1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:04,800 Greetings UCC Pastor Matt here, missed worshipping with all of 2 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:10,240 you on Sunday, but we thought it would be beneficial to try and 3 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:16,480 share from Habakkuk 3 since we missed our final study in our 4 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:22,080 series. Oh Lord, how long discussing 5 00:00:22,080 --> 00:00:26,040 Habakkuk's journey of faith. And so I thought that I would 6 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:31,080 try to record for you a brief message, a Bible study of our 7 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:34,680 passage today. So grab your Bible, grab a 8 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:40,320 favorite beverage of choice, and just join me for the next 30 9 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:45,880 minutes or so as we take a look at our third and final message 10 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:50,320 in Habakkuk. Our theme today is that when we 11 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:54,840 go through suffering, we must remember to petition God with 12 00:00:54,840 --> 00:01:01,040 our requests, praise God for his might and mercy, and pledge to 13 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:05,640 God our faithfulness. Let's pray as we get started 14 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:08,800 together today. God, we thank you so much for 15 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:10,880 your word. We thank you for Habakkuk, We 16 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:15,200 thank you for this beautiful study through a beautiful book. 17 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:19,160 God, we pray that as we go through trials and difficulties 18 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:23,640 and struggles, as we feel anger and fear and despair, God, I 19 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:26,600 pray that we would like Habakkuk cry to you. 20 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:30,640 I pray that you would grow our faith like you did with Habakkuk 21 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:36,600 so that when we come to the end we can say yet I will rejoice in 22 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:38,720 the Lord. Please be with us during this 23 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:41,600 time. We pray in Jesus name, Amen. 24 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:45,160 Go ahead and turn to Habakkuk chapter 3. 25 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:47,920 Just a reminder about where we've been the last couple of 26 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:51,080 weeks. Week one we looked at Habakkuk's 27 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:54,920 first complaint and God's first response. 28 00:01:54,920 --> 00:02:01,000 Habakkuk looked around Judah and noticed all of the evil and 29 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:04,720 violence that was going on. And so he cries out day after 30 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:13,240 day to God to intervene, to punish evil, to do what is good 31 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:19,360 and right, and to judge rightly. God responds and and informs 32 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:24,040 Sabakic that he in fact is going to do just that and that he is 33 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:29,600 raising up Babylon, the Chaldeans, in order to judge his 34 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:33,800 people. In Judah Week 2, we looked at 35 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:36,480 Habakkuk's second complaint where he cries out and says, 36 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:38,400 God, how could you possibly do this? 37 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:43,280 How can you use a people who are more wicked to judge your own 38 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:45,360 people? Surely this cannot be. 39 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:52,160 And God says, do not worry Habakkuk, everything comes in my 40 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:56,360 time and I will eventually judge Babylon. 41 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:59,480 I've not overlooked their wickedness, and they will be 42 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:05,800 judged accordingly as well. And that brings us now to Week 3 43 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:11,320 as we look at today, a prayer of Habakkuk, a prayer that 44 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:15,480 eventually was put to music. This song that Habakkuk writes 45 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:20,120 is going to demonstrate to us that his faith has grown during 46 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,920 this journey from where he was in chapter 1 to now where he is 47 00:03:23,920 --> 00:03:29,440 now, that he has wrestled with God and resolved to stay 48 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:34,040 faithful and to trust in God's plan and God's timing. 49 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:39,000 By way of introduction, let's look at Habakkuk chapter 3 verse 50 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:42,520 one together. It says a prayer of Habakkuk the 51 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:45,040 prophet according to Shagayanath. 52 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:48,920 So as I mentioned a moment ago, this is a prayer that was 53 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:53,560 evidently turned to music. As Shagayanath is a musical 54 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:57,960 term, this word is only used in one other place, in the 55 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:01,680 singular. In Psalm 7, the word shagayan is 56 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:04,880 used to describe the tune that's there. 57 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:08,880 As I mentioned, this is some sort of musical term, although 58 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:11,280 we don't know exactly what it means. 59 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:18,000 It may be from Shaga, which is often translated to real or 60 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:24,600 highlights a deep emotion. And so this term may well 61 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:29,080 suggest that the song that follows here is one that is 62 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:34,680 filled with various emotions that are felt very deeply. 63 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:40,000 And so we really do get a window into Habakkuk's heart, exactly 64 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:44,160 how he's been wrestling with God, and some of the conclusions 65 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:48,200 that he's come to. Next, let's look at Habakkuk's 66 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:50,840 prayer, and we're going to do so in three sections. 