Habakkuk Chapter 1 continued
VERSE 6 “For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans, A bitter and hasty nation which marches through the breadth of the earth, To possess dwelling places that are not theirs.”
In the type the destruction by the Chaldeans from the north was a pending situation. Verses 6–11 give insight into the characteristics of the enemy. The antitypical “Chaldeans” were described by the Pastor as communists, anarchists, nihilists, and socialists, discontents; that is, the Chaldeans constitute the Lord’s Great Army.
The Latin nihil means “nothing,” and nihilists do not believe in any kind of government. They want to remain without any government (without law and order) so that they can exploit the weak, kill or be killed; only the strong survive.
Anarchists simply want to tear down the current system but have no idea what precisely to put in its place, they have no real plans of their own; they simply want something to replace what exist now. They are dissatisfied and want to get rid of the current government and start fresh. There are also many socialists around the world who are discontented with present conditions.
Verse 6 describes the Lord’s Great Army as a “bitter and hasty [fierce and reckless] people,” a very cruel people (possessing no moral or religious restraint).
“A fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns; the land is like the Garden of Eden before them; behind them, a burning devastation—complete desolation. Surely nothing shall escape them.” (Joel 2:3)
They will devour as they go along. They will “March through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs (That is they will lay siege to property, both public and private not their own, they will riot and pillage, loot, kill and destroy all which is before them).”
The thought expressed in Joel’s prophecy is that in comparison to the devastation that they will bring upon the land what had existed prior to that time (the present order of things) although far from perfect was still far more preferable even “LIKE the Garden of Eden” in comparisons to what will be following their rampage. When previously there were the day to day comforts (which many now take for advantage) such as a comfortable home, easy access to food, water, safety, law and order, when one did not have to live in constant fear for their life. No one will be excluded from what is to come.
The thought implied by their marching through the breath of the earth implies that this is to be a worldwide condition.
VERSE 7 “They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law unto themselves (i.e. anarchist) and promote (or render) their own (sense of) honor (justice, i.e. mob rule).” NIV
“They are notorious for their cruelty and do whatever they like.” (New Living Translation)
“They come from a far country, from the end of heaven— The Lord and His weapons of indignation, to destroy the whole land.”(Isa 13:5)
“Their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves” (NKJV); that is, they will not be curbed by any religious restraint or sentiment. When the nominal system (the professing church) is destroyed, there will be nothing left to curb mankind’s appetites, only their own personal inclinations.
ALL religions will be destroyed including Islam, governments as well. There will be no coordinated thinking, each individual doing as he pleases. Every man’s hand turned against his neighbor, thus total anarchy.
“Evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind (the great storm, the time of trouble such has never been) shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.” (Jer 25:32)
We continue with Verse 8 in our next post.
