Habakkuk 3

C—Shigionoth is a lyrical poem composed under strong mental emotion.  As we find out at the end of the chapter, it was set to music.  

I—After the complaints and questions, and God’s reply, Habakkuk turns to God in prayer.  Habakkuk now realizes the depth of the judgment coming through the Chaldeans.  He takes the assurance of God in chapter 2 verse 20- “But the Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him.”-to heart.  Habakkuk rehearses to himself all he knows about God: God created the heavens and earth and filled both with glory and praise; Light generated from the hand of God and filled the earth; God was big enough to measure the earth just by standing, the earth shook at just one look. He controlled disease and every widespread calamity and evil.  His ways last forever!  Even when Habakkuk remembered the bad times- afflictions and wrath-he realized he could still see the hand of God at work.  Habakkuk is amazed to see that the earth reacted to the actions of God—rivers were formed, mountains moved, the deep ocean praised Him with raised hands, the sun and moon stood still! God will not let crime and injustice go unpunished.  And that’s never more evident than in vs 13, the foreshadowing of Christ Jesus, the Savior who crushes the head of the wicked and brings salvation ❤️Habakkuk has heard the answer from God, the one he was so adamant about receiving.  It wasn’t a pretty package wrapped up nicely with a bow.  It was going to be terrifying.  It was going to get ugly.  Habakkuk is trembling and crying and weak.  Yet he is willingly to wait, in quiet reverence, for the day when he would see the struggle end and redemption win ❤️❤️

A—This chapter changes me in the last 3 verses.  Habakkuk is building his resolve to face the days and troubles ahead.  He’s not going to wait until he’s in the thick of it, then decide which way he wants to go.  He ends his beautiful prayer by saying “No matter what happens, no matter how weak or fearful I feel, I WILL rejoice in God, I WILL take joy in the only true God who saves and gives me strength and stability.” There are many parallels between Habakkuk’s time and our own. We can see injustice, crime, bondage, destruction, shame every day, all around us.  We feel hemmed in by wickedness, how can we make a difference? In some ways, we can’t.  God’s plan will go on as He’s always said, exactly right and exactly right on time.  But we can follow the lead of Habakkuk—we can ask questions, wait for the answer, then turn to the only Wise King who promises to give us strength, joy, and the ability to persevere.  His salvation has put a song in the heart of Habakkuk.  I pray that “whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me, let me be singing when the evening comes!” Please, Lord.  Let it be so. For all of us.    ❤️