The Upright Will Live By His Faithfulness

"But YOU, are YOU not YAHWEH from past ages?  YOU, my holy GOD, YOU cannot die.  YOU have set these people to serve YOUR justice and YOU have made them firm as a rock, to fulfill YOUR punishment.

YAHWEH, YOUR eyes are too pure to tolerate wickedness and YOU cannot look on oppression.  Why, then, do YOU look on treacherous people and watch in silence while the evildoer swallows up one better than himself?

YOU treat human beings like the fish in the sea, like reptiles who are nobody's concern.  This nation catches all on its hook, pulls them out with its net and piles them up in its dragnet.  Pleased and delighted at their catch, they offer sacrifices to their net and burn incense to their dragnets, since these supplied them with fish in plenty and provided them with food in abundance.  Will they continue, then, to constantly empty their nets, slaughtering nations without mercy?

I will stand in my watchtower and take up position on my battlements; I will see what HE replies, if there is an answer to my question.

Then YAHWEH answered me and said,

'Write down the vision, inscribe it on tables so it can be easily read, since this is a vision for an appointed time; it will not fail but will be fulfilled in due time.  If it delays, wait for it, for it will come, and will not be deferred.  Look:

I don't look with favor on the one who gives way; the upright, on the other hand, will live by his faithfulness.'" - Habakkuk 1:12-2:4 

(Why does YAHWEH use such means as the Chaldean invasion to restore HIS justice?   One day it will be clear that the good and the evil ones are not treated the same.  Those who remain faithful will be saved.

The divine answer remains mysterious.  Later, GOD will clearly reveal how HE rewards the just beyond this life.  Before that moment comes it was difficult to clarify the mystery: Apparently the misfortunes which were announced as GOD's punishment affected everyone equally.  After Habakkuk, Jeremiah asked the same question [Jeremiah 12:1]; faced with the unbelief of his companions, Ezekiel tried to reaffirm the justice of YAHWEH towards everyone [Ezekiel 18]; the Book of Job looks for the solution; but its answer will only be partial.)

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