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Plain Upon Tables The Vision Deferred Hope deferred maketh the heart sick:
but when the desire cometh, | A verse by verse study in Habakkuk 2 At the time of the writing of the book of Habakkuk Israel was in dire straits. ..Internal evidence in the first chapter suggests the book was written early in the reign of Jehoiakim, a puppet king appointed by Pharaoh-necho of Egypt. Babylon, a new power in the east, was challenging Egypt’s power in the west. The moral and religious climate in Israel continued to worsen. Jehoiakim’s reign is summarized in one brief sentence: “And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD” (2 Kings 23:37). Israel was at the nadir of its experience and God resolved to chastise the Israelites in a way he had never done before. He revealed to Habakkuk his intention to let Babylon conquer Egypt and be the ruling power from today’s Iran to Egypt: “Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you” (Habakkuk 1:5). When other conquerors had defeated all or parts of Israel, they were content to leave the people in the land and subject them to heavy taxation. Babylon, on the other hand, would transplant the Jewish people from their cherished Promised Land to Chaldea. Habakkuk was greatly distressed by this. In the first chapter of his prophecy, he spoke with God about the wisdom of this. He acknowledged the sinfulness of Israel, but is confused that God would use a worse people to deliver the punishment: “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?” (Habakkuk 1:13). “Why,” the prophet cried out in the third verse of this book, “dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance?” It is the same plaintive question so often voiced today: “Why does God permit evil?” The Watchman and the Vision—Habakkuk 2:1-4 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. Announcements
intended for public consumption in Old Testament times were inscribed on the
waxed surface of boxwood tablets and posted. Words were printed in clear, distinct,
and large letters so that those rushing by could read it without breaking their
pace. In fact the original text indicates that they read it aloud or proclaimed
it by passing it on to others. The Hebrew word translated “make it plain”
(Strong’s #874) comes from a root meaning “dig” and is better translated “etch”
or “engrave” as The Literal Translation phrases it. In other words, this
writing was to function much as billboards do today. The
vision was that the Israelites were about to go through a major chastening
experience by going into captivity by the Chaldeans, and be physically removed
to the distant city of Babylon. They were about to be driven out of their
cherished Promised Land. But there was a hint of deliverance. The vision also
spoke of the eventual “spoiling of the spoiler.” Though the unrighteous and
righteous alike were to go through this punishment, they should not utterly
despair. The “just” ones should retain their belief in an ultimate deliverance
and live in accordance with that faith. Habakkuk
was one of those who did have such a confident faith. In his beautiful poetic
prayer in chapter three he concludes by saying: “Although the fig tree shall
not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall
fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the
fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my
salvation” (Habakkuk 3:17,18). This message, both the curse and eventual deliverance, would seem as incredible to the Israelites as it did to Habakkuk in chapter one. But though it might seem impossible, they should have confidence in its validity. They were to expectantly await it. It would certainly come to pass—the destruction soon and the deliverance much later. These words have often been quoted by Bible Students as referring to the Chart of the Ages, the theme of this issue of The Herald. While this is not the contextual interpretation of this text, it is a fitting application. As a matter of fact, the spirit of this prophecy had multiple fulfillments. The apostle John, while exiled on the isle of Patmos, saw a vision of the despoiling of the Christian church by symbolic Babylon. But he also saw the destruction with the call “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen” (Revelation 18:2). He described the vision distinctly, though enigmatically, in the last book of the Bible. Those who read it comprehended an apostasy and its eventual destruction. They proclaimed it loudly, though with confused tongues and often erroneous interpretations, throughout the Gospel age. Martin Luther saw a vision of the corruption in the church he had vowed to serve and wrote it clearly in the ninety-five theses posted on the church door in Wittenberg in 1517. Its readers proclaimed it so loudly they broke countless Protestant denominations off the nearly monolithic Roman church during the period that followed. Pastor Charles Taze Russell had a well-studied vision of God’s plan to offer a full, future opportunity to obtain perfect, everlasting life to every human who has ever lived. He diagramed that vision on the chart explained in this issue of The Herald. He wrote about it tirelessly for some forty years in books, newspaper and magazine articles, tracts, and in his monthly journal. He lectured about it in thousands of sermons delivered in over a score of countries around the globe. His students likewise proclaimed it far and wide. In this vision he saw the rise, fall, and rising again of natural Israel. He saw the growing apostasy of the primitive church and its conquest by symbolic Babylon. He also foretold of the destruction of that system which, like Babylon of old, was more wicked than the church it held captive for more than a millennium. And he proclaimed the replacement of the evil and decaying world order with a thousand-year kingdom of righteousness to be followed by an eternity of bliss. Habakkuk’s vision continues with a series of five woes against the Babylonian invaders, predicting their eventual fall. The First Woe—Habakkuk 2:5-8 Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people: Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay! Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them? Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein. The Douay Bible translates the first phrase of this passage as a simile: “As wine deceiveth him that drinketh it, so shall the proud man be, and he shall not be honored” (see Reprints, p. 621). Whether this is the correct understanding or whether these words should be taken more literally, both are true of the causes of Babylon’s fall (see Daniel 5). These sins are attributed to the Babylonian conquerors: alcoholism, pride, ambition, and conquest. The pride of Nebuchadnezzar is well demonstrated by the sixty-cubit-high image of gold he erected in his own honor (Daniel 3:1). His ambitions were as insatiable as sheol, the Hebrew word for grave here mistranslated hell (Proverbs 30:15,16). His goal was to dominate the entire Middle Eastern world. And thus he set out to conquer at least nineteen nations (Jeremiah 25:18-26). Verse 6 presents a sharp contrast. On the one hand, the conquests of Babylon greatly enriched their coffers with stolen gain. On the other hand, the cost of these campaigns loaded them with heavy debts. The word translated “thick clay” (abtiyt, Strong’s #5671) literally means “heavy debts” and is translated “loans” in the New American Standard Bible. The next verse, evidently referring to the sudden conquest of Babylon by Cyrus, shows the consequences of their deep indebtedness. Strong’s Concordance gives the word translated “bite” (nashak, #5391) the figurative meaning of “to oppress with interest on a loan” and it is translated “lend upon usury” in Deuteronomy 23:19,20. Rotherham renders it, “Will not thy creditors suddenly rise up.” The retaliation against the conqueror is an oft-repeated theme in history. It applies to all four universal empires mentioned by Daniel, according to John Trapp who wrote: “Thus he spoiled these Babylonians by Cyrus and his Medes; the Persians, by Alexander and his Macedonians (whom they so slighted, that Darius, in his proud embassy to him, called him his servant, but himself the king of kings, and cousin of the gods). So the Roman empire was miserably rent and torn by the Goths, Vandals, Huns, Lombards, people not before heard of, and the Greek empire by Turks, Tartars, Saracens, Scythians, etc.” The Second Woe—Habakkuk 2:9-11 Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul. For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it. The term “evil covetousness” in verse nine suggests that not all covetousness is necessarily evil. Indeed we find the word “covet” used in a positive sense in the expression “covet earnestly the best gifts” (1 Corinthians 12:31). The covetousness in verse 9 is evil because it was selfish, meant to exalt his possession, “to set his nest on high.” A similar complaint is used against Nineveh: “Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD” (Obadiah 4). Young’s Literal Translation more correctly renders verse 10, “Thou hast counseled a shameful thing to thy house, to cut off many peoples, and sinful is thy soul.” In sharp contrast, note the counsel of Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:27, “Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.” The figurative conversation between the stone and the beam may be an allusion to Solomon’s Temple calling out for vengeance against its destroyers. The construction of that temple featured a row of cedar beams between every third layer of stone (1 Kings 6:36). It is reminiscent of a similar expression in Revelation 6:9,10 where beheaded souls under the altar cry out for vengeance against their oppressors. The Third Woe—Habakkuk 2:12-14 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity! Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity? For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. The cement of city walls that is tempered with the blood of murdered men, women, and children is sure to crumble and break in its own due time. The eighteenth century commentator, John Gill, made a poignant application of this text to the antitypical Babylon: “The town and city are the church of Rome, mystical Babylon, the great city, called spiritually Egypt and Sodom; the builder of this is the pope of Rome, the bishops of it in succession, who built it with blood: the pope of Rome received his title as head of the church from Phocas, that murdered the emperor Mauritius; the foundation of the church of Rome is the blood of the saints, shed in persecutions and wars.” This harmonizes with the words of Revelation 18:24, where, speaking of mystic Babylon, we read: “In her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.” It is noteworthy to compare verse 13 with Jeremiah 51:58 where it is written of literal Babylon, “Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary.” Applying the same symbolic language, the apostle Peter, describing present ecclesiastical powers, the heavens of the world that now is, wrote: “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10). The final verse of this “woe” indicates that the prophecy is not limited to the destruction of literal Babylon, for at no time in the past has it been true that the knowledge of the Lord has been of such worldwide magnitude. God indicated that the nation of Israel would play a role in bringing this about. After Moses pleaded with Jehovah not to blot out that nation for their sins, God answered with these words: “I have pardoned according to thy word: But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD” (Numbers 14:20,21). In fact, the fulfillment of this prophecy shows just how far-sighted the vision of Habakkuk extends. The Fourth Woe—Habakkuk 2:15-18 Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness! Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORD’s right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory. For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein. What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? As the success of natural Babylon enticed the neighboring kingdoms to equal acts of violent conquest, so spiritual Babylon is accused of similar activities: “With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication” (Revelation 17:2). As both Babylons had drunk of the wine of oppressive power, they themselves would be made to drink, but from a different cup, “the cup of the wine of the fierceness of [God’s] wrath” (Revelation 16:19; 14:10; Jeremiah 25:17,27,28). It is unclear whether the violence of Lebanon means the violence done to Lebanon or the violence that proceeded out of Lebanon. The latter view matches the parable of Ezekiel 17:3-12. This violence was to be repaid by the “beasts.” In literal Babylon’s case, the last three beasts seen in the vision recorded in Daniel 7 successively replaced it. In the case of mystic Babylon, we read: “And the ten horns which thou sawest, and the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her utterly with fire” (Revelation 17:16, ASV). Verse 18 introduces the final woe against the invading forces. The Fifth Woe—Habakkuk 2:19,20 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him. The ancient Babylonians had at
least thirteen gods in their pantheon, the greatest of which were Anu, the god
of the highest heaven, and Marduk, their national god. It was just as useless
for this ancient nation to trust in the man-made images of their gods as it is
for modern religionists to trust in their idols and icons of gold and silver. In contrast, Jehovah, the God of Israel, said: “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God (Exodus 20:4,5). Though the Temple of Solomon was destroyed, the Lord continued to dwell, not in a temple made with hands, but in heaven itself, the highest temple of all. In describing a vision of New Jerusalem, John wrote: “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it” (Revelation 21:22). Both the natural and spiritual Babylonian captivity would come to an end eventually and the oppressors would be vanquished. It may seem slow in coming, but as God assured Habakkuk in verse 3, “Though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay” (ASV translation). |