In the former study we saw, in the vision which God granted Habakkuk, that there is a blending of the picture of Nebuchadnezzar, the Chaldean king, with that of the Antichrist of the end time. In chapter 2, verses 5-20 Habakkuk is engrossed with the actions of Nebuchadnezzar; and, now and then suddenly he, so to speak, lifts his eyes and speaks about the world ruler of the end time. In thus treating the subject, the Prophet follows what is known by Bible students as the law of double reference, or the law of double or manifold fulfillment of prophecy. An illustration of this law is found in Daniel 8:15-27. Daniel spoke of Antiochus Epiphanes, who tried to force heathenism on the Jews, and blended the prophecy concerning him with a prediction concerning the world ruler of the end time.

"Yea, moreover, wine is treacherous, a haughty man, that keepeth not at home; who enlargeth his desire as Sheol, and he is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all peoples" (Hab. 2:5). In this verse wine is personified and thought of as a person who will not stay at home, but will go where those things are that will satisfy him. In thus speaking, the prophet had Nebuchadnezzar in mind. It was very fitting that he should speak of Nebuchadnezzar in terms of the effects that wine has upon the drinker who takes it in excess. According to abundant evidence, the Babylonians were heavy drinkers of wine. Nebuchadnezzar, like a man who is intoxicated, continually launched expeditions against neighboring countries for the purpose of loot and pillage. With him might was right. He, therefore, overran smaller nations, pillaging their countries and annexing their territories to his own. The prophet, therefore, said that he would not stay at home but enlarged "his desire as Sheol, and he is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heappeth unto him all peoples." In this verse both Sheol and death are personified and are spoken of as never being satisfied. Death is never satisfied unless mowing someone down, and Sheol is following him and gathering the slain unto the nether parts of the earth.

Everything that is said in verse 5 was applicable to Nebuchadnezzar—except the statement that he "heapeth unto him all peoples." In no sense did Nebuchadnezzar conquer the world. This language cannot simply be explained as a hyperbole—an exaggeration; for the simple reason that, as seen above, the pictures of Nebuchadnezzar and of the Antichrist of the end time blend into a single portrait. From these passages of Scripture we learn that the Antichrist will actually subdue all nations and subject to himself all peoples. This statement, therefore, must be understood as referring also to the world ruler of the end time.

When the Antichrist is overthrown and slain by the personal coming of the Lord Jesus at the end of the Tribulation (II Thes. 2:7,8), the remnant of those who have been trodden down by the Antichrist will "take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, ..." Their thus speaking concerning him will be with a sigh of great relief. This prediction reminds one of the parable which will be spoken regarding the king of Babylon at the end time, as found in Isaiah 14:3-27. When Habakkuk 2:5-20 is studied in connection with Isaiah 14:3-27 and related passages, one comes to the conclusion that both prophecies are spoken of the same individual, the world ruler of the end time.

Habakkuk pronounced five woes against Nebuchadnezzar and the Antichrist. Isaiah, in chapter 5, pronounced six woes against Israel, for whom God had provided everything that was necessary for life and godliness—under the law dispensation. What Nebuchadnezzar did on a small scale, yet with a ruthless hand, the Antichrist will do on a world-wide scale, without mercy.

"Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and that ladeth himself with pledges! 7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booty unto them? 8 Because thou hast plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder thee, because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all that dwell therein" (Hab. 2:6b-8).

The first woe is against him who increases his own holdings by seizing the goods of others. Nebuchadnezzar committed this crime. So will the Antichrist (v. 6). When the oppressor of the peoples dies, the down-trodden rise up against his memory and his associates (v. 7). According to verse 8, the remnant of the peoples plunder their oppressors. This verse especially applies to the Antichrist, whose hands will drip with the blood of countless numbers of innocent, helpless victims. The world will then certainly have its real blood bath. For the wickedness done to the country, to the city, and to all that dwell therein, the last ruler will be punished.
 

"Woe to him that getteth an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil! 10 Thou hast devised shame to thy house, by cutting off many peoples, and hast sinned against thy soul. 11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it" (Hab. 2:9-11).

