Habakkuk 2:17

17 The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction done to the animals will terrify you because of the slaughter and violence done to lands, cities, and all their inhabitants.

Habakkuk 2:17 Meaning and Commentary

Habakkuk 2:17

For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee
Lebanon was a mountain on the borders of the land of Israel, from whence cedar wood was brought, of which the temple was built, and for that reason is sometimes so called, as in ( Zechariah 11:1 ) and so the Targum and Jarchi interpret it,

``the violence of the house of the sanctuary shall cover thee;''

and this was a type of the church of Christ, the violence of which is that which is offered to it, and which it suffers; and designs all the injuries, oppressions, and persecutions of it by the Papists; who shall be surrounded with the judgments of God, and covered with his wrath and vengeance for the violence done to his people, as a man is covered with a garment: or else the sense is, that the same, or a like judgment, should come upon them, as did on Lebanon, or the material temple of Jerusalem, which with great force and violence destroyed it; as that was consumed by fire for the sins of the Jews in rejecting Christ and persecuting his people, so shall Rome be burnt with fire for the opposition of the inhabitants of it to Christ, and the injuries they have done to his church and people: and the spoil of beasts, [which] made them afraid;
or, "the spoil of the beasts" shall cover thee, which "made them afraid"; we read of two beasts, one rising out of the sea, and the other out of the earth; and both design the pope of Rome in different capacities, as considered in his secular and ecclesiastical power; and the spoil he has made of those that oppose him, the calamities of fire and sword he has brought upon them, are what have greatly terrified the sheep of Christ; but for all the spoil and havoc he has made, the judgments of God shall come upon him on all sides, and utterly destroy him; the beast and false prophet shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone; see ( Revelation 13:1 Revelation 13:11 ) ( 17:8 ) ( 19:20 ) : because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the
city, and of all that dwell therein;
the same that is said in ( Habakkuk 2:8 ) and here repeated, as respecting another body of men, guilty of the same or like crimes: there Rome Pagan, concerned in the crucifixion of Christ, the desolation of the land of Judea, and city of Jerusalem, and their inhabitants, as well as in persecuting the saints, the citizens of the church of God; here Rome Papal, where our Lord has been crucified again, and his blood, and the efficacy of it, set at nought; the blood of the saints and martyrs of Jesus shed in great abundance, and violent persecutions of the churches of Christ, and the members of them; for all which the above judgments shall come upon them; see ( Revelation 11:8 ) ( 18:24 ) .

Habakkuk 2:17 In-Context

15 "'How horrible it will be for the one who makes his neighbor drink from the bowl of God's rage, making him drunk in order to stare at his nakedness.'

16 You are filled with disgrace rather than glory. Drink! Yes you! And expose yourself as godless. The cup in the LORD's right hand will come around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.

17 The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction done to the animals will terrify you because of the slaughter and violence done to lands, cities, and all their inhabitants.

18 "What benefit is there in a carved idol when its maker has carved it? What benefit is there in a molded statue, a teacher of lies, when its maker has molded it? The one who formed it trusts himself to make worthless idols that cannot speak.

19 'How horrible it will be for the one who says to a piece of wood, "Wake up!" and to a stone that cannot talk, "Get up!"' Can that thing teach [anyone]? Just look at it! It's covered with gold and silver, but there's absolutely no life in it."