It was YHWH Himself, who said, “the righteous shall live by faith (Hab 2:4).” While speaking to the prophet Habakkuk, the context of this piercing message was about Judah’s injustices and how God appointed the Chaldeans (Babylon) to bring them to enslavement, disaster, and destruction. The bitter and hasty nation of Chaldea having a reputation of ruthless violence will overpower Jerusalem and Judah because they rejected YHWH. They chose to live their way apart from God, who gave them their land, prosperity, and protection. They were unwilling to reciprocate the love He had so entirely given to them throughout the centuries among their predecessors.
That YHWH would say to the prophet “the righteous shall live by faith” carries with it meaning that extends well beyond ink on paper, or even far above the unmistakable message this phrase conveys. These are six words that freeze in place the hearer and melt the heart of those who would seek YHWH to learn of Him and have some semblance of hope to love Him. Despite their continued failures and the iniquity that places them at a distance from God. Because they know what it is and what it would be to remain in a fully intimate relationship with God to know Him and live out an intense love, that is the best way to live.
The prophet wrote out these words of YHWH’s and placed them before us to convey a meaning that gives us hope in the face of perpetual failure. That those who are moral or righteous in action or conduct are they who live by trust in YHWH their God. In fact, they live in such a way that their faith is the cause of justification. Present throughout their lifestyle of faith are they who are becoming sanctified. It is by faith that justification and sanctification through perseverance before YHWH we are at our fullest way to God and His interests. To know Him fully and be one with Him because of who He is.
The Apostle Paul wrote about these words that YHWH spoke to the prophet Habakkuk (Rom 1:17). He cites Habakkuk 2:4 to inform his readers that the righteous shall live by faith. Said another way, the one who by faith is righteous shall live. As the object of a person’s faith, or trust, is in YHWH while that person is made righteous. For example, of this truth from the inspired words of YHWH (2 Tim 3:16), we look back to what He said to Moses about Abram. That as Abram believed the LORD, YHWH counted him as righteous. Yes, his belief in YHWH was reckoned to him as righteousness. This is what we continue to read about from Romans 4:1-8. Paul zeroes in on the principle of justification through faith where the sin of the ungodly is not counted against him or her.
As it is by grace we are saved through faith (Eph 2:8-9), we are even more made righteous through Christ as we are made new in Him. It is written, in Christ, we become the righteousness of God (2 Cor 5:21). Just as it is fully revealed and orchestrated for our redemption, it is this good news of the gospel that our being is captivated and made completely His.
