Habakkuk 2:5

"Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith."

Key Reflection

In Habakkuk 2:5, the prophet addresses a society where individuals are seen as puffed up and morally corrupt, prioritizing material wealth over righteousness. The original audience would have recognized this as a critique of their own culture, where social and economic disparities led to a sense of entitlement and self-righteousness, often at the expense of the poor and marginalized. This verse sets the stage for Habakkuk's broader call for justice and faithfulness in the face of societal corruption.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

This general rule the prophet goes on to apply in words which belong in part to all oppressors and in the first instance to the Chaldaean, in part yet more fully to the end and to antichrist. “Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine” (or better, “Yea, how much more, since wine is a deceiver , as Solomon says,Proverbs 20:1, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever erreth thereby shall not be wise;” andProverbs 23:32, “In the end it biteth like a serpent and pierceth like an adder;” and HoseaHosea 4:11, “Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.” As wine at first gladdens, then deprives of all reason, and lays a man open to any deceit, so also pride.

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