Verses 40-41
Paul concluded by applying Habakkuk’s warning to all who reject the good news about Jesus Christ. God’s working in their day (i.e., providing the Messiah) was something they could not afford to disbelieve and scoff at or they would perish.
"Habakkuk 1:5, which Paul quoted here, refers to an invasion of Judah by a Gentile nation that would be used as God’s disciplinary instrument to punish Judah for her disobedience. Paul evidently saw his generation in Israel under a similar disciplinary judgment. Paul’s message, like Peter’s [on the day of Pentecost] was delivered to a generation in Israel under the judgment Christ had predicted [in Luke 21:24, i.e., the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70]." [Note: Pentecost, "The Apostles’ . . .," p. 140.]
In a larger sense, of course, unbelieving scoffers perish eternally for rejecting the gospel.
"Parallel with the positive theme of the preparation for the coming of the Christ through Abraham, Moses, Samuel, David and John the Baptist, he [Paul] has interwoven an admonitory reminder of those who have failed to recognize the divine plan and purpose-the Canaanites, Saul, the Jerusalem Jews and Pilate. Now he presents the Dispersion Jews with a similar challenge to accept or refuse the Gospel message." [Note: Neil, p. 160.]
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