Habakkuk 3:8-The Second and Third Trumpet Judgments and Second, Third and Sixth Bowl Judgments

Habakkuk 3:8 Is the Lord angry with rivers? Is your anger against these rivers? Is your wrath against the sea so that you ride on your horses, your chariots of deliverance? (My translation)

As we noted in our exegesis of Habakkuk 3:3-7, Habakkuk 3:3-19 is a prayer which the prophet Habakkuk offered up to the God of Israel, which he directed to be sung in the temple as part of the worship of the God of Israel.

We also noted in verses 3-7 that Habakkuk 3:3-15 is not only prophetic referring to the events of the seventieth week and Second Advent of Jesus Christ but are also alluding to the mighty acts of God which He performed on behalf of the nation of Israel in history such as during Israel’s exodus from Egypt under Moses.

As we also noted in detail in our study of Habakkuk 3:3, I adhere to the eschatological interpretation of Habakkuk 3:3-15 in the sense that I interpret these verses as being fulfilled in the future during the seventieth week of Daniel and the Second Advent of Christ.

Habakkuk 3:8 contains three rhetorical questions and a result clause which presents the result of these three.

The one posing these three questions is the prophet Habakkuk and the recipient of these questions is the Lord God of Israel.

The first rhetorical question asks, “Is the Lord angry with rivers?

The second is almost identical to the first and asks, “Is your anger against these rivers?”

The third asks the Lord, “Is your wrath against the sea?

The reference to the Lord’s “anger” and “wrath” here in these questions refers to His righteous indignation, which refers to His legitimate anger towards evil and sin since both are contrary to His holiness or perfect character and nature.

In fact, God’s righteous indignation expresses His holiness, which pertains to the absolute perfection of God’s character.

The first rhetorical question contains the proper noun yhwh (יהוה), “Lord,” which is the covenant-keeping personal name of God and is used here in connection with His covenant relationship with the nation of Israel and in particular the remnant of Judah.

Now, the member of the Trinity who is being referred to by this word is the Son and not the Father or the Spirit.

This is indicated by the fact that the New Testament makes clear that He is the member of the Trinity that will exercise the wrath of God against every unrepentant, unregenerate human being on the planet earth during the seventieth week of Daniel through the seven seal, trumpet, bowl judgments (Rev. 5. cf. Rev. 6-18).

The New Testament also teaches that the Son will exercise His wrath at His Second Advent (cf. Rev. 19:1-20:6).

Each of these questions in Habakkuk 3:8 are directly related to the Lord’s actions during the seventieth week of Daniel in which He will destroy various bodies of water on the earth at that time as an expression of His righteous indignation against unrepentant, unregenerate human beings who are deceived by sin and Satan.

Thus, the Lord will not be angry at the rivers at that time, but rather unregenerate mankind who have rejected Him.

Consequently, this rhetorical question demands an emphatic negative response since the Lord was not angry with the rivers but unregenerate mankind.

This interpretation is indicated by the fact that Revelation 8:8-11 and 16:3-6 and 16:12 describe the Lord pouring out His wrath against the various rivers and oceans on earth during the seventieth week of Daniel, which has never happened in history.

Revelation 8:8-11 records an elect angels administering the second and third trumpet judgments while Revelation 16:3-6 records the elect angels administering the second and third bowl judgments and Revelation 16:12-16 records an elect angel administering the sixth bowl judgment.

Now, as we noted, Habakkuk 3:8 contains a result clause which presents the result of the three rhetorical questions and asserts that the Lord rides on his horses, and specifically, He rides on his chariots of deliverance.

Therefore, Habakkuk is asking the Lord here in this verse if He was angry with the rivers and oceans so that He was riding on His horse-driven chariots of deliverance?

It is clear that the Lord was riding on His horse-driven chariots because He was intending to go to war against His enemies.

The implication of the reference to “deliverance” is that the Lord was going to war to deliver His people.

This result clause in Habakkuk 3:8 is referring to the Lord Jesus Christ delivering every regenerate Jew and Gentile from Satan and his angels, the Antichrist and the false prophet and the tribulational armies at His Second Advent.

It speaks of physical deliverance rather than spiritual deliverance which is accomplished at the moment of justification when the sinner exercises faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior, which results in the Father declaring them justified.

However, regenerate Jews and Gentiles who will be living on earth at the Second Advent of Jesus Christ will experience physical deliverance from Satan and his angels, the Antichrist and the false prophet and the tribulational armies as a result of this spiritual deliverance, which in the Bible is called “salvation.”

Interestingly, Habakkuk 3:8 depicts the Lord Jesus Christ riding on His horse-drawn chariots at His Second Advent while Revelation 19:11 depicts Him riding on a white horse.

Thus, the question arises as to whether or not the Bible is contradicting itself?

Is He going to come riding on a horse or will He be riding on a horse-drawn chariot?

Well, we need to understand that both Habakkuk 3:3-15 and Revelation 19:11-20:3 which describe the Second Advent are using apocalyptic language to describe the Second Advent.

The term “apocalyptic” pertains to a genre of biblical writing that reveals God’s actions and coming judgment in symbolic language and deals with eschatology.[1]

J. Dwight Pentecost writes, “The Greek word apokalypsis, from which comes the English “apocalypse,” means an unveiling, a disclosing, or a revelation. Though all Scripture is revelation from God, certain portions are unique in the form by which their revelations were given and in the means by which they were transmitted. literature in the Bible has several characteristics: (1) In literature a person who received God’s truths in visions recorded what he saw. (2) literature makes extensive use of symbols or signs. (3) Such literature normally gives revelation concerning God’s program for the future of His people Israel. (4) Prose was usually employed in literature, rather than the poetic style which was normal in most prophetic literature. In addition to Daniel and Revelation, literature is found in Ezekiel 37-48 and Zechariah 1:7-7:8. In interpreting visions, symbols, and signs in literature, one is seldom left to his own ingenuity to discover the truth. In most instances an examination of the context or a comparison with a parallel biblical passage provides the Scriptures’ own interpretation of the visions or the symbols employed. literature then demands a careful comparison of Scripture with Scripture to arrive at a correct understanding of the revelation being given.”[2]

Apocalyptic literature in the Bible uses symbols to describe literal persons and events.

For instance, in Revelation 19:15, the Lord is described as a having a sharp sword coming from His mouth.

This is not literal but figurative language.

In the same way, when Habakkuk 3:8 describes Jesus Christ as riding on His horse-drawn chariot or riding on His white horse in Revelation 19:11, both Habakkuk and the apostle John are using apocalyptic language to describe His Second Advent when He destroys His enemies.

He will not be riding literally on a white horse or a horse-driven chariot.

The white horse symbolized in the ancient world victory or conquest of one’s enemies.

Thus, the language in both passages is emphasizing with the reader that the Lord will literally wage war against His enemies and will be victorious over them.

So therefore, Habakkuk 3:8 is prophetic for the second and third trumpet judgments and second, third and sixth bowl judgments which will be administered during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week as well as the Second Advent of Jesus Christ.

However, it also recalls the first plague that the Lord struck Egypt with, which is recorded in Exodus 7:14-25.

[1] Neal, D. A. (2016). Apocalyptic Literature, Introduction to. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, … W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

[2] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). Vol. 1: The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (1323). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.