Faithfulness in a Faithless World

When God answers Habakkuk's second prayer, His answer to the prophet doesn't change, but He does expand His answer in order to give hope to His people: the promise of His Gospel and the certainty of His victory over His enemies. "The righteous shall live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4) is central to the explanation of the Gospel in the New Testament and stands in contrast to prideful self-righteousness. What's more, God reminds Habakkuk that although He has chosen to use the Babylonians as the instrument of His judgment on Judah, that haughty nation will still be judged for their evil and idolatrous ways. God's answer to Habakkuk calls all who believe in Him to live by faith, confidently awaiting the fulfillment of God's plan while resisting the temptations from this faithless world of pride and idolatry.