Habakkuk 2:14
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse emphasizes that the knowledge of God's glory will fill the earth, not just God's presence itself. This means His character, power, and wisdom will be understood and recognized by all people, much like the vast, deep expanse of water covering the sea. This profound understanding will ultimately triumph over ignorance and idolatry.
Habakkuk is grappling with God's apparent inaction in the face of overwhelming injustice and cruelty by a foreign power (likely the Babylonians). After crying out to God about the suffering of his people and the perversion of justice, Habakkuk is told to wait for God's vision. This verse offers a glimpse of that vision, revealing God's ultimate plan for universal redemption and knowledge of His glory, which will far surpass the temporary reign of any earthly empire.
Habakkuk's prophecy unfolds amidst the terrifying rise of Babylon. But this verse points far beyond that immediate crisis.
Habakkuk is wrestling with God's justice. He sees the brutal might of Babylon and questions how a holy God can allow such evil. Yet, in chapter 2, God gives him a vision that transcends the immediate threat. Verse 14 isn't just about Babylon's fall; it's a promise that even this devastating empire is a stepping stone towards a future where God's glory will universally fill the earth.
This is a crucial shift in perspective. Instead of focusing solely on the immediate judgment and the suffering it causes, Habakkuk is invited to see the ultimate purpose of God's actions. The destruction of oppressive empires, while terrible, serves a greater plan: the expansion of God's knowledge and glory.
The imagery of 'waters covering the sea' is incredibly powerful. What does it tell us about the way God's glory will be known?
The comparison to water covering the sea isn't just about quantity; it's about quality and pervasiveness.
Universal Reach
Think about the vastness of the oceans. They stretch across the globe, covering immense distances. This signifies that the knowledge of God's glory will not be limited to a select few or a specific region. It will spread everywhere, touching every continent and every culture.
Profound Depth
Water also covers the depths of the sea. This suggests that the knowledge of God's glory will be profound and all-encompassing, not superficial. It speaks to an deep, transformative understanding of who God is – His power, His love, His justice, His holiness.
This future state is the ultimate fulfillment of God's desire: that all creation would know Him and experience the fullness of His presence and reign.
Understand the original words
da'at · Hebrew Noun
The experiential, relational, and intellectual apprehension of God; more than just head knowledge, it implies an intimate knowing of God's character and requirements.
kabod · Hebrew Noun
The visible manifestation of God’s essence, splendor, presence, and weightiness; the outward demonstration of His divine character.
Habakkuk's prophecy, uttered during a time of intense geopolitical upheaval and moral decay, grapples with God's justice. This verse offers a profound glimpse of God's ultimate plan: to fill the entire earth with His glory, a promise that transcends immediate judgments and points to a future of universal redemption.
c. 627-586 BC
Jeremiah's prophetic ministry
Habakkuk's ministry likely occurred during the tumultuous latter part of Jeremiah's long career, a period marked by internal strife and the rising threat of Babylonian power.
c. 621 BC
Josiah's religious reforms
King Josiah institutes significant religious reforms aimed at restoring true worship of God. This context may inform Habakkuk's questions about God's justice when righteous reforms are met with continued sin and external threats.
605 BC
Battle of Carchemish
The decisive battle where the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar defeat the Egyptians. This victory established Babylon as the dominant world power and set the stage for its future conquests, including Judah.
c. 600 BC— this verse
Habakkuk's prophecy delivered
Habakkuk questions God about the prevalence of injustice and violence, and why God permits a wicked power (likely the Babylonians) to oppress His people. The prophet receives a divine response promising judgment and ultimate vindication.
This passage is a direct echo of Isaiah's prophecy, showing the continuity of God's promise for universal knowledge of His glory throughout redemptive history.
Psalm 72:19This verse expresses a similar hope for God's glory to fill the whole earth, highlighting the psalmist's prayer and anticipation for God's reign.
Zechariah 14:9This prophetic declaration points to a future kingdom where the LORD will be King over all the earth, directly supporting Habakkuk's vision of universal divine knowledge.
Romans 11:36Paul's doxology celebrates God as the source and ultimate goal of all things, underscoring that His glory filling the earth is the grand culmination of His divine plan.
Revelation 11:15This New Testament passage foretells the establishment of God's kingdom and reign, directly fulfilling the promise that the whole earth will acknowledge His sovereignty and glory.
barnesHabakkuk 2:14: "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea."
For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord - Habakkuk modifies in a degree the words of Isaiah which he embodies, marking that the destruction of Babylon was a stage only toward the coming of those good things which God taught His people to long for, not their very coming. All the world should be then full of the knowledge of the glory of the Lo…
clarkeHabakkuk 2:14: "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea."
For the earth shall be filled - This is a singular and important verse. It may be first applied to Babylon. God's power and providence shall be widely displayed in the destruction of this city and empire, in the humiliation of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel 4:37 , and in the captivity and restoration of his people. See Newcome, and see Isaiah 11:9 . Secondly. It may be applied to the…
The verse emphasizes that the knowledge of God's glory will fill the earth, not just God's presence itself. This means His character, power, and wisdom will be understood and recognized by all people, much like the vast, deep expanse of water covering the sea. This profound understanding will ultimately triumph over ignorance and idolatry.
Habakkuk is grappling with God's apparent inaction in the face of overwhelming injustice and cruelty by a foreign power (likely the Babylonians). After crying out to God about the suffering of his people and the perversion of justice, Habakkuk is told to wait for God's vision. This verse offers a glimpse of that vision, revealing God's ultimate plan for universal redemption and knowledge of His glory, which will far surpass the temporary reign of any earthly empire.
Habakkuk is grappling with God's apparent inaction in the face of overwhelming injustice and cruelty by a foreign power (likely the Babylonians). After crying out to God about the suffering of his people and the perversion of justice, Habakkuk is told to wait for God's vision. This verse offers a glimpse of that vision, revealing God's ultimate plan for universal redemption and knowledge of His glory, which will far surpass the temporary reign of any earthly empire.
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597 BC
First Babylonian deportation
King Nebuchadnezzar deports Jehoiachin and a significant portion of Jerusalem's elite to Babylon, marking a severe blow to the kingdom of Judah.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, with the remaining population exiled to Babylon. This event represents the culmination of the judgment Habakkuk prophesied.
Post-Exilic Period to New Testament
Messianic Age and Gospel spread
The promise of the earth being filled with the knowledge of the Lord's glory finds fulfillment in the ministry of Jesus Christ and the subsequent spread of the Gospel throughout the Roman world.
"For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea." — The verse emphasizes that the knowledge of God's glory will fill the earth, not just God's presence itself. This means His character, power, and wisdom will be understood and recognized by all peop…
