Habakkuk's Analysis of the Babylonians’ Godlessness
Habakkuk asked God how long the Babylonians would continue in their destructive conquests of the nations they fought against. Would they continue unabated forever, using their nets to catch their enemies like fish in the sea? Would they carry on indefinitely with their merciless killing of people? Were they to display their ruthless power without it coming to an end? How much longer were the Israelites to put up with being plundered by them?
Although God did not directly answer his question, the wording implied that their military exploits would not go on forever because he would put a stop to their war mongering. Once God had taught his people their lesson, he would step in and end the Babylonian atrocities as described in the words, they sweep by like the wind and go on
in Habakkuk 1:11. They had a task to complete that which God had assigned them to do and once they had done so, their mission would cease.
It must have been a word of comfort to Habakkuk to know that the Israelites would not be under the onslaught of the Babylonians forever. God, who had raised them up to do his work, would also bring it to an end.
17 Is he then to keep on emptying his net and mercilessly killing nations forever?