Habakkuk
Habakkuk, a prophet, wrote the book bearing his name, which records his dialogue with God about justice and faith.
Habakkuk was a prophet who ministered in Judah around 600 BC, probably during Jehoiakim's reign, as the Babylonian threat was rising. Uniquely among the prophets, his book takes the form of a dialogue with God: Habakkuk complains about violence and injustice in Judah and is troubled when God announces Babylon as the instrument of punishment—how can a holy God use a more wicked nation to discipline his people? (Habakkuk 1–2). God's response includes the profound statement 'the righteous will live by his faith' (Habakkuk 2:4), a text foundational to Paul's theology of justification by faith (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11). The book concludes with one of the most beautiful prayers and hymns of confidence in the Hebrew Bible, expressing trust in God even when all material blessings fail (Habakkuk 3).