Habakkuk 1:11

‘“They are indeed guilty, whose strength is their god.”’
(Habakkuk 1:11)

This verse refers to ‘“the Chaldeans [i.e. Babylonians]… who march through… the earth, to possess dwelling places that are not theirs”’(Habakkuk 1:6). It comes from a prophecy in which God announced that His people were about to succumb to their mighty forces, which did happen, resulting in the Jewish exile to Babylon. This statement almost reads like a passing remark, but is helpful to dwell on, since it describes a general human tendency that can infect any of us – the danger of idolising our own power, strength, wealth, resources or abilities etc., either collectively or as individuals.

Here the all-conquering Babylonians are accused of worshipping their means of military might, perhaps literally with ‘sacrifices… and… incense… because by them his life is luxurious and… food… good’(Habakkuk 1:16). They gloried in impressive capabilities for their time, like ‘“horses… swifter than leopards… horsemen… as an eagle that hurries to devour”’(Habakkuk 1:8) and they imagined that all of this superiority was derived entirely ‘“from themselves”’(Habakkuk 1:7).

Even now we might read about such armies with awe, but perhaps most of us are more inclined to value other sorts of strength. We might also put our trust in such things, to deliver and maintain ‘the good life’ for us – either through the societies/groupings etc. to which we belong, or rugged individual might!

God warns elsewhere against such tendencies: ‘Woe to those who… rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong’(Isaiah 31:1), and the dangers of harbouring attitudes like ‘“my power and the might of my hand has gotten me this wealth”’(Deuteronomy 8:17). Many proverbs address this sort of thing: The one ‘who trusts in himself is a fool’(Proverbs 28:26) – ‘do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him’(Proverbs 26:12). The ‘rich man is wise in his own eyes’(Proverbs 28:11), but he ‘who trusts in… riches will fall’(Proverbs 11:28); ‘Pride goes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall’(Proverbs 16:18). Rather, God’s advice to us all is: ‘“Don’t let the wise man glory in his wisdom… the mighty man… in his might… the rich man… in his riches. But let him who glories glory in this, that he… knows Me”’(Jeremiah 9:23-24). As this prophecy of Habakkuk comments later, regarding the Babylonians: ‘“his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith”’(Habakkuk 2:4), i.e. worshipping and trusting in God.

The strengths we might possess as individuals, or collectively, are entirely dependent upon His permission and oversight anyway, more than any subordinate effort on our part that’s involved, so we must be humble about that fact and recognise our creator and sustainer for who He is – not worship the strength itself, or the bearer/holder, rather our ‘Creator’(Romans 1:25) the ultimate source.

However, God does give us these things, and it’s right to value and give thanks for them, even rely on them as gracious provision and ‘“talents”’(Matthew 25:15ff.) etc., for us to use appropriately. Nevertheless, there can be a subtle distinction between valuing, focusing on and using / relying on such things, and worshipping them, if our focus is too short and distracted from the giver.

This is true for God’s provision of all types, like our ability to produce/gather ‘“food”’(Acts 14:17) and ‘wealth’(Deuteronomy 8:18) etc., with the measure of ‘knowledge… skill… and wisdom’(Daniel 1:17) etc. that He’s enabled us to develop and acquire, and we must never forget that although the ‘horse is prepared for the day of battle… victory is with Yahweh [God]’(Proverbs 21:31) by His permission and oversight too. That was true even for the ‘guilty’ Babylonians, which Habakkuk’s prophecy wrestles to understand. In the end he does glimpse the big picture though, and appropriately concludes, with joyful worship, that ‘Yahweh, the Lord, is my strength’(Habakkuk 3:19).

It should be especially obvious to us when deployed in God’s service, using the gifts He’s given ‘each’(1 Corinthians 12:7) of His servants for that purpose. In fact, rather profoundly, His ‘“power is made perfect in weakness”’(2 Corinthians 12:9). So we’re to recognise that any ‘sufficiency’(2 Corinthians 3:5) we might have for such tasks comes entirely from God, and that any fruitful outcomes are determined by His ‘“‘Spirit’”’(Zechariah 4:6) too.

Therefore, we must never idolise the gifts themselves, or God’s gifts to us in His  ‘servants’(1 Corinthians 3:5ff.) who deploy them – either ourselves conceitedly, or a ‘“fellow”’(Revelation 22:9) servant, even ‘angel’(Revelation 22:8)! Nevertheless, we might appropriately value the good ‘example’(Philippians 3:17, cf. 1 Corinthians 11:1). It can be subtle; let’s beware.

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