Habakkuk 2:2-4 ESV And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. 3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. 4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.
Habakkuk 3:17-19 NLT Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! 19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.
Observation
The prophet Habakkuk lived and prophesied in Israel between the Assyrian Captivity and the Babylonian one. His nation was far from God. Habakkuk started his book with lamentation – “This country has gone to pot. The rulers are corrupt. There is no justice. Where are You, God?” God answers him with “If it (the fulfillment of the vision) seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay… 4b the righteous shall live by his faith.” God is encouraging Habakkuk to separate his hope from what he can see and choose to place his hope and trust in God’s timing, His wisdom, His justice, grace and mercy, even when imminent circumstances appear terrifying and overwhelming. This book reflects our journey to becoming rooted and grounded in Christ – from the “Why me? Where are You, God?” to entering God’s peace and rest through the continuing exercise of our faith so we can rejoice in the Lord in all circumstances.
The Apostle Paul links righteousness and faith 11 times in Romans alone, beginning with a reference to Habakkuk in Romans 1:17 – “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” Hebrews 11 (the Faith Chapter) certainly makes clear that living by faith is no picnic but rather a journey of learning to abide in Christ, embracing His peace, until it brings us to a place of full submission to God’s will and purpose for us regardless of the cost. The final verses of Habakkuk are his prayer of dedication to God – Even when all my resources are gone, “yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.”
Impact on Me
I have never faced exactly what Habakkuk was facing. The Babylonians were conquering the Assyrians on all fronts and taking possession of the lands they conquered. Both of these nations had terrifyingly bloody reputations as conquerors and rulers. The situation seemed hopeless for those in their path. Yet, God is asking Habakkuk to stop looking around him and look up to where his hope belongs. I have been in this situation – so focused on what was wrong or threatening around me rather than putting my complete trust in God’s grace, mercy, timing and His ability to fulfill His promises, will and purposes when He determines the time is right. Habakkuk and I face different specific circumstances but the same journey – from fear to faith, from being moved by what I see rather than standing on what I know, from being stuck in the valley to being lifted up to “tread upon the heights” so I can see from God’s perspective.
For me, faith is a gift, given by God for me to embrace and exercise in good times and not so good ones. I have found that my faith will be strengthened and deepened by trusting God in hopeless, difficult and desperate times. When I was newly in Christ, when all was going well, I tended to lean on my own strength and abilities, and, foolishly and pridefully, even gave myself the credit or counted it as a reward for being “good.” This was a problem because it was the way the Pharisees believed which led to excluding all problematic people from God’s favor and even His redemption. Jesus changed that perception by showing God’s favor, healing and deliverance to those same problematic people. Thankfully, I walked out of Habakkuk 1 and into the challenge of chapter 2 when my life journey provided hopeless, difficult and challenging circumstances. I pray that I am moving on to chapter 3 to rejoice in the Lord in all circumstances – good or bad, easy or difficult, hopeful or hopeless – because He has proven Himself faithful in them all.
Prayer
God of our Hope, Redeemer, All-Wise Father, You are faithful and just always – even when I don’t understand why You allow the difficult circumstances to arise. I repent for the times I have rebelled against submission to You and forgotten that You are not only sovereign but also good, always working in me to fulfill Your plan and purpose for me whether I understand or not. Help me to change my prayer from lament to dedication – “Lord, here am I. What do You need me to be and do right now in this moment, in this circumstance?” May I never cease to praise You in all things. In Jesus’ name, I pray.
Pressing On In His Footsteps 