A Private Commentary on the Bible: Habakkuk

By James D. Quiggle

A thoroughly exegetical discussion and application of the Book of Habakkuk. The interpretation is conservative theologically and closely follows the historical-grammatical hermeneutic. Attention is paid to Calvinistic and Dispensational perspectives.

• Language: English
• Publisher: James D. Quiggle
• Release date: Aug 23, 2020

James D. Quiggle

James D. Quiggle was born in 1952 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He grew up in Kansas and the Texas Panhandle. In the early 1970s he joined the United States Air Force. At his first permanent assignment in Indian Springs, Nevada in a small Baptist church, the pastor introduced him to Jesus and soon after he was saved. Over the next ten years those he met in churches from the East Coast to the West Coast, mature Christian men, poured themselves into mentoring him. In the 1970s he was gifted with the Scofield Bible Course from Moody Bible Institute. As he completed his studies his spiritual gift of teaching became even more apparent. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Bethany Bible College during the 1980s while still in the Air Force. Between 2006–2008, after his career in the Air Force and with his children grown up, he decided to continue his education. He enrolled in Bethany Divinity College and Seminary and earned a Master of Arts in Religion and a Master of Theological Studies.As an extension of his spiritual gift of teaching, he was prompted by the Holy Spirit to begin writing books. James Quiggle is now a Christian author with over fifty commentaries on Bible books and doctrines. He is an editor for the Evangelical Dispensational Quarterly Journal published by Scofield Biblical Institute and Theological Seminary.He continues to write and has a vibrant teaching ministry through social media.

Book preview

Habakkuk

BOOKS BY JAMES D. QUIGGLE

DOCTRINAL SERIES

Adam and Eve, a Biography and Theology

Angelology, a True History of Angels

Biblical Essays

Biblical Essays II

Biblical Essays III

Biblical Homosexuality

A Biblical Response to Same-gender Marriage

Marriage and Family: A Biblical Perspective

First Steps, Becoming a Follower of Jesus Christ

Christian Living and Doctrine

Spiritual Gifts

Why Christians Should Not Tithe

Antichrist, His Genealogy, Kingdom, and Religion

Dispensational Eschatology, An Explanation and Defense of the Doctrine

Understanding Dispensational Theology

The Literal Hermeneutic, Explained and Illustrated

God’s Choices, Doctrines of Foreordination, Election, Predestination

God Became Incarnate

Life, Death, Eternity

COMMENTARY SERIES

The Old Testament:

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Judges

A Private Commentary on the Book of Ruth

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Esther

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Song of Solomon

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Daniel

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Jonah

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Habakkuk

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Haggai

The New Testament:

The Gospels

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Matthew’s Gospel

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Mark’s Gospel

A Private Commentary on the Bible: John 1–12

A Private Commentary on the Bible: John 13–21

(John’s Gospel is also in a one volume edition)

The Parables and Miracles of Jesus Christ

The Passion and Resurrection of Jesus the Christ

The Christmas Story, As Told By God

Pauline Letters

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Ephesians

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Philippians

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Colossians

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Philemon

General Letters

A Private Commentary on the Book of Hebrews

A Private Commentary on the Bible: James

A Private Commentary on the Bible: 1 Peter

A Private Commentary on the Bible: 2 Peter

A Private Commentary on the Bible: John’s Epistles

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Jude

Revelation

The Epistle of Jesus to the Church

REFERENCE SERIES

Old and New Testament Chronology

Also in individual volumes:

Old Testament Chronology

New Testament Chronology

Translation of Select Bible Books (Old And New Testament)

Dictionary of Doctrinal Words

Visit me at https://www.facebook.com/BooksOfQ

A Private Commentary

on the Bible

Habakkuk

James D. Quiggle

Copyright Page

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Habakkuk

Copyright © 2020 James D. Quiggle. All rights reserved.

Published by James D. Quiggle, 2020

Smashwords Edition

Translation of the Book of Habakkuk by James D. Quiggle

Translations not marked are sourced from James D. Quiggle, Translations of Select Bible Books.

Some Bible versions cited or quoted were sourced from PC Study Bible®, version 5, release 5.2. Copyright© 1988–2008, by BibleSoft, Inc.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). Scripture quotations marked HCSB are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

New King James Version® (NKJV). Copyright © 1982, 1983 by Thomas Nelson Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV). Copyright © 2000, 2001 by Crossway Bibles, A Division of Good News Publishers, 1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, Illinois 60187, USA. All rights reserved.

The Holy Bible: New International Version (NIV), Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

The Jewish Study Bible (JSB), featuring the Jewish Publication Society Tanakh Translation (copyright 1999). New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2004.

This digital edition of A Private Commentary on the Bible: Habakkuk has the same material as the print edition.

Table of Contents

Preface

Abbreviations

Introduction

Translation of Habakkuk

Habakkuk One

Habakkuk Two

Habakkuk Three

Appendix: The Red Sea Crossing

Sources

Preface

The Private Commentary series on the Old and New Testaments is my interpretation of the Bible, neither more nor less. I am responsible for the use made of all quoted and cited material.

