The Canonical Column, Book 35: Habakkuk

We now continue our journey through the Canonical Column with the thirty-fifth book of the biblical canon—Habakkuk. For those unfamiliar with this mystery, the Canonical Column is the name I have given to a framework embedded within the Bible that bears dual witness to the divinely sanctioned biblical canon through an organized network of witnessing chapters in three key books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Leviticus, and Isaiah.¹ For a fuller understanding of this framework, I recommend reading the introductory article linked above, which lays the foundational context for the insights explored in this post.²

Suffice it to say that the Canonical Column refers to a divinely designed structural framework and prophetic network embedded within the Bible which bears witness to the final form of the biblical canon—testifying to its 39–27 book division, identifying all 66 books within it, and even delineating the exact order in which they would appear. In this sense, it may be likened to an internal measuring line that God deliberately placed within his Word, allowing us to determine objectively which canon of Scripture is the correct one.

As established in previous installments, every book of the Bible is confirmed by two witnessing chapters within the Canonical Column—one drawn from the Law (Genesis 12–50 or Leviticus) and the other from the Prophets (Isaiah).³ In the case of Habakkuk, its two witnesses are Genesis 46 and Isaiah 35. Both of these chapters function within their respective branches of the Canonical Column as figurative types of the book of Habakkuk. To this end, each has been divinely embedded with textual allusions to specific passages within Habakkuk and intentionally sequenced as the thirty-fifth chapter in its branch of the framework, reflecting Habakkuk’s ordinal position as the thirty-fifth book of the Old Testament and of the Bible at large. As we will see, it is by the mouth of these two witnesses that the divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordained placement of the book of Habakkuk are firmly established.

Table of Contents anchor

The book of Habakkuk

The book of Habakkuk is among the most distinctive voices in the Minor Prophets, notable for its unique structure as a dialogue between the prophet and God. Unlike most prophetic books, which primarily record divine pronouncements to the people, Habakkuk opens with the prophet’s candid complaints about injustice and violence in the land, and about the perplexing reality that God would raise up the Chaldeans as His instrument of judgment (Hab. 1:1–11). In the ensuing exchange, God reveals that His purposes extend beyond the immediate crisis, pointing toward an appointed time when the proud will be brought low and the just will live by faith (Hab. 2:4)—a verse later quoted three times in the New Testament as a cornerstone of the gospel (Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38).

The book reaches its climax in Habakkuk’s psalm of trust (chapter 3), where the prophet reflects on God’s mighty acts in Israel’s history and resolves to rejoice in Him regardless of present circumstances. In its brevity, Habakkuk condenses profound theological depth: wrestling with divine justice, affirming God’s sovereignty over the nations, and calling the faithful to perseverance and joy in the midst of uncertainty. Its message remains timeless, offering both a realistic acknowledgment of life’s trials and a resolute trust in the God who governs history.

Authorship & Dating

The traditional and conservative position holds that Habakkuk himself—identified simply as “the prophet Habakkuk” in the opening verse (Hab. 1:1)—was the genuine author of the book that bears his name. While little is known of his personal background, his fluency in temple liturgical forms (especially evident in the psalm of chapter 3, with its musical notations and references to stringed instruments) has led some to suggest he may have been a Levite or musician in the temple service. Conservative scholars generally place the book’s composition in the late 7th century BC, likely during the reign of Jehoiakim (609–598 BC), when the Babylonian (Chaldean) threat was rising on the horizon. This dating fits well with the book’s historical context, as Habakkuk describes the Chaldeans as an emerging power poised to sweep through the nations (Hab. 1:5–11), rather than as an occupying force already in Judah.

Many modern-critical scholars also accept a late 7th-century setting but approach the book through the lens of literary development and redaction. Some propose that the first two chapters preserve an authentic pre-exilic prophetic core from Habakkuk, while chapter 3 may have been a later liturgical addition by temple singers during or after the Babylonian exile, reflecting on God’s past deliverances as a source of hope. Others, pushing for a post-exilic date, argue that the vivid description of the Chaldeans might be a retrospective literary device rather than a contemporary warning, placing the final composition in the early Persian period. This view often stems from a tendency to see prophetic “prediction” as the product of hindsight rather than foreknowledge.

Despite differences in approach, both perspectives agree that the world of Habakkuk is one in which the Chaldeans loom large—either as an imminent threat (conservative) or as a remembered oppressor (critical). The interpretive divide ultimately rests on whether one views the prophetic content as genuinely predictive or as a theological reflection shaped after the events.

