I Will Rejoice Series

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NKJV)

“I Will Rejoice”

July 6, 2025

Intro: The book of Habakkuk was written against a backdrop of apostasy, judgment and unbelievable hardship. It was written during a time when Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, led the people back into idolatry and away from the Lord. As a result, God is preparing to judge the nation. Think of how similar our current times are to the times of old. We have a government in disarray where we don’t know who our nation’s true friends and sworn enemies are. We seem to be aligning ourselves with our enemies and distancing ourselves from our friends. Our judicial systems are tainted by our politic and our citizens would rather follow a fool because our politicians have often proven themselves to be blatant hypocrites or blindly ambitious at best. And have no doubt that a nation whose founding documents and monuments contain biblical references, we will be judged and found guilty by our Creator. Habakkuk is having trouble understanding why God would use a heathen nation like Babylon to punish His chosen people. He cannot understand why God doesn’t just purge their sins and draw them back to Himself and to righteousness. Yet, he does not allow his lack of understanding in the ways of God to stop his praise. He ends his prophecy here in chapter 3 with a hymn of faith in our God for Who He is, and for the unchanging benefits that belong to those who know Him! Habakkuk had reason to be afraid, but he ends his prophecy with a prayer of praise instead! The keywords of these verses are “although” and “yet”. Habakkuk is saying, “I don’t understand all that is happening, but I am going to praise Him anyhow!” I want to take these verses and show you that regardless of how things may look on the surface, we should rejoice in the LORD!

I. v17 MY SEASONS - Yet I will rejoice in the LORD. If everything that was normal and predictable collapsed, the prophet will still rejoice. Seasons change, circumstances change, people change, but God never changes – Malachi 3:6 “For I am the LORD, I change not”; Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today and forever”. Habakkuk is painting a bleak portrait of the future, but he looks away to a God Who is always the same in every season! He is the only One we can depend on in desperate times; we can trust in troublesome times; we can believe during unbelievable times; we can lean on Him at all times! We may not always know what or when He will do it but, Isaiah 55:8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. We can always trust Him to do what is right, when it’s right to. We may not understand His plan, but we can trust Him to have a perfect plan; for His thoughts and ways are higher!

II. v18 MY SALVATION - I will joy in the God of my salvation. Things might get bad in this life, but things do not affect my salvation! Salvation does not depend on things going well. Salvation rests solely on the grace and power of God! Just one phone call at midnight; just one doctor’s visit can turn your world upside down but no matter what happens in the world, no matter what happens in time, salvation is eternal and not hindered by time. The word “salvation” applies to more than just the soul. The word also means “deliverance and rescue”. That reminds me that this world is not my home. He is coming to rescue and deliver His children one day! Things may get bad here, but things cannot take away my salvation – John 10:28 Jesus said we shall not perish nor can any man pluck us out of His hands.” God’s children are saved “to the uttermost”, Hebrews 7:25. – That is as saved as you can get! We may lose everything here, but because of Christ Jesus we can never lose our salvation! I remember the words of our God through the Prophet Isaiah, (43:1) “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

III. v19 MY STRENGTH - The LORD God is my strength. “strength” = “ability” – Our strength does not lie within ourselves. David said, “The Lord is the strength of my life; of who shall I be afraid?” Psalms 27:1; Paul says in Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” When we are unable to stand, Jesus enables us. When we can’t go on, Jesus helps us. When we are in the deep valley; Jesus leads us to higher ground. We have to get to a point in our relationship with Christ that we stop asking Him to move the mountains, but instead pray like Habakkuk, “Lord I need my feet to be like deer’s feet for steady walking on life’s high hills!” “Deer’s feet” speaks of grace, agility and swiftness. Mountain deer are able to move easily and rapidly across the rocks and uneven terrain of the mountainous landscape. It will leap from rocks without losing footing, suggesting that the sure-footed animals are able to overcome things easily, and elegantly. “High Hills” are mountain tops where the deer is free from the dangers found below. When we trust Jesus for our strength, He’ll turn our doubts into shouts and gives us peace for our problems!