The Prophet Worshiping

Intro

One of my favorite activities in the world is riding a good roller coaster. When I was in 7th grade, we took a band trip to Bush Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia and had a blast!

They had a brand new roller coaster that year called the “Griffin.” What a trip that was!

This roller coaster was like no other I had ever ridden, it had no floor! You sit in this seat and dangle while it takes you 205 feet in the air.

It drops you down the hill toward a 90 degree turn at 75 miles per hour.

Pure adrenaline!

When my friends and I first boarded the ride, we had no clue the ups and downs that would take place on this beast.

Three weeks ago, we did not know the ups, downs, drops, or turns that Habakkuk would take us through.

Today, though, as we round out this great book, we re going to end on an opposite note from where we began.

We went through Jonah this year already, another minor prophet in the Old Testament.

Jonah started in despair, God then did a beautiful work wherein a nation was saved, yet Jonah ended in despair.

Habakkuk is not the same. Habakkuk began in worry and fear, and although God has confirmed that He is about to bring down divine judgement resulting in the exile of God’s people and the destruction of the land, Habakkuk doesn’t end where he began. The worrying prophet, after watching and waiting, ends in worship.

Be Amazed Chapter Eleven: The Prophet Worshiping (Habakkuk 3)

His circumstances hadn’t changed, but he had changed, and now he was walking by faith instead of sight. He was living by promises, not explanations.

Pray for the Work of God

Habakkuk 3:1–2 “A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth. O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, In the midst of the years make known; In wrath remember mercy.”

Chapter three begins simply with Habakkuk praying to God.

Now, Shigionoth really does not have a direct translation, but most scholars agree that it likely refers to the mood or tone in which this prayer was supposed to be sung in ancient Temple worship. It is understood that it was to be sung with strong emotion.

This is an emotional prayer.

He heard God in chapter two and he is simply overwhelmed by God’s reply and His beautiful splendor.

So, he prays.

Prayer is important here. He was moved to pray after he had heard God.

Hearing God, seeing God, experiencing God should motivate us to action, beginning with prayer.

James 4:2 “… yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”

We hear God in His word, we see God in the world, we experience God in our lives, therefore, we should pray!

All Habakkuk could do here was cry out to God.

Habakkuk’s faith was growing. He was changing. And, it wasn’t easy!

Be Amazed 1. Prayer: Pray for the Work of God (Hab. 3:1–2)

Many people have the idea that it’s always an enjoyable experience getting to know God in a deeper way, but that’s not what the saints of God in the Bible would say. Moses trembled at Mt. Sinai when God gave the Law (

This is one of the major themes of Habakkuk, and one of the major themes of Christianity; although it has been forgotten.

Growth involves pain. Growth involved hard conversations. Growth involves hard decisions. Growth involves wrestling with life’s inescapable questions. Growth involves hardship at times. But, the end result is always better than where we started because, we are growing in God.

2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”

When we lack in growth, it is never God’s fault! He is not the abandoner, we are. James 4:8 “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

Habakkuk wanted growth, so he prayed. He saw God’s plan and sovereignty and submitted to “thy will be done.”

He knew what God’s plan was, but just like Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, he prayed for God’s mercy.

Be Amazed 1. Prayer: Pray for the Work of God (Hab. 3:1–2)

Moses when he interceded for the nation at Mt. Sinai (

Mercy was obtained because it was requested.

Be Amazed 1. Prayer: Pray for the Work of God (Hab. 3:1–2)

Charles Spurgeon said, “Whether we like it or not, asking is the rule of the kingdom.”

Habakkuk asked, he received. Then he began to ponder.

Ponder the Greatness of God

Have you ever sat and pondered at how good God is?

Habakkuk did after receiving a vision from God, what we are reading today.

The Lord isn’t likely to give us a vision today, but because it was given to Habakkuk, we can read it and ponder just as Habakkuk did at how amazing God is!

In this chapter we see three things about God that Habakkuk pondered and we should too.

God Came in Splendor

Habakkuk 3:3–5 “God came from Teman, And the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, And the earth was full of his praise. And his brightness was as the light; He had horns coming out of his hand: And there was the hiding of his power. Before him went the pestilence, And burning coals went forth at his feet.”

The neat thing about most of this chapter is that Habakkuk is retracing the steps of God people through their exodus from Egypt.