Habakkuk’s witnessing chapters in the Canonical Column

The two witnessing chapters of Habakkuk within the Canonical Column are Genesis 46 and Isaiah 35. Each of these chapters has been deliberately structured to reflect the book of Habakkuk, and each has been strategically positioned as the thirty-fifth chapter within its respective branch of the framework in order to testify of Habakkuk’s canonical placement. Within both chapters, one can discern divinely embedded allusions to the scenes, imagery, and language of the book of Habakkuk—through which they together affirm its divine authorship and its ordained position as the thirty-fifth book of the divinely sanctioned biblical canon.⁴

Context of Genesis 46

Genesis 46 records the climactic migration of Jacob and his household from Canaan to Egypt at the invitation of his long-lost son, Joseph. After decades of separation—during which Jacob believed Joseph to be dead—the two are finally reunited in one of the most emotionally charged moments of the patriarchal narrative. But this chapter is not merely a family reunion; it marks a major turning point in the redemptive storyline of Scripture.

In response to the famine ravaging the land, God speaks to Jacob in a vision at Beersheba, assuring him not to fear the descent into Egypt. God promises to make of him a great nation there, and to bring his descendants back again (Gen. 46:3–4)—a clear reaffirmation of the Abrahamic covenant. The chapter then lists the names of Jacob’s descendants who went with him into Egypt, emphasizing the full scope of the house of Israel at this pivotal moment.

The arrival in Egypt sets the stage for Israel’s transformation from a family into a nation. Though the descent into Egypt would ultimately lead to oppression and bondage, it was also the place where Israel would be forged in the crucible of suffering and multiplied into the twelve-tribe nation God had promised. Genesis 46 thus functions not only as a historical bridge between the patriarchal age and the Exodus era, but as a prophetically loaded waypoint within the Canonical Column—marking the midpoint of the 430-year sojourn and signaling God’s unfolding plan for national redemption.

Genesis 46 -> Habakkuk

In the table below, we examine a series of textual allusions and structural echoes between Genesis 46 and the book of Habakkuk. Though separated by genre and historical context—one recounting Israel’s migration to Egypt under Joseph’s protection, the other capturing a prophet’s dialogue with God amid the rising threat of Babylon—both are bound together by common themes of divine providence, trembling trust, and redemptive reversal. As with other Canonical Column pairings, these parallels are not the result of coincidence or creative overreach, but of deliberate, Spirit-woven design. As the thirty-fifth chapter of The Circumcision (Genesis 12–50), Genesis 46 has been intentionally structured to contain prophetic shadows, narrative rhythms, and verbal echoes that align with the tone, theology, and imagery of Habakkuk—thereby affirming its divinely appointed role as a witness to the thirty-fifth book of the biblical canon.

Genesis 46	Habakkuk
And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.5 (Genesis 46:2)	And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. (Habakkuk 2:2-3)
And Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.6 (Genesis 46:29)	Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation? (Habakkuk 3:8)
And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.7 (Genesis 46:30)	O LORD, I have heard thy speech and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. (Habakkuk 3:2)
And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father’s house, I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father’s house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have. And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation? That ye shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.8 (Genesis 46:31-34)	For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs. (Habakkuk 1:6)

Clever Allusion to the name “Habakkuk” in Genesis 46

In addition to the structural and prophetic connections noted above, Genesis 46 also contains a subtle linguistic nod to the very name of its corresponding prophetic book. The allusion is tucked within the emotional climax of the chapter:

And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. (Genesis 46:29)

In this moving reunion, Joseph and Israel lock arms and hold each other for the first time since their long separation—an embrace marked by tears and deep affection. Some translations even render the action explicitly as an “embrace.” Within the Canonical Column, this moment serves as a subtle yet fitting allusion to the name Habakkuk, which in Hebrew conveys the meaning “embrace.” The witnessing chapter thus not only parallels the book of Habakkuk through structural and prophetic connections, but also encodes a linguistic nod to its title—an elegant layer of design reinforcing the divine intentionality behind its placement.

Reverse Allusion to Genesis 46 in Habakkuk

In addition to the one-on-one structural allusions documented in the table above, the book of Habakkuk also contains a particularly clever reverse allusion to Genesis 46 that cannot go unmentioned. In Habakkuk 3:2, the prophet prays:

O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.

The repeated phrase “in the midst of the years” carries remarkable prophetic significance within the Canonical Column. As demonstrated in our earlier study on the 430-year sojourn in Egypt, Scripture reveals that this period did not begin with Israel’s entry into Egypt during Jacob’s lifetime, but with Abram’s earlier descent into Egypt to escape the first famine in Genesis 13. From that starting point (2083 AM) to the Exodus (2513 AM) spans exactly 430 years. Careful chronological reckoning from the Genesis record shows that Jacob and his family arrived in Egypt precisely 215 years after Abram’s descent—placing their arrival at the exact midpoint of the 430-year sojourn (2298 AM), as the timeline below demonstrates.

