The Book of Habakkuk 📖 JPS Holy Bible Full Audio Jewish Publication Society Translation Reading

This is a reading from the Jewish Publication Society Translation of The Book of Habakkuk. This is a powerful dialogue between the prophet Habakkuk and God, addressing the troubling issue of injustice and the rise of the Babylonians as instruments of divine judgment. Habakkuk begins by lamenting the pervasive wickedness and violence among his people, questioning why God allows such injustice to continue unchecked. In response, God reveals His plan to raise up the Chaldeans, a fierce and ruthless nation, to punish the wrongdoers. This revelation disturbs Habakkuk, who is perplexed that a nation more wicked than Judah could be used as a tool of judgment.
Habakkuk then challenges God again, struggling to understand how a just God can permit the suffering of the righteous at the hands of the wicked. God reassures him, instructing him to write the vision clearly for its future fulfillment. He emphasizes that the righteous will live by their faith, while the arrogant and greedy will ultimately face destruction. God's justice will prevail, and His glory will fill the earth.
The book concludes with a prayer from Habakkuk, reflecting on God's past mighty acts and His control over nature and nations. He pleads for mercy in the midst of judgment and envisions God coming to deliver His people. Despite the impending calamities, Habakkuk resolves to rejoice in the Lord and find strength in Him, expressing deep faith and trust in God's salvation and sovereignty. The book ends with a declaration of joy in God's strength and provision, highlighting a profound message of faith in the face of adversity.