Habakkuk 3.6c-Processions of Elect Angels Will Assist the Lord Jesus Christ at His Second Advent (Doctrinal Bible Church in Huntsville, Alabama)

Doctrinal Bible Church

Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom

Sunday January 14, 2024

First Session

Habakkuk: Habakkuk 3:6c-Processions of Elect Angels Will Assist the Lord Jesus Christ at His Second Advent

Lesson # 45

Habakkuk 3:3 God will travel form Teman. Then, the Holy One will travel from Mount Paran. Selah. His majesty will cover the heavens so that His praise will certainly fill the earth. 4 In fact, His splendor will be like lightning. Flashing rays of light will come from His hand on His behalf. Indeed, there it covers His strength. 5 Plague will proceed from His presence. Correspondingly, pestilence will follow at His feet. 6 He will stand while He causes the earth to shake. He will look while He causes the citizens of the nations to tremble in fear while the ancient mountains will disintegrate. The primeval hills will be flattened. Ancient processions assist Him. (Pastor’s translation)

The seventh statement which appears in Habakkuk 3:6 constitutes the fifth and final prophetic statement in this verse and asserts that ancient processions will assist the Lord Jesus Christ at His Second Advent.

The interpretation of the expression hălîkôt ʿôlām lô (הֲלִיכ֥וֹת עוֹלָ֖ם לוֹֽ), “His ways are eternal” (NIV84), which constitutes the final prophetic statement in Habakkuk 3:6, has proven to be very difficult for expositors to interpret.

James Swanson lists the following meanings for the noun hǎlî·ḵā(h) (הֲלִיכָה), “ways” (NIV84): 1. LN 15.165–15.186 procession, i.e., a marching activity of an enclave in honor of a king (Ps 68:25(2×)[EB 24(2×)]+); 2. LN 15.1–15.17 a way, i.e., the activity of walking and movement (Na 2:6 Q[EB 5]+); 3. LN 57.189–57.208 traveling merchants (Job 6:19+); 4. LN 46 affairs, matters, i.e., activities in a household (Pr 31:27+), see also domain LN 42.7–42.28; 5. LN 42.7–42.28 a way, i.e., the activities of a person (Hab 3:6+)5

I believe that the plural form of this noun hǎlî·ḵā(h) (הֲלִיכָה), “ways” (NIV84) here in Habakkuk 3:6 means “processions” a group of individuals moving along in an orderly often ceremonial way and specifically, I believe that this word refers to the processions of elect angels.

This interpretation is indicated by several factors.

The first is that this word is modified by the masculine singular absolute noun ʿô·lām (עוֹלָם), which in this context as it did earlier in the verse means “ancient” since it pertains to something or someone which has existed for a long time in the relative past.

The elect angels of course are ancient because they existed before the creation of mankind.

This interpretation is also supported by the fact that this use of the word here in Habakkuk 3:6, which appears only seven times in the Old Testament (cf. Neh. 2:6; Job 6:19; 29:6; Prov. 31:27), also appears in Psalm 68:25 for the processions of angels, which serve God.

Psalm 68:24 They see your processions, O God—the processions of my God, my king, who marches along in holy splendor. (NET)

Furthermore, Zechariah 14:5 and Revelation 19:11-14 make clear that processions of elect angels will accompany the Lord Jesus Christ to planet earth at His Second Advent.

Zechariah 14:1 A day of the Lord is about to come when your possessions will be divided as plunder in your midst. 14:2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to wage war; the city will be taken, its houses plundered, and the women raped. Then half of the city will go into exile, but the remainder of the people will not be taken away. 14:3 Then the Lord will go to battle and fight against those nations, just as he fought battles in ancient days. 14:4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives which lies to the east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in half from east to west, leaving a great valley. Half the mountain will move northward and the other half southward. 14:5 Then you will escape through my mountain valley, for the mountains will extend to Azal. Indeed, you will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come with all his holy ones with him. 14:6 On that day there will be no light—the sources of light in the heavens will congeal. 14:7 It will happen in one day (a day known to the Lord); not in the day or the night, but in the evening there will be light. 14:8 Moreover, on that day living waters will flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea; it will happen both in summer and in winter. (NET)

Revelation 19:11 Then I saw heaven opened and here came a white horse! The one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice he judges and goes to war. 19:12 His eyes are like a fiery flame and there are many diadem crowns on his head. He has a name written that no one knows except himself. 19:13 He is dressed in clothing dipped in blood, and he is called the Word of God. 19:14 The armies that are in heaven, dressed in white, clean, fine linen, were following him on white horses. (NET)

Therefore, because of these reasons, I am of the conviction that the plural form of the noun hǎlî·ḵā(h) (הֲלִיכָה) here in Habakkuk 3:6 speaks of processions of elect angels who will accompany the Lord Jesus Christ to planet earth at His Second Advent.

They will assist Him in imprisoning Satan and the fallen angels for a thousand years.

They will also remove every unregenerate person from the earth and put them in Torments in Hades until they are to appear at the Great White Throne Judgment (cf. Rev. 20:11-15).

They will also bring regenerate Jews back to Jerusalem (cf. Matt. 24:31).

The service performed by the elect-angels can be summarized as follows: (1) Worship of God (Isa. 6:3; Revelation 4:8). (2) Messengers of God (Dan. 9:22; Lk. 1:11, 26; 2:9; Revelation 1:1). (3) Soldiers in spiritual combat (Dan. 10:13f; Revelation 12:7).

Angels: (1) Protect (2) Provide (3) Proclaim the Word of God (4) Execute God’s Judgments.

As God’s servants who are dispatched from the throne room of heaven to execute God’s purposes, we may observe that the ministry of the elect-angels falls into several categories.

In Relation to Christ, the elect-angels perform the following services: (1) They prophesied of the birth of Christ (Matt. 1:20; Luke 1:26-28). (2) They announced his birth (Luke 2:8-15). (3) An angel warned Joseph to take Mary and the baby Jesus and flee into Egypt (Matt. 2:13-15), and an angel directed the family to return to Israel after Herod died (vv. 19-21).

In relation to His suffering, the elect-angels performed the following services: (1) They ministered to the Lord after His temptation (Matt. 4:11). (2) They administered to the Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:43), and Jesus said He could have called a legion of angels who stood ready to come to His defense if He so desired (Matt. 26:53).

In relation to His resurrection, the elect-angels performed the following services: (1) An angel rolled away the stone from the tomb (28:1-2). (2) Angels announced His resurrection to the women on the Resurrection morning (vv. 5-6; Luke 24:5-7). (3) Angels were present at His ascension and gave instruction to the disciples (Acts 1:10-11).

In relation to His coming again, the elect-angels perform the following services: (1) The voice of the archangel will be heard at the rapture of the church (1 Thess. 4:16). (2) They will accompany Him in His glorious return to earth (Matt. 25:31; 2 Thess. 1:7). (3) They will separate the wheat from the tares at Christ’s second coming (Matt. 13:39-40).