Grace Bible Church Gillette, Wyoming

2. His “inward parts” (heart and soul) “trembled” (ragaz - can express quaking or shaking at God’s judgment) at the thought of God’s judgment (Is 64:2). In fear, his lips moved with involuntary “quivering.”

3. Habakkuk’s internal consternation caused him to experience death and “decay” within his bones (cf. Ps 38:3; 102:3, 5; Pr 17:22). Standing and walking were made difficult as the foundations of his legs trembled.

4. He explained that his emotional and physical response was due to the coming “day of distress.” Surely, his thoughts were towards the day that the Chaldeans would invade Judah and be God’s agent of discipline. But the real day of distress would be for the Chaldeans themselves.

5. Habakkuk’s faith would be tried while “waiting quietly” for future judgment to come against the Chaldeans (“Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us” NIV). It would be close to seventy years for that day to come (538 B.C.).

B. Habakkuk’s Future Recompense (Hab 3:17)

1. Judah was about to go into captivity and lose everything. Though history tells us that they did not lose it all at once, Habakkuk prophesied eventual total devastation.

2. There were actually three deportations under Nebuchadnezzar. The first was in 605 B.C. when he invaded Palestine and subjugated Jehoiakim. Daniel was among the first group that was deported (Dan 1:1-6). The second deportation was in 597 B.C. during Jehoiachin’s (Jehoiakim’s son) reign (2Ki 24:6-12, 15). This deportation included Ezekiel (Ezek 1:1-2). The third deportation came in 586 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzar sieged Zedekiah in Jerusalem (2Ki 25:1-2), leaving Jerusalem in ruins (2Ki 25:9-10).

3. Jerusalem was an agricultural society, but little of its agriculture, if any, would survive (2Ki 25:11-12).

4. The fig trees would not blossom with new figs after the destruction of Jerusalem. The Fig Tree is the third tree named in the Bible (after the “tree of life” and the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil”) (Ge 3:7; Nu 13:23). It was and is a world-wide commercial fruit.

5. Habakkuk spoke of the failing crops of the “fruit on the vine” (grapes), olives (and its oil), and food from the field.

6. No livestock would remain. Its flocks of sheep and goats would be “cut off” and destroyed. In addition, there would be no cattle in their barns or stalls.

7. Essentially, the captivity that Judah would experience would leave them devastated (Lam 2:12, 20, Lam 4:4, 9-10; Lam 5:17-18). This was the recompense of their continued idolatry and rebellion against the Lord.

C. Habakkuk’s Spiritual Response (Hab 3:18)

1. Though emotionally and physically devastated by the impending judgment of the Lord, Habakkuk gave the proper spiritual response.

2. First Habakkuk exults the Lord. “Exult” is the Hebrew word alaz and means joy expressed in singing and shouting (Ps 149:5; Ps 60:6).

3. But how could he exult knowing of the coming judgment? Habakkuk could exult in the Lord now because he correctly understood God. Habakkuk’s early complaints reveal that he did not correctly understand God. Because Habakkuk correctly understood God now, he was able to correctly understand all that God was accomplishing.

a) He understood that God was holy (Hab 1:13; 2:20; 3:30)

b) He understood that God was just (Hab 1:4)

c) He understood that God was sovereign (Hab 3:3-5).

d) He understood that God was faithful to His people (Hab 1:12)

4. In addition, Habakkuk “rejoiced” in God because God was “El Yeshua” (elōhā yeshua), the “God of [his] salvation” (Ps 25:5).

a) Salvation meant the defeat of Israel’s enemies (Hab 3:8).

b) Salvation meant the deliverance of Israel (Hab 3:13).

D. Habakkuk’s Spiritual Renewal (Hab 3:19)

1. It would take unbelievable strength to rejoice under such circumstances. But Habakkuk was not relying on his own strength.

a) Rather he was going to rely upon the strength of the “Sovereign Lord.” (Adonai Yahweh), Israel’s covenant-God who is absolutely sovereign over His people and their enemies.

2. The Lord God made Habakkuk’s feet like “hinds feet.” A “hind” (ayalah) refers to a member of the deer family; generally, a female deer (doe) called a “hind.” The male is called a “hart” or a “stag.”

a) The hind is specifically known as a graceful and sure-footed animal, which is able to climb high mountainous terrains. Though the terrain is often dangerous, the hind’s hooves are soft on the bottom, allowing not only flexibility, but also a secure grip.

b) Personally, for Habakkuk, his feet (walk) were slipping in the beginning of the book. Not only did he direct complaints toward God, but could not go along with God’s will. However, by the end of the book, God had set Habakkuk’s feet on higher ground. Instead of complaints, there was prayer and praise, the evidence of a sure-footed walk with God.

c) In keeping with the context, Habakkuk’s thoughts were also with the future promises of salvation and restoration. For seventy years after captivity, God fulfilled His promise. Shortly after King Cyrus captured Babylon in 538 B.C., the Jews were released out of captivity and allowed to return to Jerusalem (their “high place”).

d) Thus in Scripture we have a profound example of how the righteous should live. They are to live by faith in God, even in the midst of the severest of life’s situations (Hab 2:4).

II. OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS

A. Rejoice in the Lord always (Php 4:4). We are commanded in Scripture to “rejoice in the Lord always.” Not only was this exhortation given while the Philippians were being persecuted, but Paul himself was writing from prison (Php 1:13-14, 29). We can rejoice in the Lord, no matter what the circumstance, when we correctly understand who God is.

B. Walk on higher ground (Ep 2:6). The Lord has not only saved believers, but has placed them in higher and “heavenly places.” In reality, the believer is not to keep looking up, but rather keep looking down, because the believer is already in heavenly places.

C. Righteous shall live by faith. Even the believer is not spared from all of the unexpected trials of life. They may include some of life’s most grievous and painful trials. It is at those times that the believer’s faith must not falter or slip. Righteousness is not only fostered by faith, but also by perseverance during every and all trials.

Grace Bible Church · 4000 E. Collins Rd · PO Box #3762 · Gillette, WY · (307) 686-1516