Habakkuk 3:9-The Lord Jesus Christ’s Bows and Arrows

Habakkuk 3:9 Your bow will be removed from its sheath. Your arrows swore oaths to uphold Your command. Selah. You will cause the earth to be split open with rivers. (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 past 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 3:9 contains three more solemn prophetic statements.

The first solemnly asserts that the Lord Jesus Christ’s bow will be removed from its sheath.

The second solemnly asserts that His arrows swore oaths to uphold His command, which is followed by the interjection sě·lā(h) (סֶלָה), “Selah.”

The third and final prophetic statement solemnly asserts that the Lord will cause the earth to be split open with rivers.

Now, the Lord unsheathing His bow is figurative language for the Lord Jesus Christ breaking the seven sealed scroll in Revelation chapter five.

This results in the seven seal, trumpet and bowl judgments which are recorded in Revelation 6-18 and will be terminated by Jesus Christ’s Second Advent (Rev. 19:11-20:3).

This is indicated by the fact that Habakkuk 3:3-15 is prophetic of the seventieth week of Daniel and Second Advent of Jesus Christ and the seven seal, trumpet and bowl judgments.

It is also indicated by the fact that these judgements are employed by the Lord to defeat Antichrist, the false prophet, and the tribulational armies in order to deliver regenerate Jews and Gentiles from them.

Revelation 5:2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?’ 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. 4 Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it 5 and one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals. 5 and one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals. 6 And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. 7 And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. (NASB95)

The act of the Lord Jesus Christ taking the book out of the Father’s right hand indicates that all power, authority, and judgment have been given to Him.

Daniel chapter seven speaks of this event in Revelation 5:1-7.

Revelation 6:1-2 records the first seal judgment, Revelation 6:3-4 records the second, Revelation 6:5-6 records the third, Revelation 6:7-8 records the fourth, Revelation 6:9-11 records the fifth, Revelation 6:12-17 records the sixth and Revelation 8:2-5 records the seventh.

Revelation 8:6-7 records the first trumpet judgment, Revelation 8:8-9 records the second one, Revelation 8:10-11 records the third, Revelation 8:12-13 records the fourth, Revelation 9:1-12 records the fifth, Revelation 9:13-21 records the sixth and Revelation 11:15-19 records the seventh.

Revelation 16:2 records the first bowl judgment, Revelation 16:3 records the second, Revelation 16:3 records the third, Revelation 16:8-9 records the fourth, Revelation 16:10-11 records the fifth, Revelation 16:12-16 records the sixth, and Revelation 16:17-21.

These seven seal, trumpet and bowl judgments will also be administered by the elect angels during the seventieth week of Daniel and they will be terminated by the Second Advent of Jesus Christ.

The purpose of which is to imprison Satan and his angels for a thousand years, destroy Antichrist and the false prophet and defeat the tribulational armies and deliver regenerate Jews and Gentiles.

Now, as we noted, the second prophetic statement recorded in Habakkuk 3:9 solemnly asserts that the Lord’s arrows swore oaths to uphold His command.

Like the first prophetic statement in this verse, the second prophetic statement is figurative language.

Here the arrows are personified as having received a commission from the Lord which they have vowed or taken an oath to uphold.

The arrows are the seven seal, trumpet and bowl judgments, which will be terminated by the Second Advent of Jesus Christ which is followed His millennial reign.

Again, the purpose of these judgments is to imprison Satan and his angels for a thousand years, destroy Antichrist and the false prophet and defeat the tribulational armies and deliver regenerate Jews and Gentiles.

As we also noted the second prophetic statement is then followed by the interjection sě·lā(h) (סֶלָה), “Selah” which is calling the hearer or reader to pause and meditate upon this second prophetic statement which as we noted is figurative language referring to the seven seal, trumpet and bowl judgments which will take place during the seventieth week of Daniel.

These will be used by the Lord to deliver His people from Satan and the fallen angels, the Antichrist and the false prophet and the tribulational armies.

As we noted, the third and final prophetic statement recorded in Habakkuk 3:9 solemnly asserts that the Lord Jesus Christ will cause the earth to be split open with rivers.

In other words, it speaks of the Lord causing the earth to be flooded by causing rivers to overflow their banks.

However, this too is figurative language and here it is figurative language for the armies of the tribulation, which like rivers, will flood the earth.

This kind of language is used in Daniel 9:26.

Daniel 9:26 “Then, after the sixty two-units of seven years, the Messiah will be executed so that He possesses nothing. Next, the people of the coming leader will destroy the city as well as the sanctuary. Indeed, its end will take place with a flood. Yes, there will be war up to the end. Desolations have been decreed.” (Author’s translation)

Revelation 12:15 also uses this language of comparing armies at war to a flood in the natural realm.

Revelation 12:15 Then the serpent spouted water like a river out of his mouth after the woman in an attempt to sweep her away by a flood, 12:16 but the earth came to her rescue; the ground opened up and swallowed the river that the dragon had spewed from his mouth. (NET)

The serpent in this passage is Satan and the woman is the nation of Israel during the seventieth week of Daniel and in particular the nation during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week when Israel will be persecuted by the Satan and Antichrist.

The reference to the flood speaks of armies of the Antichrist in pursuit of the citizens of Israel during this period.