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HABAKKUK’S PIOUS
PRAYER Hab
3:1-6 (05-013-15) Grace Bible Church,
Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. GOD’S SOVEREIGN POWER PETITIONED (Hab 3:1-2) A. [Intro] Habakkuk was perplexed with
injustice and with God’s response towards it. For each of his two complaints,
God answered Habakkuk. He was very aware of the sinfulness of Judah and the
sinfulness of the terrorizing Chaldeans. Both will be punished but Judah, His
people, will not be destroyed (Hab 1:12). Instead of replying with a third
complaint, Habakkuk offered up a prayer to God depicting God’s sovereign
power in spite of Judah’s impending captivity. B. [1] Habakkuk identified himself once again
as a prophet and spokesman for God as he offers up prayer to God (cf. Hab
1:1). 1. A prophet in the Scriptures is not a
self-appointed prophet but one that the Lord Himself chose and called to be
His spokesman. It is the basis for inspiration and inerrancy. 2. The prayer was to be according to “Shigiōnōth (shuh-gih-OH-noth).” Though the meaning is uncertain, it is most likely a
song that was sung by Levitical singers with emotion, poetical form, and
rhythmic changes (cf. Ps 7:1, “Shiggaion” - shuh-GAY-on). C. [2] The prayer is addressed to Yahweh (LORD), the covenant name
of God, upon whom the Jews relied upon to keep the covenant. 1. Habakkuk had comprehended the Lord’s
answer to Habakkuk’s complaints (Hab 1:5-11; 2:2-20). It had produced the
fear of the Lord in Habakkuk. The fear of the Lord is often defined as a
“reverential trust.” This is an acceptable definition as long as there is an
emphasis on the “reverential” aspect. The reverence for God is one of awe for
God’s sovereign glory but also one of awe for God’s righteous judgment
against all sin. Habakkuk had this sense of awe when he said, “I fear.” There
is an element of fear in the fear of the Lord, knowing that God exercises His
sovereign power against all sin (2Ch 19:7; Job 28:28; Pr 14:27; 16:6; 23:17). 2. Habakkuk first asked God that His
redemptive deeds would be revived. God had accomplished mighty works in
saving His people at the Exodus (Nu 23:23; Ps 44:1; 68:28; 77:12; 90:16;
95:9; 111:3 cf. Hab 3:3), and this became an anchor-point for the faith of
Israel “in the midst of years.” Habakkuk was asking God to once again to
remember His redemptive power as Judah goes into captivity. 3. Knowing God’s plan and purpose for
discipline upon Judah, Habakkuk did not ask for the removal of judgment.
Instead, in the midst of God’s impending wrath, he asked that God would also
remember His mercy. II. GOD’S SOVEREIGN POWER PRAISED (Hab 3:3-6) A. [3] Moving from petition to praise,
Habakkuk praised God’s presence and power in the midst of judgment. 1. “Teman” was a desert oasis located in
Edom (Seir), which was southeast of the Dead Sea. Paran was west of Edom,
between Mt Sinai to the south and Kadesh Barnea to the north (cf. Nu 10:11–12, 12:16, 13:3, 26; 1Sa 25:1). Mount Paran is generally thought to be west or
northwest of the Gulf of Aqabah (Red Sea). 2. The geographical description is an
allusion to Dt 33:2, which is the only other passage that mentions “Mount Paran.” Teman corresponds to “Seir,” the
poetic name for the mountain range in Edom (Ge 32:3; 33:16; Nu 24:18; Eze
35:15). 3. The meaning of the allusion (cf. Jdg
5:4-5; Ps 68:7-8, 17) refers to the revelation and presence of God in the
giving of His Law at Mt Sinai (Ex 20:1-20). 4. Though Habakkuk does not mention Mt
Sinai, the reference is clear and emphasizes God’s presence, God’s glory,
God’s choosing of Israel, God’s Law, God’s protection, God’s power, and God’s
judgment. 5. With the same allusion, God’s splendor is
referred to in Is 63:1. God is majestic not in physical apparel but in the
glory of His attributes. This splendor covers the heavens and fills the
earth. B. [4] The glory of the Lord is described as the radiance of the
sunlight. This a reference to the Shekinah glory (post-biblical word that
conveys the meaning of “kabōd (Heb) and “doxa” (Grk), which root is
“shakan” meaning “to dwell” cf. Ex 29:45) that refers to the “radiance”
of God’s glory signifying the the presence of God in the midst of His people
(Ex 40:34-38). 1. The “rays flashing from His hand” are
reminiscent of the scene on top of Mt Sinai (Ex 19:16) and Moses’ description
in Dt 33:2. 2. The word “ray” is qeren, which
literally means horns. This is not to be understood as animal “horns” but
horns as in rays, cones, or lines emanating from God’s radiance, often
depicted in paintings. The misunderstanding led to the two small horns on the
famous statue of Moses by Michael
Angelo. 3. In a sense, God’s manifested glory hides
His power. In the same way the sun’s light and warmth veil its tremendous
energy, so God’s magnificent glory veils His power. However, God has revealed
the reality of His power through His Word in regard to creation (cf. Ro
1:20), deity of Christ (Jn 8:58), salvation (Ro 1:16) etc. In addition, the
veiling is due in part to spiritual blindness (2Co 4:3-4), but it is removed
from the believer (cf. 2Co 3:13-18). C. [5] In revealing His righteous might and
power, God warned Israel concerning disobedience to Him at Sinai. 1. Pestilence and plagues were promised to
those who rebelled against the Lord, as was the case with Pharaoh (Ex 9:3,
15; Ps 78:50). 2. But they were also promised to His own
disobedient children (Ex 5:3; Nu 14:12;
Dt 28:21, 22, 58-59; 32:24). 3. Not only were pestilence and plagues
promised to disobedient Israel, but also impending captivity if they
continued in sin and disobedience (Dt
28:49, 64). 4. God does indeed show His power,
especially in judgment. God
is not a little old man upstairs who dotes on people with sweetness and
light. He is all-powerful as He is all-loving. His grace and glory are
coupled with might and majesty.
(BKC) D. [6] When God revealed Himself to Israel at Sinai, it was then
that they beheld not only His glory but also His power (Ex 19:16-19). It put
such fear into their hearts that they asked that God would speak to Moses but
not them (Ex 20:18-19). 1. In the same way, God stands before the whole earth and surveys
it. He is neither sleeping nor impotent, but sizing it up for judgment (cf.
Re 8:1). 2. The mountains themselves, the strongest
foundations known to man, will shake, tremble, crumble, and collapse. How then
will not the nations fail to tremble in His presence? 3. It will be known at once that this is not
a mere temper tantrum by a deity, rather it the glory and the power of the
eternal Creator of all creation. III. OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS A. The world does not fear the Lord, but let
us as believers show the world the proper attitude toward the eternal
Creator. He is to be feared in reverential trust. But he also is to be feared
for His holy hatred of sin. The believer need not fear that the sacrifice of
Christ will be taken away. However, the believer should not imagine that God
is no longer dealing with sin even in the life of a believer. The world needs
to know through the believer’s reverential fear that God is a “consuming
fire.” (He 12:29) |
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Grace Bible Church · 4000 E. Collins Rd · PO Box #3762 · Gillette, WY · (307) 686-1516 |
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