29. Habakkuk: What Is the Life of Faith Good For? (feat. Rolf Jacobson)

Dr. Rolf Jacobson explores Habakkuk's lament, God's justice, and the call to live by faith.

What is the life of faith good for when there is nothing left to praise God for? In this episode, Dr. Kathryn Schifferdecker and Rev. Katie Langston welcome Dr. Rolf Jacobson, Dean of the Faculty and Old Testament professor at Luther Seminary, to discuss the book of Habakkuk. This short three-chapter book begins with Habakkuk’s lament over injustice in Judah and God’s surprising answer. Together they explore the famous verse “the righteous shall live by faith,” the meaning of the Hebrew word mishpat, and how God works through even unjust powers to bring about a greater purpose.

The conversation also traces Habakkuk’s influence on Paul’s Letter to the Romans and Martin Luther’s Reformation theology. Rolf offers a moving reading of the book’s final praise, offered even when the fields are empty and the flocks are gone. Listeners will come away with a richer understanding of what the life of faith truly asks of us, especially in seasons of hardship. This episode is part of The Bible in a Year podcast, a resource from Enter the Bible.

Bible Bingo

Lament
Mishpat
Vision
Faith
Praise

7-Word Summary

Habakkuk laments, then praises in the emptiness.

Scripture References

Habakkuk 1:1–4 (lament over injustice)
Habakkuk 1:5–11 (God’s answer, the rise of the Chaldeans)
Habakkuk 2:1 (“I will stand at my watch post”)
Habakkuk 2:4 (“the righteous shall live by faith”)
Habakkuk 3 (the vision and closing praise, “though the fig tree does not blossom…”)
Romans 1:17 (Apostle Paul’s quotation of Habakkuk 2:4)
Isaiah’s love song/judgment oracle and Assyria parallel (referenced for comparison)
Amos’s funeral dirge and intercession for Israel (referenced for comparison)
Psalm 46 (referenced in connection with Habakkuk’s terrifying vision)

Key Themes

Habakkuk’s argument with God over injustice in Judah
The rise of Babylon (the Chaldeans) as God’s instrument of judgment
The meaning and threefold use of the Hebrew word mishpat (law, justice, judgment)
The famous verse “the righteous shall live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4) and its use by Paul in Romans
Habakkuk’s influence on Martin Luther and the Reformation
The book’s terrifying vision in chapter 3 and its closing hymn of praise amid total loss
God’s providence and the “long view” of faith

People Mentioned

Walter Brueggemann, The Psalms and the Life of Faith (edited by Patrick D. Miller): referenced for Brueggemann’s definition of lament as protest to God
Karl N. Jacobson (Rolf’s late brother), who held an alternate view that Habakkuk’s lament was play acting
Rolf’s Great-Grandfather Roe, whose Depression-era story of loss and continued generosity is shared as an illustration of praising God amid hardship

Featuring

Rolf A. Jacobson

Rolf Jacobson, Professor of Old Testament and the Alvin N. Rogness Chair of Scripture, Theology, and Ministry, earned a B.A. from the University of St. Thomas, an M.Div. from Luther Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary. Known for his humor and faithful biblical interpretation, Jacobson enjoys collaborating with other teachers and pastors. His collaborative projects include the Narrative Lectionary (with Craig Koester), The Book of Psalms (with Beth Tanner and Nancy deClaissé-Walford), Crazy Talk: A Not-So-Stuffy Dictionary of Theological Terms (with five fellow Luther Seminary graduates), and Crazy Book: A Not-So-Stuffy Dictionary of Biblical Terms (with Hans Wiersma and Karl Jacobson). His voice can be heard on two weekly preaching podcasts, “Sermon Brainwave” and “The Narrative Lectionary.” He is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

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Hosted By

Kathryn Schifferdecker

Kathryn M Schifferdecker is Professor and Elva B. Lovell Chair of Old Testament at Luther Seminary. Ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in 2001, Schifferdecker was associate pastor for five years at Trinity Lutheran Church, Arkdale, Wisconsin, before coming to Luther in 2006. Schifferdecker is a frequent contributor to Working Preacher, Word & World, and the author of "Out of the Whirlwind: Creation Theology in the Book of Job" (Harvard University Press, 2008). She is currently writing a commentary on the book of Esther.

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Katie Langston

Katie Langston is a doubter by nature and a believer by grace. She grew up Mormon in a small Utah town and still isn't sure she fits in anywhere sophisticated enough to have a Target. She's the author of Sealed: An Unexpected Journey into the Heart of Grace, an acclaimed spiritual memoir about her conversion to orthodox Christianity. Katie is Pastor of Mission and Outreach at New Promise Lutheran Church in St. George, Utah. From 2020-2025, she was the director of digital strategy for Luther Seminary's innovation team, where she oversaw digital projects aimed at cultivating vibrant Christian spirituality in a post-modern, post-Christian cultural context.

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About The Bible in a Year Podcast

This podcast guides you on a journey through the books of the Bible, providing insights on how Scripture can shape your life today. Each episode focuses on one or two books of the Bible in fun, engaging, and authentic conversations between Luther Seminary faculty and guest Bible scholars who are experts on the book(s) in question. Join us as we make our way through the Bible in a year — new episodes drop every Wednesday in 2026!