67 00:04:50,840 --> 00:04:54,320 First, we're going to look at Habakkuk's petition. 68 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:58,880 What is it that he asks of God? The second section, we'll look 69 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:04,520 at Habakkuk's praise as he worships the Lord for his power, 70 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:09,160 for His Majesty, for his might. And then third, we will look at 71 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:14,600 Habakkuk's pledge as he resolves to walk faithfully to the Lord 72 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:18,800 to rejoice in the beautiful plan that God is unfolding. 73 00:05:19,280 --> 00:05:24,280 So again, Habakkuk's petition, praise and pledge. 74 00:05:24,280 --> 00:05:27,280 Let's look first at Habakkuk's petition in verse 2. 75 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:30,560 It's a threefold petition. Let's read it together. 76 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:35,240 O Lord, I've heard the report of you and your work. 77 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:39,280 O Lord, do I fear? In the midst of the years revive 78 00:05:39,280 --> 00:05:41,120 it. In the midst of the years, make 79 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,560 it known in wrath, Remember mercy. 80 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:48,560 Before his threefold petition notice, Habakkuk says. 81 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:51,000 I've heard the report of you and your work. 82 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:54,640 O Lord, do I fear? If you recall, he said he was 83 00:05:54,640 --> 00:05:58,800 going to stand as a watchman and wait to hear from the Lord. 84 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:01,960 And then he did hear from the Lord, and the Lord responded 85 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:06,520 with what his plan was for the Kingdom of Babylon, that he 86 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:09,520 pronounced woes on them, that he was going to judge them. 87 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:12,800 And so Habakkuk has sincerely listened. 88 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:17,160 It's a good reminder to us that when we cry out to the Lord that 89 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:21,480 we actually listen when we say we're going to wait and trust 90 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:25,320 and wait to see or to hear from the Lord that we actually take 91 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:28,760 the opportunity to do that. And so Habakkuk has heard the 92 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:36,040 report and his plan is one that he fears, he respects, he stands 93 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:39,400 in awe of. And so in light of what God has 94 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:43,800 revealed, Habakkuk then makes a three fold petition. 95 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:47,240 He says in the midst of the years, revive it. 96 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:51,000 In the midst of the years, make it known in wrath. 97 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:55,400 Remember mercy first, he says, in the midst of the years. 98 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:59,480 He says that phrase twice. In the midst of the year seems 99 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:03,840 to be the time between God judging Judah and then God 100 00:07:03,840 --> 00:07:06,720 judging Babylon. In other words, he is 101 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:12,240 considering those years when Judah is going to be in 102 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:15,280 captivity. And so in light of that, he 103 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:21,280 says, revive it, stir it up. He wants God to hasten to be 104 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:27,400 quick to judge Babylon. He is eager for Judah to come 105 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:31,320 out the other side, to be relieved from the captivity that 106 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:34,960 they're suffering, and to be set free from Babylonian rule. 107 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:39,360 And so he's asking God to shorten that time, to hasten to 108 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:44,480 be quick to judge Babylon. Secondly, in the midst of this 109 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:49,240 time period, he doesn't want God's people to forget God's 110 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:51,360 plan. He wants God to make it known. 111 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:55,600 This is something that God said in chapter 2 that he told 112 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:57,280 Habakkuk. Write it down. 113 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:01,960 Habakkuk himself is one of the ways that God is making His 114 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:05,440 plans known. He obviously uses the other 115 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:09,960 prophets as well to make sure that his people know, here is 116 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:16,280 what I'm doing in your day. And so he wants God to continue 117 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:20,480 to make His plan known. And then third, a very powerful 118 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:24,960 statement in wrath. Remember mercy? 119 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:28,960 I've been thinking about this line quite a bit this week. 120 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:31,440 What a prayer to cry to God, right? 121 00:08:32,159 --> 00:08:36,840 Even in the midst of righteous judgment, Habakkuk still asks 122 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:41,000 for mercy. God's judgment of Babylon is in 123 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:44,440 fact an act of mercy for Israel. It will benefit them. 124 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:51,160 But ultimately Habakkuk knows that God does practice mercy in 125 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:54,160 judgment. Praise God for that. 126 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:59,880 All the way back in Genesis 3, as God is judging the serpent 127 00:08:59,880 --> 00:09:03,880 and Adam and Eve for their sins, he still remembers mercy. 128 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:08,880 He promises salvation, that the seed of the woman is going to 129 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:12,880 crush the serpent's head. Think when God destroys the 130 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:15,320 earth with a flood, yet He preserves. 