The Triumph of Faith in Habakkuk

Donald E. Gowan offers new insights into what may be the Old Testaments earliest treatment of the problem of suffering: the book of Habakkuk. That small obscure part of the Old Testament tucked away somewhere in the middle of the minor prophets --as Gowan put it--Habakkuk has been a middle child of too many Bible students non-attention. Yet Gowan makes no claim that this book should be more central than it has been. Instead he shows his own personal pastoral and scholarly involvement with this powerful tract. After an introductory chapter the author examines each of Habakkuks three sections. Gowan offers his own translation of the text applying a critical approach and providing a decisive commentary. Gowan compares the first sections dialogue between the prophet and God (Habakkuk 1:1--2:4) with other Old Testament dialogues about Gods justice. He also discusses Gods response But the just shall live by faith as a meaningful answer to Habakkuks questions. While the woe-oracles of the second section (Habakkuk 2:5-20) have not seemed very important in the past Gowan shows how they form a mock funeral dirge sung in advance of a great tyrants death. He then applies this insight to the problems of tyranny and liberty today. The psalm (Habakkuk 3) which concludes the book is discussed in terms of Israelite traditions theophany faith and history. The central focus is placed on Habakkuks striking personal statement concerning the ability of the man of faith to live through suffering joyfully. Recognizing the relationship of our suffering to that of Christ Gowan concludes The Triumph of Faith in Habakkuk by drawing together relevant themes from Habakkuks time and Jesuss experience