Habakkuk: Is Habakkuk 3:3-15 Historical, Prophetic or Both?

Before we begin a study of Habakkuk 3:3-15, I thought it extremely important to discuss the problem of interpreting these verses, which the prophet directed to be put to music and performed in the temple worship service.

This passage has been called the “the Divine Warrior” psalm because of its imagery which depicts the Lord God of Israel as waging war against His enemies on planet earth and emerging victorious over them.

The interpretation problem centers upon whether or not we should interpret this passage as historical, eschatological or both.

Interpreting the passage historically would mean that it is referring to the mighty acts the Lord performed in the past on behalf of the nation of Israel such as delivering the Exodus generation from the bondage of slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh.

The majority of expositors and translations adhere to the historical interpretation.

However, there are expositors and now translations like the NET Bible which call this into question.

Some believe that this passage should be interpreted as eschatological, which would mean that the passage is referring to the seventieth week of Daniel when the Lord exercises His righteous indignation against the inhabitants of planet earth by administering the seven seal, trumpet and bowl recorded in Revelation 6-18.

The eschatological interpretation would also mean that this passage is referring to the Second Advent of Jesus Christ which ends the seventieth week and establishes the millennial kingdom on earth.

Habakkuk 3:3-15 could also be interpreted as alluding to not only the past historical actions of the Lord in the Old Testament but also events of the seventieth week and Second Advent.

I believe that Habakkuk 3:3-15 is prophetic with some echoes from the past.

First of all, this is indicated by the fact that Habakkuk 3:3 asserts that God comes from Teman, which refers to a prominent city of Edom.

Consequently, the first statement in Habakkuk 3:3 echoes Isaiah 63:1-3 since it asserts that the Lord comes from Edom with His garments covered in the blood of His enemies, which will take place at His Second Advent.

Isaiah 63:1-3 records God coming from Edom with blood on His garments which has never happened in history but will at the Lord Jesus Christ’s Second Advent according to Revelation 19:13 and 15.

Secondly, Habakkuk 3:3 teaches that God’s splendor covers the heavens (all three levels of heaven) and His glory fills the earth which has never happened in history but will literally take place during the Second Advent according to Isaiah 63:3, Matthew 24:27-30 and Revelation 1:7.

Also, Habakkuk 3:4 mentions the Lord’s brilliant appearance before the human race, which has never happened in history but will at the Second Advent as can be seen in a passage we already noted, namely, Matthew 24:27-30.

Furthermore, Habakkuk 3:4 asserts that the Lord will outwardly display His power to the human race which has happened many times in human history such as in the case of the ten plagues administered by the Lord against Egypt to deliver the Exodus generation from bondage to Pharaoh and Egypt.

However, the Lord will outwardly and bodily display His power in human history during the seventieth week and Second Advent (cf. Matt. 24:27-31; Rev. 19:11-20:4).

Then, Habakkuk 3:5 asserts that plague go before God and pestilence marches right behind Him, which has also happened in history with the ten plagues of Egypt as we noted.

However, plagues and pestilence will be included in the seven, seal, trumpet and bowl judgments which will be administered by the Lord to the inhabitants of planet earth during the seventieth week (Rev. 6-18) and Second Advent (cf. Zech. 14:12; Rev. 19:11-20:4)

Another indication that Habakkuk 3:3-15 is prophetic is that Habakkuk 3:6 asserts that the Lord will take His battle position and shake the earth, which has never taken place in history but will at the Second Advent (cf. Zech. 14:3-4; Rev. 19:11-20:4).

Habakkuk 3:6 also asserts that the Lord at His arrival will frighten the nations with a mere look, which has never taken place in history because He has never stood bodily on the earth except for His First Advent, but He never struck fear in His enemies with just a look during that time.

However, at His Second Advent, the Lord Jesus Christ will bodily come to planet earth to destroy His enemies and will bodily look upon His enemies to destroy them.

Also, Habakkuk 3:6 asserts that the ancient mountains will disintegrate, which has never happened in history but will at the Second Advent (cf. Rev. 6:12-17; 16:20)

Habakkuk 3:6 also asserts that the Lord at His arrival will travel ancient roads, which has never happened in history except during the First Advent and will take place at the Lord’s Second Advent according to Isaiah 11:10-16.

