Monday, September 9, 2019

Monday - Habakkuk 3 - Habakkuk's Psalm



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NOWING what Habakkuk knew, and holding to the commendable perspective to which Habakkuk held, it is no surprise to find a wonderful psalm of worship at the end of his little book. Habakkuk's psalm is not only a song of praise, worship and adoration though, it includes supplication as well. Habakkuk 3:2 gives the words for a prayer that we should be praying today: "Lord... revive Your work in the midst of the years... in wrath remember mercy." Don't we see signs everywhere that seem to be evidences of providential condemnation? Still, we pray for revival. Our nation and the nations around us deserve swift justice from God's hand, yet we pray for mercy, as well we should. And, as we pray for mercy, we recognize that it is not only God's greatness that threatens justice, it is also His greatness that gives us hope. God's exploits are both terrible and terrific! And even if He gives us no healing in the present, He can still give us a resurrection in the future (Habakkuk 3:17-19).

Habakkuk's vision of God was an exalted one. Habakkuk's vision of Judah was depressing. But Habakkuk's vision of his own place in God's program is most valuable. He concluded, "I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 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."  In other words, it seems that Habakkuk was thinking along these lines: "Israel is wicked and doomed. The tool that God has chosen to use against His people (Babylon) is even more wicked than Judah. There seems to be nothing that can be done to circumvent this situation. Come what may, I will worship God and trust in Him."

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