Author: Little is known about Habakkuk except that he was a
contemporary of Jeremiah and a man of vigorous faith rooted deeply
in the religious traditions of Israel.
2. Date: Habakkuk lived in Judah toward the end of Josiah’s reign
(640–609 b.c.) or at the beginning of Jehoiakim’s (609–598).
3. Message: Habakkuk was perplexed that wickedness, strife and
oppression were rampant in Judah but God seemingly did nothing.
He learns to wait patiently in faith.
The Steps of Understanding
1. Situation
S.T.A.R.T.
2. Type of literature
PROSE
Narrative
Procedure
Explanation
Instruction
POETRY in
Psalms
Prophets
Wisdom
Literature
3. Analyze the passage
3.1 Look out for parallelisms, similes and methaphors,
personification and hyperbole
3.2 Mark the main themes
3.3 Conclude and summarize the message to the original receiver
Habakkuk 1: 1-11
1
Habakkuk’s Complaint
2
How long, LORD, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not save?
3 Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
4 Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.
(NIV)
Habakkuk 1: 1-11
1
Habakkuk’s Complaint
2
How long, LORD, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not save?
3 Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
4 Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.
(NIV)
Parallelism
Habakkuk 1: 1-11
1
Habakkuk’s Complaint
2
How long, LORD, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not save?
3 Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
4 Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.
(NIV)
Parallelism
Parallelism
Habakkuk 1: 1-11
1
Habakkuk’s Complaint
2
How long, LORD, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not save?
3 Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
4 Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.
(NIV)
Parallelism
Parallelism
Parallelism
Habakkuk 1: 1-11
1
Habakkuk’s Complaint
2
How long, LORD, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
Parallelism
but you do not save?
3 Why do you make me look at injustice?
Parallelism
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
Parallelism
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
4 Therefore the law is paralyzed,
Parallelism
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.
(NIV)
Habakkuk 1: 1-11
The LORD’s Answer
5
“Look at the nations and watch—
and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe,
even if you were told.
6 I am raising up the Babylonians,
that ruthless and impetuous people,
who sweep across the whole earth
to seize dwellings not their own.
7 They are a feared and dreaded people;
they are a law to themselves
and promote their own honor.
(NIV)
Habakkuk 1: 1-11
The LORD’s Answer
5
“Look at the nations and watch—
and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe,
even if you were told.
6 I am raising up the Babylonians,
that ruthless and impetuous people,
who sweep across the whole earth
Hyperbole
to seize dwellings not their own.
7 They are a feared and dreaded people;
they are a law to themselves
and promote their own honor.
(NIV)
Habakkuk 1: 1-11
The LORD’s Answer
5
“Look at the nations and watch—
and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe,
even if you were told.
6 I am raising up the Babylonians,
that ruthless and impetuous people,
who sweep across the whole earth
Hyperbole
to seize dwellings not their own.
7 They are a feared and dreaded people;
Parallelism
they are a law to themselves
and promote their own honor.
(NIV)
Habakkuk 1: 1-11
The LORD’s Answer continuous
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Their horses are swifter than leopards,
fiercer than wolves at dusk.
Their cavalry gallops headlong;
their horsemen come from afar.
They fly like an eagle swooping to devour;
9 they all come intent on violence.
Their hordes advance like a desert wind
and gather prisoners like sand.
10 They mock kings
and scoff at rulers.
They laugh at all fortified cities;
by building earthen ramps they capture them.
11 Then they sweep past like the wind and go on—
guilty people, whose own strength is their god.”
(NIV)
Habakkuk 1: 1-11
The LORD’s Answer continuous
Their horses are swifter than leopards,
Simile
fiercer than wolves at dusk.
Their cavalry gallops headlong;
their horsemen come from afar.
They fly like an eagle swooping to devour;
9 they all come intent on violence.
Their hordes advance like a desert wind
and gather prisoners like sand.
10 They mock kings
and scoff at rulers.
They laugh at all fortified cities;
by building earthen ramps they capture them.
11 Then they sweep past like the wind and go on—
guilty people, whose own strength is their god.”
8
(NIV)
Habakkuk 1: 1-11
The LORD’s Answer continuous
Their horses are swifter than leopards,
Simile
fiercer than wolves at dusk.
Their cavalry gallops headlong;
Parallelism
their horsemen come from afar.
They fly like an eagle swooping to devour;
9 they all come intent on violence.
Their hordes advance like a desert wind
and gather prisoners like sand.
