We had a talk the other day from Jeanette Mathews who has just finished writing a PHD on Habakkuk. Among many other interesting things, a couple of relations to the environment came up in what she told us:
The Earth is both a violated object (2:17) and a subject offering praise (2:14,20; 3:3) in the book. It, along with stones, rafters, the deep and the sun speak and act. Also natural (and military) imagery are used to portray God and His presence (sunlight, thunderstorm, lightning). Some of the natural elements are also used as deities (rivers, sea, sun, moon etc.).
Along with many of the prophets, Habakkuk obviously found the environment a useful source of inspiration and metaphor for his prophecy, and also saw the importance of the role the Earth plays as a subject of God and an actor in His drama.
Anniversary
7 years ago
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