Habakkuk - Prayer for renewal
Whereas his colleagues served primarily as messengers from God to the people, Habakkuk took the concerns that troubled him and his fellow citizens to God.”
In the day of turmoil and destruction, the righteous person shall live by his faithfulness to God. The answer dealt with Habakkuk’s frustrations and fears. Would God leave the guilty—in Judah and in Babylon—unpunished? Would the righteous be consumed with the wicked?
The believer is to survive everything that might happen to him when Babylonians invade his life, when the fig tree does not blossom, by persistent faith in one who is even more righteous and even more believing! He goes on trusting his Savior-God.
Habakkuk 2:6–20
1. Habakkuk’s Petition
Habakkuk called on God to work in the present day in the way he had worked in the past. In a sense, Habakkuk meant for God to work a new redemption from the tyranny of Babylon as he had delivered Israel from the old tyranny of Egypt
This is not an expectation of universalism, that God will ultimately forgive all wrongs and restore everyone to a relationship with himself. It is a prayer that if and when the sinners return in true penitence to their Creator, he would forgive and restore them to himself.
2. God’s Appearing
“The passage forms the most extensive and elaborate theophany to be found in the Old Testament.” A theophany describes an appearance of God in great power and glory, often looking to the events of the exodus and the giving of the law on Mount Sinai
Teman designated a district of Edom, located to the southeast of Judah. Teman dominated the fertile, well-watered area and served as a crossroads for important trade routes. In this context, Teman probably stands for the area of Edom as a whole. Paran was a mountainous area southwest of Judah in the Sinai Peninsula and west of the Gulf of Aqaba.48 Together, the two areas refer to God’s coming in the past when he gave the law and led the people of Israel through the wilderness. Both areas are to the south of Judah. When the people of Israel left Egypt, God led them through these areas. Thus, the passage reminded the hearers and readers of the work of God in the past and his majestic power in making a nation of the Hebrews
Habakkuk saw in a past event the work of God. God’s power and majesty were the answers to Habakkuk’s needs. Having seen the awesome God who led his people from the south into the land of promise, Habakkuk saw that God could deal with the sin of Judah and with the arrogance of Babylon
“They are simply portrayed as nomads encamped along the line of march of a terrifying army, fearful that it may turn its attention to them.”
Why did Habakkuk see the vision of the Lord’s majesty? It foreshadowed the redemption of God’s people. The purpose of the theophany is to provide assurance that God would crush the head of the wicked and deliver his people
3. Habakkuk’s Response
Judgment has begun, and the followers of Yahweh must wait to see the results of God’s wrath
4. Habakkuk’s Confidence
Of all the wonderful passages in the Old Testament, the climax to Habakkuk’s psalm fits as one of the great affirmations of faith. His circumstances have not changed. The outer world with its evil conduct and rapacious warfare remains the same. God’s people remain in time of lamentation. The prophet, however, turns to praise. Why? He has heard God’s voice and seen God’s vision. He knows the ultimate outcome of history.
Though he might lose everything in this world which normally brings life and joy, Habakkuk vowed to rejoice in the Lord and to joy in God
The hind (a female deer) was noted for its surefootedness in high places. Drawing on an image from
Though vine nor fig tree neither their wonted fruit shall bear;
Though all the fields should wither nor flock nor herds be there;
Yet God, the same abiding, his praise shall tune my voice;
For while in him confiding, I cannot but rejoice.
