Except for the first verse of chapter 2, all the second chapter is God’s response to Habakkuk’s second complaint. Habakkuk has questioned how God is going to judge the nation with such devastation when he had made a promise to Abraham, that Israel would bring about the Messiah. Habakkuk also questioned how God would use a more wicked nation to judge them. Our passage has been explained with the following outline:

1. Faith Waits on the Lord (v.1)
2. Faith Hears the Lord (v.2-3)
3. Faith Obeys the Lord (v.4-5)

The lesson Habakkuk was learning is that God will always honour his promises. God would save a remnant of the righteous, as other prophets had indicated. Habakkuk had to believe this by faith, and he needed to endure the days ahead by walking in obedience to God’s Word. The apostle Paul reminds us in Romans1:17 that God has been faithful to keep his word which is seen in Christ. God's righteousness has been revealed through Christ. The one who has right standing before God is the one who trusts in God's promises. 

Like Habakkuk, we must learn what it means to trust in God and his promise that our lives, our trails and circumstances, really do fit in his plan. And if God is waiting longer than you want, know that it is only for your good. Know that your time is in his hands, and he has promised never to delay his answer one moment too long. Waiting for God’s answers strengthens our patience and lengthens our perspective on God's character.

Getting Started

1. We all have stories to tell of having to wait, like the groom on his wedding day who after 45 minutes waiting at the alter thought his fiancé was a no-show. What story comes to your mind about waiting?

• Read Habakkuk 2:1-5

2. What insight, principle, or observation from Sunday’s sermon did you find to be the most helpful, eye-opening, or troubling?

Digging Deeper

3. Waiting on God is good for us. If God acted immediately every time we cried to Him, we would be in control and not Him. As we see in verse 1, having to wait causes us to learn to trust Him, to trust His timing. What does Romans 4:18-21 teach us about waiting?

4. In verse 2, God tells Habakkuk to write down the vision that he saw. Why was this so important. What was significant about writing these events down?

5. According to chapter 2 verse 4, there are two kinds of people. Can you identify them and their characteristics?

The Heart of the Matter

6. Living by faith is an act that takes place while the Christian is alive on the earth. What is the opposite of living by faith and why is that dangerous to the Christian?

7. Worry (anxiety) is a failure of faith. Worry perceives circumstances from the perspective of the person who faces the future without believing in a sovereign God Who is also a loving Father. What are some battles you have faced where the devil has tempted you to be anxious rather than trusting our Sovereign God? How did you overcome this temptation?

8. Waiting is always difficult. Waiting can expose fear, anxiety, anger, and self-pity. Waiting can bring sorrow and pain. In your experience, what good can waiting bring to the life of a Christian? What lessons learned can you share with the group?