HABAKKUK
The Just Shall Live By Faith
Part
1
Habakkuk
= "Embrace"
Luther said, "His name speaks as one who took his nation to
his heart, comforted it and held it up, as one embraces
and presses to his bosom a poor weeping child, calming
and consoling it with good hope - if God so will."
Habakkuk
was among the last of the prophets prior to Judah's captivity.
Other
prophets around this time were Jeremiah,
Zephaniah & Nahum.
Habakkuk's
activity dated around 612-606 BC
Between
the fall of Nineveh and the carrying away of the first captives to
Babylon.
HISTORY
633
BC (?) After
Assurbanipal's death, Assyria began to disintegrate
625
BC Nabopolassar, king of Babylon, declared independence from Assyria
614
BC The Medes captured the city of Ashur, a chief city of Assyria
612
BC Nebuchadnezzar, son of Nabopolassar & general of his army, (with
the help of the Medes) completely
destroyed Nineveh
This
was in fulfillment of Nahum's prophecy
Nahum
1:1-3a, 14; 2:8-9; 3:1-7
Nineveh's complete destruction was certain
After
this, Assyria's army fled to Haran
(just East of Carchemish)
609
BC Nebuchadnezzar reorganized his troops and went to Haran to finish off
the remaining Assyrian army
(which he accomplished)
Nahum
3:18-19 Assyria
was removed from God's sight - for their wickedness
609
BC In
the mean time
- Pharoah-Necho, king of Egypt, came up to help Assyria
(at
Haran
/ Carchemish).
But
Josiah, king of Judah, tried to prevent them by placing his
troops as a blockade in their path at Megiddo:
2
Sam. 35:20-24 Josiah
dies in battle
For
almost 4 years, Egypt dominated Judah
After
3 months as king, Pharoah-Necho removed Jehoahaz
as king and
put his brother, Eliakim
on
the throne & changed his name to Jehoiakim
(2
Kgs. 23:31-ff)
606
BC Nebuchadnezzar would carry away first captives to Babylon
605
BC Nebuchadnezzar would defeat Pharaoh-Necho at Carchemish
This
was the time of turmoil and unrest that Habakkuk found himself in.
Habakkuk
prophesied on the heels of Nahum about 15-20 years after Zephaniah
Zeph.
1:4-9 In the days of Josiah - Judah's wickedness was ripe with
idolatry, abandoning God, taking up the practices of their
ungodly neighbors, and exercising violence & deceit -
Their doom was at hand.
Isa.
1:1-6 In the days of Azariah (Uzziah)
thru
Hezekiah - Judah's sinful nature
was leading them to their doom.
Jer.
1:14-16 In the days of Josiah - Calamity would come out of the
north because of Judah's unfaithfulness.
Habakkuk
questions God
- Habakkuk had been praying to God about this, but it
appeared that He was not listening.
Hab.
1:1-4 God works thru His Law to influence man's will to obey Him. If
His law is rejected - God's
word is made ineffective.
Isa.
55:10-11 "For
as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do
not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and
bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the
eater, (11) So shall My word be that goes forth from My
mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall
accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing
for which I sent it."
Since
God does not interfere with man's will to choose,
He
may influence man's will by bringing judgment on man.
Why
had God not heard Habakkuk's prayers & responded
with
judgment
?
First
we must understand who God is - that He can exercise such wisdom:
Isa.
40:12-ff God is in control of all of His creation - the nations &
rulers
GOD'S
REPLY:
Hab.
1:5-6 God would work a work "in
your days
" = imminent A
work that man would never have thought of on his own.
Isa.
55:8-9 "
'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,'
says the Lord. (9) For as the heavens are higher than the
earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My
thoughts than your thoughts."
Hab.
1:7-10 God
would use a wicked nation in judgment against Judah Daniel's
reply to God when God revealed Pharoah's dream to him:
Dan.
2:20-23
"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom
and might are His. (21) And He changes the times and the
seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives
wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have
understanding. (22) He reveals deep and secret things; He
knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him.