In Habakkuk 3:8, the Lord is described as striking the rivers and oceans on earth which has never happened in history but will during the seventieth week and His Second Advent (cf. Rev. 8:10; 16:4).

Then, in Habakkuk 3:11, the sun and the moon are described as standing still in their courses, which has happened once in the days of Joshua but will also take place at the Second Advent (cf. Zech. 14:6-7; Matt. 24:29-31).

Another indication that Habakkuk 3:3-15 is prophetic speaking of the seventieth week of Daniel and Second Advent of Jesus Christ is Habakkuk 3:12, which asserts that the Lord at His arrival will furiously stomp on the earth and angrily trample down the nations.

This has never taken place in history but will during the seventieth week (cf. Rev. 6-18) and Second Advent (cf. Zeph. 3:8; Rev. 19:15).

In Habakkuk 3:13, the Lord is described as marching out to deliver His people, which is a reference to Israel, which has never happened in history since He has never marched bodily on the earth to deliver Israel.

However, He will do so at His Second Advent according to Isaiah 63:1, which we noted earlier.

Lastly, Habakkuk 3:13 asserts that the Lord at His arrival strikes the leader of the wicked nation, laying him open from the lower body to the neck.

This too has never happened in human history since nowhere in history has the Lord personally and bodily done this to a ruler of any nation in history.

However, He will do so at the Second Advent when He kills Antichrist (cf. 2 Thess. 2:8; Rev. 19:20).

Now, as we noted Habakkuk 3:3-15 is not only prophetic but also echoes the mighty acts of the Lord in the Old Testament on behalf of the nation of Israel.

The reference to the Lord’s splendor and coming from Teman and Mount Paran echoes Deuteronomy 33:3, which asserts that the Lord revealed Himself to Israel from Seir which is a reference to Edom and His splendor appeared to Israel from Mount Paran.

The reference to the Lord’s displays of power in Habakkuk 3:4 would conjure up the image of the Lord destroying Egypt with the ten plagues to deliver Israel from the bondage of slavery to Egypt and Pharaoh.

The reference to plagues going before the Lord and pestilence marching right behind Him echoes the Lord striking Egypt with the ten plagues (Ex. 7:14-11:10; Deut. 32:24).

The reference to Cushan and Midian in Habakkuk 3:7 would allude to the Lord’s past actions on behalf of Israel because these two nations resided on either side of the Red Sea.

Habakkuk 3:8 speaks of the Lord being mad and angry with the rivers and enraged at the sea, which could be allusion to smiting the Nile river when delivering the Exodus generation from Egypt and Pharaoh (cf. Ex. 7:20-21, as well as the Red Sea (cf. Ex. 14:15-28; 15:8-10; cf. Ps. 78:13), and the Jordan River (cf. Josh. 3:14-17) when bringing Israel into the promised land.

The shaking of the mountains in Habakkuk 3:10 would conjure up images of God shaking Mount Sinai when He appeared to Moses (cf. Ex. 19:18; Ps. 114:4, 6-7).

The sun and the moon standing still could be a reference to Joshua 10:12-13 when the Lord delivered the Amorites to Israel under Joshua.

However, there are several statements in Habakkuk 3:3-15 which have no allusion to an act of the Lord on behalf of Israel in the Old Testament.

For instance, where has the Lord’s splendor covered the skies and His glory fill the earth which is mentioned in Habakkuk 3:3?

Also, when have the ancient mountains disintegrated and when have the primeval hills been flattened in the Old Testament as they will during the seventieth week of Daniel?

When did the Lord in the Old Testament personally and bodily march out to deliver Israel while striking the leader of the wicked laying him open from the lower body to the neck, as will be the case at Jesus Christ’s Second Advent when He kills Antichrist to deliver Israel?

Therefore, I believe that Habakkuk 3:3-15 is prophetic speaking of the events of the tribulation portion of Daniel’s seventieth week when the Lord exercises His righteous indignation against the inhabitants of planet earth by administering the seven seal, trumpet and bowl judgments recorded in Revelation 6-18.

It is also speaking of the prophetic events of the Second Advent of Jesus Christ when He will destroy the tribulational armies, have Antichrist and the False Prophet thrown into the Lake of Fire (Rev. 19:11-19), and will imprison Satan for a thousand years (Rev. 20:1-3) and will establish His millennial reign on planet earth (Rev. 20:4-6).