Introduction to Hab. 3

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/16/2016 10:30 PM

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  Introduction to Habakkuk Chapter-3

We will look at a couple of introductions from different commentators on this third chapter of the book of Habakkuk.

Let us begin with Warren Wiersbe:  “When Habakkuk started his book, he was ‘down in the valley,’ wrestling with the will of God.  The he climbed higher and stood on the watchtower, waiting for God to reply.  After hearing God’s Word and seeing God’s glory, he became like a deer bounding confidently on the mountain heights! (3:19). His circumstances hadn’t changed, but he had changed, and now he was walking by faith instead of sight.  He was living by promises, not explanations.

“It isn’t easy to climb higher in the life of faith, but who wants to live in the valley?  Like Habakkuk, we must honestly talk to God about our difficulties, we must pray, we must meditate on God’s Word, and we must be willing to experience fear and trembling as the Lord reveals Himself to us (v. 16).  But it will be worth it as we reach new summits of faith and discover new opportunities for growth and service.

“What took Habakkuk from the valley to the summit?  The same spiritual disciplines that can take us there:  Prayer, vision, and faith.  Habakkuk interceded for God’s work (Vv. 1-2), pondered God’s ways (vv. 3-15), and affirmed God’s will (vv. 16-19).”

“The title of this chapter is a prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, composed after the manner of a psalm of David, and directed to the chief singer, #Hab 3:1,19. The occasion of it is expressed, #Hab 3:2 in which the prophet declares his concern for the work of the Lord, and the promotion of the kingdom and interest of Christ; and observes the various steps that were, or would be, taken for the advancement of it; for which he prays, and suggests that these would be after the manner of the Lord’s dealing with the people of Israel, and settling them in the land of Canaan, #Hab 3:3-15 and there being several things awful in this account, both with respect to the judgments of God on his enemies, and the conflicts and trials of his own people, it greatly affected the mind of the prophet, #Hab 3:16 and yet, in the view of the worst, he expresses his strong faith in the Lord, as to better times and things, that would most assuredly come, #Hab 3:17-19 (John Gill).”