Write the Vision (2)

Habakkuk 2:2–3 NASB95

2 Then the Lord answered me and said, “Record the vision And inscribe it on tablets, That the one who reads it may run. 3 “For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay.

Some of you are more familiar with the KJV: And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, That he may run that readeth it. 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, But at the end it shall speak, and not lie: Though it tarry, wait for it; Because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Habakkuk, Chapter 1

Habakkuk complains

Habakkuk complains about the wickedness and evil in his country: violence, fraud, strife, contention, the law is perverted, guilty go free, innocent go to jail, the wicked seem to outnumber the righteous . . . and he has questions and complaints

I feel just like this when I go to social media or watch the news

Habakkuk questions, “Why are you allowing this?”

The Lord’s reply

God responds that he is about to handle the situation, He will bring judgment

bringing judgment that will shock everyone!

I will bring judgment from some fearsome people, violent people, unmerciful people

the Babylonians will come and conquer and destroy your country!

this startling information leads to Habakkuk’s 2nd complaint

Habakkuk 2nd complaint

hold up, wait a minute!

punish us with the wicked Babylonians?

God, how can you, a Holy God, use a people who are much more cruel and inhumane than us, to punish us?

Habakkuk, Chapter 2

Habakkuk says, I have to get an understanding on this, I will wait on the Lord’s answer.

The Lord’s reply to Habakkuk’s 2nd complaint brings us to our main scripture this morning

Habakkuk 2:2–3 NLT

2 Then the Lord said to me, “Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others. 3 This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.

then starting with verse 6, God pronounces 5 woes, (5 sorrows) on the Babylonians

These judgments include bringing justice on wicked

hopelessness for those who believe in false gods and idols

and the chapter ends with

Habakkuk 2:20 NLT

20 But the Lord is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him.”

The Lord reminds the prophet Habakkuk, I am not like those other false gods, I am God, the true God . . . no more questions

parents we understand: we try to answer our children’s questions about our decisions, but eventually question time is up, just deal with it

and this complaining prophet

this disgruntled prophet

this struggling with his faith prophet . . . responds with music

He writes a prayer in song

Habakkuk, Chapter 3

Habakkuk 3:1 NLT

1 This prayer was sung by the prophet Habakkuk:

and you see more musical instructions in the last verse

Habakkuk 3:19 NLT

19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights. (For the choir director: This prayer is to be accompanied by stringed instruments.)

this prayer song is going to be a full production, choir and instruments

And there is this awesome verse of this song in chapter 3

this complaining prophet, this disgruntled prophet, this struggling with his faith prophet says . . .

Habakkuk 3:17–18 NLT

17 Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

Habakkuk says that if nothing goes right, and if everything around me fails, and the only news I have is bad news, I will celebrate and rejoice!

and while it was an awesome display of faith, it bothered me!

How did the prophet switch to such faith?

I could maybe understand, “if nothing goes right, and if everything around me fails, and the only news I receive is bad new . . . then I will hold to my faith!”

i will not give up

or like Job, “though he slay me, yet will I trust in him”

that would have been outstanding to me!

but Habakkuk goes next level . . . even if I lose everything, I will rejoice, shout, praise party

so I read chapter 2 over and over again looking for this incredible inspiration, life changing revelation, attitude switching information . . .

ok, “God said that he would punish the Babylonians for their sins and crimes”

“God is in his holy temple, keep silent before him”

but that doesn’t make me want to shout

maybe Habakkuk is just a better man than me, but I learned that the people in the Bible are people

James 5 says that the great prophet Elijah was a man of like passions (human just like us)

and finally God brought me back to “write the vision”, and told me that a vision is something that you see, a picture, portrait, image, depiction

Chapter 2 does not give you a pictures or images

it gives warnings, instructions, and even revelation . . . but no pictures, no images

now go back and look at chapter 3, and you will see pictures

understand that chapter 2 is God’s reply to Habakkuk’s 2nd complaint

chapter 3 is the actual vision, reveals the actual vision I gave him

Habakkuk was so moved by the vision, he has put it to music

he HAS written the vision, and made it plain

and the vision was right in front of my face the whole time

allow me to read Chapter 3, and you will “see” the vision also

Habakkuk 3:3–15 NLT

3 I see God moving across the deserts from Edom, the Holy One coming from Mount Paran. His brilliant splendor fills the heavens, and the earth is filled with his praise. 4 His coming is as brilliant as the sunrise. Rays of light flash from his hands, where his awesome power is hidden. 5 Pestilence marches before him; plague follows close behind. 6 When he stops, the earth shakes. When he looks, the nations tremble. He shatters the everlasting mountains and levels the eternal hills. He is the Eternal One! 7 I see the people of Cushan in distress, and the nation of Midian trembling in terror. 8 Was it in anger, Lord, that you struck the rivers and parted the sea? Were you displeased with them? No, you were sending your chariots of salvation! 9 You brandished your bow and your quiver of arrows. You split open the earth with flowing rivers. 10 The mountains watched and trembled. Onward swept the raging waters. The mighty deep cried out, lifting its hands in submission. 11 The sun and moon stood still in the sky as your brilliant arrows flew and your glittering spear flashed. 12 You marched across the land in anger and trampled the nations in your fury. 13 You went out to rescue your chosen people, to save your anointed ones. You crushed the heads of the wicked and stripped their bones from head to toe. 14 With his own weapons, you destroyed the chief of those who rushed out like a whirlwind, thinking Israel would be easy prey. 15 You trampled the sea with your horses, and the mighty waters piled high.

pictures, images, portraits, scenes

How did Habakkuk feel after seeing this awesome vision?

