Praise the Lord! Thank God for His faithfulness to each and every one of us throughout the past week. It is for sure that most of us enjoyed being under the shadow of His wings where His mercy and grace abounds! It is our assurance that the Lord God who was with us in the past days, weeks, months, and years is with us today and will take us through the coming days, weeks, months, and years as well. Although we do not know how long we are going to remain in this body, one thing is true that we will continue to remain in this body until the last day/moment the Lord God determined for our life on earth even before we were born into this world (Psalm 139:16). In the early days of human history, many of the people lived a long time on earth, for instance: Adam lived 930 years (Genesis 5:5), Seth lived 912 years (Genesis 5:8), Enosh lived 905 years (Genesis 5:11), Kenan lived 910 years (Genesis 5:14), Mahalalel lived 895 years (Genesis 5:17), Jared lived 962 years (Genesis 5:20), Methuselah lived 969 years (Genesis 5:27), Lamech lived 777 years (Genesis 5:31), Noah lived 950 years (Genesis 9:29), and so on. However, as the people multiplied on earth and due to widespread sin and wickedness among the people, the Lord God cut short the days of the mortals on earth (Genesis 6:1-6). Ever since, the length of man’s life on earth is shortened and his days were numbered (Job 14:5; Psalm 90:10). However, the Lord and savior Jesus Christ the owner of our life, who came down from heaven to earth (in fact, He was sent to earth by the Father) to redeem/save fallen humanity from our sin and wretchedness can take us to heaven to live there for ever and ever (Matthew 1:21; John 3:16; 10:10b; 12:44-50; 14:2-3 [also refer to: Luke 19:10; Romans 6:23; Colossians 1:20; Philippians 2:5-11]). Let all of us who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ look forward to and cherish the days we spend with Jesus – both here on earth and eventually in heaven (Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Praise God for His faithfulness!

God has blessed us with a thoughtful passage from the prayer of prophet Habakkuk (3:17-19 mentioned above) for this week’s Scripture for the Week meditation. Habakkuk (1:1; 3:1) was called to be one of the passionate prophets of the Most High God, the God of Israel, and he served in the Southern Kingdom Judah just prior to its fall by the hands of the Babylonians. In the early days of his ministry, he found it difficult to trust in the God of his fathers while there was so much evil and terror in and around his community – the people of Judah/Jerusalem. He was living in fear and panic because of the terror and chaos that was going to devastate the people of Jerusalem/Judah and the Lord God was doing nothing to prevent it. Habakkuk, being an ardent and faithful prophet of God serving in Jerusalem/Judah, wrestled with all the chaos that was going on in his community, among the chosen people of the God of heaven (Deuteronomy 7:6; Nehemiah 1:4-5; Daniel 2:18). When prophet Habakkuk saw the intensity of the struggles and sufferings that spread across the regions of Jerusalem and Judah, he got upset with God, the God of Israel, and poured out his heart before Him in two different occasions in the form of complaints against God (Habakkuk 1:2-4; 1:12-2:1). Habakkuk made his complaints for two reasons: (i) God, being the God of the children of Israel, is keeping silent when he prays to Him and not answering his prayers, and (ii) God’s action of raising up a ruthless and impetuous people against His own people living in Jerusalem/Judah, who were more righteous than the people whom the Lord God raising up against them. He was also sad that the children of Israel, being the chosen people of God, continue to sin against their God who delivered them from their bondage and blessed them with the best of the best things on earth (Deuteronomy 4:7-10; 2 Samuel 7:22-24) ever since God made the covenant with their ancestor Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3; 17:1-8). Prophet Habakkuk was sad for two specific reasons: firstly, he was sad because, despite considering the serious warnings against those who do not follow the righteous laws and decrees of God (Deuteronomy 8:19-20; 28:15), the people whom the Lord God has chosen as His very own possession sinned against their Savior and Lord (Jeremiah 17:1-25); and, secondly, God, being the Savior and Lord of the Israelites, was raising one of the most wicked nations against His chosen people Judah/Israel who are more righteous than the people who are coming against them. After the back and forth conversations between prophet Habakkuk and the God of Israel (prophet Habakkuk’s complaints against God’s actions [Habakkuk 1:2-4; 1:12-2:1] and God’s response to prophet Habakkuk’s complaints [Habakkuk 1:5-11; 2:2-20]), prophet Habakkuk understood the whole plan of God and everything God does in His Sovereignty. As we can see, initially, prophet Habakkuk was upset with God and made his complaints against God because he did not understand the plan of God in its entirety. However, when he understood the whole plan of God, he was at peace and praised the God of Israel for who He is and what He does in His Sovereignty (Habakkuk 3:1-16). He also rededicated his life for the ministry he was called to do even if he did not understand the whole plan of God and/or even if the situations around him were not favorable for him to carry out the ministry he was called to do (Habakkuk 3:17-19).