Where am I going with this, and what does it have to do with Habakkuk 3:2? Quite simply, it is Genesis 46 that records the migration of Jacob and his family to Egypt to reunite with Joseph and settle in Goshen—and this took place precisely at the midpoint of the 430-year sojourn. Only when one understands the prophetic timeline in its correct form (as illustrated in the image above) does the allusion in Habakkuk 3:2 come into focus. The prophet’s phrase “in the midst of the years” is functioning within the Canonical Column as a deliberate reverse allusion—not to a single verse, but to the prophetic and chronological backdrop of its witnessing chapter. Jacob’s arrival in Egypt quite literally occurred “in the midst of the years” of the sojourn, making this line in Habakkuk’s prayer an intentional, divinely placed echo of that pivotal moment in the patriarchal narrative.

Context of Isaiah 35

Isaiah 35 stands as a radiant burst of hope at the end of a sequence of judgment oracles. Preceded by the desolation and terror of Isaiah 34—which vividly portrays the downfall of Edom and the cosmic upheaval that accompanies divine wrath—chapter 35 pivots dramatically toward restoration and joy. It offers a vision of the Messianic age, in which the effects of the curse are reversed, the land is healed, and the people of God return in triumph along the “highway of holiness.”

This chapter is often understood as eschatological in scope, anticipating the ultimate redemption of Israel and the renewal of creation. The wilderness blossoms, the weak are strengthened, the blind see, the deaf hear, and the redeemed return with singing to Zion. Yet woven into these future promises is a message of present encouragement for the faithful remnant—those who, like Habakkuk, must endure a time of suffering while clinging to the hope of God’s coming deliverance.

In literary terms, Isaiah 35 is constructed as a direct contrast to the barrenness and judgment of chapter 34. Together, the two chapters form a diptych: one depicting the ruin of the wicked, the other the restoration of the righteous. Isaiah 35’s emphasis on rejoicing in the midst of hardship, on waiting patiently for divine recompense, and on finding strength in God’s promises, makes it an ideal prophetic witness to the book of Habakkuk—whose closing chapter echoes many of these same themes.

Isaiah 35 -> Habakkuk

In the table below, we examine a series of textual allusions and structural echoes between Isaiah 35 and the book of Habakkuk. Though separated by tone and sequence—one a triumphant vision of restoration, the other a trembling plea for mercy amid judgment—both chapters anticipate divine intervention that will ultimately bring joy, strength, and justice to the faithful. From poetic theophanies to the imagery of deer-like agility, each text portrays a God who comes to save, even in the midst of apparent devastation. As with other Canonical Column pairings, these parallels are not the product of coincidence or imaginative parallel-making—they reflect intentional, Spirit-breathed design. As the thirty-fifth chapter of First Isaiah (Isa. 1–39), Isaiah 35 has been purposefully embedded with prophetic shadows, thematic correspondences, and linguistic echoes that align with the tone, imagery, and message of Habakkuk, thereby affirming its divinely appointed role as a witness to the thirty-fifth book of the biblical canon.

Isaiah 35	Habakkuk
Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.9 (Isaiah 35:4)	God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. . . . (Habakkuk 3:3a)
It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.10 (Isaiah 35:2)	. . . . His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. (Habakkuk 3:3b; cf. 2:14)
Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.11 (Isaiah 35:6)	The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. . . . (Habakkuk 3:19)
And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.12 (Isaiah 35:10)	Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. (Habakkuk 3:18)

Conclusion: The Canonical Column affirms the canonicity and ordinal position of Habakkuk as the thirty-fifth book of the biblical canon.

The canonicity of the book of Habakkuk is affirmed by its two witnessing chapters within the Canonical Column: Genesis 46 and Isaiah 35. These two chapters have been deliberately structured and sequenced as the thirty-fifth chapter within their respective branches of the Canonical Column, in order to function as individual figurative types of the book of Habakkuk–the thirty-fifth book of the Old Testament and of the Bible at large. To this end, both chapters have been divinely embedded with direct allusions to specific passages and content that God in his perfect foreknowledge knew would be contained within the book of Habakkuk, which was ordained before the foundation of the world to become the thirty-fifth book of the Old Testament and biblical canon. Accordingly, the divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordinal placement of the book of Habakkuk are established by the Canonical Column–being witnessed by both the Law & the Prophets.