(23) I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You
have given me wisdom and might and have not made known to
me what we asked of You, for You have made known to us the
king's demand."
Hab.
1:11 The wicked people God would use to take Judah away would do
so by the will of God, but they would not attribute their
victory
to Him, but to their own god.
INVITATION
2
Pet. 3:1-4, 10-15 God has warned us of sudden destruction
We
should be diligent, prepared -
His
longsuffering is salvation
HABAKKUK
The
Just Shall Live By Faith
Part
2
Habakkuk's
first question to God was, "O Lord, how long shall I cry and you
will not hear." God's
reply was, "Be utterly astonished! For I will work a work in
your days which you would not
believe, though it were told you." Then
He said, "For
indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans." (Hab.
1:5-11)
Habakkuk
questions God again:
Hab.
1:12-13 How could the infinite and holy God use such a wicked nation as
an instrument of punishment against His own people?
God
had already used Assyria to remove Israel from God's sight During
the period of the judges, God used the surrounding wicked nations to
oppress His people in an effort to cause them to repent:
Oppressor Years Judges
Mesopotamians 8
years Othniel
Moabites
Ammorites
} 18 years Ehud
Amalekites
Philistines Shamgar
Canaanites 20
years Deborah, Barak
Midianites
Amalekites
} 7 years Gideon
Ammonites 18
years Jephthah
Philistines________ 40
years Samson
Total
years 111 years during about a 400 years period
Hab.
1:13 "...Why do You look on those who deal treacherously?..."
How
could he harmonize God's holiness while using an evil nation against His
own people?
Hab.
1:12 Habakkuk answered his own question: Because You are God!
calling
Him - "O Rock"
"...O
Lord
[Yahweh
]
my
God
[Elohiym
] ,
my Holy One?"
[Yehovah
]
English rendering of [YHWH,
Yahweh
]
or [adoni
] as
pronounced
by Jews = erroniously translated "Lord" = "Self-existent
One"
Psm.
90:1-2 "Lord
[Adoni
],You
have been our dwelling
place
[refuge]
in all generations. (2)
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed
the earth and the world, even from
everlasting to everlasting, You are God."
[El
]
(Heb.) = "To be strong" - or - "in front of"
Gen.
17:1 "When
Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram
and said to him, 'I am Almighty
God;
walk before Me and be blameless.' " [El
Shaddai
] (Heb.) = "God Almighty"
Gen.
1:1 "In
the beginning, God
created the heavens and the earth. [Elohiym
] (Heb.) = plural
God. Though plural in form, when referring to
the supreme God, it is used in the singular.
Isa.
46:9-10 "Remember
the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no
other; I am God, and there is none like Me, (10) Declaring
the end from he beginning, and from ancient times things
that are not yet done, Saying, 'My counsel shall stand,
and I will do all My pleasure.' "
Isa.
55:8-9 "
'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My
ways,' says the Lord. (9) For as the heavens are higher
than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and
My thoughts than your thoughts."
Paul
called upon those in Rome to consider such things:
Rom.
11:22 "...consider the goodness and severity of God"
Paul
reveals the "BIG
PICTURE"
that Habakkuk could not see:
Rom.
11:1, 11-14 What appeared hopeless for Israel resulted in salvation
to all - both Jew & Gentile.
Rom.
11:28-ff The Jew's rejection of God became a blessing to the Gentiles
- conversely
- The acceptance of God by the Gentiles would become a
blessing to the Jews who would, as a result, obey God
also. Who
but God could design such a plan?
INVITATION
Another
lesson for us to learn - Who
we are & Why
we are:
Hab.
1:13 "...when the wicked devours a person more righteous than
he?" (Is
he speaking of all
of Judah
or righteous
remnant?)
Habakkuk's
words contrast his
own
judgment from God's Righteousness
is not determined on a sliding scale.
What
about when we say of religious error:
"There's
not a whole lot of difference between us."
