Habakkuk 1:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Consequently, it may be interpreted that he claimed, ‘shall serve his armies,’ those very forces through which he captured the nations and obliterated Israel, offering thanks for his victories. Realizing this success, he declared he would not relent in conquering nations, seizing tribes, subjugating lands, and showing mercy to none. In a similar fashion, Satan has ensnared humanity as a whole, particularly targeting Israel; it is as though he has wrapped them all in one trap, the snare of sin, for their transgressions against Christ, especially Israel, whom he refers to as ‘his chosen prey.’ Among all, the Jews hold a more favorable position for him. For it is said, ‘when the Most High divided the nations, when He scattered the sons of Adam, He established the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the angels of God. For the Lord’s portion is His people; Jacob is His inheritance’ (Deuteronomy 32:8-9). Israel was thus chosen above all, as the firstborn among nations, stemming from the sacred lineage of the patriarchs, possessing the law as a guiding light, and called to acknowledge the one true God. Nevertheless, despite having the advantage of glory and grace, both they and others fell into bondage; some wandered off, becoming allies of the devil; others, knowing the true God who became incarnate as His Son, were wickedly executed—trapped in his net. His desire is to annihilate all who dwell upon the earth.

He compelled nations he conquered to worship him, believing that his idols would grant him immunity. By relying on these idols, he grew wealthy, acquiring treasures, and subjugating princes and even kings as if they were mighty fish—something the prophet describes as refined delicacies. Once he has taken a sufficient catch and filled his nets, represented here as his army, he continues to wage war and oppress the nations.

As noted by the Seventy, the wicked adversary exploits the righteous, treating humanity like fish in the sea and leaving destruction in his path, akin to ungoverned creatures. He casts his net, similar to the one the Apostle Peter used to ensnare the first fish that carried a coin in its mouth (Matthew 17:27). Adam fell into this trap, and through deceit, the devil pulled him from paradise, ensnaring him with various tricks. Consequently, he delights in his deceptions, misplacing their significance compared to God's commandments, and thus sacrifices not to his own mouth, reflecting corrupt speech, but to his net, which brings him the richest offerings. Yet, “Through one man very many became sinners” (Romans 5:19), and in Adam, all died (1 Corinthians 15:22), leading to all the saints being expelled from Paradise alongside him. The devil's catch, as the Psalmist notes, “thou shalt seek food for thyself from God” (Psalm 103:21), reveals his intent to conquer the prophets and apostles. Since he has led humanity astray from the beginning, he incessantly seeks to destroy the whole of mankind.

Additionally, this scenario can also be interpreted in light of the numerous erroneous teachings propagated by heretics. They, too, employ cunning methods and nets to ensnare many individuals and subsequently celebrate their triumph. They exalt their own words, treating them as divine, while simultaneously corrupting them. Their strategies lead to the downfall of countless victims, including powerful and holy figures, whom Scripture refers to as the fat portion and chosen delicacies. Thus, like predatory beasts, always craving the blood they have tasted, they spread their nets with the aim of ensnaring not just a few, but many. Anyone observing the multitude of heresies and distorted teachings ensnared by the wicked one will see the multitude of nations threatened with destruction.

The devil does not restrict his pursuit to nonbelievers or those outside the Church, such as those whose bodies the king of Assyria uses as torches; rather, he seeks to plunder the Church of Christ. His sustenance, as described in the words of the prophet Habakkuk, is notably chosen (Abakkuk 1:16). He seeks to bring down Job, and after consuming Judas, he aims to scatter the remaining apostles.