1. I received the knowledge of this great mystery by the light of divine revelation way back in 2009 (1 Chron. 28:19; Num. 8:4; cf. 1 Cor. 2:10; Gal. 1:12). ↩︎
2. Alternatively, if that article is too long, you can read a summarized version here. ↩︎
3. Every book of the Bible has two chapters which correspond to it within the Canonical Column–one in Genesis 12-50 or Leviticus (the Law), and one in Isaiah (the Prophets). Genesis 12-50 (known in the Canonical Column as “The Circumcision”) and Isaiah 1-39 (known in the Canonical Column as “First Isaiah”) are both figurative types of the Old Testament canon–each containing 39 chapters which have been divinely designed to prefigure the 39 books of the Old Testament canon. Similarly, Leviticus (known in the Canonical Column as “An Holy Priesthood”) and Isaiah 40-66 (known in the Canonical Column as “Second Isaiah”) function as figurative types of the New Testament canon–each containing 27 chapters which have been divinely designed to prefigure the 27 books of the New Testament canon. The individual chapters within these four scaffolding branches of the Canonical Column are known as witnessing chapters, so called because they have been divinely embedded with textual allusions of various kinds to the content of the specific biblical book which occupies the same numerical position within the canonical sequence. Thus the witnessing chapters function as divinely designed figurative types of whatever biblical book they numerically correspond to within their specific branch of the framework–testifying to their divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordinal placement within the completed biblical canon. ↩︎
4. The Canonical Column testifies that the Protestant biblical canon is the divinely sanctioned form of the Christian Bible that is stamped with the Lamb’s seal of messianic approval. ↩︎
5. In Genesis 46:2, God speaks to Jacob “in the visions of the night” and personally calls him by name to reassure him about the journey into Egypt. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Habakkuk 2:2–3, where the Lord likewise speaks through a vision—commanding the prophet to record it plainly, and to wait for its appointed fulfillment. ↩︎
6. In Genesis 46:29, Joseph prepares his chariot and rides out to meet his father, weeping on his neck in a long-awaited moment of restoration and reunion. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an imagistic allusion to Habakkuk 3:8, where the Lord is poetically portrayed as riding upon horses and “chariots of salvation.” ↩︎
7. In Genesis 46:30, Jacob expresses emotional closure and awe upon realizing that Joseph—long presumed dead—is in fact alive: “Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.” Within the Canonical Column, Habakkuk 3:2 functions as a reverse allusion to this very moment. The prophet’s plea—“revive thy work in the midst of the years… in wrath remember mercy”—evokes not only the emotional logic of resurrection and restored hope, but also the precise prophetic timing: Joseph’s reappearance occurs exactly at the midpoint of the 430-year sojourn in Egypt (see Reverse Allusion to Genesis 46 in Habakkuk section below). Thus, Habakkuk’s phrase “in the midst of the years” recalls the moment when death gave way to life, grief to joy, and the promise of redemption was visibly revived. ↩︎
8. In Genesis 46:31–34, Joseph prepares his family to settle in the land of Goshen—a region not originally theirs—by presenting them strategically before Pharaoh and explaining their pastoral identity. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as a structural inversion of Habakkuk 1:6, where God declares He is raising up the Chaldeans to seize “dwellingplaces that are not theirs.” While Genesis describes a peaceful, divinely orchestrated migration into foreign territory, Habakkuk describes an aggressive conquest. Yet both chapters center on outsiders being granted (or seizing) access to lands not their own—highlighting a deliberate reversal that underscores God’s control over the movement and settlement of nations. ↩︎
9. In Isaiah 35:4, the prophet declares that “your God will come with vengeance… he will come and save you,” offering hope to the fearful by promising direct divine intervention. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as a structural allusion to Habakkuk 3:3, which opens with the theophanic declaration that “God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran.” In both verses, God is portrayed as personally arriving to execute judgment and salvation—underscoring the dual themes of recompense and redemption that shape the prophetic imagination. ↩︎
10. In Isaiah 35:2, the prophet envisions the land rejoicing as it beholds “the glory of the LORD”—a phrase tied to the visible revelation of God’s presence and power. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as a verbal allusion to Habakkuk 3:3b, which states that “His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.” In both verses, the unveiling of God’s glory is met with a creation-wide response—underscoring the cosmic scope of divine revelation and the joy that accompanies it. ↩︎
11. In Isaiah 35:6, the prophet declares that “the lame man shall leap as an hart,” using the image of a deer to signify restored vitality and divine transformation. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as a direct imagistic allusion to Habakkuk 3:19, where the prophet proclaims that God “will make my feet like hinds’ feet” and cause him to walk on high places. In both verses, deer imagery symbolizes supernatural strength and joyful movement—marking God’s power to lift up the weak and make them sure-footed, even in the midst of hardship. ↩︎
12. In Isaiah 35:10, the prophet describes the return of the ransomed with “everlasting joy upon their heads,” as “sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Within the Canonical Column, this functions as a verbal and thematic allusion to Habakkuk 3:18, where the prophet—despite his circumstances—declares, “I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” Both passages emphasize joy as the final word for the faithful, highlighting the triumph of trust over fear and the certainty of divine redemption. ↩︎

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