Habakkuk 3:16 NLT

16 I trembled inside when I heard this; my lips quivered with fear. My legs gave way beneath me, and I shook in terror. I will wait quietly for the coming day when disaster will strike the people who invade us.

whoa! This vision is so powerful that it shook him to his core

no, I don’t have any more to say . . . no more complaints, no more being disgruntled, no more “Why Lord, why?”

I’m going to just wait quietly, I now “see” that God has everything handled, he has it all mapped out, I don’t know why I ever doubted him

Habakkuk says, “the vision has increased my faith so much . . .

Habakkuk 3:17–18 NLT

17 Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

that caused the switch! That’s where the powerful faith came from

a song that used to be popular says, “Open the eyes of my heart, Lord . . . I want to see you . . . high and lifted up!”

Ephesians 1:18 NLT

18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

What does this mean to us? How can I make this useful to me, today?

simple: some of us are so easily disturbed, disgruntled, depressed, full of complaints . . . because we don’t have a vision from the Lord

cause a vision from God allows you to see past present problems to future joy

also, some of us are acting out, acting crazy, living sinful . . . because we don’t have a vision from the Lord

Proverbs 29:18 NLT

18 When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.

KJV - where there is no vision, the people perish, perish means cast away restraint, live crazy, not focused on anything good . . . can’t see where things will turn out good . . . might as well act crazy

we need a vision: we must not live by what we see, but live by what we have been shown by the Lord!

and then when we the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines, and the olive crop fails, and fields are empty . . . we can still have joy! . . . because we have no vision from the Lord!

Commercial: But this scripture is not trying to tell you that if you simply write down ANY goal, dream , or vision you can come up with . . . that it will come to pass . . . it must be from the Lord

how do I get a vision from the Lord

the method: dream, vision in traditional sense, God could speak a vision to you (Habakkuk)

means: ask and wait

Habakkuk 2:1 NLT

1 I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guardpost. There I will wait to see what the Lord says and how he will answer my complaint.

ask and wait

Habakkuk says. “I’ve asked my question. So now, I will stand guard, I will stay on duty, and wait to hear from the Lord”

if you want a vision from the Lord . . .

sincerely ask God, expect an answer, and stand at your guardpost

stay on duty until God speaks

keep serving the Lord: living right, treating people right, worshiping, coming to church, learning his Word, giving and forgiving

and when God speaks, write the vision

ex. I had to wait on this sermon, I waited and waited, this doesn’t change of attitude doesn’t make sense to me? Eventually God spoke!

Habakkuk 2:2 NLT

2 Then the Lord said to me, “Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others.

somewhere you ought to had a God ordained vision written down (told you it was practical)

written real plain, straightforward, if someone else read it, they woul dunderstand

“more than I hope to do something good”

Reminder #1

Habakkuk 2:3 NLT

3 This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.

understand that you will have to stick with it . . . there will be some waiting, but it will come to pass

Reminder #2

Habakkuk 2:4 NLT

4 “Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.

don’t trust in yourself, but trust in God

the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God

this is the first time we see the words, the just shall live by faith (KJV)

3 NT Scriptures quote this verse

this is the context of the first time these famous words are said

it’s a big deal when a scripture quotes another scripture!

so, it will take some faith, but if you believe . . .

This type of faith will take you past just holding on for dear life, but take you to joy!

when his timing is not your timing

joy when he heals, joy when he doesn’t heal

joy when he blesses, joy when he withholds

joy in abundance, and joy in times of lack

no matter what happens, you can say, “it’s the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in my eyes

Habakkuk 3:19 NLT

19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights. (For the choir director: This prayer is to be accompanied by stringed instruments.)

the vision will give you strength, make you sure footed in high and dangerous places

God sent me to tell you, that he has a vision for you!!!

ask . . . wait . . . write it down . . . have faith . . . . (repeat)

Jesus

Hebrews 12:2 NLT

2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

Jesus could endure the cross because of the joy awaiting him . . . he had a vision

Jesus standing trial . . . torture and death staring him in the face . . .and Hebrews says he was thinking of the joy awaiting him

what was that vision?

Matthew 26:63–64 NLT

63 But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I demand in the name of the living God—tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

his vision was the 2nd coming!

he was well past the whippings, crown of thorns, nails, speak in his side, even the resurrection,

he said one day, I’m coming back in the clouds to judge the quick and the dead!!!!!

The greatest Vision ever is the Bible!

and it’s written down!

that we may run, who read it

Living Legends program and it’s inspiration