Reading for January 17th

Read Habakkuk 1.1-2.1
In 1.1 title.
The customary information about family, home, and date are not provided for Habakkuk.
In verses 2-4 Habakkuk's opening complaint: Judean corruption.
Habakkuk draws attention to crimes in his society, not by an indictment as is customary for Israel's prophets (Mic 3.9-12) but by a lament.
His lament begins as do laments in the psalms (3, 13), with an address to God (v. 2) followed by a description of distress (vv. 3-4).
In verse 3 destruction (or plunder) and violence are used by other prophets (am 3.10; Ezek 45.9) to describe the ruthless accumulation of wealth.
Strife and contention describe a breakdown in Judah's legal and judicial system.
In 1.5-11 God's response: a Chaldean invasion.
God announces to Habakkuk that Judah's injustices will be punished by means of foreign nation that will depose its current leadership.
In verse 6 the Chaldeans are the Neo-Babylonians, who rose to prominence in the ancient Near east during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 BCE).
In verse 8 the typical ancient Near eastern military machine was built around horse drawn chariots and cavalry.
In 1.12-21 Habakkuk's second complaint: Chaldean corruption.
In his second complaint- probably composed after the Babylonians invaded Judah in 597, replaced its king, deported its leading citizen's, and collected tribute (2 Kings 24)- Habakkuk claims that the very instruments of God's judgment (v. 12), the Babylonians, are themselves wicked (v. 13).
In verse 16 when the Babylonian enemy sacrifices to his net, he is worshipping his own military armaments.
In 1.17-2.1 Habakkuk wonder weather the Babylonian injustices will go unpunished (1.17) or whether God will respond (2.1).
Comments or questions..