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Daily Devotions

Habakkuk

Habakkuk 
Day 
Day 19

"Woe to him who increases what is not his"

Text: Habakkuk 2:6

A SERIES OF “WOES”

Habakkuk was concerned that God might not deal with the wicked Chaldeans. He need not have worried! God would deal with the wicked in His own time and in His own way! A series of “Woes” were pronounced in Habakkuk 2.

“Will not all these take up a proverb against him,
And a taunting riddle against him, and say,
‘Woe to him who increases,
What is not his- how long?
And to him who loads himself with many pledges?'”
Habakkuk 2:6

1. A proverb and a riddle

a) These were pithy sayings.
i) It could be expressed as “a proverb”.
ii) It could also be expressed as “a riddle”.
iii) People may express themselves in different ways.
b) They were essentially the same in meaning.
c) The subject: “The Chaldeans”.

2. The statement of the proverb or riddle

a) “Woe to him”
i) All believed that no good would come to the Chaldeans.
ii) No good would come to people who conquer others and treat them wickedly.
b) The transgression of the Chaldeans highlighted.
i) They were taking things that did not belong to them.
ii) Through conquering weaker nations, they plundered the people.
iii) They took whatever they fancied… houses, jewelry, womenfolk, children, land etc.
c) “How long”
i) The people conquered waited with bated breath for the demise of their enemies- the Chaldeans.
ii) They did not know when the Chaldeans would be defeated one day.
iii) But they held fast to their belief that one day they would meet their match and be conquered!
d) “To him who loads himself with many pledges”
i) The Chaldeans demanded the payment of annual tributes.
ii) Thus, they had many nations who pledged to give to the Chaldeans.

The conquered waited for the day when the hated Babylonians would be toppled from power!