Habukkak 3

A prayer and a Psalm

Hab 3:1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.

The first two chapters have Habakkuk asking questions and getting answers, now is a prayer.

A prayer and a psalm, Shigionoth was a musical notation used in Psalm 7. The meaning of the word is unknown; it comes from the verb meaning to wander.There is a frequent use of Selah, a musical notation, to lift up, to exalt and to pause. From this it is assumed that Habakkuk was a musician or singer in the temple.

Hab 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.

Revive thy work, bring a revival at this time. We should also be seeking personal revival. Are you growing in the word? Does your life show your relationship to God? Are you growing closer to God?

This Psalm 77:17-20 was of the ideas from this prayer.

Psa 77:17 The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad.
Psa 77:18 The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.
Psa 77:19 Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.
Psa 77:20 Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Hab 2:20 Had the Lord in his temple; in wrath remember mercy.

Lam 3:22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
Lam 3:23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Lam 3:24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
Lam 3:25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
Lam 3:26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

Give God the glory

Hab 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.

Teman was a city in Edom from Mt. Seir the LORD came bringing the law from Mt. Paran.

Deu 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.

His glory went with his people delivering them into the promised land.

Jos 2:9 And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

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

The LORD's power and salvation The LORD was as a consuming fire on the mountain.

Exo 24:16 And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
Exo 24:17 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.

Jesus is described as brightness.

Isa 60:3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Hab 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.

The LORD stood with Joshua as he divided the promise land to him.

Jos 13:1 Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.

Hab 3:7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

Moses spoke of the fear of the inhabitance of Palestine.

Exo 15:13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.
Exo 15:14 The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina. The Midianites asked the prophet Baalam to curse the Hebrews.

Num 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
Num 23:20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

Nonetheless, Balaam showed them how to weaken the Hebrews by mixing their women with them, with their false gods.

Hab 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?

The LORD by Moses turned the Nile river to blood in one of the plagues used to free his people. He also divided the River Jordan for his people to pass through. The LORD parted the Red sea giving safe passage to the ebrews and destroying the horses and chariots of the pursuing Egyptians.

Exo 14:19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
Exo 14:20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
Exo 14:21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
Exo 14:22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

The Lord's chariots were the clouds and the fire that brought salvation.

Hab 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.

The LORD's vengeance may tarry, but it will come swiftly to his enemies. The oath to his people was that their enemies are God's enemies.

Psa 64:7 But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.

Num 20:11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

Rivers of water came from the rock. Rivers of living water are brought forth by Christ the Rock.

Joh 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
Joh 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Hab 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.

The Lord controls the elements; he makes mountains to tremble, he brings water up from the deep, waters the streams; he made a way for the Hebrews to cross the Red Sea.

Exo 14:22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

Hab 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.

"By their light, thine arrows went abroad; By their brightness, the lightning of thy spear." (Clark)

Jos 10:12 Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.
Jos 10:13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
Jos 10:14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.

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

You trampled the heathen nations for your people.

Hab 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.

You chose thine anointed, Joshua,the anointed to replace Moses, or the messiah who was with them bringing salvation to his people. Babylon would be destroyed, striking down head and neck

Hab 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.
Hab 3:15 Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, through the heap of great waters.

You took the defense of the defenseless and overcame their enemies as a whirlwind.

Psa 77:19 Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known. He led the through the Red sea, he delivered them from their enemies. Glory to the LORD.

Trusting in the LORD at all times

Hab 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.

Psa 119:120 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.

Babylon would be judged, but first they will be used to chastise God's idolatrous people.

1Pe 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
1Pe 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

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

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit; even though the destroyer will come, we can rejoice in the Lord, our salvation.

Isa 41:14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
Isa 41:15 Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.
Isa 41:16 Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.

Isa 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

Hab 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.

Feet like a doe, a deer, that will not slip in dangerous places. This sounds peculiar, but we do not want to put our feet on slippery ground when the times are dangerous. We need to walk sure footed, walking with the Lord, not ahead of him, but with him as we are led by the LORD. Having observed deer in the wild, they are cautious, gentle, circumspect. They know their environment, preferring to be hidden or in tall grass, but also in high places. I have seen them swim across the river. I have never seen a malicious doe. We are to be gentle and cautious, surefooted in our walk with the LORD.

2Sa 22:32 For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?
2Sa 22:33 God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.
2Sa 22:34 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet: and setteth me upon my high places.
2Sa 22:35 He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
2Sa 22:36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great.
2Sa 22:37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip.

Psa 18:30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
Psa 18:31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
Psa 18:32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
Psa 18:33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.
Psa 18:34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
Psa 18:35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
Psa 18:36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.

Habakkuk 1
Habbakuk 2
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