Sing a Song of Celebration: I love to consider myself the next best thing when it comes to singing. I then quickly wake up from that dream as my wife reminds me, car ride after car ride, how truly terrible I am at singing. If I ever catch myself singing it is usually whenever I am in a good mood or feeling happy. I’m pretty sure I’ve never busted out into a song when I have been depressed, sad, upset, or frustrated. Ironically, that is exactly how the book of Habakkuk ends in chapter 3. To recap briefly, Habakkuk was concerned with what was going on in the world around him. There was a lot of injustice, corruption, evil, and wickedness going on all around him. He was living as a slave. Habakkuk then inquires about God, asking God to help him better understand how God is working through this situation. Basically the answer that Habakkuk gets is that God is letting this happen for disciplinary reasons but soon (70 years) everything will be restored and wonderful again. So, once God is done talking at the end of chapter 2 we find Habakkuk’s final response to what God has revealed to him. Let me first say this though; since the beginning of the book to the conclusion of the book, Habakkuk’s circumstances hadn’t changed, but he had changed. Habakkuk 3:1-2 reads, “A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth. 2 O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy. Right away we see Habakkuk pray for the work of God to be done. God has told Habakkuk what He will accomplish, yet Habakkuk still prays for the work of God to be accomplished. At first glance this didn’t really make sense to me. If God says He is going to do something isn’t that good enough? We actually see this happen quite often in the Bible where people affirm what God has spoken and pray that God would make it happen. We need to pray for the work of God to be accomplished. Throughout this book, Habakkuk has come to know God in a much more intimate manner than before when he had all these questions for God. I think that there is a misconception that many people have and that is it is always an enjoyable experience getting to know God in a deeper, more intimate way. That is not accurate, nor biblical. Consider this: Moses trembling at Mount Sinai (Hebrews 12), Joshua falling on his face (Joshua 5), Daniel becoming exhausted and ill (Daniel 8), Peter, James, and John fell facedown on the ground and were filled with terror (Matthew 17), John fell at Christ’s feet, as though dead (Revelation 1). Sometimes it is not pleasant getting to know God better and more intimately. However, it is worth it. Habakkuk’s second response is recorded in verses 3-15 where he ponders the greatness of God. Habakkuk 3:3-15 states, “God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His splendor covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. 4 His brightness was like the light; rays flashed from his hand; and there he veiled his power. 5 Before him went pestilence, and plague followed at his heels. 6 He stood and measured the earth; he looked and shook the nations; then the eternal mountains were scattered; the everlasting hills sank low. His were the everlasting ways. 7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. 8 Was your wrath against the rivers, O Lord? Was your anger against the rivers, or your indignation against the sea, when you rode on your horses, on your chariot of salvation? 9 You stripped the sheath from your bow, calling for many arrows. Selah You split the earth with rivers. 10 The mountains saw you and writhed; the raging waters swept on; the deep gave forth its voice; it lifted its hands on high. 11 The sun and moon stood still in their place at the light of your arrows as they sped, at the flash of your glittering spear. 12 You marched through the earth in fury; you threshed the nations in anger. 13 You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck. Selah 14 You pierced with his own arrows the heads of his warriors, who came like a whirlwind to scatter me, rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret. 15 You trampled the sea with your horses, the surging of mighty waters.” Habakkuk is retracing the march of Israel from Mount Sinai when they were delivered from Egyptian bondage to the Promised Land of Canaan. In verse 5, Habakkuk reflects on God revealing His power in the plagues. In verse 11, the day was prolonged for Joshua and his troops to have more time for a final victory. God is so powerful He can make the earth stop rotating. That’s really cool. Another thing that is cool is that my last name (Strode) appears in Scripture in verse 12 (at least in the NIV translation). The picture given is that God is so great and powerful because God has led His people to Canaan like a farmer threshing grain. Nation after nation tried to overwhelm and overtake the Israelites. Some were successful, temporarily. When other nations were successful, like the Babylonians in Habakkuk’s days, it was usually because God allowed it in order to punish Israel for their sins. But when the Israelites repented of their sin and obediently followed God, God would lead His people through nation after nation like a farmer threshing grain. In times doubt and depression we need to ponder the greatness of God. The last response that Habakkuk sings about is him affirming the will of God. Habakkuk 3:16-19 says, “I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us. 17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 19 God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.” If you ask me, this is one of the greatest confessions of faith in the Bible. Habakkuk knows that many will be slain, the land will be ruined, and the temple will be destroyed. When Habakkuk looked ahead, he saw a nation heading for destruction. When Habakkuk looked within, he saw himself trembling with fear. When he looked around, he saw everything in the economy about to fall apart. But when he looked up by faith, he saw God. No matter what we see and how we feel, we must depend on God’s promises. Habakkuk couldn’t rejoice in his circumstances, but he could rejoice in his God. Warren Wiersbe said, “Habakkuk teaches us to face our doubts and questions honestly, take them to the Lord humbly, wait for His Word to teach us, and then worship Him no matter how we feel or what we see. God doesn’t always change the circumstances, but He can change us to meet the circumstances. That’s what it means to live by faith.” With that said, it is still extremely difficult to apply this to our lives. It is hard to rejoice and sing when circumstances are difficult. The secret to obtaining that joy to get us through the rough times is to depend on what God has promised and remember the memories of deliverance and that one day we too will be delivered into a glory far surpassing any tribulation or trial has to offer. God has made it clear to Habakkuk that tougher days are coming than the one that he is currently living in. Habakkuk believes this to be true, as he should, and declares his joy about. This is absolutely crazy to me! Think about it. Habakkuk talks about no fruit on vines, the crops producing no food, and no cows in the stalls. He is saying that he and the rest of the jews are in slavery and starving but he will rejoice in the Lord, the God of his salvation. This is why it is such a remarkable confession of faith. Many of us can rejoice in the Lord, the God of our salvation when we have food in the fridge, a roof over our head, a job to pay bills, a car to drive, and a bed to sleep on. It is somewhat easier for us to make that confession when we have obtained the aforementioned things. But Habakkuk didn’t have those things and he still took joy in the God of his salvation because at the end of the day salvation is the only thing that is worth obtaining. The really sweet part is salvation is free. You don’t work for it and you can’t earn it. Habakkuk had enough to sing about for the rest of his life. Do you have enough to sing about for the rest of your life? Is a relationship with Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior enough for you? Many people are familiar with Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Many are not familiar with Jeremiah 29:10, “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.” The Jews had to wait 70 years before verse 11 would be fulfilled. This event in Jeremiah is the same one happening in Habakkuk, literally. A lot of people want to live in God’s promises without waiting. Simply put, that is not how it works. In chapter 1 we find Habakkuk worrying. In chapter 2, we find Habakkuk waiting. Finally, in chapter 3, we find Habakkuk worshipping. It is alright to go through these stages but your concluded attitude needs to be worship to God like Habakkuk’s attitude was. In the midst of uncertainty, will you remain certain in the God of your salvation?
Posted on: Mon, 26 Aug 2013 01:57:15 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015