The second woe is pronounced against one who gets evil gain for his house, "that he may set his nest on high" like the eagle, "that he may be delivered from the hand of evil!" The Lord sees and knows everything. God saw the injustices and wicked acts of Nebuchadnezzar in his plundering helpless people in order that he might have revenues to build Babylon. The eagle thinks that it is secure and safe by building its nest on an inaccessible height of a lofty mountain. Nebuchadnezzar thought he was safe and secure in Babylon, of which he boasted: "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?" (Dan. 4:30). His security was in his own thinking.

According to verse 11, some of the materials of which he built Babylon and of which he robbed the oppressed "cry out" for vengeance against the bloody oppressor: "For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it." The stones and beams, of course, are personified and are thought of as crying out and bearing witness against this bloody tyrant.

The language of verse 11 is echoed in Luke 19:40. As Jesus was entering Jerusalem on what is called Palm Sunday, the multitudes and the disciples were praising God, saying, "Blessed is the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest" (Luke 19:38). Then some of the Pharisees objected and insisted that Jesus rebuke them. In replying to the Pharisees, Jesus said, "If these shall hold their peace, the stones will cry out."
 

"Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and establisheth a city by iniquity! 13 Behold, is it not of Jehovah of hosts that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity? 14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea" (Hab. 2:12-14).

Habakkuk pronounced a woe against Nebuchadnezzar for building up Babylon with blood—with blood money. This accusation reminds one of the prophecy of Micah 3:10: "They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity." Building a city with blood has the same significance in Micah as in Habakkuk.

The Antichrist of the end time will build Babylon with blood money—with revenues which he will ruthlessly extort from the peoples of the world.

The building campaign of Nebuchadnezzar came to naught because Babylon was evidently destroyed. The great building campaign of the Antichrist will be for naught, for Habakkuk declared, "Behold, is it not for Jehovah of hosts that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?" This prediction reminds one of the prophecy made by the Apostle Peter concerning the destruction of the civilization of the world in the end time; "For this they willfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out of water and amidst water, by the word of God; by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7 but the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men" (II Pet. 3:5-7).

After the destruction of the civilization built up by men, Christ will inaugurate His reign of righteousness over the earth. Then "the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea" (Hab. 2:14). The era mentioned by Habakkuk in this passage is the one of which the prophets and psalmists constantly spoke and sang—earth's golden era. For example, see Isaiah 11:6-9; "And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. 9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea."

In the cosmogonies of the ancient nations, their poets and historians put their golden eras in the dim distant past. The Hebrew prophets and psalmists speak of Paradise and its loss in the past, but they glowingly foretell the great golden era in which the glory of God shall encircle the earth as the waters cover the sea.

The glory of God in this era will be manifested in Jerusalem, the capital of the world. At that time the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God—as the waters cover the sea.

"Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, to thee that addest thy venom, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness! 16 Thou art filled with shame, and not glory; drink thou also, and be as one uncircumcised; the cup of Jehovah's right hand shall come round unto thee, and foul shame shall be upon thy glory. 17 For the violence done to Lebanon shall cover thee, and the destruction of the beasts, which made them afraid; because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all that dwell therein" (Hab. 2:15-17).

The Prophet pronounces a woe upon the man who takes advantage of his neighbor and causes him to become intoxicated. From this context it is clear that Habakkuk referred to Nebuchadnezzar of his era and to the Antichrist of the end time. God who sees and understands the hearts and motives which prompt every man warns these rulers that He will make them drink of the cup of His wrath. For a similar warning, read Jeremiah 25:15-26.
 

"What profiteth the graven image, that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he that fashioneth its form trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? 19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise! Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. 20 But Jehovah is in his holy temple let all the earth keep silence before him" (Hab. 2:18-20).

What profit is there in graven images, that men will fashion them, believing that an idol can help them? Idols are made of material substances. Though they have eyes, ears, noses, and mouths, they are still idols (Ps. 115:1-8). Habakkuk speaks of graven and molten images as teachers of lies. The reason for his doing so is found in Psalm 106:24-39. From this passage, one learns that all idolatry is backed up by demons. Those who worship idols come in contact with demons and are influenced by them.

In contrast with dumb idols, Habakkuk points to the Eternal God, saying, "But Jehovah is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him" (Hab. 2:20).