HINDS FEET ON HIGH PLACES (HABAKKUK 3:1-19)
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There was a fellow who was about to jump from a bridge. An alert police officer slowly and methodically moved toward him, talking with him all the time. When the officer got within inches of the man he said, “Surely nothing could be bad enough for you to take your life. Tell me about it. Talk to me.” The would-be jumper told how his wife had left him, how his business had gone bankrupt, and how his friends had deserted him. Everything in life had lost meaning. For thirty minutes he told the sad story. What happened in the end? They both jumped!
A prophet was not a prophet without prophesy, foreknowledge and vision, and with that comes struggles, suspicion and even skepticism. Habakkuk had changed his attitude in chapter 3 compared to chapters 1-2. He had changed from being a pessimistic to a positive prophet, from being a petulant to a patient person, and from being a pouting to a pleasing partner.
What do you pray for lately? How do you cope with your feelings in times of unrest? Why
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Regroup in His Sufficiency
1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth. 2 Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy. 3 God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens and his praise filled the earth. 4 His splendor was like the sunrise; rays flashed from his hand, where his power was hidden. 5 Plague went before him; pestilence followed his steps.
6 He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed— but he marches on forever. 7 I saw the tents of Cushan in distress, the dwellings of Midian in anguish. 8 Were you angry with the rivers, Lord? Was your wrath against the streams? Did you rage against the sea when you rode your horses and your chariots to victory? 9 You uncovered your bow, you called for many arrows. You split the earth with rivers; 10 the mountains saw you and writhed. Torrents of water swept by; the deep roared and lifted its waves on high. 11 Sun and moon stood still in the heavens at the glint of your flying arrows, at the lightning of your flashing spear.
Former Dallas Theological Seminary president Charles Swindoll shared one chapel morning at the seminary:
“When you choose to worry, you do not trust.
When you try to fix what is impossible, you do not trust.
When you hurry ahead and don't wait for the Lord to move and to change you,
you do not trust.
When you lie awake twisting and turning at night, you do not trust.
When you doubt biblical principles and promises that are right here in the book you love and study, you do not trust.
When you turn to others first for help, you do not trust.
When you listen to human counsel and give a higher priority to that than the principles you have just learned, you do not trust.
When you manipulate and maneuver situations, you do not trust.
When you step in and take charge without praying and being led by the Spirit of God, you do not trust.
When you cling to others in order to feel secure and needed and loved, you do not trust.”
Charles Swindoll “Trust God!” DTS Chapel
The last chapter of Habakkuk is a passionate chapter joining prayer, poem and prophecy in song, music and instruments (v 19). This earnest prayer (v 1) is significant and symbolical because the noun “prayer” shows up for the last time in the Odd Testament, and also it is a transition from Habakkuk’s burden (1:1) to a prayer (3:1).
Past
Present
Burden (1:1)
Prayer (3:1)
Thou wilt not hear! (1:2)
I have heard (3:2)
They are terrible and dreadful (1:7)
(I) was afraid (3:2)
None of the Minor prophets stated so authoritatively and adamantly as Habakkuk that he was a prophet (v 1). The shigionoth (v 1) is a poem. Unlike most prayer Habakkuk’s prayer is strictly directed to the Lord, in the first word. In chapter one Habakkuk despaired, “Thou wilt not hear!” (Hab 1:2), but now Habakkuk confessed, “I have heard.” The Chaldeans were dreadful (Hab 1:7), but now the Lord (v 2) is fearful (stand in awe, NIV) – the same word in Hebrew. The acclaim and adoration are to the Lord (twice in verse 2), God (v 3), the Holy One, His glory in the heavens and His praise on earth (v 3). Habakkuk is the only prophet in the Bible to address God in opening prayer with the direct calling Him “Lord” twice (v 2).
The last imperative and focus in the book is “repeat” (v 2) or “revive” the “deeds,” which means work (Deut 32:4) and acts (2 Sam 23:20). “Deed” in Hebrew is singular. It refers to His act in the world, your city and your life. Wrath and mercy are contrasts (v 2). I do not pray for “wrath” on my worst enemies as much after studying this text because it is translated as troubling (Job 3:17, 26, 14:1), noise (Job 37:2), rage (Job 39:24) and fear (Isa 14:3). The equivalent word in Aramaic is for Nebuchadnezzar in his “rage” (Dan 3:13). The first and five of its seven occurrences describe Job’s suffering. After all, we cannot handle a virus, let alone Job’s unique discomfort. Holy One (v 3) refers to attributes and “cover” is extent and praise is result. Habakkuk was not demanding or daring God, deriding or doubting Him, but declaring His praise, dignifying His work divulging or disclosing detailing His glory. It is not to command, criticize or confront God, but to call to Him, confide in Him and count on Him.
Rest in His Security
12 In wrath you strode through the earth and in anger you threshed the nations. 13 You came out to deliver your people, to save your anointed one. You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness, you stripped him from head to foot. 14 With his own spear you pierced his head when his warriors stormed out to scatter us, gloating as though about to devour the wretched who were in hiding. 15 You trampled the sea with your horses, churning the great waters.
A lady went to her Pastor and said “Pastor, I won't be going to your church anymore.” The Pastor responded “But why?” The lady said “Ah! I saw a woman gossiping about another member; a man that is a hypocrite; people looking at their phone during service; among so many other things wrong in your church.”
The Pastor replied “OK. But before you go, do me a favor: take a full glass of water and walk around the church three times without spilling a drop on the ground.” After walking three times with ease, she told the Pastor she was ready to leave.
