The Prayer of Habakkuk… (3 points)

• 1^st – A prayer for mercy… vs. 1-2
  • 1^st – A prayer of passion… vs. 1
    • This closing chapter of Habakkuk is a prayer / song (psalm)…
      • The meaning of Shigionoth is uncertain – translators just transliterated the word…
      • But most commentators think it is a musical term – carried the idea of strong emotion…
      • Likely referring to the content of the song / its accompanying instruments / and tone!
    • Shigionoth is the plural word of the Hebrew – shiggaion – each appears once in the Bible…
      • Here in Habakkuk 3:1 and in Psalm 7 where it is mention in the title…
      • Comparing the two occurrences we do find similar themes….
      • Both Psalms paint a picture of Israel in dire straights – in times of seeming hopelessness…
      • Both songs end with praise to the Lord in the hope of His deliverance from trouble!
    • Habakkuk was hurt – afraid – worried for his people / unsure of the future…
      • He knew the Lord was the answer – but He also knew that answer would not come today…
      • So this was not a calm prayer – this was not a song for a Sunday service… 
      • This ‘Psalm’ of Habakkuk was a passionate / even violent prayer!
      • Often when we pray we feel the need to be polite – even plastic – before the Lord…
      • Our life is in turmoil – we are desperate – but our prayers are rehearsed…
      • God knows our hearts – and He will not be offended by the truth…
      • There have been days when I just wanted to scream – cry – slam my fists…
      • And it felt like there was no one who would listen – no where to turn…
      • God is there to hear our hurts / doubts / fears – He will not turn away from our pain!
  • 2^nd – A prayer to remember mercy… vs. 2
    • Habakkuk heard the word of the Lord and was in fear / awe…
      • He had asked two questions – and the Lord had given him two terrifying answers…
      • God would use Babylon to judge Judah – then He would judge Babylon!
    • Habakkuk asked the Lord to revive His work – do what God had done before!
      • God had redeemed Israel before – saved them against insurmountable odds…
      • Habakkuk had heard the stories – but He wanted to see God do it in his day!
      • In the midst of His wrath poured out on Judah / Babylon – remember mercy…
      • It was not that Judah deserved to be saved – but mercy triumphs over judgment!
      • James 2:10 – we are told it only takes on sin to miss out on heaven…
      • So all of us deserve judgment – Romans 3:23 – all of us have earned death – Romans 6:23
      • But James goes on to say mercy has triumphed over judgment – James 2:13
      • What Jesus did on the cross of Calvary opened up the way for us to be forgiven…
      • As God has done countless times in the past – He CAN still make sinners into saints…
      • Just like the prayer of Habakkuk – God can redeem us against all odds!

