In Habakkuk 1:12–17, the prophet wrestles with one of Scripture’s most challenging questions: Why does God allow the wicked to prosper? When he learns that God will use the ruthless Babylonians to judge Judah, Habakkuk is bewildered and heartbroken. How could a holy and righteous God employ a people even more corrupt than His own to fulfill His purposes? Yet through his honest questioning, a profound truth emerges—faith does not mean the absence of doubt, but trusting in God’s justice even when it surpasses our understanding.

Habakkuk acknowledges that God is eternal, holy, and unchanging. His purposes are always good, even when His methods remain mysterious. Meanwhile, the Babylonians rise in power, dragging nations into captivity like fish caught in a massive net. They boast in their strength, glorify their weapons, and exult in violence, replacing God with idols of conquest, greed, and pride. Their arrogance seems unstoppable, yet it is never beyond the awareness of God’s righteous eye.

The Lord, who uses nations to accomplish His justice, will also hold them accountable for their sin. No one escapes His judgment. Habakkuk’s cry—“How long, O Lord?”—becomes a timeless plea for mercy and deliverance in a world consumed by self-worship and oppression. This passage reminds us that while the world celebrates its power and success, God alone reigns supreme. His justice may appear delayed, but it is never denied. Like Habakkuk, we are called to wait patiently, trust faithfully, and rest in the certainty that the Lord our Rock is faithful, and His purposes will always prevail. How might this truth strengthen your trust in God amid the chaos of the world?