131 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:19,240 He has mercy upon Noah and his family and preserves them. 132 00:09:20,560 --> 00:09:23,160 Praise God for a remnant of His people. 133 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:26,520 We see this throughout the prophets, that although judgment 134 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:30,000 is coming, God is going to preserve them. 135 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:35,720 He is going to still enable them to experience His blessing, to 136 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:39,640 experience His mercy that they would survive, that they would 137 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:44,920 be able to return someday. Ultimately, praise God that He 138 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:49,320 doesn't leave us in our trespasses and sins, that He has 139 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:54,920 chosen to show mercy. And ultimately, he does this 140 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:57,600 through the gift of his Son, through the salvation that's 141 00:09:57,600 --> 00:10:01,440 offered in Jesus Christ. And so even in the midst of 142 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:09,000 God's holy wrath, we still see God desire the righteous to live 143 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:14,720 by faith, to trust Him so that they can experience his mercy 144 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:17,680 and grace. And that is a beautiful thing. 145 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:24,640 So that is his petition. Let's move next on to Habakkuk's 146 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:27,560 praise. Habakkuk's praise is by far the 147 00:10:27,560 --> 00:10:32,000 longest section of this prayer. And I think that right off the 148 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:36,880 bat, that should clue us into the importance of praise when we 149 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:38,480 go to the Lord. Is it all? 150 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:41,560 God do this, God do that, God help me with this, help me with 151 00:10:41,560 --> 00:10:46,320 that, Heal this, heal that. Or do we spend the majority of 152 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:50,440 the time, as I think we should, offering praise and honor and 153 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:53,160 worship to God as we communicate to Him? 154 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:58,520 Do we approach His throne with respect and humility, or do we 155 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:02,360 go making our demands? And so I think it is significant 156 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:07,200 that Habakkuk spends most of this prayer in worship to the 157 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:10,160 Lord. This section that we're going to 158 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:14,720 look at this praise in verses 3 through 15, We're going to look 159 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:19,320 at in two sections. First, Habakkuk describes God's 160 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:24,800 splendor in verses 3 through 7, and then God's incredible power 161 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:28,360 and judgment in verses 8 through 15. 162 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:33,280 So let's read verses 3 through 7 together and look at God's 163 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:36,160 splendor, His glory, His Majesty. 164 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:41,000 Habakkuk 3 Three. God came from tea man and the 165 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:43,760 Holy One from Mount Puran, Saila. 166 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:47,360 His splendor covered the heavens, and the earth was full 167 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:49,760 of his praise. His brightness was like the 168 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:52,320 light. Rays flashed from his hand, and 169 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:55,440 there he veiled his power before him. 170 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:58,600 When pestilence and plague followed at his heels. 171 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:03,240 He stood and measured the earth. He looked and shook the nations. 172 00:12:03,560 --> 00:12:06,000 Then the eternal mountains were scattered. 173 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:10,480 The everlasting hills sank low. His were the everlasting ways. 174 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:13,320 I saw the tents of cushion in affliction. 175 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:18,720 The curtains of the land of Midian did tremble as we work 176 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:21,160 through this description of God's splendor. 177 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:24,000 Just a couple of things to note at the outset. 178 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:30,600 First, he is comparing through these verses God to the sun, the 179 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:33,520 actual sun. We'll talk about that more in a 180 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:37,120 minute. But he also threw out this these 181 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:42,920 verses is making a reference to Mount Sinai where God made 182 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:47,120 Israel a nation and gave them laws for them to follow. 183 00:12:47,680 --> 00:12:52,320 And so we'll notice that that Habakkuk is really looking back 184 00:12:52,680 --> 00:12:56,920 to remember a time in his people's history where God 185 00:12:56,920 --> 00:12:59,760 showed up in a very glorious and powerful way. 186 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:03,280 The other thing I want to mention at the before we dive in 187 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:08,200 specifically to these thoughts and insights from these verses 188 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:12,920 from Habakkuk is the word sayla. We see that a couple of times in 189 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:15,040 this section. This is a musical term. 190 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:19,080 It means to raise up. It's commonly thought that this 191 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:22,760 word denotes some sort of change in the actual music. 