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The Prophet’s Prayer of Surrender (3:1-16) – Habakkuk’s response in prayer is here recorded and forever preserved for the People of God.

This prayer, a marvelous prayer, serves as another beautiful pattern for the prayers of God’s people.

A. CONFESSION (3:1)

B. ADORATION (3:2a)

C. PETITION (3:2b)

IV. The LORD’s Second Response is of Grace and Judgment (2:2-20)

A. God gives us 3 Descriptions of Divine Revelation [Prophecy/vision] (v.2-3) – what we learn from God’s vision to Habakkuk is applicable to every word of Scripture:

1. God’s Revelation is IMPORTANT (v.2) – God has spoken and He did not mumble. He speaks with clarity and forthrightness!”

2. God’s Revelation is TRUE (v.3a) – “For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.”

3. God’s Revelation is TRUSTWORTHY (v.3b) – “Though it tarries (“if it seems slow” ESV), wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry (delay).” Another reason for the “reader” to “run” was because of the certainty of the message.

B. Two Responses at God’s Revelation (v.4-5) – the Proud vs. the Humble (Wicked vs. Righteous) the “two ways” of Psalm 1:

1. The Proud (the “puffed up” person/nation) lives according to his opinion – this person wastes his/her life pursuing only the lustful desires of the heart.

2. The Humble/Just (person) lives by His faith – this justified person invests his/her life in faithfulness to God, dependent upon God, because of God’s GRACE bestowed upon them…

a) Paul quotes this text in Romans 1:17 (emphasis on the just)

b) Paul in Galatians 3:11 (emphasis is on shall live)

c) The writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 10:38 (by faith)

d) Luther responds in faith to this and the result is the Reformation! “Here I Stand” Bainton (pp.49-50)

C. Five Pronouncements of Judgment against Babylon (and nations like Babylon) (vv.4-13, 15-19) – God promised to punish Babylon after He used them to punish Judah. These “woes” would come from the mouths of survivors and Babylon becomes an object-lesson as an archetype for all other nations:

1. Woe for plundering other nations (2:6-8) – they were notorious for the wholesale destruction of humanity and the environment wherever they went. Enslaving the poor through outrageous interest rates “many pledges.”

2. Woe for greed (2:9-11) – consumed by selfishness. This is a culture that never has enough – a paradise for marketing! The punishment fits the crime (“If these walls could speak”).

3. Woe for violence (2:12-14) – a civilization built upon the destruction of other civilizations. “Bloodshed” and “iniquity” characterize their violent advances.

4. Woe for immorality and debauchery (2:15-17) – drunkenness that led to being incapacitated, disarmed, disrobed, vulnerable and exploited.

5. Woe for idolatry (2:18-19) – idols are unable to teach man anything therefore they are wholly unworthy of man’s trust! D. Three Promises from the Sovereign Creator God (v. 4, 14, 20) – here is what we can be assured of…

1. The just shall live by his faith (v.4) - the proud person will be cut off in a moment and be separated for all eternity from God. The person who has been justified by faith will live in righteousness and never be separated from God. This faith-filled and faithful individual will be fully expressed in Habakkuk 3.

2. The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. (v.14) – just as God’s glory filled the tabernacle in the wilderness, and just as God’s glory filled Solomon’s temple, likewise the knowledge of the glory of the LORD will fill the whole earth!

3. The LORD is in His holy temple (v.20) – Psalm 46 “Be still and know that I am God.” Idols are created, dead and impotent.

a) The LORD lives, reigns, and rules over all people and places with all authority! He is worthy of our trust, praise, worship b) If we look at ourselves, if we focus upon our own situation and circumstances we may be discouraged and tempted to quit.

c) Isaiah 6 – God is still on His throne!

(1) Seeing the Living God in His exalted position will inevitably leave us in silence! We have no reason to complain about His ways and no reason to doubt His goodness.

(2) Seeing God in His glory will inevitably lead worshipers to service that is sacrificial and willing to take risks for God’s glory. This is the only right and loving response by a person of saving faith in Christ Jesus.

How is your prayer life? What is the most pressing need that you are praying for/about right now? Are you facing any situations that are humanly impossible to resolve? Where do you go with conflict, grief, sadness and even anger? Can you bring all of your emotions and all of your questions to the Lord?

D. Martin Lloyd Jones Pages 26-28 describes the Biblical Method to understanding problems and perplexities in the Christian life:

(1) Stop to think

(2) Re-state basic principles

(3) Apply the principles to the problem

(4) If still in doubt, commit the problem to God in faith

III. The Prophet's Problem with God's Answer (1:12-2:1) - In Prayer the prophet expresses three important components to powerful prayers:

A. The Prophet Declared His Confidence in God's Character (v.12)

B. The Prophet Expressed his Confusion about God's Ways (vv.13-17)

C. The Prophet Waited with Expectation for God's Word (2:1) - "At reason's end one must wait on revelation."

Conclusion: God is redeeming a people for Himself. Psalm 106 rehearses the faithfulness of God and the history of unfaithfulness of His people. The prophet knew that judgment was necessary and appropriate. He was blown away by the identity of God’s chosen instrument – Babylon. The prophet’s perspective was limited and only through seeking the Lord would he move from fear to faith.

The Children of Israel in Judah deserved God’s judgment, but lest we forget our own sinfulness, let us be reminded that we all deserve judgment/punishment for our sins. The mystery now revealed is that God came in flesh Himself to bear the punishment for our sins! The Gospel is GOOD NEWS! 2 Corinthians 5:15 and 21 allows us to embrace Proverbs 3:5-6 from this side of the cross.

FEAR is often DRIVEN by our CIRCUMSTANCES; as Christians, our FAITH is not DEFINED by our CIRCUMSTANCES but by the GOD Who REIGNS OVER our CIRCUMSTANCES.

II. God’s First Response (1:5-11) – “I am going to bring judgment upon the wickedness of Judah. My instrument of choice for judgment will be the Babylonians.”

A. YAHWEH agreed with His servant about the need for JUDGMENT - “I am doing something awesome and you all aren’t going to believe it” (v.5) –The prophet wanted to hear an oracle of SALVATION but what he received instead was an oracle of JUDGMENT.

B. The LORD identified His chosen instrument of divine JUDGMENT - “I am bringing swift judgment by the Chaldeans” (v.6a)

C. God described the army bringing His divine JUDGMENT (vv.6b-11) – no nation was going to stop them from coming to Judah in the near future. The writing was on the wall!

Needless to say, this answer from God didn’t sit well with Habakkuk. God’s “answer” sounds more like jumping from the frying pan into the fire!

Perhaps we can understand why. What is the prophet’s next move? Will he get angry with God? Turn away from God? Doubt God’s character or trustworthiness?

Introduction to Habakkuk - From Fear to Faith

The Prophet's First Prayer of Complaint to God expressed three problems to Yahweh...

1. Unanswered Prayers (v.2)

2. Unchecked Evil (v.3)

3. Unfulfilled Promises (v.4)

Baptism is the first step of obedience when Christians publicly identify with the Lord Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. Romans 1:16