This is a textual lesson from the book of Jude. Jude is warning Christians about the dangers of rejecting God’s authority. He encourages brethren to contend for the true faith, beware of false teachers, remember God’s past judgments, and to remain in subjection to God as His servants.
This lessons is an overview of the book of Habakkuk. The prophet Habakkuk’s name means “Embrace.” This prophetic book written around 610 B.C. before the Babylonian conquest of Judah. The prophet is discouraged because of the evil around him and perplexed that God is not doing anything about it. The book transitions from a state of confusion and doubt to complete trust in God’s judgment and salvation. Some have said that it turns “from a sob to a song.”
The book can be considered in three parts:
1)The Burden (Hab. 1:1-2:1)
2)The Vision (Hab. 2:2-20)
3)The Prayer Song (Hab. 3:1-19)
Note: In this sermon I mention that at the point of Habakkuk’s writing, Babylon was not yet a world power. My statement may not be accurate depending on the date of this writing. It is quite possible and perhaps probable that the Chaldeans had already gained their independence from Assyria and was rising to power. If this was the case, surely this news could have been known among the people of Israel.