When
we use ourselves as a standard for others to follow -
beware!
2
Cor. 10:12 "For
we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those
who commend themselves. But they, measuring
themselves by themselves,
and comparing themselves among themselves, are not
wise."
Serving
God is not a game of HORSESHOES
!!!
Mt.
11:20-24 More tolerable in the day of judgment for some than
others. Those
with greater opportunity to hear & believe have a
greater
responsibility to obey.
God's
word will be the standard of judgment:
Jn.
12:47-48 (Jesus)
"And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do
not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but
to save the world. (48) He who rejects Me, and does not
receive My words, has that which judges him - the word
that I have spoken will judge him in the last day."
HABAKKUK
The
Just Shall Live by Faith
Part
3
A
Review
Hab.
1:1-4 How long will He allow Judah's wickedness to go
unpunished?
Hab.
1:5-11 God's reply: He is raising up the Chaldeans as a rod
of judgment
Hab.
1:12 - 2:1 How can the righteous God punish His people with a nation
more wicked than them?
We
considered who God is:
1. By
looking at how He had done so in the past - during Judges
2. By
His power & authority as God (Yahweh
- Adoni - El Shaddai)
3. By
considering the goodness & severity of God
(Rom. 11:22)
His
mercy, love & justice all point toward man's ultimate good.
Hab.
2:1 Habakkuk waits for: 1. God's reply 2. How he
will answer.
Hab.
2:2 Write the vision: As on a billboard that fast-moving traffic
will see.
(Conspicuous)
Hab.
2:3 The prophecy will come to pass - but not right away EXPECT
it !!!
2
Pet. 3:9 "The
Lord is not slack concerning His promise,
as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us,
not willing that any should perish but that all should
come to repentance."
Hab.
2:4 Compare the proud:
They are not honest & upright, but arrogant (Babylon) the just:
They live by faith - in submission to Him who
promises. (Judah)
"Just"
-
dikaios
= "Was first used of persons observant of dike,
custom, rule, right, especially in the fulfillment of
duties towards gods and men, and of things that were in
accordance with right. The Eng. word "righteous"
was formerly spelt 'rightwise', i.e., (in a) straight way.
In the N.T. it denotes righteous, a state of being right,
or right conduct." Often translated 'RIGHTEOUS'
"The
righteous
shall
live
by faith"
2
Cor. 5:7
"For we walk
by faith, not by sight." Seeing
is believing? No!
How
we walk: Looking beyond
the visible - not by what
we can see
Heb.
11:1 "Now
faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of
things not seen."
Heb.
11:6-14 Noah & Abraham: walked by faith, looking beyond
today
Rom.
1:16-17 quotes
this verse: "For
I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the
power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for
the Jew first and also for the Greek. (17) For in it [the
gospel ]
the righteousness [dikaiosune]
of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is
written,'The
just shall live by faith.'
"
"from
faith to faith"
= God
is the divine source
of faith that leads to faith.
Rom.
10:17 "So
then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of
God."
For
Habakkuk - he & his people must live through a trying time
without
being
shaken in their faith. They must look
beyond the present.
Hab.
2:5-8 Babylon is rebuked for her wickedness.
Hab.
2:9-19 4 "woes" pronounced on Babylon
vs.
9 They covet evil.
vs.
12 They build towns with bloodshed.
vs.
15-16 They make their victims drunk in order to take advantage of them
- but it would be turned around on them.
vs.
18-19 They trust in their idols - but this would prove futile
Their
gods
v/s our
God
Psm.
115:2-8 "Why
should the Gentiles say, 'So where is their
God?' (3) But our
God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. (4) Their
idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
(5)They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes hey have,
but they do not see; (6) They have ears, but they do not
hear; Noses they have, but they do not smell; (7) They
have hands, but they do not handle; Feet they have, but
they do not walk; Nor do they mutter through their throat. (8)
Those who make them are like them; So is everyone who
trusts in them."
Isa.
