#363  Escape from Stress When We Don’t Understand Habakkuk 2

Amid human reactions from myself and others, I am seeking His will.

The issue seems complicated and I think of it as intimidating.

But when I remember Who my Lord is I am humbled and calmed in spirit.

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who give to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But let him ask in faith without any doubting…”  James 1:5-6

We are instructed to ask the God who gives bountifully, without doubting, with full trust in Who He Is.

In His Holiness and Faithfulness and from His boundless resources He will answer.

There are some beautiful lessons in the book of Habakkuk.  The prophet questions the judgments of God and the conquest of Babylon over Israel.  “Why are you silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they?”  Habakkuk 1:13  There was an application to this prophecy historically in the Babylonian captivity of the nation of Israel.  There is a greater application of these prophecies in the end of this age regarding the overthrow of Babylon and all the nations of this present evil world, culminating in the question, Why does God permit evil?

Habakkuk then seeks an answer from God.

“I will stand on my guard post and station myself on the rampart.  And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me…”,

Like a sentinel looking out from a tower, he will withdraw from his fellow-men and turn his eyes heavenward in expectation of an answering message from God.  Soncino

We go to Him apart from human reasoning.

“And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me, and how I may reply (#7725 to turn back with the idea of return to starting point, to retreat) when I am reproved (#3198:  corrected).”

We must come to the same attitude.  When we do not understand we are to seek God’s answer and be ready for His answer to result in our ‘return to the starting point.’  We need to be willing to let His correction and instruction replace our own impressions and opinions.  We need to be ready to‘retreat’ ‘start over’ and surrender our view to His.

God answered the Prophet with a vision, and a promise that in the proper time the vision would be fulfilled without delay.  Habakkuk 2:2-3  The vision included the judgment of the oppressor Babylon, and a promise of world-wide blessing.  “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.”  “But the LORD is in His holy temple.  Let all the earth be silent before Him.” Habakkuk 2:20  In the current application of these prophecies the blessing of all the families of the earth begins with the deliverance of the nation of Israel.  Isaiah 14:1  “Thou art come forth for the deliverance of Thy people, for the deliverance of Thine anointed; Thou woundest the head out of the house of the wicked, uncovering the foundation even unto the neck”  Habakkuk 3:13 (Masoretic text)  This vision of judgment and blessing was revealed and recorded by the Seventh Messenger of this Harvest period.  But there are still principles we can apply to ourselves from this account.

His Highest Good is always at work, even amid the darkest hours!

The Prophet has an emotional response to the reality of the Lord’s judgment.  He trembles and he can barely support his own weight.  3:16  And then he states strong declarations of faith:  “That I should wait for the day of trouble, when he cometh up against the people that he invadeth.”  (Masoretic text)  He was determined to wait calmly for the Lord’s will to be done.  Regardless of the temporary difficulty and challenge, “though the fig tree should not blossom..and the fields produce no food…and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the LORD….” Habakkuk 3:17

Sometimes the will of the Lord is hard for us to accept.   But regardless of the circumstance He is the God who keeps His promises and we can exult (Strong’s 5937) or “jump for joy” in Him, for He will equip us to deal with any terrain of experience.

“Yet I will exalt in the LORD,

I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

The Lord GOD is my strength,

And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet,

And makes me walk on my high places.”  Habakkuk 3:18-19