Be Amazed 2. Vision: Ponder the Greatness of God (Hab. 3:3–15)

Verse 5 takes us to Egypt, where God revealed His power and glory in the plagues and pestilences that devastated the land and took the lives of the firstborn (

In the OT, God often revealed His glory through judgements, just like He did with the Egyptians. This caused Habakkuk to ponder God’s greatness. Today we ponder the greatness of God’s glory as it has been revealed in the person and work of Christ Jesus.

John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

Be Amazed 2. Vision: Ponder the Greatness of God (Hab. 3:3–15)

Pharaoh wouldn’t acknowledge the truth, so he couldn’t experience the grace. The first plague of Moses in Egypt was the turning of water into blood (

Habakkuk marveled at how good God was as He came in splendor to him in this vision.

How often do we ponder God’s greatness as He came in splendor to us in the person of Jesus Christ?

The Lord Stood in Power

Habakkuk also pondered God’s greatness as God stood in power.

Habakkuk 3:6–7 “He stood, and measured the earth: He beheld, and drove asunder the nations; And the everlasting mountains were scattered, The perpetual hills did bow: His ways are everlasting. I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: And the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.”

Be Amazed 2. Vision: Ponder the Greatness of God (Hab. 3:3–15)

Invading generals either push forward to gain ground or they fall back in retreat, but the Lord simply stood and faced the enemy unafraid. In fact, He calmly measured the earth as a sign that He possessed it. To measure something is an indication that it’s yours and you can do with it what you please. It’s also a preliminary step to action, as though the Lord were surveying the situation and estimating how much power it would take to execute His wrath on the nations. The Lord revealed His power when He shook the earth at Sinai before He delivered His Law to Israel (

God stood in power. This was something to marvel at, to ponder.

And it is still something we must ponder today.

When life is hard, when circumstances tear us down, we must remember that God is still in control.

When anxiety, depression, and worry try to cripple us, we must remember what the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein.”

He stands in power. He will see us through.

God Marched in Victory

When we do, then with Habakkuk we can declare “God marched in Victory”

Habakkuk 3:8–15 “Was the Lord displeased against the rivers? Was thine anger against the rivers? Was thy wrath against the sea, That thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation? Thy bow was made quite naked, According to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers. The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: The overflowing of the water passed by: The deep uttered his voice, And lifted up his hands on high. The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: At the light of thine arrows they went, And at the shining of thy glittering spear. Thou didst march through the land in indignation, Thou didst thresh the heathen in anger. Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, Even for salvation with thine anointed; Thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, By discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah. Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages: They came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: Their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly. Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, Through the heap of great waters.”

Be Amazed 2. Vision: Ponder the Greatness of God (Hab. 3:3–15)

Habakkuk uses dynamic poetic imagery to describe Israel’s march through the wilderness as they followed the Lord to the Promised Land and then claimed their inheritance. The Red Sea opened to let Israel out of Egypt, and the Jordan opened to let Israel into Canaan. The Egyptian chariots sank into the mud and their occupants were drowned, but God’s chariots were chariots of salvation. Verse 9 pictures the various battles that the Israelites fought en route to Canaan, battles that the Lord won for them as they trusted Him and obeyed His commands.

Habakkuk is reminded of God’s power as He marvels over God’s past victories and likely the future victory when Babylon is destroyed.

When we can take time to remember what God has done in the past, not just in Scripture, but in our very lives, then we can shout, like Habakkuk, God Still Marches In Victory.

God still marches in victory over your sin. He still marches in victory over your fear. He still marches in victory over time and history!

Whatever it is that keeps you up at night, whatever it is that you feel conviction for, God is victorious over it all. Live in the victory. Depend on His overcoming power.

Affirm the Will of God by Faith

And when we do, we can affirm God’s will by faith in Jesus.

Be Amazed 3. Faith: Affirm the Will of God (Hab. 3:16–19)

This is one of the greatest confessions of faith found anywhere in Scripture. Habakkuk has faced the frightening fact that his nation will be invaded by a merciless enemy. The prophet knows that many of the people will go into exile and many will be slain. The land will be ruined, and Jerusalem and the temple will be destroyed. Yet he tells God that he will trust Him no matter what happens! Listen to his confession of faith.

I Will Wait Patiently On The Lord

Habakkuk 3:16 “When I heard, my belly trembled; My lips quivered at the voice: Rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, That I might rest in the day of trouble: When he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.”