• 2^nd – Remembering the past – Selah… vs. 3-15
  • The Selah (3 total) – taking a moment to contemplate…
    • Habakkuk turns his prayer towards reflection – remembering what God had done…
      • How He had taken a rag tag group of slaves – and freed them from bondage in Egypt…
      • God did not need to be reminded of the Exodus – He had not forgotten…
      • But it gave Habakkuk perspective – God had redeemed / and He could do it again!
      • Sometimes it seems like the trials of life are going to overwhelm us…
      • Yet when we remember the faithfulness of God – we find our perspective changes…
      • We no longer see our problems – instead our God who is greater than any problem!
    • This reflection of the Exodus is broken up into 3 sections…
      • Each section contains a poetic phrase called a Selah…
      • It is thought to refer to a break in a psalm – a time to stop and reflect / listen…
      • In other words Habakkuk did not just reflect on the Lord – he stopped to listen to Him!
      • Rarely do we take the time in prayer to listen – it tends to be a one way conversation…
      • It makes you wonder – if no one is answering – is anyone listening – Luke 18:11
      • How can we have a relationship with God – if we never give him a chance to speak…
      • We need to take the time to listen to the wisdom / comfort He has for our lives!
    • Habakkuk will use poetic language to describe the Exodus…
      • The wording upon first reading can seem to be a bit confusing / garbled…
      • But they are illustrative – and the key is to connect them to the events of the Exodus!
  • 1^st – Reflecting on the Holiness / power of God… vs. 3-7
    • God (Eloah) came from Teman (Edom) – in the southern dessert near the Judean wilderness…
      • The Holy One from Mount Paran – another name for Mount Sinai – Deuteronomy 33:2
        • His glory covered the heavens – and the earth was full of praise!
        • Rays of brilliant light flashed from His hands – speaking of lighting!
        • 2 months to the day after Israel had left Egypt – Israel arrived at the mountain of God…
        • Traditionally Mt. Sinai is located on the Sinai Peninsula between Egypt and Israel…
        • But Mt. Sinai / Mt Horeb was located in the Land of Midian (Saudi Arabia) – Exodus 3:1
        • According to the historian Josephus it was the tallest mountain around…
        • Best guess – ‘Mt. Jebel el Lawz’ which is one of the tallest mountains in Saudi Arabia…
        • The top 200’ of the mountain is scorched black to this day…
        • There are even ancient boundary markers every 400 yards in a semi-circle!
      • Exodus 19 – God told Israel no one was allowed on the mountain…
        • No one could even approach – boundaries were put all around – ‘do not enter’!
        • If any man of animal crossed over and touched the mountain – they were to be killed…
        • Because God would be on the mountain – making the mountain holy…
        • To an un-holy person – sinner – even the mountain was too holy to be touched…
        • They had to be put to death – but even they then could not be touched…
        • They had to be stoned or shot with an arrow from a distance!
      • God is unapproachable by sinful men – we cannot touch a Holy God…
        • The world has lost a fear / reverence of the Holiness of God…
        • People mock God today – make Jesus a curse word – as if there is no consequence! 
        • The world scoffs at the Bible – because they do not fear the Lord…
        • They do not understand the Holiness of God – and the terror of His presence…
        • They do not fear the judgment seat – they do not fear the Lake of fire…
        • But there are only two kinds of people when it comes to God…
        • Wise sinners who feared the Lord and saw their need for Jesus – and those who did not…
        • For those who reject Jesus – all that waits them is certain and terrifying judgment!
        • Psalm 111:10 – “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…”
    • Before God went pestilence / and fever (burning coals) followed after Him… vs. 5
      • Those who disobeyed the Lord – paid a heavy price for their rebellion…
      • God left a trail of destruction (burning coals) behind him – 10 plagues of Egypt…
      • And as Israel moved forward in the Exodus – pestilence was their reward for rebellion…
      • The golden calf – Exodus 32 / serpents – Numbers 21 / rebellion of Balaam – Numbers 25
      • We might not understand the list of the 10 plagues – a peculiar assortment of maladies…
      • But the Egyptians would have understood the message God was giving to them…
      • Each one of the plagues corresponded to an Egyptian deity (God is greater)!
      • And every time Israel rebelled – they were trusting in something other than God!
      • God loves us too much to ever let us put our faith in anything but Him…
      • He will allow pestilence and burning coals – till we learn He is the ONLY answer!
    • God measured the earth – and scattered the mountains… vs. 6-7
      • When Israel followed the Lord – He startled the nations before them…
      • He measured the earth – and scattered the everlasting mountains…
      • The tents of Cush afflicted / the curtains of Midian trembled – the inhabits of the Land…
      • Speaking of the victory and division of the Promised Land when God fought for Israel!
      • You never want to be on the wrong side with God – He does not fight fair…
      • In Joshua 10:11 God sent hail to wipe out the armies fighting Israel…
      • In Isaiah 37:36 God sent an angel to wipe out 185,000 man Assyrian army…
      • It is no wonder Paul says – ‘If God is for us, who can be against us…’ – Romans 8:31
  • 2^nd – Reflecting victory in trials… vs. 8-10
    • Was God upset with the River / Sea – is that why He parted the waters…
      • The parting of the Red Sea – Exodus 14:21 / and Jordan River – Joshua 3:15
      • Pharaoh had chariots as weapons – but the weapon of God was the Sea!
      • His bow (weapon) was ready (naked) – He was the one who made the rivers!
      • Why did God fight for Israel – because of the Oath he swore over His arrows (people)!
      • God had made a covenant with Abraham / Isaac / and Jacob – and He would not break it!
    • The mountains saw the Lord and trembled… vs. 10
      • The waters were swept away – the deep cried out – they lifted up their hands the God…
      • A very poetic picture of the division of the Red Sea – as a problem became a solution!
      • The Red Sea must have seemed to be an impossible problem to overcome…
      • I am sure the Children of Israel looked at the Red Sea – and trembled…
      • Yet the Red Sea looked at God – and trembled – it was a tool in the hands of God!
      • Psalm 77: 16,19 – “When the Red Sea saw you, O God, its waters looked and trembled! The sea quaked to its very depths… Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters—a pathway no one knew was there!”
      • Often we look at our trials/problems in life – and we tremble in fear…
      • Yet our problems look at the Lord – and they tremble – they are USED BY God…
      • He parts the ocean of our difficulties – stacks them up on both sides of us…
      • He leads us on the path no one even knew was there – through the trials…
      • The Lord does not take away our problems – He uses them in our lives!
  • 3^rd – Reflecting on the power of prayer… vs. 11-15
    • The sun and the moon stood still…
      • God marched through the Land in anger – trampled the nations in fury!
      • God went forth (fought) for the salvation of His people – with your Anointed (Joshua)…
      • Striking the wicked from head to foundation (toe) – no one was spared the wrath!
      • A reference to the wars fought by Joshua when Israel came into the Promised Land…
      • When they fought the 5 kings of the south – Joshua asked for more time to defeat them…
      • So God had the sun and moon stand still for a day – Joshua 10:13
      • An audacious prayer – you have to wonder if Joshua doubted God would answer!
      • Joshua 10:14 – “The LORD fought for Israel that day. Never before or since has there been a day like that one…”
      • If we wonder if you are praying for the ‘right thing’ – we just need to ask one question…
      • Why are we praying – if our motive is right – our prayer is right on!
      • We cannot have a bad prayer – if you have the right heart…
      •  James 4:3 – “When you ask, you do not get it because your whole motive is wrong – you want only what will give you pleasure.”
      • If our motive is selfish – if our heart is not right – our prayer will not be answered…
      • But when we ask for those things that God has given us a desire for – Psalm 37:4
      • Asking God to save a lost friend / family member – that is a prayer God WILL answer!
    • God killed the enemies of Israel with their own arrows… vs. 14-15
      • Those who rushed out like a whirlwind to scatter Israel – feast on the poor (slaves)…
      • Instead God walked through the sea with His horses – through the piled up waters!
      • Again a reference to the parting of the Red Sea – when Moses prayed…
      • Moses told Israel that God would fight for them – wipe out the Egyptians…
      • But God told Moses – prayer time is over – GET MOVING!
      • Exodus 14:15 – “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving!”
      • There is a time for prayer – and there is a time for action!
      • Not that we should not pray – we are to be a people of prayer – II Thessalonians 5:17
      • But we are also called to action – we are called to walk by faith – II Corinthians 5:7