192 00:13:23,560 --> 00:13:29,840 Think of things like key changes or crescendo, a change in volume 193 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:33,880 or a change in tempo. We don't know exactly, but it 194 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:39,680 seems to be that when you come to this moment, this sailor to 195 00:13:39,680 --> 00:13:45,800 raise up that there is a a building in the music, some kind 196 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:49,920 of musical interlude that then transitions you into the next 197 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:53,480 section of the song. So let's look specifically 198 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:58,360 notice in verse 3 says God came from T man and the holy one from 199 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:02,600 Mount Poran. Mount Poran is the mountain 200 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:07,360 range, if you will, where Mount Sinai is located and think about 201 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:11,760 as the nation of Israel. We're leaving Egypt. 202 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:14,280 To which direction were they going? 203 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:18,200 Were they traveling to get to team on, to get to Mount Proran? 204 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:23,120 They were going east. And so this first verse evokes 205 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:28,200 this imagery of this sunrise as the Israelites coming out of 206 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:33,480 Egypt are moving to the east. They see the sun coming up and 207 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:37,400 they see the glory of the sun fill the whole sky. 208 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:42,960 And so we see here references of light, that God's splendor 209 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:47,080 covers the heavens, that his brightness was like the light, 210 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:53,440 that rays flashed from his hand. And so we see this comparison. 211 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:58,120 The glory of the sun in its majesty is a reflection of God's 212 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:01,400 own glory in majesty. And we see throughout Scripture 213 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:04,880 the importance of light. Don't we think of John's Gospel 214 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:07,200 especially John writes a lot about light. 215 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:12,480 And John 812 Jesus himself says, I am the light of the world, 216 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:18,800 that God with his powerful light reveals sin, reveals evil, and 217 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:22,720 his glory reaches to dispel the darkness. 218 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:26,800 And so we see His Majesty and power on full display. 219 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:31,680 We also see pestilence and plague following at his heels. 220 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:36,000 Again, sort of an idea, an expression of coming out of 221 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:37,520 Egypt. That's how he offered 222 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:41,880 deliverance to bring them to Mount Sinai, to bring them to a 223 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:44,960 place where he stood on his holy mountain. 224 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:50,720 And so we see references to the sun to light. 225 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:54,640 We see that God looks at the whole earth and it trembles, it 226 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:59,880 shakes because of His might, because of His Majesty. 227 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:05,480 And we also see mentioned here notice in verse 7 the tents of 228 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:11,200 cushion in the land of Midian. When Moses flees from Pharaoh, 229 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:16,840 he heads to the east. And actually his wife, the high 230 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:21,200 priest daughter Zipporah, is mentioned as being both a 231 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:26,200 Cushite and a Midianite, that again, these areas were around 232 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:29,960 Mount Sinai. It is actually during this time 233 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:34,320 that Moses first goes to Mount Sinai and has the burning Bush 234 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:39,800 encounter with God. And so this mount, this Sinai is 235 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:44,840 a demonstration, A brief one of God's power, his might, His 236 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:46,240 Majesty. And we actually see a 237 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:51,840 description in Deuteronomy 33 that Moses gives to to give 238 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:55,600 insight into this event here at Sinai. 239 00:16:57,200 --> 00:17:00,640 The second part of Habakkuk's praise speaks to God's power in 240 00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:04,119 judging the nation's. Let's read verses 8 through 15 241 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:07,640 together. Was your wrath against the 242 00:17:07,640 --> 00:17:10,520 rivers, O Lord? Was your anger against the 243 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:14,040 rivers or your indignation against the sea when you rode on 244 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:16,720 your horses? On your chariot of salvation? 245 00:17:17,319 --> 00:17:20,000 You stripped the sheath from your bow, calling for many 246 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:23,720 arrows. Sailor, you split the earth with 247 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:26,160 rivers. The mountains saw you and 248 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:29,000 writhed. The raging water swept on. 249 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:32,520 The deep gave forth its voice. It lifted its hands on high. 250 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:36,080 The sun and moon stood still in their place at the light of your 251 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:39,600 arrows, as they speed at the flash of your glittering spear, 252 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:43,040 you marched through the earth. In fury you threshed the 253 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:45,680 nations. In anger you went out for the 254 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:49,000 salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. 255 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:52,440 You crushed the head of the House of the wicked, laying him 256 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:57,880 bare from thigh to neck. Sailor you pierced with his own 257 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:00,480 arrows the heads of his warriors, who came like a 258 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:04,280 whirlwind to scatter me, rejoicing as if to devour the 259 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:07,600 poor. In secret you trampled the sea 260 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:11,760 with your horses, the surging of mighty waters. 