Habakkuk knew what was coming, but he knew that God had a greater plan.

Habakkuk wasn’t relying on his feelings, but on the truth of God’s Word!

He was not focusing on the disaster, but on God’s ultimate glory!

Be Amazed 3. Faith: Affirm the Will of God (Hab. 3:16–19)

To walk by faith means to focus on the greatness and glory of God.

Be Amazed 3. Faith: Affirm the Will of God (Hab. 3:16–19)

When you know that God is working in your life, you can afford to wait quietly and let Him have His way

Psalm 37:7 “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, Because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.”

I Will Rejoice In The Lord

When we can wait patiently on God’s will to unfold in our lives, we will then find it extraordinarily easier to rejoice in Him.

Habakkuk 3:17–18 “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, Neither shall fruit be in the vines; The labour of the olive shall fail, And the fields shall yield no meat; The flock shall be cut off from the fold, And there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”

This sounds almost like the cry of Job.

Job 1:21 “And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return thither: The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Habakkuk is not denying the fact that pain is real, he says “The trees will not blossom, the fruit vines will die, the fields will have no livestock. Things are going to look very very bad.”

But catch the next word: YET

Yes, this is going to be tragic! Yet, or, BUT i will rejoice in the Lord still yet.

Not only that, but I will still find my joy in Him!

Doesn’t that just make practical sense?

Life is as hard as it has ever been, so I cannot find joy; therefore, I will rejoice in God!

Let me add: don’t wait for life to beat you up before you rejoice in God. He is your salvation and strength today. Rejoice in Him daily.

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”

Habakkuk was in the dark. It was not a fun or easy place to be!

Be Amazed 3. Faith: Affirm the Will of God (Hab. 3:16–19)

It’s one thing to “whistle in the dark” and try to bolster our courage, and quite something else to sing about the eternal God who never fails

Habakkuk was singing of God’s amazing and wonderful works.

He had prayed for God’s work. He had pondered His greatness. And now He is submitting to God’s will with joy in his heart.

It is one thing to say “whatever God, I guess your will will do”

It is another to say, like Jesus, Father, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, Thy will be done!

I Will Rely on the Lord

When we do, then we can simply rely on God.

Habakkuk 3:19 “The Lord God is my strength, And he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, And he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.”

Be Amazed 3. Faith: Affirm the Will of God (Hab. 3:16–19)

This is one reason why the Lord permits us to go through trials: they can draw us nearer to Him and lift us above the circumstances so that we walk on the heights with him.

God made us for the heights. If He allows us to go into the valley, it’s so we might wait on Him and mount up with eagles’ wings (

When we submit to God’s will, then we will rely on God for all of our needs.

Our needs may be met in a way we did not expect, but they will be met. God is still in control. He still works in our lives today!

We must rely daily on Him, we must trust in Him.

Be Amazed 3. Faith: Affirm the Will of God (Hab. 3:16–19)

The great British expositor G. Campbell Morgan said, “Our joy is in proportion to our trust. Our trust is in proportion to our knowledge of God

Do you trust God today?

Do you trust that His will is better no matter what you feel?

Can you, like Habakkuk, sing in the dark midnight hour that God came in splendor, that He is in control, and that He will get the victory over this situation?

Are you patiently waiting on the Lord? Are you rejoicing in Him daily? Do you rely on Jesus to be your daily bread?

Do you pray, as Jesus did

Matthew 6:9–13 Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

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Conclusion

Habakkuk took us on a roller coaster adventure.

And, you may not be surprised by that! You have seen God work. You know the roller coasters of life.

Habakkuk saw this first hand. But, he didn’t stay the same. He rode the ride and learned to trust in God more than he ever had.

Be Amazed Chapter Eleven: The Prophet Worshiping (Habakkuk 3)

His circumstances hadn’t changed, but he had changed, and now he was walking by faith instead of sight. He was living by promises, not explanations.

Maybe this morning you need to trust in God.

*Salvation plea*

Maybe you are here this morning and you are having a really rough ride on this coaster. You are struggling to see God on His throne through it all. You are having a tough time patiently waiting, rejoicing, and relying.

Would you, like Habakkuk, come and talk to God about your needs.

Pray for God to work. Ponder His Greatness. And Submit to His will!

James 4:8 “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”