40:18-26 The foolishness of idolatry - & its hopelessness
Hab.
2:20 The Lord is in His holy temple - keep silent before Him. (Awe)
Our
faith is grounded in the knowledge that He is Lord [Adoni]
& He
is in His holy temple beyond the power & reach of any enemy.
Rev.
4:1- 5:ff The heavenly vision - Worthy is the Lamb to open the
scroll.
INVITATION
Mt.
28:18-19 "And
Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been
given to Me
in heaven and on earth.
(19) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.' "
HABAKKUK
The
Just Shall Live by Faith
Part
4
Lesson
on how Trust
in God can overcome in time of distress. How
we can find reason for rejoicing in the midst of sorrow.
Hab.
1:2-4 Habakkuk
questioned why God had not done anything about the sins of
His people.
Hab.
1:5-8 God
responds by foretelling His plan to raise up the Chaldeans against
His people.
This
prompts Habakkuk's next question:
Hab.
1:12-13 How
could a Holy God, overlook a wicked nation & allow it to devour
a people more righteous than they?
Hab.
2:1 Habakkuk
waited for the Lord's answer.
Before
giving him the details of the vision:
Hab.
2:4
God assures Habakkuk that the proud (Babylon)
are
not upright, "But
the just shall live by his faith."
(remnant
of Judah)
Chapter
2 foretells the punishment that awaits Babylon for their sinfulness
God
concludes the vision with this assurance to Habakkuk:
Hab.
2:20 "But
the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep
silence before Him."
Chapter
3 is a prayer by Habakkuk set to music, in response to God's word
Hab.
3:2 Habakkuk
had been
afraid, but now
asks God to proceed with His
plan - only asking for mercy
in the face of His wrath.
Notice
- The verb tenses: I have
heard
(present),
& was
afraid (past)
Habakkuk's
dread of coming events is now overcome by trust
to face them.
In
vss. 3-15
Habakkuk paints
a collage of Israel's history
that demonstrate God's
omnipotent power
& unquestioned justice
as seen in past events
vss.
3-5 God
came
(out
of Teman) out
of the region of Mt Seir
(Edom) to
Mt. Sinai in great glory - Moses spoke of this:
Deut.
33:1-2 "Now
this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed
the children of Israel before his death. (2) And he said:
'The
Lord came from
Sinai, and dawned on them from Seir;
He shone forth from Mount Paran, and He came with ten
thousands of saints; From His right hand came a fiery law
for them.'
"
There
is power
in the midst of His glory.
His
power was demonstrated in the pestilence
brought upon Egypt.
vs.
6 God's
authority is seen in His "measuring"
the land of Canaan - assigning
the allotments of the land to His people. ALSO
elsewhere, it refers to His creative design:
Isa.
40:12 "Who
has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, measured
heaven with a span and calculated the dust of the earth in
a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales and the hills
in a balance?"
His
power is described over all the earth as all nature bows to Him:
Nahum
1:3-6 "...The
Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the
clouds are the dust of His feet. (4) He rebukes the sea
and makes it dry, and dries up all the rivers. Bashan and
Carmel wither, and the flower of Lebanon wilts. (5) The
mountains quake before Him, the hills melt, and the earth
heaves at His presence, yes, the world and all who dwell in
it. (6) Who can stand before His indignation? And who can
endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured
out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by Him."
Perhaps
"mountains" & "hills" refer to kings of the
land He overthrew to make
way for the entry of His people in Canaan
God's
ways are "everlasting"
- Unchanging
Psm.
102:25-27 "Of
old You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens
are the work of Your hands. (26) They will perish, but
You will endure; Yes, they will all grow old like a
garment; Like a cloak You will change them, and they will
be changed. (27) But
You are
he same,
and Your years will have no end."
The
same can be said of Christ:
Heb.
13:8 "Jesus
Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."
vs.7 Surrounding
nations not of those displaced feared before Him as
His people took possession of the land of Canaan.
The
nations tremble before Him:
Isa.
