How a Bold Prophet Spoke Up for What’s Right
Have you ever wondered why people who seem to do the wrong thing keep getting ahead? That’s exactly what bothered Habakkuk, one of the most honest and down-to-earth prophets in the Old Testament. Unlike others who kept quiet, Habakkuk didn’t hesitate to ask God hard questions about why unfairness and injustice existed—and why it looked like bad actors always won.
What Are the “Five Woes” All About?
Habakkuk’s “woes” are warnings, almost like a parent giving a firm lecture to someone who keeps misbehaving. While many people think Habakkuk was only talking to the Chaldeans (a foreign enemy), his words really apply to anyone—whether at home or abroad—who uses their power to hurt or cheat others.
1. Warning for Those Who Get Rich By Harming Others
The first woe goes out to people who have grown wealthy by violence, cheating, or twisting the law. Habakkuk makes it clear: their success won’t last, and one day, those they’ve hurt will have their say and justice will catch up.
2. Warning for Those Who Use Systems To Keep Their Gains Safe
The second woe is aimed at those who manipulate the rules or use their position to protect their own interests, while taking advantage of others. Whether it’s leaders making unfair laws or demanding payments from weaker groups, Habakkuk says this kind of self-serving security only leads to shame and justice will eventually win out.
3. Warning for Those Who Build on Injustice
Here, Habakkuk goes after people who build their empires—or even whole cities—on wrongdoing, especially when it means hurting or killing others. He points out that even if evil seems to win for a while, it carries its own destruction within it, and God is always working behind the scenes to bring down those who set themselves up by oppressing others.
4. Warning Against Shaming the Weak
This woe targets those who humiliate the powerless—whether through literal drunkenness or symbolic “forcing them to drink.” Habakkuk says God rejects any act that shames or exploits the weak. Instead of glory, these oppressors will receive shame, and God will make sure justice is done, even if we don’t know all the details.
5. Warning Against Trusting Idols
The fifth and final woe is different—it’s about the emptiness of trusting idols or false sources of security. Habakkuk points out that idols can’t speak or help, but people still put their trust in them, which leads to all kinds of oppression and injustice. Real justice comes only from God, who is alive and present. Habakkuk encourages everyone to live with faith and wait for God’s justice to be revealed.
In short, Habakkuk’s message is timeless: no matter how powerful or secure those who do wrong might seem, justice will come. His words remind us not to lose hope, and to keep standing up for what’s right.
Habakkuk’s five woes speak directly to issues we see in America today—like powerful people getting ahead through unfair means, leaders protecting their own interests at the expense of others, and systems built on injustice. Just as Habakkuk called out those who used violence, exploited the weak, and trusted in empty solutions, we see similar patterns in current events, where some bend the rules or shame vulnerable groups for their own gain. His message is a reminder that even if it seems like wrongdoers are winning now, justice will eventually prevail, and it’s important for everyone to keep speaking up for what’s right.
Minister A Francine Green
October 2025
afrancinegreen.com 