Habakkuk 2)
1 I will stand upon my watch-tower (referring to the place), and take my station upon the fortress, and will keep lookout to see what He will say to me (don't forget where your help comes from), and what I shall answer when I am reproved. (Or, get back because of my complaint.)
B C1 a1 2. Command to write.
b1 3. Reason. That the reader may flee.
D1 c1 4-. Incrimination. Pride.
d1 -4. Contrast. Yahaveh's reward.
C2 a2 5-7. Incrimination. Greed.
b2 8. Reason. Retaliation.
D2 c2 9-13. Incrimination. Covetousness.
d2 14. Contrast. Yahaveh's glory.
C3 a3 15,16. Incrimination. Drunkenness.
b3 17. Reason. Retaliation.
D3 c3 18,19. Incrimination. Idolatry.
d3 20. Contrast. Yahaveh's exaltation.
2 And the LORD answered me, and said, "Write the vision [which I am about to reveal to you], and make it plain upon tables (i.e. boxwood tables smeared with wax. Cp. Luke 1:63), that he that reads it may flee. (Run as a messenger. Cp. Job 9:25. Jer. 23:21; 51:31. Zech. 2:4. Warn them to keep away from Babylon.)
3 For the vision is deferred for an appointed time (i.e. fixed by Yehovah for its fulfillment. You can count on it.), but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry." (Keep looking and beware. You are living in these times. See Matt. 11:1-9. Dan. 8:19-29.)
4 Behold [the proud one] (emphasizing the twofold answer to the prophets prayer: the fate of the wicked in coming judgment, and the preservation and eternal lot of the righteous), his (i.e. the Chaldean's of ch. 1 and in the verses which follow) soul which is lifted up is not upright in him:
but a righteous one shall live (i.e. live for ever in resurrection life. See Lev. 18:5) by his faith. (Quoted in Rom. 1:17 and Gal.:11. Cp. Heb. 10:38. The wicked go on living, without faith, if it refers to this life; therefore "live" must refer to a future life. The Heb. accent place the emphasis on "shall live"; not "the just by his faith", but, "a just one, by his faith, will live", and make the contrast not between faith and unbelief, but between the faith of each - perishing and living forever. In Rom. 1:17 the context places the emphasis on "the righteous; in Gal. 3:11 it is placed on "faith")
5 Yes also, because he is transgressing (or acting deceitfully) by wine, he is a proud strong man (Satan, supernatural man of sin), neither keeps at home, who enlarges his soul as Sheol (see Isa. 5:14. Heb. 2:14), and he is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathers to him all nations (one world-ism), and heaps to him all peoples: (The biblicaly illiterate.)
6 Shall not all these take up a parable against him (see Isa. 14:4-16), and a taunting enigma (as in Ps. 78:2) against him, and say, "Woe to him that increases that which is not his! how long? (i.e. for his time is short) and to him that lades himself with thick clay!" (He looks like us.)
7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite you (or, exact usury), and awake that shall vex you, and you shall be for booties to them?
8 Because you have spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil you; because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein. (He has filled the world with violence. See Rev. 12, when he is kicked out of heaven.)
9 Woe to him that extorts a gain to his house, that he may set his nest on high (Ref. Num. 24:31. See Isa. 14:13, sabbath), that he may be delivered from the hand of evil! (Put for the power exercised by it. Don't make any bargains with Satan, he doesn't have any. If you don't have time for God, He won't have time for you)
10 You have counseled (or devised) a shameful thing to your house by cutting off many people, and have sinned against your soul (eternal soul).
11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it. (Because everything was stolen.)
12 Woe to him that builds a town with blood (murder), and establishes a city by iniquity!
13 Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts Himself that the people shall labor in the very fire (Holy Spirit), and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity? (Never get around to teaching God's Word.)
14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD (cp. Isa. 66:18,19. Ezek. 28:22; 39:13,21), as the waters cover the sea. (Ref. Num. 14:21. This is the 5th and last occ. of this wondrous prophecy. Deception cannot stand. This is the difference between being rich [worldly], and being rich [spiritually].)
15 Woe to him that gives his neighbor drink, that adds (or pours) your fury thereto (that angers your neighbor), and makes him drunken also, that you may look on their nakedness! (Gen. 9:22. Sleep with his wife.)
16 You are filled with shame for glory: drink you also, and let your foreskin be uncovered (i.e. be as one uncircumcised: i.e. uncovenated): the cup of the LORD'S right hand shall be turned to you (cup of God's wrath), and shameful spewing shall be on your glory.
17 For the violence of Lebanon (i.e. violence done to Lebanon by felling trees) shall cover you, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid (or, shall make you afraid), because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein. (You let it get out of hand.)
18 What profits the graven image that the maker thereof has graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work confides therein, to make dumb idols? (Heb. nothings that say nothing. Cp. Jer. 14:14. Where do people put their trust?)
19 Woe to him that says to the wood, "Awake;" to the dumb stone, "Arise, it shall teach!" Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no spirit at all in the midst of it.
20 But the LORD is in His holy temple: let all the earth Hush! Be still! before Him. (A place where His Word is taught and man's mouth kept shut. See Zeph. 1:7. Zech. 2:13.)