"A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.
O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. " - Habbakuk 3:1-2(KJV)
Habbakuk V
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We have been reading through the "burden/utterances" of Habbakuk, and the "vision" that the LORD instructed him to write ..., and in this weeks text, we hear the prophet saying he has heard the LORD's "speech" .... different words are used to describe them.
The word for Burden in Chap 1, v1 is Mas-saw' - From H5375; a burden; specifically tribute, or (abstractly) porterage; figuratively an utterance, chiefly a doom, especially singing; mental, desire: - burden, carry away, prophecy, X they set, song, tribute. (Strongs Dictionary of Greek & Hebrew Words)
The word for vision, is khaw-zone' From H2372; a sight (mentally), that is, a dream, revelation, or oracle: - vision.
The word for speech is shay'-mah : From H8085; something heard, that is, a sound, rumor, announcement; abstractly audience: - bruit, fame, hear (-ing), loud, report, speech, tidings.
You might be more familiar with the term in the context of "Shema Yisrael" ("Hear O Israel..., the Lord is our God, the Lord is One " from Deutoronomy 6), the jewish declaration of Faith.
We saw that Habbakuk definitely had a "burden". He was burdened and affronted by the evil that he saw occurring all around him, very similar to Lot, living in the days and cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, about whom the apostle Peter writes "just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)" - 2 Peter 7,8 .
We heard Habbakuks "utterances", his plaint to his God.
What happened then? Did Habbakuk hear something, see something? He was faithful to the command to write down what the LORD --SAID-- (we have the record), so we definitely know he HEARD something .............. but what did he SEE?
Difficult to say, (we have been parsing what he wrote to unpack some truly marvellous things) , but we get some hints from what he wrote in the vision, and what we are about to see now.
A. The immediate response of Habbakuk to the words/vision of the LORD was to ---pray--- for ---mercy---- !!! (our text this week)
What would prompt that?
A deep connection with the heart of the LORD for His creation, a revelation of the root of the behind-the-scenes warfare ocurring in the world, and an appreciation of the LORD's righteous WRATH against the wicked.
We know he SAW that wrath being expended, ( the vision in the prayer makes it plain ), and as our text says this week ---- he was AFRAID!
B. We draw your attention to the phrase "midst of the years". It is repeated for emphasis.What an odd turn of phrase!
The word "midst" is the word , keh'-reb - From H7126; properly the nearest part, that is, -----the centre------, whether literally, figuratively or adverbially (especially with preposition (Strong)
Daniel : " And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the --midst of the week--- he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." - Daniel 9:27
If you understand a week to be seven years (from the plain sense of Daniel), Habbakuks prayer takes on a deeper significance!
The outlines of Habbakuks vision are forming now, the root of evil, the beginning of an absolute reign of Godlessness, and a prayer for the LORD to "revive" HIS WORK, and make it KNOWN in a time of great darkness and spiritual famine!
Habbakuk is saying, LORD, have mercy, or none will be saved!!... and Daniel sees the same things.
Daniel 11: 32 - 39,...45 --
"And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
[[Happens in the Middle of the 7 year period ]]
And such as ----do wickedly against the covenant---- shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.
-----And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.--------
And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain." ...
.... And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. "
The visions are converging and the Latter days (which began with Jesus) are coming to an end!
Daniel and the book of Habbakuk close in similar fashion.
Daniel :- " But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days. " - Daniel 12:13
Habbakkuk :- " Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places." - Habbakkuk 3:17-19
Hallelujah!