Though the Fig Tree Does Not Bud
Lessons from Habakkuk
The Prophet Who Questioned God
The book of Habakkuk stands out for its unique format—rather than primarily addressing the people on God's behalf, Habakkuk openly questions God about His ways.
Writing around 608-605 BC as the Babylonian threat to Judah was rising, Habakkuk wrestles with two profound theological problems: why God permits evil to continue among His people, and how He could use an even more wicked nation (Babylon) to punish them.
What makes Habakkuk especially relevant is his journey from honest questioning to profound faith. The book traces his spiritual path from confusion and complaint to confident trust, offering a model for maintaining faith when circumstances seem to contradict God's character or promises.
Habakkuk 1:2-4 (NIV):
"How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, 'Violence!' but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted."
Habakkuk's first complaint expresses his anguish over unchecked injustice in Judah. God responds by revealing His plan to use the Babylonians (Chaldeans) as instruments of judgment. This answer provokes Habakkuk's second, deeper question: How can a holy God use the wicked to punish those less wicked?
Habakkuk 1:13 (NIV):
"Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?"
God responds again, assuring Habakkuk that Babylon too will face judgment for their cruelty, and instructing him to live by faith while waiting for God's purposes to unfold:
Habakkuk 2:3-4 (NIV):
"For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay... the righteous person will live by his faithfulness."
The book concludes with one of Scripture's most powerful expressions of trust during adversity:
Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NIV):
"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights."
Lesson:
Habakkuk teaches us that honest questions are part of authentic faith. The prophet directly challenges God about apparent injustice, yet God responds without rebuke. This legitimizes respectful questioning as we struggle to understand God's ways, showing that faith can coexist with sincere wrestling.
The book also demonstrates that God's justice works on a different timetable than our own. The command to "wait for it" acknowledges that divine purposes unfold according to God's perfect timing, not our immediate expectations. This challenges our impatience and limited perspective when evil seems to triumph.
Furthermore, Habakkuk's journey reveals that faith is ultimately a choice to trust despite circumstances. His concluding declaration begins with "though"—acknowledging that external conditions may give no evidence of God's goodness. True faith persists in trusting God's character even when temporal blessings are absent.
Finally, the prophet's transformation shows that worship can be our response to perplexity. After wrestling with difficult questions, Habakkuk concludes with a prayer-song that celebrates God's sovereignty. This suggests that adoration, not just intellectual understanding, provides a path through confusion.
Prayer:
Sovereign Lord, like Habakkuk, we often struggle to understand Your ways when justice seems delayed and evil appears to triumph. Thank You for listening to our honest questions without rejecting us.
When we cannot trace Your hand, help us to trust Your heart. Give us patience when Your purposes unfold more slowly than we desire, remembering that Your revelation "awaits an appointed time" and "will not prove false."
Strengthen our faith to declare with Habakkuk that even if every external blessing fails, we will still rejoice in You. In circumstances of abundance or scarcity, may we find our joy not in changing conditions but in Your unchanging character.
Make our feet like the feet of a deer, able to navigate difficult terrain with confidence and grace. When we cannot understand Your ways, teach us to worship—finding in adoration what we cannot find in explanations.
In Your holy name we pray, Amen.