The book of Habakkuk is an interesting book. Unlike the other prophetic books in the Old Testament, Habakkuk is not so much the Lord speaking through His prophet to the people of Israel, but the prophet, Habakkuk, is speaking to God. In this case, he is actually crying out to God in distress and fear. At the time Habakkuk is writing this, around 600 B.C., the Chaldeans are bearing down on Judah, ready to overtake God's people. Habakkuk is of course worried about this because the Chaldeans are a fierce army. So basically Habakkuk and the people of Judah are looking on one side at the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force coming at them, on another side, the 3rd Infantry, the 3rd LAR Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, and the 101st Airborne division dropping in on them. Kind of like Iraq…so he's in a pretty bad spot right now.
So Habakkuk gets down on his knees and cries out to God, basically complaining to Him because of this impeding wrath being brought against the nation of Judah. Habakkuk asks God why He is bringing such wrath on His people, and God tells him that He is raising the Chaldeans up for that purpose, to bring His judgment on the nation of Judah, for their sins against the Covenant. Habakkuk once again complains about this, that God would use a pagan nation to judge His people, but God responds by showing that His people are not righteous, and “the righteous shall live by faith.” So they are not being faithful to God, and therefore, deserve what's coming to them…kind of like Iraq.
But, Habakkuk recognizes that God will save His people. God will continue His work in the nation of Judah (Israel), which is the remnant He has left for Himself in the land. Even though they will suffer wrath from the Chaldeans, God will also avenge His people against the Chaldeans. Meaning Habakkuk is pronouncing judgment and impeding wrath on the Chaldeans already, even though they haven't even done the deed, which God has appointed them to do. So God will deliver His people from the hands of the Chaldeans, but first Judah will see His wrath against them.
The last chapter in Habakkuk is his prayer. This is really where Habakkuk shows true faith and stops complaining about life and starts to praise God. The part I want to look at tonight is chapter 3, verses 16 through 18.
Habakkuk 3:16-18
I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us.
Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield not food and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
God, the Lord, is my strength; He makes my feet like the deer's; He makes me tread on my high places.
At the news of the Chaldeans coming to destroy his people, Habakkuk pretty much got sick to his stomach and probably had to lie down. His body was trembling, his legs were weak, and his knees were probably knocking like Roger Rabbit's. Now, Habakkuk is fearful, not feeling too well, in fact he seems to be pretty bad off, and yet his hope is renewed and refreshed. He says he will quietly wait for God to bring about His judgment on the invading Chaldeans. He may be sick, he may be afraid, he may not even be able to get up and run from the invading armies of the Chaldeans, but he's not worried. Habakkuk knows 1) that God will bring about what He knows is best for His glory and for His people, and 2) he knows that God has already promised the salvation of His people outside of this world. So Habakkuk can patiently wait on God no matter what the circumstances.
In the time of Habakkuk, prosperity was based on the amount of goods one produced. This was both for the nation and the individual. The nations relied heavily on what goods they could provide, whether food, or wool, or whatever it may be, this was the nations source of power, economically, and politically (which helped militarily). So Habakkuk's words here have great meaning. When he says that the fig trees won't make fruit, the vines won't either, and the olive trees too. When he says there will be no flocks or herds, this would truly be a frightening thing for the people in his land. They relied on these things for their wealth and power, and saw these things as blessings from God, as they were. But Habakkuk makes a strange statement.
“Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” Habakkuk says that no matter what happens, if they run out of food, if they have no source of income, if they have nothing at all; power, wealth, food, clothing; he will still rejoice in the Lord. He will have joy in the Lord because God is the God of his salvation. He knows that God is the only source of real joy and that true joy is found in salvation from Him. Psalm 13:5 says “But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation.” Psalm 35:9 says, “Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord and delight in His salvation.” Isaiah 12:2-3 says, “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song' He has become my salvation.” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” Romans 5:2b says, “And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” So Habakkuk rejoices, not in worldly things that we have, or power and prestige, but in the salvation that comes from the Lord.
Habakkuk can rejoice in these seemingly perilous times because of his faith, because he knows that God will save His people and accomplish His purpose. He rejoices and has joy because his joy and satisfaction is found in God, not in the blessings God gives His people. His joy is in the hope that is eternal life in heaven with God.
Now, remember how Habakkuk was so sick that he couldn't even walk? The extraordinary picture of faith here is when he proclaims that the Lord is his strength and will make his feet like that of the deer. Just like a deer bounds through the forest day or night with little effort, the Lord too will make him bound through the darkness of this world and all the things in it with ease, because he knows that God is his strength, and without Him he is lost. And just as God supports Habakkuk in those times in the dark forest, where He gives him strength to stay on the path and keep running, He will also help him when he is on the mountaintops and high, good times. So no matter where we are in life, whether we are in a low valley and feel the weight of the world crashing down on us, or if we are on the top of the highest peak, we rest in God because He is the strength that gets us through the valley, and to the top of the mountain. No matter the situation, the Lord is our strength, and the Lord is our salvation.
He saves us from worldly aggressors and armies, from famine and drought, but most importantly, He saves us from our sin. Sin, which leads to death, is the greatest thing God saves us from. And the glorious hope we live in is the product of that salvation: eternal life in heaven. Praise God, for in Him alone we find joy, and we rejoice in His salvation.