Habakkuk 1:1-11

This article contains the study questions and answers I’ve written for a youth Bible study on Habakkuk 1:1-11. Feel free to use and adapt as you like. My only request is that you don’t ditch the stuff about Jesus. We need to read the Old Testament through a Christ-focused lens.

Leaders’ Notes

Pray and Get Going

1. What kinds of things do you find yourself tempted to complain about?

This is designed to get your group chatting. Get as many people as you can to answer this question. Hopefully, someone will talk about things they find unfair. If not, you could bring this up yourself (as long as you actually find yourself tempted to complain when things are unfair!)

Read Habakkuk 1:1–11

2. What is Habakkuk’s main complaint to God in verses 1–4?

Habakkuk is annoyed that God seems silent while bad stuff is happening. He sees violence, injustice, and corruption, but God doesn’t seem to act.

“Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?”
Habakukk 1:3

3. What does verse 4 tell us about the spiritual state of Judah?

Judah is spiritually broken. God’s law has no effect, justice is twisted, and the wicked overpower the righteous.

“The law is paralysed, and justice never prevails.”
Habakkuk 1:4

4. How does God respond to Habakkuk (verses 5–6)?

God tells Habakkuk he is doing something. He’s raising up the Babylonians to judge Judah. It’s a surprising answer. This reminds us that God is often doing stuff even though it’s not immediately obvious to us.

“I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe.” Habakkuk 1:5

5. Why is God’s answer so shocking to Habakkuk?

That is, why would it seem so shocking to Habakkuk? God is using a nation more wicked than Judah to bring judgment. At first glance, it doesn’t seem fair or right to punish evil with even more evil.

6. What are the Babylonians like, according to verses 6–11?

They are fierce, powerful, arrogant, and violent. They conquer nations quickly, trust in their own strength, and make themselves the highest authority.

“Guilty people, whose own strength is their god.”
Habakkuk 1:11

They’re not nice people, certainly not the types of people you’d expect God to use!

________

In Acts 13:38-41, Paul is explaining something to some people in a place called Pisidian Antioch. In verse 41 Paul quotes Habakkuk 1:5.

________

Read Acts 13:38–41

7. What is Paul explaining to the people? Why is he quoting Habakkuk 1:5?

Paul is telling the people that through Jesus, forgiveness is now possible.

“Through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.”
Acts 1:38

In verses 40-41, he quotes Habakkuk 1:5 to warn them not to ignore God’s unexpected work, like people did in Habakkuk’s day.

8. How does Paul’s message in verses 38–39 help us when we think about things we find unfair in life?

Paul reminds us that God is always at work—even when we can’t see it. The cross looked unfair, but through it God brought salvation. When life seems unjust, we can remember that God has a bigger plan at play, even when it surprises us.

Pray and Give Thanks

Thank God that he sees injustice and is not ignoring it.
Thank him for Jesus, who brings forgiveness and real justice.
Ask him to help you trust his plan when life feels unfair.
Ask for strength to keep praying and to keep going, even when it’s hard.