40:15-17 "Behold,
the nations are as a drop in a bucket, and are counted as the
small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a
very little thing. (16) And Lebanon is not sufficient to
burn, nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering. (17)
All nations before Him are as nothing, and they are counted
by Him less than nothing and worthless."
vss.
8-9 God's
anger was not against the waters, but they were instruments in
His hand, used against His enemies.
Reminiscent
of the parting of the Red Sea against Pharoah's army. None
can escape the wrath of God in His omnipotent power as He
controls
all nature and the rising & falling of nations:
Deut.
32:39-42 "Now
see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides
Me; I kill and I make alive; I would and I heal; Nor is
there any who can deliver from My hand. (40) For I raise
My hand to heaven, and say, 'As I live forever, (41) If I
whet My glittering sword, and My hand takes hold on
judgment, I will render vengeance to My enemies, and repay
those who hate Me. (42) I will make My arrows drunk with
blood, and My sword shall devour flesh, with the blood of
the slain and the captives, from the heads of the leaders
of the enemy.' "
vs.
10 Reminiscent
of the great flood & God's wrath on the wicked while
delivering the faithful in the ark upon the waters.
vs.
11 Reminiscent
of the day Joshua defended Gibeon in battle against the
king of Jerusalem and 9 other kings including the Amorites.
Joshua prayed and the sun stood still at the command of
God.
(Josh.
10:12-15)
vss.
12-13 Reminiscent
of Israel's entry & march through Canaan as kings fell before
Him
"He
went forth for salvation"
- God's purpose behind His actions always looks
to the salvation of a remnant who remain faithful.
Note
- JUDGMENT
against one (wicked),
is SALVATION for another
vss.
14-15
"Thrust through with his own arrows" Many
examples, but:
Reminiscent
of Gideon's army surrounding the Midianites, breaking their
pitchers and yelling. The Midianites killed each other.
(Judg. 7:20-22)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now
that Habakkuk remembers how God in the past had come to the
defense of His people, his trust in God buoys his faith much
as in:
Psm.
77:1-3, 10-ff A
remembrance of God's deliverance at the Red Sea.
Listen
to the assurance God gave through Isaiah regarding the final
outcome of Babylon
Isa.
41:8-13 "Fear
not, I will help you."
vs.
16 Notice
the past
tense in this verse. Before,
he had dread----
Yet,
if there is still any dread of what must come, he accepts it.
Such
dread is like: A family huddled in a cellar before the storm 11.
A soldier before the order to "charge". vs.
17 If
every
means of physical sustenance is removed:
Mt.
6:25-34 Trust
in God relieves anxiety for our daily needs.
vs.
18 "Yet,
I will rejoice in
the Lord"
Isa.
61:10 "I
will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God;
For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He
has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a
bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride
adorns herself with her jewels.
Our
reason for joy in the face of trials - The maturing of our faith
Jas.
1:2-4 "My
brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
(3) knowing that the testing of your faith produces
patience. (4) But let patience have its perfect work,
that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."
1
Pet. 1:3-12 In
the midst of trials, Jesus Christ is our "living hope" -
The end of our faith is the salvation of our souls
vs.
19 Swift
as a deer who can run quickly for refuge.
"Walk
on my high hills" = A symbol of victory
& triumph.
From
the peaks of victory - fear of our enemy below is dispelled
Rom.
8:31-ff "Yet
in all these things we are more than conquerors through
Him
who loved us."
INVITATION
Habakkuk
calls Him - "The God of
my salvation"
Our
Rock is Jesus Christ - He is our good confession
Mt.
16:13-18 "Upon
this rock
I will build My church"
The
Ethiopian eunuch made this same good confession:
Acts
8:36-38 "Now
as they went down the road, they came to some water. And
the eunuch said, 'See, here is water. What hinders me
from being baptized?' (37) Then Philip said, 'If you
believe with all your heart, you may.' And he answered
and said, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.'
(38) So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both
Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he
baptized him."