Why?
Habakkuk asked God why he had to be exposed to such evil. It was thrust into his face so that he could not avoid looking at it. The evil were before him and would not go away. He questioned God standing by idly and looking on without doing anything about the wrongs that were being done. His use of the word idly
indicated that he considered God to be a spectator just looking on as if it did not worry him at all. God seemed to be too preoccupied with other matters than with what Habakkuk tried to inform him about. It is as if God’s eyes were blinded.
Habakkuk described the scene as one of destruction that displayed itself in violence, strife, and contention which highlighted that the society in which he lived was overrun by atrocious deeds of brutality and savagery. The people exhibited aggressive behaviour, arguing and fighting with each other which led to criminal actions. The word arise
revealed that violence, strife, and contention were escalating with no end in sight. His world was covered in a dark cloud of evil with no means of escape.
3 Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise.