Bible Commentaries
Habakkuk 2

Verse 1

CONTENTS

The Prophet in the preceding Chapter having offered up his prayer; in this is represented as waiting for his answer. The Lord grants him a gracious one; the Chapter closeth with a solemn account of the Lord in his temple.

Habakkuk 2:1

This is a beautiful and an interesting account of a child of God, after having given in his petition at the court of heaven waiting for an answer. Such should be the conduct of all the praying seed of Jacob.

Verse 2

Here the Lord is answering his servant, and a gracious answer it is. Reader! it is very blessed to wait upon the Lord in prayer; and when we are at anytime admitted into the retirings of the Lord, never to come away until he hath given us an answer of peace.

Verses 3-13

What vision is this? The whole prophecy of Isaiah is called a vision. Isaiah 1:1 . And that we know to have been concerning the Lord Jesus and his gospel. And is not this the same? Was not Jesus sent forth in what is called the fulness of time? Galatians 4:4 . I humbly conceive that this is the meaning of the passage, and that it points to Christ. And under this view the several expressions are easily to be understood.

Verse 14

I would read this verse by itself, in order to enjoy the full meaning of it. And as the Prophet Isaiah hath a similar one, in the close of one of the most plain and palpable prophecies of the Lord Jesus Christ, there can be no hesitation to make application of this to the same. And I beg the Reader to determine for himself, whether under such testimonies as Habakkuk's prophecy furnisheth in allusion to the Lord Jesus, we can hesitate a moment to interpret the whole sum and substance of it to the person, work, and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah 11:9 .

Verses 15-19

I should conceive, that in allusion to gospel salvation, which the enemies of the cross will endeavour to counteract, the expressions here mean the awful character of those who aim to intoxicate the minds of men, in order to keep them from that knowledge of Christ, and the glories of his person, which is promised to fill the earth. We know that the Holy Ghost, in reference to mystical Babylon, calls her delusions by the name of the wine of wrath, and of fornication. Revelation 14:8 . And in explaining this state by the drunkenness of Noah, whom Ham, his son, intoxicated, it is called making a man drunk to look on his nakedness; that is, in respect of divine things, for a drunken man knoweth not what he consents to. But shame, as this scripture declares, will be instead of glory; and well it may, when men subscribe to things under the state of a deluded mind!

Verse 20

There is somewhat very striking in this scripture. Silent adoration is a solemn service. The Lord himself gave direction concerning those humblings, and silent waitings of soul. Isaiah 41:1 . And it must be confessed that there is somewhat very awful and solemn in such a frame of mind before the Lord, Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 .

REFLECTIONS

I could dwell long, and with delight, in meditating the blessedness of what is here suggested, in the privilege of a gracious soul waiting constantly on God; and the Lord's grace, as manifested to those waitings. For certain it is, never did a child of God begin the sweet employment, and first call upon the Lord, before the Lord called upon his redeemed. For what the Apostle John saith, is founded in the unerring wisdom of Jehovah; if we love him, it is because he first loved us. I could dwell much on this blessed and precious point, and under God the Holy Ghost gather many delightful improvements from it. But I must leave all these, and every other subject, to mark what is here said of the Lord Jesus, and to follow him wheresoever he goeth. Reader! what a sweet thought it is, and peculiarly so in the present awful times of degeneracy; that the promise is absolute; the earth shall be filled, with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. Jesus shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied. His glorious person shall be the one object of adoration, love, and praise, to all the Church, and to all the earth. Men shall be blessed in him, and all nations shall call him blessed. Who but must join in the earnest cry, Lord hasten thy kingdom, and cut short thy work in righteousness. Bring on that promised era, when the seventh angel shall sound his trumpet, and great voices shall be heard in heaven, and that glorious proclamation shall be made: the kingdoms of the world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. Amen.