261 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:17,120 God has shown in these verses to be the victor over all the 262 00:18:17,120 --> 00:18:23,560 nations. And you notice the the fear and 263 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:28,080 the the devastation that we see that none can stand against the 264 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:31,440 powerful night of God, that this is very real. 265 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:39,000 But did you notice in verse 8, verse 13, why God does this? 266 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:43,520 He does this for the salvation of His people. 267 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:47,120 Ultimately, Christ is coming back. 268 00:18:47,120 --> 00:18:52,040 He is going to judge the living and the dead, all peoples, but 269 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:57,360 He leads those who would follow Him ultimately to salvation and 270 00:18:57,360 --> 00:19:00,880 to victory. Woe to those who do not live by 271 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:04,960 faith, but to the righteous who do live by faith. 272 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:09,720 For those who trust in the Lord, God goes out for the salvation 273 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:13,920 of His people. This battle scene describes 274 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:18,960 God's judgment of Babylon in its context, but I think it also 275 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:22,880 does a great job of pointing us ahead to the victorious coming 276 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:28,520 of our Savior Jesus Christ. Let me read Revelation 19 verses 277 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:34,560 11 through 16 for us. Then I saw heaven opened, and 278 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:38,240 behold a White Horse. The one sitting on it is called 279 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:41,240 faithful and true, and in righteousness he judges and 280 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:44,080 makes war. His eyes are like a flame of 281 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:47,440 fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name 282 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:49,440 written that no one knows but himself. 283 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:52,840 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which 284 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:56,440 he is called is the Word of God. And the armies of Heaven, 285 00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:59,600 arrayed in Fineland, in white and pure, were following him on 286 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:02,480 white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp 287 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:05,640 sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule 288 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:09,000 them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of 289 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:11,840 the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 290 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:15,720 On his robe and on his thigh. He has a name written, King of 291 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:21,760 Kings and Lord of Lords. Jesus has the victory. 292 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:27,840 He purchased it in His blood. He is the conquering King. 293 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:32,600 He is faithful, He is true, He is righteous, and He is coming 294 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:39,480 for the salvation of His people. He will make all things right. 295 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:45,680 I know this world is in chaos. I understand that things are so 296 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:51,120 difficult for so many of us, for everyone around the world. 297 00:20:52,520 --> 00:20:57,600 But look to Jesus. He is our hope. 298 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:05,520 He is our salvation. And so we see Habakkuk's 299 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:09,160 petition in wrath. Remember mercy. 300 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:13,600 We see Habakkuk's praise that God is full of glory and 301 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:17,720 splendor like the Son, that He is all powerful, and in His 302 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:21,480 judgment of the nations He also secures the salvation of His 303 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:24,400 people. And that leads us then into 304 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:30,160 Habakk's pledge. Habakkuk resolves to trust, to 305 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:35,920 rejoice, and to follow the Lord. Let's look Everses 16 through 19 306 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:40,040 together. I hear my body trembles, my lips 307 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:44,680 quiver at the sound, rottenness enters into my bones, my legs 308 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:49,200 tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the 309 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:52,160 day of trouble to come upon people who invade us. 310 00:21:53,120 --> 00:21:55,920 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the 311 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:59,800 vines, the produce of the olive fail, and the fields yield no 312 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:02,120 food. The flock be cut off from the 313 00:22:02,120 --> 00:22:04,560 fold, and there be no herd in the stalls. 314 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:11,680 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will take joy in the God of my 315 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:15,520 salvation. God the Lord is my strength. 316 00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:20,640 He makes my feet like the deers. He makes me tread on my high 317 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:25,960 places to the choirmaster with stringed instruments. 318 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:29,160 Habakkuk closes with this pledge. 319 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:32,320 Because of who God is. Because God is going to judge 320 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:34,560 the wicked, He is going to save the righteous. 321 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:39,120 Habakkuk pledges to trust in the Lord. 322 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:46,480 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. Habakkuk acknowledges his own 323 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:49,240 trembling at the thought of the coming judgment. 324 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:53,560 This inevitability can be scary. It can be fearful. 