As part of our meditation, we need to look in to the context of prophet Habakkuk’s life and ministry time-period. Prophet Habakkuk lived in a period of time when the people of Judah and Jerusalem were going through a tough situation and lived in fear of a Babylonian attack. This happened because the children of Israel did evil in the sight of their redeemer and savior, the God of Israel, who urged them to turn away from their evil ways, as it is mentioned in the Scripture:

The LORD warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your ancestors to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets. But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the LORD their God. They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the LORD had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.” They forsook all the commands of the LORD their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshiped Baal (2 Kings 17:13-15)

When God’s holy and chosen people utterly failed to keep His righteous laws and decrees and did evil in the sight of the Lord despite His warning to them, He handed them over to the Babylonians (Habakkuk 1:6), one of the most wicked nations on earth at that time, to punish/discipline people of Judah. The kings who ruled in Judah prior to and during the invasion of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylonian were Jehoiakim (whose name originally was Eliakim) son of Jehoahaz, Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim, Zedekiah Jehoiachin’s uncle whose name was originally Mattaniah (2 Kings 23:34; 24:1-20). All of these kings did evil in the eyes of the Lord (2 Kings 23:32; 24:3-4, 9, 19-20). Prophet Habakkuk was called to minister in Judah while many of his predecessors and colleagues (prophets, priests, leaders, and rulers) did evil in the eyes of the Lord and failed to warn the people of Judah about the wicked deeds they were committing against the Lord God who had redeemed them from the land of their slavery (Deuteronomy 13:6; 1 Kings 22:5-12, 24-28; Jeremiah 23:13-14; 27:2-11; 29:8, 32; 37:18-19). Prophet Habakkuk’s ministry was to receive God’s message and release/proclaim to the people of Judah who had forsaken the righteous laws and decrees God had given to their ancestors through His servant Moses (Exodus 20:1–24:18; 1 Kings 2:3; Ezra 7:6; Psalm 105:9-10; Malachi 4:3-4; Luke 2:22; John 1:17). The fact is that prophet Habakkuk knew that the people of Judah (his colleagues and fellow-citizens) failed to keep God’s righteous laws and decrees, but the pieces of God’s action that struck him were, firstly, God was raising up a nation who were more wicked than the people of Judah; and, secondly, prophet Habakkuk tried to bring this matter in to God’s attention through prayer and pleading, but God neither bothered about it nor answered his prayers. Prophet Habakkuk’s actions are not an isolated incident where a person reacts to God’s actions, some of the Old Testament and New Testament saints reacted in a similar way against God’s compassionate actions, for instance: Moses did similar thing (Numbers 11:14-15), the sons of Korah did it (Psalm 44:9-16, 23-26), prophet Elijah did it (1 Kings 19:3-4), prophet Jonah did it (Jonah 4:3), Job (Job 3:3, 20-22; 6:8-9; ), and Apostle Paul positively talked about it (Philippians 1:3, 21-23). However, when these servants of God understood the plans of God in its entirety, they stood hand-in-hand with God and served Him faithfully and praised His holy name.

As Scripture enthusiasts, let us focus on the two sets of complaints prophet Habakkuk put forth before the Lord God and examine them in detail. First of all, let us examine the first set of Habakkuk’s complaints (Habakkuk 1:2-4),

• • Oh Lord, how long I have to call/pray for help (1:2a)
  • Oh Lord, why are You not listening my cry/prayer for help (1:2b)
  • Oh Lord, how long I have to cry out to You, ‘Violence’ (1:2c)
  • Oh Lord, why are You not coming to save us – Your chosen people (1:2d)
  • Oh Lord, all around me is nothing but injustice (1:3a)
  • Oh Lord, why do You make me look at injustice (1:3b)
  • Oh Lord, why do You tolerate wrongdoing (1:3c)
  • Oh Lord, there is nothing all around me except destruction and violence (1:3d)
  • Oh Lord, there is strife and conflict abounds in the community (1:3e)
  • Oh Lord, because of injustice, strife, conflicts abounds, the law is paralyzed (1:4a)
  • Oh Lord, because of injustice, strife, conflicts abounds, justice never prevails (1:4b)
  • Oh Lord, the wicked are all around the righteous (1:4c)
  • Oh Lord, because the wicked hem in the righteous, the justice is perverted (1:4d)

When prophet Habakkuk finished sharing his complaints before God (Habakkuk 1:2-4), God responded to him by revealing His plans of dealing with the evildoers. God let His servant Habakkuk know that He is raising up the ruthless and impetuous army of Babylon against the people of Jerusalem and Judah because of their many evil deeds in the sight of the Lord their God who redeemed them from the hands of their oppressors (Exodus 6:6; 14:30; Judges 6:9). We can understand how wicked and dreadful the Babylonians were from the narration God gave us about them (Habakkuk 1:5-11). As we have examined Habakkuk’s first set of complaints above (1:2-4), let us now focus on God’s response to Habakkuk’s complaints (1:5-11)

• • The Lord was telling prophet Habakkuk to look at the nations around Israel and watch (1:5a)
  • The Lord informed prophet Habakkuk that he will be utterly amazed when he see what is going on around him (1:5b)
  • The Lord foretold prophet Habakkuk that He is going to do something very unusual in his days, that is, during his life-time (1:5c)
  • The Lord foretold Habakkuk that he would not believe even if he was told about the thing God is planning to do in his days (1:5d)
  • The Lord is raising up the Babylonians against Judah (1:6a)
  • The Lord warned that the Babylonians are a ruthless and impetuous people (1:6b)
  • The Lord warned that the Babylonians sweep across the whole earth to seize dwellings not their own (1:6c)
  • The Lord warned that they are a feared and dreaded people (1:7a)
  • The Lord warned that they are a law to themselves (1:7b)
  • The Lord warned that they promote their own honor (1:7c)
  • The Lord warned that their horses are swifter than leopards (1:8a)
  • The Lord warned that their horses are fiercer than wolves at dusk (1:8b)
  • The Lord warned that their cavalry gallops headlong (1:8c)
  • The Lord warned that their horsemen come from afar (1:8d)
  • The Lord warned that they fly like an eagle swooping to devour (1:8e)
  • The Lord warned that they all come intent on violence (1:9a)
  • The Lord warned that their hordes advance like a desert wind (1:9b)
  • The Lord warned that their troops gather prisoners like sand (1:9c)
  • The Lord warned that the Babylonians mock the kings of other nations (1:10a)
  • The Lord warned that the Babylonians scoff at rulers (1:10b)
  • The Lord warned that the Babylonians laugh at all fortified cities (1:10c)
  • The Lord warned that they capture them by building earthen ramps (1:10d)
  • The Lord warned that they sweep past like the wind and go on (1:11a)
  • The Lord warned that they are a guilty people (1:11b)
  • The Lord warned that their own strength is their god (1:11c)

As a response to Habakkuk’s first set of complaints, God revealed His plans of punishing the on-going sins of Judah by raising up the ruthless and impetuous Babylonian army against them. Prophet Habakkuk was not satisfied with God’s response to him, which caused him to present the second set of complaints before the Lord (Habakkuk 1:12-2:1). Let us examine the details of his second set of complaints:

• • Prophet Habakkuk knew that the Lord is from eternity, yet he asked the Lord, ‘Are You not from everlasting?’ (1:12a)
  • The prophet knew that his God, his Holy One, will never die (1:12b)
  • The prophet understood that God has appointed the enemy to execute judgment upon His people (1:12c)
  • The prophet understood that the Lord, his Rock, have ordained the enemy to punish His people (1:12d)
  • Prophet Habakkuk knew that God’s eyes are too pure to look on evil (1:13a)
  • The prophet knew that the Lord cannot tolerate wrongdoing (1:13b)
  • The prophet questions the Lord who does not tolerate evil/wrongdoing tolerating the wicked and treacherous [the babylonians] (1:13c)
  • The prophet questions the Lord for keeping silence while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves (1:13d)
  • The prophet blamed God that He has made people like the fish in the sea (1:14a)
  • The prophet blamed God that He has made people like the sea creatures that have no ruler (1:14b)
  • The prophet felt like the wicked foe pulls all of them up with hooks (1:15a)
  • The prophet felt like the wicked foe catches them in his net (1:15b)
  • The prophet felt like the wicked foe gathers them up in his dragnet (1:15c)
  • The prophet felt like the wicked foe rejoices and is glad as he pulls/catches/gathers all of their victims in their hooks/net/dragnet (1:15d)
  • The prophet presumes that the wicked foe offer sacrifices to his hooks/net/dragnet because they trap his victims (1:16a)
  • The prophet presumes that the wicked foe burns incense to his dragnet (1:16b)
  • The prophet assumes that the wicked foe lives in luxury because of his net (1:16c)
  • The prophet assumes that the wicked foe enjoys the choicest food because of his net (1:16d)
  • The prophet noticed that the wicked foe keep on emptying his net that is holding his victims (1:17a)
  • The prophet noticed that the wicked foe keep on destroying nations without mercy (1:17b)
  • The prophet decides that he will stand at his watch to see how the Lord will respond to all the perilousness that are going on in and around Jerusalem (2:1a)
  • The prophet decides that he will station himself on the ramparts to see how the Lord will react in such situation (2:1b)
  • The prophet decides that he will look to see what the Lord will say to him (2:1c)
  • The prophet decides that he will wait to see what answer the Lord has to give to his complaint (2:1d)

When prophet Habakkuk finished sharing the second set of complaints, the Lord responded to prophet Habakkuk by revealing His long-term plans of punishing all the nations who are doing evil in the sight of the Lord. Although the nation of Babylon was chosen for the special task of bringing God’s justice upon the nations who are evil in the sight of the Lord, including the people of Jerusalem/Judah who are close to His heart (Hosea 12:2; Romans 2:6), they (the Babylonians) are not exempt from God’s judgement and punishment, rather they will also be punished for their evil deeds (Psalm 28:4-5). Let us examine in details of God’s response to prophet Habakkuk’s second set of complaints (2:2-20):

• • Although prophet Habakkuk was upset and made serious complaints against the Lord, the Lord responded to all his complaints/concerns (2:2a)
  • The Lord commanded prophet Habakkuk to write down the revelation (2:2b)
  • The Lord commanded prophet Habakkuk to write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets (2:2c)
  • The Lord commanded prophet Habakkuk to write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets that people can read it while a herald hold it high in his hands and run with it (2:2d)
  • The Lord discloses the fact that the revelation awaits an appointed time (2:3a)
  • The Lord discloses the fact that the revelation speaks of the end (2:3b)
  • The Lord discloses the fact that the revelation will not prove false (2:3c)
  • The Lord discloses the fact that though the revelation linger, wait for it (2:3d)
  • The Lord discloses the fact that the revelation will certainly come (2:3e)
  • The Lord discloses the fact that the revelation will not delay (2:3f)
  • The Lord knows that the enemy is puffed up (2:4a)
  • The Lord knows that the enemy’s desires are not upright (2:4b)
  • The Lord reassures that the righteous person will live by his faithfulness (2:4c)
  • The Lord knows that wine betrays the evil doer (2:5a [Proverbs 20:1])
  • The Lord knows that the enemy (the evil doer) is arrogant and never at rest (2:5b)
  • The Lord knows that the enemy (the evil doer) is as greedy as the grave (2:5c)
  • The Lord knows that the enemy (the evil doer) like death is never satisfied (2:5d)
  • The Lord knows that the enemy (the evil doer) gathers to himself all the nations (2:5e)
  • The Lord knows that the enemy (the evil doer) takes all the peoples as captives (2:5f)
  • The Lord makes it clear that the time will come when all of the captives taunt him with ridicule and scorn (2:6a)
  • The Lord makes it clear that the time will come when all of the captives taunt him saying, woe to him who piles up stolen goods (2:6b)
  • The Lord makes it clear that the time will come when all of the captives taunt him saying, he makes himself wealthy by extortion (2:6c)
  • The Lord makes it clear that the time will come when all of the captives taunt him saying, how long must evil doer’s evil activity go on (2:6d)
  • The Lord makes it clear that his (the evil doer’s) creditors will suddenly arise against him (2:7a)
  • The Lord makes it clear that the time will come when his (the evil doer’s) creditors will suddenly wake up and make him tremble (2:7b)
  • The Lord makes it clear that the time will come when his (the evil doer’s) creditors will suddenly come against him and he will become their (his creditors’) prey (2:7c)
  • The Lord makes it clear that since the evil doer plundered many nations, the peoples who are left will plunder him (2:8a)
  • The Lord knows that the evil doer has shed so much of human blood (2:8b)
  • The Lord knows that the evil doer has destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them (2:8c)
  • The Lord makes it clear that the time will come when his (the evil doer’s) creditors will say, woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain (2:9a)
  • The Lord makes it clear that the time will come when his (the evil doer’s) creditors will say, woe to him who setting his nest on high to escape the clutches of ruin (2:9b)
  • The Lord knows that the evil doer has plotted the ruin of many peoples (2:10a)
  • The Lord knows that the evil doer has plotted the ruin of many peoples by shaming his own house and forfeiting his very life (2:10b)
  • The Lord knows that the stones of the wall of the evil doer’s house will cry out because he builds his house with unjust gain (2:11a)
  • The Lord knows that the stones of the wall of the evil doer’s house will cry out and the beams of the woodwork of his house will echo it because he builds his house with unjust gain (2:11b)
  • The Lord makes it clear that he who builds a city with bloodshed will surely reap its consequence (2:12a)
  • The Lord makes it clear that he who establishes a town by injustice will surely reap its consequence (2:12b)
  • The Lord Almighty determined that the people’s labor to build evil doer’s house/city is only fuel for the fire (2:13a)
  • The Lord Almighty determined that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing (2:13b)
  • The reality is that the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (2:14)
  • The Lord will judge the one (the evil doer) who gives drink to his neighbors pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk so that he (the evil doer) can gaze on their naked bodies (2:15)
  • The Lord determines that such people will be filled with shame instead of glory (2:16a)
  • The Lord will judge the evil doer who does such thing and He will bring it on his own head the same thing he did to others (2:16b)
  • The Lord will make such evil doer drink and his nakedness will be exposed (2:16c)
  • The cup from the Lord’s right hand is coming around the evil doer (2:16d)
  • The Lord will cause disgrace to cover the evil doer’s glory (2:16e)
  • The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you (2:17a)
  • The destruction you inflicted on animals will terrify you (2:17b)
  • The Lord ask for the blood of human the evil doer shed (2:17c)
  • The Lord will hold the evil doer accountable for destroying lands and cities and everyone in them (2:17d)
  • The Lord says that there is no value for an idol carved by a craftsman or an image that teaches lies (2:18a)
  • There is no use of trusting the idol one makes for himself or for others (2:18b)
  • The craftsman makes idols that cannot speak or do anything for its master (2:18c)
  • The Lord says that woe to him who says to wood, come to life (2:19a)
  • The Lord says that woe to him who says to lifeless stone, wake up (2:19b)
  • The Lord says, can the idol give guidance to the craftsman or anyone else (2:19c)
  • The Lord says that the idols the craftsman makes covered with gold and silver but there is no breath in it (2:19d)
  • It is an invitation to all to turn to the Lord God who created the universe and everything in it for He is in his holy temple (2:20a)
  • It is an invitation for the all the earth to remain silent before the Lord God (2:20b)

The Lord God assured prophet Habakkuk that although He is raising up the ruthless and impetuous Babylonian army against the people of Judah, He is in control and He will hold the Babylonians accountable every evil deed they do and God will judge them for their wickedness. In fact, God will judge anyone who does evil in His sight – whether it is a people who are close to His heart or a people far away (Psalm 149:6-9). When prophet Habakkuk heard the plans of God regarding the righteous and the unrighteous people (related to the nation of Judah/Israel as well as the nation of Babylon), he praised God for His righteousness and justice; and prayed for His mercy and compassion upon everyone everywhere who keeps His righteous laws and decrees (Habakkuk 3:1-16). Let us go through the prayer prophet Habakkuk offered before God in response to God’s answer to his complaints:

• • Prophet Habakkuk prayed to the God of Israel (3:1)
  • Prophet Habakkuk admitted to the Lord that he has heard God’s fame (3:2a [Psalm 44:1-3])
  • Prophet Habakkuk admitted to the Lord that he stand in awe of God’s deeds (3:2b)
  • Prophet Habakkuk pleading to the Lord to repeat God’s marvelous deeds again in their day (3:2c)
  • Prophet Habakkuk pleading to the Lord to make known God’s marvelous deeds in their day (3:2d)
  • Prophet Habakkuk pleading to the Lord to be merciful to them (Israel/Judah), even when He is angry (3:2e)
  • Prophet Habakkuk acknowledges that the Lord came from Teman (3:3a)
  • Prophet Habakkuk acknowledges that the Holy One came from Mount Paran (3:3b)
  • Prophet Habakkuk acknowledges that the Lord’s glory covered the heavens (3:3c)
  • Prophet Habakkuk acknowledges that God’s praise filled the earth (3:3d)
  • Prophet Habakkuk acknowledges that the splendor of the Lord was like the sunrise (3:4a)
  • Prophet Habakkuk acknowledges that the rays flashed from His hand (3:4b)
  • Prophet Habakkuk acknowledges that power was hidden in His hand (3:4c)
  • Prophet Habakkuk knew that the plague went before Him (3:5a)
  • Prophet Habakkuk knew that pestilence followed His steps (3:5b)
  • Prophet Habakkuk realized that when the Lord stood the earth shook (3:6a)
  • Prophet Habakkuk realized that when the Lord looked at the nations they trembled (3:6b)
  • Prophet Habakkuk realized that when the Lord looked the ancient mountains crumbled (3:6c)
  • Prophet Habakkuk realized that when the Lord looked, the age-old hills collapsed (3:6d)
  • Prophet Habakkuk realized that whatever happens the Lord marches on forever (3:6e)
  • Prophet Habakkuk saw that the tents of Cushan in distress in the presence of the Lord (3:7a)
  • Prophet Habakkuk saw that the dwellings of Midian in anguish in the presence of the Lord (3:7b)
  • Prophet Habakkuk clarifies with the Lord: Were you angry with the rivers? (3:8a)
  • Prophet Habakkuk clarifies with the Lord: Was your wrath arose against the streams? (3:8b)
  • Prophet Habakkuk clarifies with the Lord: Did you rage against the sea when you rode your horses? (3:8c)
  • Prophet Habakkuk clarifies with the Lord: Did you rage against the sea when you rode your chariots to victory? (3:8d)
  • (with amazement Prophet Habakkuk stated) Oh Lord, You uncovered your bow (3:9a)
  • (with amazement Prophet Habakkuk stated) Oh Lord, You called for many arrows (3:9b)
  • (with amazement Prophet Habakkuk stated) Oh Lord, You split the earth with rivers (3:9c)
  • (with amazement Prophet Habakkuk stated) Oh Lord, the mountains saw you and writhed (3:10a)
  • (with amazement prophet Habakkuk stated) Oh Lord, in Your presence, the torrents of water swept by (3:10b)
  • (with amazement prophet Habakkuk stated) Oh Lord, in Your presence, the deep roared (3:10c)
  • (with amazement prophet Habakkuk stated) Oh Lord, in Your presence, the deep lifted its waves on high (3:10d)
  • (with amazement prophet Habakkuk stated) Oh Lord, at the glint of Your flying arrows, sun and moon stood still in the heavens (3:11a)
  • (with amazement prophet Habakkuk stated) Oh Lord, at the lightning of your flashing spear, sun and moon stood still in the heavens (3:11b)
  • Oh Lord, in wrath you strode through the earth (3:12a)
  • Oh Lord, in anger you threshed the nations (3:12b)
  • Oh Lord, You came out to deliver your people (3:13a)
  • Oh Lord, You came out to save your anointed one (3:13b)
  • Oh Lord, You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness (3:13c)
  • Oh Lord, You stripped the leader of the land of wickedness from head to foot (3:13d)
  • Oh Lord, with his own spear you pierced his head when his warriors stormed out to scatter us (3:14a)
  • Oh Lord, with his own spear you pierced his head when gloating as though about to devour the wretched who were in hiding (3:14b)
  • Oh Lord, You trampled the sea with your horses, churning the great waters (3:15)
  • (testimony of prophet Habakkuk) I heard and my heart pounded (3:16a)
  • (testimony of prophet Habakkuk) my lips quivered at the sound (3:16b)
  • (testimony of prophet Habakkuk) decay crept into my bones (3:16c)
  • (testimony of prophet Habakkuk) my legs trembled (3:16d)
  • (testimony of prophet Habakkuk) yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us (3:16e)

It is understood that after his praise and prayer, prophet Habakkuk received strength from the Lord and rededicated his life for the ministry he was called to carry out. He rejoiced in the Lord, the God of heaven and earth who chose the children of Israel out of all the nations on earth to be his very own people (Deuteronomy 7:6). Regardless of any situations or circumstances that would come across his life-journey with God or in the path of ministry, he promised his devotion and obedience to the Lord God Almighty, the God of his fathers (Habakkuk 3:17-19 [also refer to: 2 Chronicles 20:6; Jeremiah 29:11; Acts 3:13; 22:14]). Let us examine prophet Habakkuk’s decisions as he shared before the God of Israel (Habakkuk 3:17-19):

• • Though the fig tree does not bud, he will rejoice in the Lord and will be joyful in God his Savior (3:17a)
  • Though there are no grapes on the vines, he will rejoice in the Lord and will be joyful in God his Savior (3:17b)
  • Though the olive crop fails, he will rejoice in the Lord and will be joyful in God his Savior (3:17c)
  • Though the fields produce no food, he will rejoice in the Lord and will be joyful in God his Savior (3:17d)
  • Though there are no sheep in the pen, he will rejoice in the Lord and will be joyful in God his Savior (3:17e)
  • Though there is no cattle in the stalls, he will rejoice in the Lord and will be joyful in God his Savior (3:17f)
  • It is the prophet’s decision that he will rejoice in the Lord at all times (3:18a)
  • It is the prophet’s decision that he will be joyful in God his Savior despite the circumstances (3:18b)
  • The prophet acknowledges that the sovereign Lord is his strength (3:19a)
  • The prophet believes that the Lord will make his feet like the feet of a deer (3:19b)
  • The prophet believes that the Lord will enable him to tread on the heights (3:19c)

When we start reading/listening from the prophecies of prophet Habakkuk, we notice that his messages were filled with concerns and complaints, and there is no scope for any good outcome from his prophecies. However, as we study along its chapters and verses, we can understand that what he feared was just his concerns and imaginations. Although the situation looked bleak in the early stage, when prophet Habakkuk heard from God and understood the plans of God, the tune of his messages became pleasant and encouraging. He praised God for who He is and prayed to Him for His mercy and compassion upon His chosen ones. The prophet concluded his messages reaffirming his commitment and loyalty to his God, the God of Israel.

Dear friends, as we meditate upon the Scripture the Lord has blessed us with (Habakkuk 3:17-19), we learn that after the back and forth heart-to-heart talk (like a debate) between prophet Habakkuk and the Lord, the God of Israel (1:2-2:20), the Lord cleared all his concerns and doubts regarding the issues he was worried about. When prophet Habakkuk realized that (i) the Lord is in His holy temple (Habakkuk 2:20) and (ii) the earth is filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14), and (iii) His glory covered the heavens and his praise filled the earth (3:3b), and (iv) learned about the ultimate plans of God in the matters he worried about (Habakkuk 2:2-19), and (v) learned about the things God does in the world, he was at peace within himself, with others, and, above all else, with the God of heaven. As a result, he praised the Lord, the God of his fathers, acknowledging who He is and what He does in His sovereignty (3:1-16). Prophet Habakkuk rejoiced in the Lord and was determined to stay strong more than ever before in his spiritual journey with God, and continue to serve the Lord who called him to be a prophet to serve in the regions of Jerusalem and Judah.

In the light of prophet Habakkuk’s ministry and the concern and complaints he had, let us also try to be aware of the reality that our promising circumstances may change, the favorable situations we experience may change, and/or the people whom we depend on may change their attitude towards us, but the Lord who has called you and I will never change according to the situations or circumstances (Numbers 23:19; Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17). Remember, you and I serve a God who created the universe and everything in it from out of nothing (Genesis 1:1-31). For some, He is the God of heaven (Nehemiah 1:4-5; Daniel 2:18); for some, He is the God of the universe (Genesis 1:1-31; Job 12:7-10; Psalm 24:1; Isaiah 45:12; Acts 17:24-26; Romans 1:20); for some, He is the God of Israel (Genesis 12:1-3; 17:7; Exodus 6:7; Deuteronomy 7:6; 2 Samuel 7:23-24; Isaiah 49:7; Jeremiah 32:38); for some, He is the divine healer (Exodus 15:26; Psalm 30:2; 41:2-3; Isaiah 53:5; 57:18-19; Jeremiah 33:6; James 5:14-15; Revelation 21:4); for some, He is the one deliver them from burning furnace or from the mouth of the lions (3:26-27; 6:21-23); for some, He is the God who loved the world and sent His One and Only Son to this world to save the fallen humanity and grant eternal life (John 3:16; 1 John 4:14), for some, He is the one who took the form of a human being and came down to this wretched world and lived among the people whom He created (Philippians 2:6-8), for some, He is the savior of mankind (Matthew 1:21; Luke 19:10; Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 4:10; 1 John 4:14), for some, He is the Lord of lords and the King of kings (Exodus 3:14; Deuteronomy 10:17; Daniel 2:47; Zechariah 14:9; Revelation 17:14; 19:16). The sovereign Lord who created everything in this universe – seen or unseen, heard or unheard, known or unknown (Genesis 1:1), came down in the form of a human being (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7; John 1:14; John 3;16), lived among the people as one of us (John 1:14, 18), died on the cross in the place everyone who sinned against the sovereign Lord, was buried and resurrected and returned to heaven (Matthew 27:35-37; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:32; 24:50-51; John 19:18; Acts 1:9-10).  He is with us now (John 16:7) and working through us unconditionally through His Holy Spirit (the full account of Jesus’ life and ministry is recorded in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). Despite all the situations we face (good or bad), the Lord who called you and I for His ministry will be faithful to us and will remain at our side in any given situation, if we continue remain faithful to Him (Deuteronomy 7:9; 1 Matthew 28:20b; Thessalonians 5:24). The promise of God to each and every one of us is that I [God] will never leave you nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5). Jesus said: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (Revelation 22:13 [Psalm 90:2; 145:3; Isaiah 9:6; 40:28]), and He promised His presence to be with us to the very end of the age: … surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20 [Isaiah 41:10; 43:2-3]). Let us wholeheartedly surrender our life before Him who created us, as it is mentioned in the Scripture that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture (Psalm 100:3). May the Lord God Almighty bless us all! Amen!