Habakkuk 1:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Babylonians were not inclined to remain at home or defend themselves against their enemies; rather, they preferred to spread throughout the land, ravaging other territories and claiming for themselves what did not properly belong to them. Thus, it is reasonable to say, "a tongue that walketh over the breadths of the earth, to inherit villages not their own." As previously mentioned, they took pleasure in invading the lands of others and continuously expanding their reign. A parallel can be drawn with the Jews who crucified the Lord. Despite being able to reside peacefully in their homeland, as no one oppressed them, they found themselves subjected to the power of conquerors, burdened by taxes and tributes, and living under the dominance of those who relentlessly sought to expand their territory across the earth. By rejecting the kingdom of Christ, they openly declared, "We have no king but Caesar" (John 19:15). It is crucial to understand that if the human soul disregards divine laws, it will fall under the control of brutal tyrants—unclean spirits—serving evil forces that are forever inclined to "inherit not their villages." Humanity belongs to God; hence, He resides within the saints and dwells in the souls of the righteous.

The phrase, 'From himself his judgement and heavy burden shall come forth'—translated by Simmachus as 'he will judge and act according to his own judgement'—can be understood in two ways: he will appoint leaders from among his own, relying solely on his own power and might, or he shall face retribution akin to what he has inflicted on others, meeting defeat like those he has conquered. His cavalry and charioteers, arriving from far lands, will wreak havoc in their swiftness and devastation, outpacing leopards and savage wolves that hunt in the dusk. As they say, wolves are particularly fierce as night approaches, driven by their hunger throughout the day, much like horsemen who do not engage in battle because they face no resistance, but rather race ahead like eagles descending on their prey. Much like a scorching wind that withers all green things, all before them will be reduced to nothing, and the captives and spoils will be so numerous that, with some exaggeration, can be likened to grains of sand. Indeed, Nebuchadnezzar shall reign supremely, triumphing over kings, chasing them before his chariot as he mocks them, finding amusement in their plight. So powerful and arrogant shall he be that he will attempt to conquer nature itself, seizing the most formidable cities. He will approach Tyre, constructing a causeway in the sea, transforming the island into a peninsula, creating an entrance through the turbulent waters. Therefore, he will deride every fortification, surrounding it with an embankment and capturing it, as also foretold by the prophet Ezekiel, who declared: 'Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, wore out his army with hard service against Tyre. Every head was made bald and every shoulder bare. Yet he received no reward for his toil, nor did his army have fruit from their efforts against Tyre' (Ezekiel 29:18). Once he has built the mound and faced no further obstacles, his pride will swell, leading him to believe himself a deity; he will erect a golden idol in Babylon and summon all nations to worship him. Yet, once he does so, he shall be transformed into a beast and fall—Aquila and Symmachus translating it as 'and he will be deficient,' suggesting a loss of what he once was, a common turn of phrase found in St. Paul’s writings. This wording, akin to our expressions, reflects that ‘the army is beaten’ instead of ‘defeated’ and ‘destroyed,’ as well as ‘the vineyard has sinned’ instead of ‘the grapes have failed to grow.’ The concluding phrase 'His strength is the strength of his God' should be heard with irony, indicating that it is the power bestowed upon him by Bel, his deity. To honor this god, he mandated the worship of all nations under the threat of death, as indicated in the Hebrew text; let us now turn to the LXX for a deeper understanding of these expansive meanings. 'Behold, I will raise up the Chaldeans, a merciless and unyielding nation that traverses the earth to seize what is not theirs.' God issues a warning to those who disdain and blaspheme His Providence by allowing the Chaldeans to arise—referring to them as 'demons,' it implies either malevolent spirits sent to inflict suffering on the wicked or corrupt humans utilized as instruments of divine judgment. The merciless Chaldeans spare no one and are swift to fulfill their commands. They scour the breadth of the earth, embodying 'For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction' (Matt. 7:13); on this path walked the rich man dressed in purple (Luke 16:19), and those who 'lie on beds of ivory and indulge in careless luxury' (Am. 6:4). As they tread this broad way, they become a trampled expanse under the feet of the Chaldeans. They refuse to