Psalm 16:11 – “In Your presence is fullness of joy…”

3^rd – Hoping for the future… vs. 16-19

1^st – As Habakkuk remembered the faithfulness of the Lord – he was overcome… vs. 16

His body trembled / his lips quivered / his legs buckled (rottenness)…

Not in fatigue – but in relief – because now he could finally rest in the day of trouble…

Just as the Lord had redeemed Israel in the Exodus – God would surely do so again!

He would fulfill His Word and bring judgment to the Babylonians!

We tend to spend much of our time worrying about problems…

The problem is worrying about our problems does not help – it makes things worse

It can even make us physically sick – upset stomach / high blood pressure…

Proverbs 12:25 – “Worry weighs a person down…”

But when we remember Jesus – our worries melt away in perfect peace – Philippians 4:7

Even though we might not understand WHEN God is going to work…

We may not know HOW God is going to handle the problem we are facing…

We trust THAT He is going to be faithful – and work everything out!

Like little kids never question if there is going to be food – or clothes…

They have perfect trust in their parents to take care of ALL their needs!

2^nd – Even though the fig tree / vineyard / and olive trees had no fruit… vs. 17-19

Even though the fields were empty and the pastures had no sheep…

Speaking of the devastation of the Land – the destruction brought by Babylon…

Habakkuk would rejoice in the Lord – the God of his salvation…

Because he walked by faith – and the Lord gave him strength…

His feet became like the feet of dear – so he could walk on the High Places!

The mourning of Habakkuk over the dire state of His people – had turned to joy!

If we look to the circumstances in the world around us…

We are going to be sad / upset / worried frustrated…

We are not going to walk on the high places – we are not going to be a happy people…

Because happiness depends on our circumstances…

But Joy is far deeper – it is not based on your circumstances – it is based on Jesus…

Jesus never changes – the same Yesterday / Today / and Forever – Hebrews 13:8…

So no matter what our circumstances – we can ALWAYS have Joy because of Jesus!