325 00:22:54,480 --> 00:22:59,600 Yet Habakkuk resolves to quietly wait for the day of trouble for 326 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:02,640 those who are in opposition to God. 327 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:08,440 Habakkuk recognizes that vengeance is the Lord's, not his 328 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:12,480 own. Habakkuk also recognizes that 329 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:15,880 things are probably going to get worse before they get better. 330 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:19,400 What an important truth for us to remember. 331 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:22,480 The night is darkest before the dawn. 332 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:27,320 We understand that in our world there are dark days ahead as we 333 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:30,240 wait for our triumphant Saviour to return. 334 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:36,400 He acknowledges that things may be lean, fruit may not grow, 335 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:41,640 herds may shrink, fields may yield no food. 336 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:48,280 Yet in spite of that, he will rejoice in the Lord. 337 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:53,640 Why? Because the Lord is the God of 338 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:58,600 His salvation. God is the only one with power 339 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:02,160 to make everything right. He is the only one with the 340 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:05,320 power to bless and to provide abundance. 341 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:10,400 He is my strength that allows me to bear up when I feel like 342 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:16,520 giving up. Wait on the Lord, Notice how far 343 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:20,600 Habakkuk has come. Look back at chapter one verse 2 344 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:27,040 where he says, O Lord, how long? How long will you let wickedness 345 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:31,360 go unpunished? Do something, relieve this 346 00:24:31,360 --> 00:24:35,680 suffering, this agony. Yet here he is at the end. 347 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:43,240 Even if things are falling apart yet I will rejoice in the Lord. 348 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:52,120 He resolves to live by faith. Habakkuk goes from being 349 00:24:52,120 --> 00:24:56,200 desperate and fearful to pursuing the Lord. 350 00:24:56,880 --> 00:25:01,280 And ultimately, God makes his feet like the deers and makes 351 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:07,440 him tread on his high places. As we close with some 352 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:12,160 applications, it follows our outline for today. 353 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:17,360 First, petition, bring your requests to God. 354 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:22,400 Do not grow weary and crying out to God in the midst of sorrow, 355 00:25:22,680 --> 00:25:26,880 in the midst of trouble. Continue to petition. 356 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:31,760 Continue to offer your everything to the Lord. 357 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:35,760 Bring your fears, your angers, your despairs. 358 00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:42,760 Bring them to and make your requests known to Him, but don't 359 00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:49,120 forget to praise. Remember to whom we petition is 360 00:25:49,120 --> 00:25:54,440 not some genie, is the God of the universe who is worthy of 361 00:25:54,440 --> 00:26:00,320 all of our worship. Remember to praise Him for His 362 00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:05,240 mighty majesty. Remember to praise Him for all 363 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:07,040 that He's done for you and for me. 364 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:11,360 Remember to praise Him for His mighty salvation that is in 365 00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:16,080 Jesus. Praise the Lord, Look back and 366 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:18,040 praise Him for what He's done in the past. 367 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:20,880 Look forward and praise Him for what He's going to do in the 368 00:26:20,880 --> 00:26:26,360 future. By praising Him, we focus on Him 369 00:26:26,360 --> 00:26:29,440 instead of our current circumstances. 370 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:36,560 Praise and then finally pledge. Will you, like Habakkuk, resolve 371 00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:40,920 to live by faith? Will you resolve to rejoice in 372 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:43,440 the Lord, the God of your salvation? 373 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:48,400 Will you take joy in the Lord? Will it be your strength through 374 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:52,600 unimaginable pain and suffering? You can do it. 375 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:57,800 You can stand up against all of the chaos and the darkness that 376 00:26:57,800 --> 00:27:03,920 this world has because we have our Savior Jesus. 377 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:10,200 What a privilege it is to be able to be a child of God, to 378 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:15,840 withstand all of the darkness that this world has to offer. 379 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:24,640 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will take joy in the God of my 380 00:27:25,080 --> 00:27:27,920 salvation. Let's pray together. 381 00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:32,040 Lord, You are so good to us. We thank you so much. 382 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:39,200 You truly are all powerful. We ask that in judgment you 383 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:43,480 would remember mercy. We thank you that you so 384 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:48,600 graciously loved us so much that you sent your Son to save us 385 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:52,680 from our sins. We are so thankful for that and 386 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:57,240 God we pray as we go through life, as we witness or or maybe 387 00:27:57,240 --> 00:28:01,240 experience for ourselves atrocities and horrible 388 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:05,960 wickedness. God, I pray that the joy of you 389 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:10,440 would be our strength, that we would rejoice in the God of our 390 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:12,680 salvation. Please help us. 391 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:17,960 We pray in Jesus name, Amen. God bless.