The just by faith
‘The just shall live by his faith’ (2:4) — quoted in Rom 1:17, Gal 3:11, Heb 10:38. The NT locus for justification by faith traces back here.
Old Testament · Book 35 of 66
Habakkuk
A prophet in dialogue with God — two complaints, two answers, a psalm. ‘The just shall live by his faith’ — cited three times in the NT.
3
Chapters
Dialogue
Form
Hab 2:4
Cited in Rom / Gal / Heb
“Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.”
- Author
- Habakkuk the prophet (1:1)
- Date
- Late 7th c. BC, shortly before the Babylonian rise to dominance
- Audience
- Judah on the eve of the exile
- Position
- Old Testament · Book 35 of 66
Structure
- Two complaints, two answers1–2
Why does God tolerate Judah's wickedness? He will use Babylon. But how can the LORD use a nation more wicked than Judah? The just shall live by his faith; Babylon too will fall.
- The prayer-psalm3
Habakkuk's prayer ‘upon Shigionoth’ — the theophany, and the closing vow: ‘yet I will rejoice in the LORD.’
Section pages
Each section is one focused part of Habakkuk — purpose, key movements, key verses, Christ-in-this-section. Roughly five minutes each.
Themes
Theodicy as dialogue
Habakkuk's form is distinctive — the prophet questions, the LORD answers. A book about trusting what you do not yet understand.