walk the narrow path that leads to life, which the Apostle Paul traversed, glorifying God in his tribulations (1 Cor. 6:20). Instead, the Chaldeans traverse the earth to claim what is not theirs. Each rational soul, though rendered a dwelling for the Chaldeans through sinful pursuits, is meant to be God’s temple. The wicked demon may claim, 'I will return to my house from which I departed' (Matt. 12:44), but this should not be believed, for no reasonable soul is designed to be his abode. Next follows the declaration, 'He is fearful and glorious; from him alone shall his judgement proceed, and seizures shall depart from him.' The Chaldean instills fear due to the severe punishments he metes out upon those who scoff at Providence, yet he claims glory for himself, imitating the divine presence. Among the naïve and those who scorn God, he is reputed for his sorcery and deceitful counsel, even claiming to cure the ailments he himself has inflicted. The judgement upon the one who scorns God will originate from him, or from Chaldea, for, as the apostle writes, they will be chastened to cease their blasphemies (1 Tim. 1:3). The one who seeks repentance and turns to God will forsake Chaldea, despite once being held captive. When we observe someone departing from sin to seek God after having long served the devil, we might say, 'His captivity has been released.' Those who turn in repentance and abandon the demons—which are as horses burdened by riders—will cast off their riders with the swiftness of leopards and wolves and approach the One who entered humbly on a donkey (Jn. 12:15; Zech. 9:9). These individuals, as if rushing in from afar, dissatisfied with their previous pursuits, will soar like eagles, thriving on the sustenance of God's word, finally satisfying their long-held cravings. The phrase ‘and his horsemen will rush forth’—the LXX translating this as ‘his horsemen will scatter’—implies defeat and collapse, symbolizing the overwhelming burden of a corrupt life. The Arabian wolves—those associated with the twilight or the west—aptly represent those whose sinful lives have become oppressive; upon abandoning the darkness, they anticipate the nourishment provided by the word of God. When they forsake this darkness and earnestly pursue God’s wisdom, the wicked—the Chaldeans—who attempted to thwart their journey will meet their downfall, ushering a fulfillment of divine promise. As the wicked perish and captives are liberated from their grasp, the word of God will be gathered, as though it were the sand of Chaldean exiles, rejoicing over kings, with the cruel oppressors becoming a source of joy for the faithful, especially with the arrival of the Savior, who, having crushed the once-mighty devil and his dominion, subdued him. This was exemplified when he showed the Savior all the kingdoms with the words, 'All these things I will give you, if you fall down and worship me' (Matt. 4:9). Indeed, it is a delight to wisdom and a marvel to prudence when that which is foolish is overturned and the former might of cruel rulers is triumphed over and made to appear foolish. The great dragon was not merely designed to be a point of triumph for the Lord; he, being the first of God’s creation, became a cause of joy for the angels as well. Not solely was he presented by God as a plaything for children, but all cruel and tyrannical spirits shall face ridicule by the word of God. He declares that he 'will laugh at every stronghold.' What other stronghold could this refer to, but that which the Apostle states: 'For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God for the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God' (2 Cor. 10:4,5). Therefore, should there be any fortified defenses, whether they be in the exalted rhetoric falsely claiming grandeur contrary to truth, or in worldly accolades, riches, and defenses exalted in this age, all shall be brought low, and God’s word shall mock every fortress. It shall establish ramparts and seize control through these structures, revealing the frailty of what once seemed robust to those who initially held it as a fortification. When this is accomplished, the spirit will transform, ceasing its former strict judgement, and instead will advocate for trespassers, reconciling them to their previous Lord; in all this, the might of our Lord becomes evident, proving His ability to achieve such astounding acts. Thus, it is evident how challenging these passages are and how they diverge from historical accuracy; what we previously understood in a literal manner concerning the Chaldeans is now illuminated in a figurative sense that conveys divine mercy and liberation for those who escape the hands of the Chaldeans. Historical accounts are defined by precision and do not permit deviation from their boundaries; in contrast, figurative meaning is much more fluid, bound only by the principles urging us to adhere to piety, coherence in discourse, while avoiding excessively strained comparisons between distinct subjects.