29. Habakkuk - What Do You Praise God For When You've Got Nothing Left? (feat. Rolf Jacobson)

What is the life of faith good for when there is nothing left to praise God for? In this episode, Dr. Kathryn Schifferdecker and Rev. Katie Langston welcome Dr. Rolf Jacobson, Dean of the Faculty and Old Testament professor at Luther Seminary, to discuss the book of Habakkuk. This short three-chapter book begins with Habakkuk's lament over injustice in Judah and God's surprising answer. Together they explore the famous verse "the righteous shall live by faith," the meaning of the Hebrew word mishpat, and how God works through even unjust powers to bring about a greater purpose.The conversation also traces Habakkuk's influence on Paul's letter to the Romans and Martin Luther's Reformation theology. Rolf offers a moving reading of the book's final praise, offered even when the fields are empty and the flocks are gone. Listeners will come away with a richer understanding of what the life of faith truly asks of us, especially in seasons of hardship. This episode is part of The Bible in a Year podcast, a resource from Enter the Bible.Hosts: Dr. Kathryn Schifferdecker, Rev. Katie LangstonGuest: Dr. Rolf Jacobson, Dean of the Faculty and Professor of Old Testament, Alvin N. Rogness Chair of Scripture, Theology, and Ministry at Luther SeminarySeven-Word Summary: Habakkuk laments, then praises in the emptiness.Key Themes:Habakkuk's argument with God over injustice in JudahThe rise of Babylon (the Chaldeans) as God's instrument of judgmentThe meaning and threefold use of the Hebrew word mishpat (law, justice, judgment)The famous verse "the righteous shall live by faith" (Habakkuk 2:4) and its use by Paul in RomansHabakkuk's influence on Martin Luther and the ReformationThe book's terrifying vision in chapter 3 and its closing hymn of praise amid total lossGod's providence and the "long view" of faithScripture References:Habakkuk 1:1–4 (lament over injustice)Habakkuk 1:5–11 (God's answer, the rise of the Chaldeans)Habakkuk 2:1 ("I will stand at my watch post")Habakkuk 2:4 ("the righteous shall live by faith")Habakkuk 3 (the vision and closing praise, "though the fig tree does not blossom...")Romans 1:17 (Apostle Paul's quotation of Habakkuk 2:4)Isaiah's love song/judgment oracle and Assyria parallel (referenced for comparison)Amos's funeral dirge and intercession for Israel (referenced for comparison)Psalm 46 (referenced in connection with Habakkuk's terrifying vision)Bible Bingo Words: Lament, Mishpat, Vision, Faith, PraisePeople Mentioned:Walter Brueggemann, The Psalms and the Life of Faith (edited by Patrick D. Miller): referenced for Brueggemann's definition of lament as protest to GodKarl N. Jacobson (Rolf's late brother), who held an alternate view that Habakkuk's lament was play actingRolf's Great-Grandfather Roe, whose Depression-era story of loss and continued generosity is shared as an illustration of praising God amid hardship