God, you’re from eternity, aren’t you? Holy God, we aren’t going to die, are we? God, you chose Babylonians for your judgment work? Rock-Solid God, you gave them the job of discipline? But you can’t be serious! You can’t condone evil! So why don’t you do something about this? Why are you silent now? This outrage! Evil men swallow up the righteous and you stand around and watch! (Hab 1:12-13. MSG)

“All of nature, therefore, is good, since the Creator of all nature is supremely good. But nature is not supremely and immutably good as is the Creator of it. Thus the good in created things can be diminished and augmented. For good to be diminished is evil; still, however much it is diminished, something must remain of its original nature as long as it exists at all.” (Augustine)

Habakkuk’s mistake was two-fold. First, he assumed that somehow the people could plunder, commit acts of violence, allow strife and contention to arise, to the point where the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth.  (Hab 1:3-4 NKJ) and still be righteous. Second, that there are degrees of evil—the Babylonians being eviler. Augustine stated that there are no degrees of evil.  There exists good and everything less than good is evil.

Habakkuk asks, “why are you silent?” God had already spoken through the Law, what more could be said. Obedience is better than sacrifice. God was looking for the people to come out of darkness into the light.