Old Testament -Habakkuk - November 29, 2022

 11/29/2022 – Habakkuk 1-3


We don’t know much about Habakkuk, except that he was a prophet who lived in the kingdom of Judah…they think around 600 BC. What we do know is that this book is an exchange between Habakkuk and the Lord. Habakkuk asks God sincere questions that show his concern for his people, and for the Lord’s plans for them. 

Chapter 1’s synopsis basically tells us that the Lord is not happy with how the Israelites have been living: “When Habakkuk learned that the Lord raised up the Chaldeans to overrun the land of Israel, he was troubled that the wicked could be thus employed.”

V 2 shows us the worries that Habakkuk has been living with: “O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! Even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!” There are times for all of us when we petition the Lord, but we don’t feel an answer. When this happens, I have to remind myself that the Lord knows when I will be able to handle His answers. 

The Lord’s response to this is to remind them that the Israelites have resorted to violence as they “raise up strife and contention” (v 3) and “the wicked doth compass about the righteous, therefore wrong judgment proceedeth” (v 4). The Lord alerts them of what is to come, and why it is to come.

Then in chapter 2 the Lord informs them of how they should react to the very difficult times that he has assured them will come because of their falling away from so many of His commandments, and from His presence.  Again, the chapter synopsis tells it so well: “The Lord admonishes patience, and promises that the just shall live by faith—The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God—Idols have not power.”

The Lord then gives them suggestions for living through difficult times, and for our drawing closer to Him: “the just shall live by his faith” (v 4) and his steadfastness. V 5 tells us that we should live with humility, and not with pompous pride and vanity. V 9 tells us the difficulties that our coveting will bring to us. V 15 tells us not to tempt others to fall from His commandments. V 18 tells us that they are STILL relying on idols to help them.

In v 14 the Lord tells us what can be, when we are ready, for them “the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord”.  He also promises, in v 20: “…the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.” This makes me think of the scripture: “Be still and listen”

Habakkuk has talked with the Lord! He has listened to the Lord! And now he offers a prayer (some call it a poetic psalm of praise to his God.). Habakkuk asked for mercy from the Lord during the difficult times that He has promised will come. (v 2). In verses 3-16 he gives examples of what he has learned from the Lord, and realizes why bad times might come to us, but more importantly, he reinforces the importance of staying near to our Father.

I love his testimony in v’s 17-19: “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places…”


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