10 They mock kings
and scoff at rulers.
They laugh at all fortified cities;
by building earthen ramps they capture them.
11 Then they sweep past like the wind and go on—
guilty people, whose own strength is their god.”
8
(NIV)
Habakkuk 1: 1-11
The LORD’s Answer continuous
Their horses are swifter than leopards,
Simile
fiercer than wolves at dusk.
Their cavalry gallops headlong;
Parallelism
their horsemen come from afar.
They fly like an eagle swooping to devour;
Simile
9 they all come intent on violence.
Their hordes advance like a desert wind
and gather prisoners like sand.
10 They mock kings
and scoff at rulers.
They laugh at all fortified cities;
by building earthen ramps they capture them.
11 Then they sweep past like the wind and go on—
guilty people, whose own strength is their god.”
8
(NIV)
Habakkuk 1: 1-11
The LORD’s Answer continuous
Their horses are swifter than leopards,
Simile
fiercer than wolves at dusk.
Their cavalry gallops headlong;
Parallelism
their horsemen come from afar.
They fly like an eagle swooping to devour;
Simile
9 they all come intent on violence.
Their hordes advance like a desert wind
Parallelism
and gather prisoners like sand.
10 They mock kings
and scoff at rulers.
They laugh at all fortified cities;
by building earthen ramps they capture them.
11 Then they sweep past like the wind and go on—
guilty people, whose own strength is their god.”
8
(NIV)
Simile
Habakkuk 1: 1-11
The LORD’s Answer continuous
Their horses are swifter than leopards,
Simile
fiercer than wolves at dusk.
Their cavalry gallops headlong;
Parallelism
their horsemen come from afar.
They fly like an eagle swooping to devour;
Simile
9 they all come intent on violence.
Their hordes advance like a desert wind
Parallelism
and gather prisoners like sand.
10 They mock kings
Parallelism
and scoff at rulers.
They laugh at all fortified cities;
by building earthen ramps they capture them.
11 Then they sweep past like the wind and go on—
guilty people, whose own strength is their god.”
8
(NIV)
Simile
Habakkuk 1: 1-11
The LORD’s Answer continuous
Their horses are swifter than leopards,
Simile
fiercer than wolves at dusk.
Their cavalry gallops headlong;
Parallelism
their horsemen come from afar.
They fly like an eagle swooping to devour;
Simile
9 they all come intent on violence.
Their hordes advance like a desert wind
Parallelism
and gather prisoners like sand.
10 They mock kings
Parallelism
and scoff at rulers.
They laugh at all fortified cities;
by building earthen ramps they capture them.
11 Then they sweep past like the wind and go on—
Simile
guilty people, whose own strength is their god.”
8
(NIV)
Simile
3. Analyze the passage
Like Habakkuk, we can raise
3.1 Look out for parallelisms, similes and
ourmethaphors,
lament to God. God hears
the cry but sometimes
personification and hyperbole
answers in mysterious ways.
3.2 Mark the main themes
3.3 Conclude and summarize the message to the original receiver
4. Relate the message to the broader Biblical and theological
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framework?
do you always
us? in a loud voice,
34 And at three in Why
the afternoon
Jesusforget
cried out
5. Test your findings
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Why
do you
forsake us so
long?means
“Eloi, Eloi,
lema
sabachthani?”
(which
(Lamentations 5– NIV)
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
(Mark 15 NIV)
Like Habakkuk, we can raise
our lament to God. God hears
the cry but sometimes
answers in mysterious ways.
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Message to the
original receiver
21st
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Like Habakkuk, we can raise
our lament to God. God hears
the cry but sometimes
answers in mysterious ways.
Incidental = Cultural, Ceremonial &
Civil
APPLICATION
Essential =
Moral
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Message to the
original receiver
The GPS
Small Group
APPLICATION
21st
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Please read answer the following questions in the light of Day 160 of “The Bible
as your GPS” or page 108 of “Hearing God’s Tweet”
1. Is it OK to compain to God?
2. What were Habakkuk’s specific complaints against God?
3. In what ways do the Christians that you know show that they are concerned (or unconcerned)
about justice?
4. Verse 5 begins with God telling Habakkuk that he will be “utterly amazed.” What all did God say
that must have astonished and confused Habakkuk?
5. From what you know about God, why does it seem possible that God would work even through
the Babylonians?
6. Habakkuk moves from despair to hope. Read Habakkuk 3: 17-19
7. What touches you the most of this study?