The Pastor said, “When you were walking around the church, did you see anyone gossiping?” The lady replied “No.” “Did you see any hypocrites?" The lady said "No." "Anyone looking at their phone?” “No.” “You know why?” “No.”
“You were focused on the glass, to make sure you didn't stumble and spill any water. It's the same with our life. When we keep our eyes on Jesus, we don't have time to see the mistakes of others. We will reach out a helping hand to them and concentrate on our own walk with the Lord."
First past action, second part feelings.
Action
Aftermath
Atmosphere
- Holy One
His glory
His praise (v 3)
- his power(v 4)
- his ways are everlasting (v 6)
Nations:
- nations (v 6, 12)
- Cushan , Midian (v 7
Nature:
- - earth
Mountains, hills (v 6)
- rivers, sea(v 8)
- water, the deep (v 10)
- sun and moon (v 11)
- land (v 12)
- whirlwind (v 14)
Nobles:
head (v 14)
- affliction, tremble (v 7)
- displeased, anger, wrath (v 8)
- trembled (v 10)
- indignation, anger (v 12)
1. Action
Readers might be surprised to know “glory” and “praise” (v 3) are muted topics among the minor prophets, with Zechariah alone chiming in but in the future tense (Zeph 3:19, 6:13). Cover (v 3) is intensive piel form, meaning thick, thorough and total, heavier than a morning fog or mist. Cover is the meaning “full of” (extent) in the same verse. Cover is the dominance and full is the density. Verse 5 is pestilence or destruction; burning coals are thunder bolts or lightning. Verse 6 is the demarcation (shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble), the displacement and the deference - the perpetual hills did bow.
2. Aftermath
Nations:
- nations (v 6, 12)
- Cushan , Midian (v 7
Nature:
- Mountains, hills (v 6)
- rivers, sea(v 8)
- earth (v 9)
- water, the deep (v 10)
- sun and moon (v 11)
- land (v 12)
- whirlwind (v 14)
Nobles:
head (v 14) - affliction, tremble (v 7)
3. Atmosphere:
- displeased, anger, wrath (v 8)
- trembled (v 10)
- indignation, anger (v 12)
Verses 7 and 8 are the atmosphere, affliction and tremble of the nations versus the Lord anger, wrath and rage, all for the first time in the book. Anger is the zeal while rage refers to the nose. The first is a verb, the other two are nouns in Hebrew
Feelings involved:
V 7 Affliction
Pant
Trembled
quiver
V 8 displeased
to glow or grow warm; figuratively (usually) to blaze up, of anger, zeal, jealousy:
anger
rapid breathing in passion
wrath
an outburst of passion:
V 10 trembled
twist or whirl (in a circular or spiral manner; writhe in pain
V 12 indignation
froth at the mouth
anger
flare from the nose
Rejoice in His Sovereignty
16 I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us. 17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. 19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.
One of the big deer stories on the internet is how a deer wandered into the city and jumped over a gate into the Ohio River In Louisville and swam to safety to escape a gasping crowd.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjqVbZZi8mk
Habakkuk expressed his feelings now instead of being shocked. Previously he was calling and crying (Hab 1:2). The most significant emotion in the text is “pounded/trembled,” once earlier in verse 7 and twice in verse 16. Nothing could stand in the way of this wondrous, wise and worthy king.
Hab 3:18-19
I will rejoice (JUMP) in the Lord (Yahweh, Israel’s God),
I will be joyful (SPIN) in God (Elohim or God) my Savior.
19 The Sovereign (Adonai or Lord) Lord (Yehovih)
Quiver (v 16) is tingle (1 Sam 3:11).
Pounded (v 16)
Quivered
Trembled/Pounded
Heart
Lips
Bones
OT:7264
quiver (with any violent emotion, especially anger or fear):
OT:6750
vibration]; to tinkle, i.e. rattle together (as the ears in reddening with shame, or the teeth in chattering with fear):
The most significant emotion in the text is “pounded/trembled,” twice in verse 16 and once earlier in verse 7. It is also the most repeated verb in the chapter. Nothing could stand in the way of this wondrous, wise and worthy King we worship.
fig tree does not bud (v 17)
no grapes on the vines
the olive crop fails
fields produce no food
no sheep in the pen
no cattle in the stalls
Bud
Wine
Oil
Grain
Mutton
Beef
The first word of verse 17 is famously translated as “though” or “although” in all The first word of verse 17 is famously translated as “though” or “although” in all translations, except for the Complete Jerusalem Bible’s version of “for.” Why? Because the conjunction “ki” is usually translated as “because,” “for” or “that.”
Joy independent of instance, circumstance or substance. Rejoice (v 19) is to jump, be joyful (v 19) is to spin in Hebrew. A hind (doe a deer) is a female red deer that is able to move quickly and easily across the rocks of a mountain leaping from one rock to another without ever losing its footing. Deer can make a jump over 5 to 8 feet high and can reach 10 to 15 feet distance comfortably.
Conclusion: God’s sovereignty means He is the Maker, Monarch of the World, the Master of the Universe. He is appointed by nobody, answerable to nobody, and advised by nobody. He is the only authority, answer and assurance in life.
Warren Wiersbe said, “Over the years, I've often leaned on three verses that have helped me wait patiently on the Lord. "Stand still" (Ex 14:13), "Sit still" (Ruth 3:18), and "Be still" (Ps 46:10).”
