When God Doesn’t… Take Away the Trials.

June 28, 2020 • Habakkuk 3:1-19

Habakkuk’s Prayer

A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth.[a]

Lord, I have heard of your fame;
    I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord.
Repeat them in our day,
    in our time make them known;
    in wrath remember mercy.

God came from Teman,
    the Holy One from Mount Paran.[b]
His glory covered the heavens
    and his praise filled the earth.
His splendor was like the sunrise;
    rays flashed from his hand,
    where his power was hidden.
Plague went before him;
    pestilence followed his steps.
He stood, and shook the earth;
    he looked, and made the nations tremble.
The ancient mountains crumbled
    and the age-old hills collapsed—
    but he marches on forever.
I saw the tents of Cushan in distress,
    the dwellings of Midian in anguish.

Were you angry with the rivers, Lord?
    Was your wrath against the streams?
Did you rage against the sea
    when you rode your horses
    and your chariots to victory?
You uncovered your bow,
    you called for many arrows.
You split the earth with rivers;
10     the mountains saw you and writhed.
Torrents of water swept by;
    the deep roared
    and lifted its waves on high.

11 Sun and moon stood still in the heavens
    at the glint of your flying arrows,
    at the lightning of your flashing spear.
12 In wrath you strode through the earth
    and in anger you threshed the nations.
13 You came out to deliver your people,
    to save your anointed one.
You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness,
    you stripped him from head to foot.
14 With his own spear you pierced his head
    when his warriors stormed out to scatter us,
gloating as though about to devour
    the wretched who were in hiding.
15 You trampled the sea with your horses,
    churning the great waters.

16 I heard and my heart pounded,
    my lips quivered at the sound;
decay crept into my bones,
    and my legs trembled.
Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity
    to come on the nation invading us.
17 Though the fig tree does not bud
    and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
    and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
    and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
    I will be joyful in God my Savior.

19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
    he enables me to tread on the heights.

For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.

Habakkuk pours out his heart in a complaint to God, questioning him as to why he appears to be silent and uncaring toward the situation.

 Habakkuk must let go off his own expectations and wait patiently for God to fulfill his divine purposes in his timing and ways. 

In the end, Habakkuk’s complaint gives away to a beautiful trust in God that is not based upon the prophet’s circumstances.  When we face dark, painful, and hard times, we can out pour our hearts and unedited emotions to God.  

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

GOD’S ANSWER:

All Nations Eventually Become Like Babylon.

HABAKKUK’S QUESTION/PRAYER:

How Long Will This Cycle Continue?

Habakkuk’s Prayer (3:1-15)

Habakkuk pleads with the LORD to act in the present the way he has acted in the past when dealing with corruption.  What follows is a prayer in poem that has specific parts to it: 

  • 3:1-2 –   RENEW YOUR DEEDS IN OUR DAY!
  • 3:3-7 –   REVEAL YOUR POWER!
  • 3:8-15 – RESTORE AN EXODUS FROM EVIL!

The Past Exodus from Egypt Becomes a Picture of a Future Exodus.  The LORD God will bring: 

  • DEFEAT OF EVIL
  • JUSTICE FOR ALL
  • RESCUE FOR THE CAPTIVE

In what ways is Habakkuk’s prayer of trust also your prayer? 

The LORD God connects the past to the present with the promise of the “Anointed One.”  In what ways has God brought down the “Pharaohs” and “Babylons” of evil through his Christ, his Messiah, his “Anointed One?” 

How does God’s history lessons help us during our trials? 

With Such Trust Comes Joy (3:16-19)

The Holy Spirit led Habakkuk to conclude his book with hopeful praise.  Why was the prophet able to turn his worry to worship?