THE HAPHAKH PHENOMENON
THROUGHOUT SCRIPTURE
Have you ever had an experience when you thought that everything was black and against you? You thought that there was no light at the end of the tunnel. Or, if there was a light, as one of Murphy’s laws indicates, it was the light of an oncoming train. Everything seemed bent on your destruction. And then, suddenly, God turned things around. Don’t be surprised if this kind of thing happens to you again and again. You see, God is leading us to trust in His infinite resources rather than to trust in our own finite resources. And often we do not learn the lesson God is teaching us until the situation is absolutely hopeless without God.
There are several ways by which people describe these kinds of experiences. Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity. The darkest hour of the night is the hour just before the dawn. Every cloud has a silver lining. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Weeping may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning (Psalm 30:5). Where sin abounds, grace does much more abound. I personally have coined a word to refer to this phenomenon of God’s providential care. I call it the haphakh phenomenon.
In the Hebrew language the word "haphakh" means "he inverted (it)",
"he turned (it) around"; “he reversed (it)"; "he turned (it) right side up."
It is spelled h-a-p-h-a-k-h. Can you say it?
Haphakh.
This haphakh phenomenon occurs throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. Two of the most interesting examples are found in the Book of Esther, almost in the middle of the Bible. One relates to a Jewish individual named Mordecai, and the other relates to the Jewish nation. In the first case, an evil Gentile named Haman is hanged on the gallows he erected for the hanging of the good Jew, Mordecai; and in the other case, the Jewish nation, threatened with being wiped out by its enemies, is given opportunity to wipe out its enemies.
In the Bible Book of Esther the Hebrew word HAPHAKH is used to describe this phenomenon.
(Est 3:8 KJV) And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king’s laws: therefore it is not for the king’s profit to suffer them.
It is not in the best interests of the king to let them continue to live.
(Est 3:9 KJV) If it please the king, let it be written that they may be
destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.
(Est 3:10 KJV) And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy.
(Est 3:11 KJV) And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.
So a plot to wipe out all Jews is set in motion.
(Est 7:9 KJV) And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon.
(Est 7:10 KJV) So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.
(Est 9:1 KJV) Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)
The Haphakh phenomenon, the principle that man’s extremity is God’s opportunity is illustrated throughout Scripture. Today let me share with you ten examples.
I. THE PRINCIPLE THAT MAN’S EXTREMITY IS GOD’S OPPORTUNITY IS ILLUSTRATED IN GOD’S PROVISION FOR MAN AFTER MAN FIRST SINNED.
1. Darkness. The sin of the first Adam. Genesis 3:6
2. Light. The salvation of the second Adam. Genesis 3:15
If Genesis 3:6 is one of the darkest pictures in the Bible, Genesis 3:15 is one of the most delightful promises in the Bible. If sin abounds in Genesis 3:6, grace does much more abound in Genesis 3:15.
II. THE PRINCIPLE THAT MAN’S EXTREMITY IS GOD’S OPPORUNITY IS ILLUSTRATED IN THE EXPERIENCE OF JACOB WHEN RETURNING TO MEET ESAU.
1. Darkness. Esau coming with an army. Genesis 32:3-11
2. Light. Esau coming with an embrace. Genesis 33:1-4
III. THE PRINCIPLE THAT MAN’S EXTREMITY IS GOD’S OPPORTUNITY IS ILLUSTRATED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LATER LIFE OF JACOB.
1. Darkness. A cry of woe. Genesis 42:36
2. Light. A caravan of wagons. Genesis 45:25-28
IV. THE PRINCIPLE THAT MAN’S EXTREMITY IS GOD’S OPPORTUNITY IS ILLUSTRATED IN THE ENC0UNTER OF THE FLEEING ISRAELITES WITH THE ARMY OF PHARAOH.
1. Darkness. A nation complaining. Exodus 14:10-14.
2. Light. A nation celebrating. Exodus 14:16-15:21
V. THE PRINCIPLE THAT MAN’S EXTREMITY IS GOD’S OPPORTUNITY IS ILLUSTRATED BY THE STORY OF THE BOOK OF RUTH.
1. Darkness. Naomi Bitter. Ruth 1:19-27
2. Light, Naomi Blessed. Ruth 4:13-17
VI. THE PRINCIPLE THAT MAN’S EXTREMITY IS GOD’S OPPORTUNITY IS ILLUSTRATED BY THE SYRIAN INVASION OF SAMARIA.
1. Darkness. A terrible famine. 2 Kings 6:24-25
2. Light. A tremendous feast. 2 Kings 7:16
VII. THE PRINCIPLE THAT MAN’S EXTREMITY IS GOD’S OPPORTUNITY IS ILLUSTRATED IN THE DEATH AND GLORIFICATION OF CHRIST. Isaiah 53:6-10; John 12:24; Luke 24:13-35
1. Darkness. The death of Christ.
2. Light. The resurrection of Christ
VIII. THE PRINCIPLE THAT MAN’S EXTREMITY IS GOD’S OPPORTUNITY IS ILLUSTRATED BY THE BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.
1. Darkness. The barrenness of Elizabeth. Luke 1:5-7
2. Light,. The birth of the “Elijah to Come.” Luke 1:13-17
IX. THE PRINCIPLE THAT MAN’S EXTREMITY IS GOD’S OPPORTUNITY IS ILLUSTRATED BY AN EVENT JUST BEFORE THE MILLENNIUM.
1. Darkness. The enemy gathered together. Rev. 19:19
2. Light, The enemy taken. Rev. 19:20-21
X. THE PRINCIPLE THAT MAN’S EXTREMITY IS GOD’S OPPORTUNITY IS ILLUSTRATED BY AN EVENT JUST AFTER THE MILLENNIUM.
1. Darkness. Satan deceiving again. Rev. 20:7-9b
2. Light, Satan defeated forever. Rev. 20:9c-10
Conclusion:
In the darkest hours of our trials, let us remember that our God is a God who loves to turn the tables on the enemy. When our daughter Colleen was about thirteen years of age, she had a poster in her bedroom which read: “When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot, and hang on.’ I would add these other lines: “Pray, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. Pray and watch the Lord do a haphakh.”