The scope of the Private Commentary series is to bring the reader to a practical understanding of Scripture. I explain and discuss each verse, idea, theme, and biblical truth as discovered in turn during the course of the exposition. My target audience is the Bible college/seminary student, Bible study/small group leader, Sunday School teacher, and local church Pastor. My point of view is a conservative theology. Other opinions concerning the Scripture are presented and discussed as I believe will profit the target audience. Bible students who desire to understand and apply the scriptures are invited to study the book with me and come to their own conclusions.

This material is copyrighted to prevent misuse or abuse. Those persons using this material in their teaching/preaching ministry may copy and distribute individual pages (e.g., an excursus, a table/list, or an appendix) for distribution to one’s students or auditors. The entire book may not be copied and/or distributed, nor large portions of the book, such as a chapter or extended comments on Scripture passages. The cost of this work has been kept as low as possible so every interested teacher, preacher, and student may afford a personal copy.

Abbreviations

AD Anno Domini (In the year of YHWH [since Christ was born])

ANF Ante-Nicene Fathers

AUC Anno Urbis Conditae (in the year of the founded city [of Rome])

Ant. Antiquities of the Jews

BC Bello Christo (Before Christ [was born])

ca. about (an approximate date) (Latin: circa)

CE Current Era (year since Christ was born).

cf. compare (Latin: confer)

e.g. for example (Latin: exempli gratia)

etc. and so forth, and so on (Latin: et cetera)

GWT Great White Throne judgment (Revelation 20:11–15)

HCSB Holman Christian Standard Bible

Ibid in the same place (referring to the source cited in the previous entry) (Latin: ibidem)

i.e. that is (Latin: id est)

ISBE International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

NPNF1 Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series

LXX Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament completed ca. 130 BC)

n. note (referring to a footnote or endnote in the work cited)

m. Mishnah (followed by tractate name, e.g., m. Baba Metzia)

Song Song of Solomon

s. v. under the word (Latin: sub verbo)

TDNT Theological Dictionary of the New Testament

TNTC Tyndale New Testament Commentary

TWOT Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament

v. verse

vv. verses

WBC Word Biblical Commentary

WSDNT Complete Word Study Dictionary New Testament

Introduction

The Book of Habakkuk is thought to have been written ca. 609–600 BC [Hollingsworth, 117]. The reference, 1:6, to the Chaldeans, is a reference to the Babylonian Empire. In 609 BC the Babylonians defeated the Assyrians at the first battle of Carchemish, taking over their position of biblical world empire. (Below, the title, Nebuchadnezzar II, is the Nebuchadnezzar of the Bible.)

The first Battle of Carchemish happened about July 609 BC. This battle must have taken place shortly after the Battle of Haran, 610 BC. The first Battle of Carchemish was mainly between the Egyptians, under the leadership of Pharaoh Necho II, and the Babylonians, under the leadership of Nebuchadnezzar II. [Thiele, 124.]

Herodotus, the Greek historian, wrote that Nebuchadnezzar II and Necos (i.e., Pharaoh Necho II Wehemibre Nekau, the biblical Pharaoh Necho) were adversaries for two decades. Carchemish was located on the Euphrates River. This battle seems to have ended in a stalemate. King Josiah of Judah was killed at this battle by Pharaoh Necho II, 2 Kings 23:29; 2 Chronicles 35:20–22; Antiquities, 10.5.1.

Josephus, Antiquities, 10.5.1 and 2 Kings 23:29, state Pharaoh Necho II went to aid the Assyrians in their battle against Babylon—the aforementioned Battle of Haran. Bromiley [Encyclopedia, s. v. Carchemish] states Pharaoh Necho II was on his way to help the Assyrians, 2 Kings 23:29. He was necessarily late to the Battle of Haran. The Assyrian Empire had ended when the Babylonians conquered their government at Haran in 610 BC. Given the necessary slowness in communications, the Battle of Haran must have taken place late 610 BC and the first Battle of Carchemish early 609 BC. So though Pharaoh Necho II was on his way to help the Assyrians, they were already defeated, and Necho’s appearance gave rise to the first Battle of Carchemish.

King Josiah of Judah was killed when he attempted to stop Pharaoh Necho II on his way to Haran/Carchemish. Josiah was killed at Megiddo, 2 Kings 23:29, in the Valley of Megiddo, 2 Chronicles 35:22–24. After the 609 BC first Battle of Carchemish, Pharaoh Necho II remained in control of Palestine, see 2 Kings 36:1–4.

This first Battle at Carchemish in 609 BC ended the Assyrian Empire and established the seventy years of subjection/ servitude to Babylon for the nations and Judah, Jeremiah 25:10–12; 27:6–7, 11–12. [Hollingsworth, 117–118.]

The Babylonian Empire had a prophesied end. Did Habakkuk know this scripture? Jeremiah was written ca. 628–580 BC.

Jeremiah 25:11–12 (NKJV), And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. Then it will come to pass, when seventy years are completed, that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, says the Lord; and I will make it a perpetual desolation.

The seventy years Babylonian Captivity of Judah and the Gentile nations Babylon had conquered began in 609 BC.

Habakkuk’s second complaint, asking when the Babylonians would be destroyed, may have looked to the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy