HABAKKUK LESSON 3


     We will begin this lesson in Habakkuk 3:1 "A prayer of Habakkuk
the prophet upon Shigionoth."

     "Shigionoth" means rambling poem. It, possibly, means the prayer
was sung. Notice, also, that Habakkuk is recognized, again, as a
prophet.

     Habakkuk 3:2 "O LORD, I have heard thy speech, [and] was afraid:
O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the
years make known; in wrath remember mercy."

     In chapter 2, God had answered the prayer of Habakkuk. Now, he
recognizes the fact that God has answered his questions. The
explanation of the punishment God will bring on the Jews, and then the
total destruction of Babylon, has frightened Habakkuk. Habakkuk wants
to go back to the time when God's blessings were upon the Jews.
Habakkuk wants God to be merciful, and not complete the wrath He had
spoken of.

     Habakkuk 3:3 "God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount
Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of
his praise."

     The statement "God came from Teman" is speaking of God coming to
Mount Sinai to make covenant with the people. "Selah" is an expression
used many times in the Psalms. God, in the verse above, is Eloah,
which means Deity. This shows that God is Lord and Ruler of all the
earth. Holy One is another way of speaking of God, who is all-
powerful. The glory of God fills the heavens and the earth.
Deuteronomy 5:24 "And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us
his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the
midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man,
and he liveth."  Deuteronomy 33:2 "And he said, The LORD came from
Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount
Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand
[went] a fiery law for them."  There is no other glory compared to the
glory of God in the heavens. Psalms 48:10 "According to thy name, O
God, so [is] thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is
full of righteousness."

     Habakkuk 3:4 "And [his] brightness was as the light; he had horns
[coming] out of his hand: and there [was] the hiding of his power."

     God is the Light. He not only is as the Light, He is the Light.
The "horns coming out of His hands" show the power of His work.
"Horns" symbolize power and "hands" symbolize work. This could, also,
mean that light was streaming from His hands. The Light of God is like
a garment God is clothed in to keep mortal man from seeing Him. Most
who have an experience with God, see a bright Light, or a fire.  The
power of God is hidden in that Light. I John 1:5 "This then is the
message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is
light, and in him is no darkness at all."  Revelation 21:23 "And the
city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for
the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb [is] the light thereof."

     Habakkuk 3:5 "Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals
went forth at his feet."

     The "burning coals at His feet" are compared to burnished brass.
"Brass" symbolizes judgement. At His command, the pestilence moves. He
sends the pestilence. He is, also, the One who removes the pestilence.

     Habakkuk 3:6 "He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and
drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were
scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways [are] everlasting."

     This measurement has to do with judgement. The mountains and the
hills quake at His presence. They are His creation and are subject to
Him as the people are. Joel 2:10 "The earth shall quake before them;
the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the
stars shall withdraw their shining:" He is Everalsting God.

     Habakkuk 3:7 "I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: [and] the
curtains of the land of Midian did tremble."

     Cushan is speaking, probably, of Ethiopia. Midian is another
country who was opposed to God's people. They will all tremble, when
God takes vengeance for His people.

     Habakkuk 3:8 "Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? [was]
thine anger against the rivers? [was] thy wrath against the sea, that
thou didst ride upon thine horses [and] thy chariots of salvation?"

     This asks the question of whether God was angry with the rivers,
or the sea, when He showed His power over them? The answer is no. He
was angry with the sinful people, not with the sea, or the river. God
was glorified to the people, when He caused the Red Sea to part. He
was glorified to the people, when He caused the rivers to turn to
blood.  God was not angry with these things of nature, but He was
angry at the people who had made them gods. The Lord will come as King
of kings on a white horse. Whether this is what is spoken of here or
not, I cannot say. The Lord is our salvation.

     Habakkuk 3:9 "Thy bow was made quite naked, [according] to the
oaths of the tribes, [even thy] word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the
earth with rivers."

     This is describing the Lord as a warrior King. The "bow being
naked" means it is drawn ready to use. God had made covenant with
these people, and promised to deliver them. God does exactly what He
says. "Cleave" is when the land is broken open. This could be by an
earthquake.

     Habakkuk 3:10 "The mountains saw thee, [and] they trembled: the
overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, [and]
lifted up his hands on high."

     We know that Mount Sinai quaked at the presence of God. This is
what is spoken of here, as well. The overflowing of the water could be
speaking of the great flood. What it is really saying, is at the
command of God, the water will overflow. God's voice is like thunder.
This sound came from the deep, so is, possibly, speaking of the
roaring that accompanies the sea.

     Habakkuk 3:11 "The sun [and] moon stood still in their
habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, [and] at the
shining of thy glittering spear."

     All of this is explaining that God controls all of these things.
It is He that commanded the light to shine. It is by His command that
it will stop shining. The shining of the spear, in this instance,
could be speaking of lightning. God's presence is enough to cause all
of the things we have read about, but His commands cause all the
elements of nature to obey.

     Habakkuk 3:12 "Thou didst march through the land in indignation,
thou didst thresh the heathen in anger."

     When the True God walks through the earth in indignation, the
whole earth trembles. The threshing is like the farmer threshing the
wheat. God fights for His own. He separates His family from the lost,
as the wheat is separated from the chaff.

     Habakkuk 3:13 "Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy
people, [even] for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the
head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation
unto the neck. Selah."

     God is the Saviour of His people. He will save Judah from the
Chaldeans. He will send His Son and save all the world who will
believe and accept Him. The "Anointed One" is Christ. He comes as
Saviour. The head of the house of the wicked could be anything, from
the Babylonian head to the head over Jerusalem, when Jesus comes. We
know the Babylonians were destroyed. We, also, know there will come a
time when Jesus will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. This,
perhaps, means all of those times. God knows whether the foundation is
built on the Rock, or on sinking sand.

     Habakkuk 3:14 "Thou didst strike through with his staves the head
of his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their
rejoicing [was] as to devour the poor secretly."

     The Chaldeans had been so cruel in their conquest, they had
especially preyed on the poor. They destroyed the rulers first, and
then destroyed all who followed. This is just one instance of that
kind of cruelty. It is all too clear that this type of thing will
continue on, until the coming of Christ. Proverbs 30:14 "[There is] a
generation, whose teeth [are as] swords, and their jaw teeth [as]
knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from
[among] men." Jesus, the Judge of all the earth, will change that. He
will destroy the oppressor and bring peace to the earth. He takes
special care of the poor, who cannot help themselves.

     Habakkuk 3:15 "Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses,
[through] the heap of great waters."

     This speaking of the Red Sea that parted into a heap, so the
children of Israel could pass through on dry land. This, also, shows
us that God is with us in our greatest time of need. He is there to go
through the waters of life. He will not remove the water, He just
makes a passage-way for us to cross.

     Habakkuk 3:16 "When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered
at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in
myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up
unto the people, he will invade them with his troops."

     This was, possibly, intended for Judah then, but is, also, for
all generations who face their own shortcomings. Judah was to feel the
chastisement of God for their unfaithfulness to God. Deuteronomy 28:58
"If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are
written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful
name, THE LORD THY GOD;" Hebrews 10:31 "[It is] a fearful thing to
fall into the hands of the living God." We see that Habakkuk has great
fear {reverence} of God. He is so weak at the presence of God, that
his bones seem to be rotten. His bones were like water. He had no
strength within him. Habakkuk knows the invasion of Judah is certain.
Habakkuk believes that he will have perfect rest in the midst of all
this trouble.

     Habakkuk 3:17  "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:"

     The blessings of God upon this people are completely gone. Their
crops fail, their cattle are no more. The fig tree symbolically speaks
of Israel. The blooming of Israel is over. God has judged them, and
they will be chastised.

     Habakkuk 3:18 "Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the
God of my salvation."

     Even though his world seems to be collapsing about him, Habakkuk
will rejoice in the LORD. Psalms 91:7 "A thousand shall fall at thy
side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; [but] it shall not come nigh
thee."  The circumstances around Habakkuk do not cause him to be
discouraged. He places his faith in the LORD. He is looking beyond
this present conflict to the salvation he knows is for him. Joy is an
inward knowing that all is well. It is not an outward show of
laughing. Romans 5:2 "By whom also we have access by faith into this
grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

     Habakkuk 3:19 "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. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments."

     This is just saying, that believing in the eternal salvation of
God will cause him to rise above the immediate problems.
II Corinthians 12:9 "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for
thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly
therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of
Christ may rest upon me."  II Corinthians 12:10 "Therefore I take
pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in
persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak,
then am I strong."  It is not my own strength that I can depend upon.
It is the strength that God brings me, when Christ dwells within me.
Ephesians 3:16 "That he would grant you, according to the riches of
his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner
man;" The best thing a person can determine in his work for God is
that he cannot do anything on his own. It is God who brings success to
our endeavors. There is no obstacle too large for God to overcome.
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which
strengtheneth me."

































                        Habakkuk 3 Questions


1.  A ________ of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.
2.  What does "Shigionoth" mean?
3.  What fact has Habakkuk recognized in this prayer?
4.  What has frightened Habakkuk?
5.  In verse 2, Habakkuk wants God to be ____________.
6.  What is the statement "God came from Teman" speaking of?
7.  Where else in the Bible is "Selah" prominently used?
8.  God, in verse 3, is __________ which means Deity.
9.  Quote Dueteronomy chapter 5 verse 24.
10. In Dueteronomy chapter 33 verse 2, who came with the LORD?
11. The Right Hand is full of _______________.
12. The brightness was as the ___________.
13. What do the "horns coming out of His hands" symbolize?
14. Most of us who have an experience with God see a _________ ______.
15. Quote 1 John chapter 1 verse 5.
16. In Revelation, why was there no need for sun and moon to shine?
17. What are the "burning coals at His feet" similar to?
18. The measurement of the earth had to do with ____________.
19. Quote Joel chapter 2 verse 10.
20. Who is Cushan speaking of?
21. When God showed His power over the sea, was it because He was
    angry with the sea?
22. When the Red Sea was parted, God was _____________.
23. Who was God angry with?
24. Verse 9 is describing the Lord as what?
25. What was meant by the "naked sword"?
26. What causes the light to shine?
27. God separates His family from the lost, as the _________ is
    separated from the _______.
28. Who is the "Anointed One"?
30. Quote Proverbs chapter 30 verse 14.
31. What is verse 15 speaking of?
32. Why would Judah feel the chastisement of God?
33. Quote Dueteronomy chapter 28 verse 58.
34. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the ________ ____.
35. Verse 17 speaks of the blessings of God upon this people being
    _________ ________.
36. Quote Psalms chapter 91 verse 7.
37. Quote Romans chapter 5 verse 2.
38. The ______ ____ is my strength.
39. What causes Habakkuk to rise above the immediate problems?
40. Quote Philippians chapter 4 verse 13.