When Everything Goes Wrong, But All is Well

Hab 3:17-19

I. Habakkuk Overview

A. Prophet description

Basically nothing is known to us about Habakkuk, except this: he was a prophet with a message from God. May God’s call on our lives also take prominence over ourselves and our fame!

B. Time period description

Habakkuk refers to the “Chaldeans” in 1:6, which are the Babylonians. They were still in the process of being raised up by God as an instrument of judgment. The time of Habakkuk’s prophecy has consequently been estimated at about 605 B.C. So it was approximately 20 years before the Babylonian captivity, making Habakkuk and Jeremiah contemporaries.

C. Book summary

Habakkuk, in his grief, confusion and fear, struggles with reconciling God’s perfect character with God’s actions. Chapter 1 begins with the prophet claiming that God does not hear and does not save those who are oppressed. He points to the growing multitudes of wicked people as a sign that God has ceased to fight evil.

God then answers Habakkuk in 1:5, assuring him that God is indeed working, and doing remarkable things that would be unbelievable if Habakkuk could know of them at that moment. In verse 12, Habakkuk replies, and points out God’s holiness, making the application that God must stop the evil if He is to be true to His nature. Yet even in these pained, impassioned words, Habakkuk knows better.

Habakkuk 2:1 KJV 1900

I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, And will watch to see what he will say unto me, And what I shall answer when I am reproved.

Have you ever been where Habakkuk is here? You look around you, and things seem to be self-destructing. You understand that some of it may be deserved, but the effect seems much worse than the cause. And God seems absent.

But then you’re reminded that God is working, doing things beyond your comprehension. But despite that understanding, it is very hard to see how a holy and just God could allow evil to so dominate the landscape. And this domination is part of His plan! It seems to violate His character, and yet as you conclude that, you wait for His rebuke, because you know He isn’t unjust. But that doesn’t mean you understand His choices. This is the conflict of trying to meld visible circumstances with an unseen God.

In chapter two, God gives Habakkuk a reply. In the opening verses of His reply, we find the heart of the whole book of Habakkuk.

Habakkuk 2:2–4 (KJV 1900)

And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, That he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, But at the end it shall speak, and not lie: Though it tarry, wait for it; Because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: But the just shall live by his faith.

In the rest of God’s reply, we find a reminder of His character and justice. One demonstration of this is found by looking at five pronouncements of “woes” to those who engage in evil. They are:

Vs. 6 - Those that oppress others

Vs. 9 - Those that are covetous

Vs. 12 - Those that are violent

Vs. 15 - Those that engage in alcohol and moral sin

Vs. 19 - Those that worship idols

After hearing God’s scathing reply to sin, Habakkuk is changed in chapter 3. Instead of asking God to rescue them from their misery, he begins to ask God to come down and show His power in the battle over evil. He begins to desire that God be victorious, earning glory for Himself. Instead of complaining that God was compromising His character because He wasn’t blessing Israel, Habakkuk praises the might and the glory and the majesty of Jehovah. This prayer climaxes with the last three verses, which comprise our text this morning. Let’s consider them now.

II. Text Exposition

A. Verse 17 - When everything goes wrong

Different forms of food

Fig—naturally-occuring food

Vines—carefully cultivated food

Olive—crops producing other food products

Fields (forests/woods)—the habitat of wildlife, another food source

Flock—carefully maintained food and wealth source

Herd—maintained food, wealth and work/power source

“Shall” is exclusively used

This is not a prediction or forecast; it is not a guess. This is a guarantee. And when destruction on THIS scale is guaranteed, there is serious deprivation and destruction coming! And it will be universal. “The fig tree,” “the vines,” “the olive,” etc.

The point? 1) Expectations will be disappointed, 2) with disastrous outcomes.

B. Verse 18 - Yet I will rejoice

“Yet” - all is not lost!

Do you know what is the solution to discouragement? Choosing to go in a positive direction—i.e. following God’s will. (Job 6:8-10, 42:7-8; Num. 11:15-16; 1 Kings 19:4, 15-16) What a blessed realization, that although the land may be in total destruction, I may still think what is right, do what is right, and say what is right!

Define joy and rejoicing

Rejoice — it is exulting and triumph…in the heart. It is the attitude of jumping in exultation!

Joy — it is the same attitude/spirit, but this time it comes out in shouting!

This heart attitude is the beginning, and it is the root of rejoicing. It is the most important factor, but it isn’t the only factor. When we are rejoicing, we ought to speak up!

Object of joy/rejoicing: not in “my salvation,” but in God.

Prepositional phrases: “in” shows where the inspiration for the rejoicing lies. “Of” describes that inspiration in further detail! The pronoun “my” helps explain the depth of joy!

C. Verse 19 - For all is well

The LORD God

Earlier, “the” was a general, universal descriptor of crops. Now it describes the ONLY Lord, master, ruler, Almighty, GOD.

My strength

He is strong apart from me (“God’s on the throne”), but He may be MY strength! My strength for my life, in my trials, through my struggles. He is a personal, accessible God!

My feet

Representative of our whole person — if your feet are snared or tripped up, it implies your whole body is included.

Representative of our strength/speed/defense/freedom — hinds are elusive, wary, and free. When all around us is crumbling, God will preserve us!

The means of demonstrating our victory/dominance — “mine high places.” Even when there is universal judgment, God gives us victory!

Shall vs. will

In verse 17, “shall” is used exclusively. It denotes future guaranteed occurrences. In verses 18-19, “will” is exclusively used, showing future intent. If we’re going to rejoice in the LORD and joy in God, it will only be by intent, not by accident. Further, our worship is the more joyous because we are doing it on purpose. Consequently, when “the just live by faith” (cf Heb. 11:6), God is glorified, and He purposes to preserve us and give us victory! Prov. 3:5-6 is not an empty promise!

How can we live this way? Not by fair conditions, but only by faith. (Hab. 2:4) Even when everything in this life goes wrong, all is well, because God never changes. (Gen. 15:1) The book of Revelation is an unwavering reminder that even though evil seems to abound, God is still holy, Almighty, and good, and He SHALL judge every sin and right every wrong in the end, in His time. And in the meantime, He will continue to preserve us and give us victory if we will trust Him. And for all of that…all is well.