Discouragement 5 - Habakkuk The Singing Prophet

If anyone had good reason to be discouraged it was the prophet Habakkuk. Habakkuk lived during a time of national upheaval (shortly before 600 B.C.) There was great social injustice (Hab. 1:2-4); unrighteousness among God's people - Judah; the Babylonians were threatening to attack (Hab. 1:5-11); God did not seem to be answering His people and they felt that the Lord was sending the evil Babylonians as punishment for their sins (Hab. 1:5-11).

This little prophetic book differs from other Old Testament prophecies in that instead of the prophet bringing God's word to the people, Habakkuk takes the cry of the people to the Lord. This is a very different kind of prophecy, and a vert different kind of prophet.

There is no biographical information on the prophet Habakkuk; in fact less is known about him than any other writer of the Bible.

Although his name does not appear in any other part of the Jewish Bible, Rabbinic tradition holds Habakkuk to be the Shunammite woman's son - the one who was restored to life by Elisha in 2Kings 4:16, since Elisha told her, "At this season next year you shall embrace (habaq) a son."

Habaq means “embrace” or, an "ardent embrace." At the end of his book this name becomes appropriate because Habakkuk chooses to cling firmly to (embrace) God regardless of what happened to his nation — 3:16-19 (Expanded Open Bible). Jerome suggested that the name indicated embracing so as to wrestle, "because he wrestled with God." Martin Luther said, "in this little book we see a man, in deadly earnest, wrestling with the mighty problem of theodicy (the divine justice) in a topsy-turvy world."

In the midst of this difficult world, Habakkuk, wrestled with God and pushed into Him for answers. Even though he was full of doubt he took his distress and doubts about God to God Himself.

Here is Habakkuk's strategy:

1. Wait and listen to what God has to say Hab. 2:1-3

I will climb up into my watchtower now and wait to see what the Lord will say to me and how he will answer my complaint.
Then the Lord said to me, "Write my answer in large, clear letters on a tablet, so that a runner can read it and tell everyone else

But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. (NLT)

Ps. 37:7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.

(Rom. 8:25; 15:4)

It is important to wait patiently, to wait in hope. Hope gives you endurance in the waiting

2. Write a praise song

I will talk about Habakkuk's song tomorrow.

Yesterday, we saw the importance of the big words "BUT GOD" as the Lord intervened in the suffering of David and his men.

Today we see the courage of the prophet Habakkuk as he confronted a seemingly hopeless situation with the words YET WILL I REJOICE IN THE LORD...

What an example Habakkuk has shown us! In the midst of extreme circumstances, Habakkuk chose to worship.

3. Abide in the Lord's strength, for His sovereign and perfect will is coming to pass (3:16-19)

Here are the life-giving truths Habakkuk's story teaches us about faith:

a) Such a great God can be trusted to accomplish His purposes with all nations and peoples, and in all circumstances no matter how difficult.

b) We must allow God to be God, and allow Him to do things His way and in His own good time.
Our job is to trust Him and live by faith! "The righteous will live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4) - the key verse of this entire book. Some versions use the word "faithfulness".: Although things do not always turn out as we would like, yet we will rejoice in the Lord anyway!

Habakkuk has been called the prophet of faith. He possessed a strong, living faith in the Lord - even though he was troubled and perplexed by the apparent inequalities of life. Nevertheless, he did not sulk. He boldly presented his questions to God, who then pointed the way to a solution. The prophet came through his trouble with a faith stronger and more intense than ever.

"The growth of faith from perplexity and doubt to the height of absolute trust is one of the beautiful aspects of the book. Its lesson is for all time!"

(Homer Hailey).

c) Stay faithful - or filled with faith - integrity, fidelity, steadfastness under all provocations. 

We find this faith echoed in Gal. 3:11 – a living faith that determines how we live and believe; a living faith that sustains us in trouble and causes us to have moral fiber when we are tested. As an expression of living faith, Hab. 3:17-19 is not surpassed in the OT.

It is in this place of faith that you are sustained and strengthened.

Having faith in God also means we have to trust His timing and the instruments He uses to see us through.

God is the hero of this book, and the champion in Habakkuk's song of faith.

Discouragement 1: HERE
Discouragement 6: HERE