Habakkuk 1:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Likewise, the psalmist David, sensing in his spirit the imminent mercy to be bestowed upon them and envisioning their liberation from bondage, sings: “Thou hast favoured thy land, O Lord,” along with, “O Lord, in judgment thou hast taught him, and hast created me to reprove his punishment.” The one whose eye remains unblemished sees no evil and observes the toil of the afflicted.

The prophet further speaks, yet the meaning behind “Judgment is from God” may not be entirely obvious. Therefore, we must delve deeply into the implications of these words and elucidate them. If it is stated that the king of Babylon was designated by God for judgment, we maintain that he was chosen to carry out the judgment decreed from above upon the Israelites, encompassing desolation, captivity, and the burning of cities, which collectively amount to the ruin of Judah. Conversely, should we interpret this reference to pertain to Israel, we assert that Israel too is designated by God for judgment. Here, judgment signifies condemnation. Hence, our Lord Jesus Christ did not say of the Jews: “I am come into this world for judgment, that they who do not see may see, and they who see may be blinded” (John 9:39). Israel, therefore, faces condemnation for its wrongdoings, ignoring divine laws, and greatly offending the Lord of Hosts. However, the prophet observes that he has been “created” or appointed to “reprove the punishment” that was ordained for them; for war was intended as a discipline and scourge for Israel, and their experiences were a means of their chastisement, rather than solely the actions of the Babylonians.

y—‘Then his spirit shall be altered, and he shall roam and fall: his strength is the strength of his God.’ Realizing this, and interpreting it in either the context of Nebuchadnezzar prevailing over Judah or the enemy conquering the faithful for their punishment, ultimately to suffer retribution himself, the prophet replies to the Lord, 'Are You not, O Lord my God, my Holy One?' This is expressed with a tone of humbleness, meekness, and repentance, 'Are You not He who created us from the beginning, by whose grace we have endured to this day? For I had not understood that our foes were so formidable, nor did I perceive that either Nebuchadnezzar or the devil would triumph over this world and all nations. Before his might none of us can withstand; yet because of Your mercy, we owe our very existence to You—not being killed by him nor succumbing to the acts of death. For You, O Lord, have appointed him for judgment, to be both an adversary and an avenger, and through him, You shall discipline all who sin against You. Having once acknowledged the demons under the Chaldeans and Nebuchadnezzar—their king, the devil—we must now succinctly describe the devil and his power to underscore the accuracy of the prophet's words: 'Lord! You have positioned him for judgment and established his strength to serve as a tool of punishment.'

Against the populace of unbelievers and those who disdain God, a legion of demons is assembled, fierce in retribution and ubiquitous in their presence. It surges across all territories seeking to claim those individuals in whom Christ must reside. This force is both dreadful and formidable, rarely defeated by any, and usually only after being vanquished when exhausted by an overwhelming accumulation of sins and the burden of its wickedness. Its steeds and riders, akin to leopards and wolves, will always be glutted with blood, hunting their prey insatiably; they may feign absence, but will swiftly arrive from afar when least expected. They will descend like an eagle, aspiring to nest among the stars, perpetually rushing toward their targets. In the writings of the prophet Ezekiel, the adversary is depicted through the images of Nebuchadnezzar and the king of Egypt. No demon will display mercy: all hasten toward their victims; before them whirls a burning wind; whatever they gaze upon, whatever they encounter, they desire to incinerate and annihilate. Among the captives, he will be an omnipotent king, accompanied by his comrades gathering a multitude as vast as the sands of the sea; he will conquer sovereigns, and cruel rulers will become mere amusement to him. He will beguile many saints with his deceptions and subject those who consider themselves firm and in control, to his derision and enslavement, believing they can unboundedly command demons and expel them from the bodies they possess. The mighty one himself, mustering his forces and assembling a legion of the doomed, will mock any defenses and strive to topple everything that lacks strength. He will build a mound, encasing it with earthly means, and once the ground is piled high, he will easily seize any stronghold. Yet, after such a significant victory, his spirit shall be transformed, and his countenance shall rise toward heaven, and witnessing God Himself, he will speak blasphemies against his Creator. Following this, he will fall, and his downfall will illustrate the extent of his might and the deceitfulness of his idols, under whose guise he sought reverence from others. - Therefore, heed that the king of this world will be monumental and possess qualities such that he will gather captives as numerous as the sands by the sea, overpower kings, and that merciless rulers will mock him, and he will laugh at every bastion, first creating a mound and then claiming it; that he would ascend to such heights of arrogance that he would dare to confront his Maker and elevate himself as if he were God.’ Upon hearing all of this, the prophet, who previously had audaciously called out to the Lord, and asserted that he, or his people, or those on whose behalf he spoke, were just, now pours forth his soul with words of meekness and humility, saying, 'Are You not from the beginning, O Lord my God, my holy one? That we neither perish nor fall into the grip of such an enemy is the result of Your mercy. For You, O Lord, have designated him as the executor of punishment, and have empowered him such that few, if any, can withstand his might.' Furthermore, what the Septuagint states at the conclusion, 'And hath created me to reprove in teaching him,' may be ascribed to the prophet himself, suggesting that his inspiration is for the purpose of reproving the wavering and teaching the commands of the Lord. Some interpret this as being said of the Lord, or of the Lord who was created by the Father for this mission and took on flesh to instruct humanity in the commands of God the Father. However, how well this aligns with the preceding text and the overall theme of the passage is left to the discernment of the reader, rather than my own interpretation.