Habakkuk
Notes
Transcript
Date:
Date:
Nothing is known other than his name, though he may have been a levite.
19 The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills. To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.
Based upon the body of writing, and the absence of reference to the reform of Josiah means that the likely date of Habakkuk was between 638-586 B.C.
Characteristics:
Characteristics:
A description of the times of Manasseh, Amon, and the early years of Josiah, four years before his ascension at the age of eight to the commencement of his reform at age twelve. Along with descriptions of Manasseh and Amon in 2 Kings 21:9,16,21 align with the prophecy of Habakkuk 1:2-4
9 But they paid no attention, and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.
16 Moreover Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides his sin by which he made Judah sin, in doing evil in the sight of the Lord.
19 Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.
20 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done.
2 O Lord, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And You will not save.
3 Why do You show me iniquity, And cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and contention arises.
4 Therefore the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.
The prophecy of Habakkuk is different that the other prophetic writings in that the problem, as he sees it, is in the permissiveness of evil.
The prophet ask questions and receives answers.
A comparison of 1:2 and 3:19 shows us the true value of the book.
2 O Lord, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And You will not save.
19 The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills. To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.
The book begins with despair, but ends with confidence in the Lord.
It moves from, and thus shows the process by which we can follow to mover from hopelessness to faith.
Message:
Message:
First, he overwhelming message is unmistakable, the life of the believer is that of a life of faith.
Circumstances, should not and can not be the defining trait by which a child of God lives.
Rather, it is our duty and responsibility to set aside fear, and instead cling to faith in God.
Secondly, the message is that of the governing authority of God. He acts in wisdom and righteousness, despite of what appearances may be.
Application:
Application:
God must be the center of our world and view. When we turn our eyes to God, we will see that He is everywhere. He is in all and above all, and the only fear that we should have is that the outpouring of God’s wrath is to great. When Habakkuk tried living in a day he wailed, “O God you are doing nothing!” But when He turned His eyes to the subconsciousness of eternity he declared, “O God you are doing everything!”
In the darkness of the hour and the uncontrollable gails of life’s storm, may we never lose sight of the God who sees all an controls all. For He is the master of the see and Although He can calm the storm, sometimes He simply calms me.
