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"They sacrifice to their net"

Text: Habakkuk 1:16

MORE OBSERVATIONS

Habakkuk must have made a careful study of the Chaldeans. He raised his observations about the religious practices of the Chaldeans to the Lord in prayer.

“Therefore they sacrifice to their net,
And burn incense to their dragnet;
Because by them their share is sumptuous
And their food plentiful.
Shall they therefore empty their net,
And continue to slay nations without pity?”
Habakkuk 1:16-17

1. The religious practices of the Chaldeans

a) For every victory they had the Chaldeans offered worship and sacrifices.

b) The net and the dragnet

i) These were seen as symbols of power.

ii) They worshipped their god, Marduk for giving them victory.

c) Sacrifice and incense

i) These were typical items.

ii) The temple priests would receive their offerings.

iii) They would lead in the sacrifices and offering of incense.

2. The share of booty among the Chaldeans

a) Their share is sumptuous.

b) Food was one of the ways the soldiers were rewarded.

c) To have more than sufficient food was a luxury few enjoyed.

d) The conquered nations would sometimes suffer privation and die of hunger and disease.

3. A sobering question

a) Will the Chaldeans be able to slay nations without pity indefinitely?

b) To the Chaldeans conquering nation after nation was almost like fishing to them.

CONFLICTING EMOTIONS

Habakkuk must have felt many conflicting emotions as he pondered God’s revelation concerning the Chaldeans!

1. There was difficulty in understanding God’s involvement in raising up the Chaldeans with all their wickedness.

2. There was as much difficulty why God had not responded in anger to destroy the wicked Chaldeans for their practice of idolatry!