Habacuque 3
Leon Morris · Citado em PreceptAustin
Habacuque 3
Morris - Habakkuk here refers partially to God's leading His people in their Exodus from Egypt, with the veiled revelation of His glory on Mount Sinai. However, the dramatic events described following the "Selah" pause did not take place at that time. The literal fulfillment must be at His glorious coming following the Great Tribulation of the end-times. It seems that Habakkuk's prophetic vision, on which his psalm was based, contained a blending of both God's past miraculous deliverances of His people and also the future deliverances of which these had been a type. Cyril
Habacuque 3
Morris comments that... This scene is similar to that in Revelation 10:2-note: "He set His right foot upon the sea, and His left foot on the earth," claiming the world as His possession. The judgments on the nations, the scattering of the everlasting mountains and perpetual hills—such things may have been prefigured by the events at the Exodus, but their literal occurrence is yet future (e.g., Revelation 6:12-17-note). (Defender's Study Bible - Habakkuk 3:6-18 Commentary) Surveyed (KJV = "measured") (NAS has 04058 = madad; KJV has 04128 = mod) refers to measuring lengths or distances and thus means to measure, to mete out, to stretch. Baker says mod "refers to the LORD's surveying the earth as He prepares to demolish it." (Word Study OT Dictionary) Madad is used 53x in 51v and is translated continues(1), measure(9), measured(41), stretched(1), surveyed(1) - 30x in Ezek 40:1–47:23 to specify the measurements of the Millennial Temple. Some translations prefer "shook" (instead of surveyed) following the lead of the Lxx which translates the Hebrew verb madad with saleuo which describes " the unexpected and disastrous shaking of what would be thought to be stable" (Friberg). Saleuo means to put into a state of rocking or vibratory motion. (cp Lk 21:26). Saleuo can also mean a measure as of a quantity that has been "shaken down" (Lk 6:38). The NLT paraphrases it... When he stops, the earth shakes. When he looks, the nations tremble. He shatters the everlasting mountains and levels the eternal hills. He is the Eternal One! The picture one has is of God "stepping off" the area that He will destroy. He is like a commanding general who arrives at the place the battle will be waged, carefully surveying the landscape. He startled the nations - The Hebrew word for "startle" (05425 - natar/nathar) means to jump, to leap, to be violently agitated, to be shocked! It can describe "the shuddering motion of fear as a basal response of the body to stress" (DBL Hebrew). In Job 37:1, this Hebrew verb describes the pounding motion of the heart that is overstimulated by excitement! What a picture - the nations "jump" out of the way at His coming! What an apt description of that future judgment day when the godless, God hating, God rejecting unholy nations of the world are confronted with the sudden arrival of the Holy One! Their worst nightmare has just become their reality! The Septuagint translates the Hebrew (nathar) with the Greek verb diateko which means to melt away, also a fitting description of the response of godless men dead in their trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1-note) to the Living God! (cp Rev 1:7-note) Earth...nations - These words speak of a global effect, which seems to enlarge this picture so that it applies not just to ancient Judah and Babylon (past historical fulfillment) but to the entire world, which speaks of an eschatological (future) fulfillment. Perpetual mountains...ancient hills - parallel terms both of which would normally symbolize permanence (perpetual...ancient), having existed since the day of creation but now shaken and shattered by the arrival of their Creator, the Holy One. As Scott rightly says "Nothing will stand before God—neither nations nor nature." (Ibid) Shattered (NAS = patsats) - 3x - Job 16:12, Jer 23:29, Hab 3:6. Lxx = diathrupto = break into pieces (Lxx uses in Lev 2:6, Nahum 3:6, Hab 3:6) Collapsed (shachach) - means to bow or to be brought low. Spendera writes of Jehovah's impact on the mountains and hills that... Historically this recalls God’s appearance on Mount Sinai when the mountain shook amidst lightning, thunder, and smoke (Ex. 19:18, 19). Habakkuk’s vision, however, is preparation for a yet future coming of the Lord. Any form of God’s revelation provides assurance to the eye of faith. So the prophet was willing to wait, for he knew that God’s ways are eternal (Hab 3:6). (Ibid) His ways are everlasting - This phrase presents a striking contrast between the Creator and His creation - the "perpetual mountains" and "ancient hills." Everything God is and does is everlasting. Indeed, His very Name is El Olam, the Everlasting God. Why is this mentioned in this context? What is the context of Habakkuk? Is it not his angst over the coming Babylonian invasion and destruction of the beautiful land, the Holy City of Jerusalem, and God's Holy Temple? Even though these horrible events would occur just as He promised, His ways are everlasting. And so just as He delivered Israel in the past, judging Egypt who had held them captive, and led them through the wilderness giving them victories over other nations, so once again He will trample the nations (as He did to Babylon who was defeated by the Medes and Persians) and go forth for Israel's salvation in the future. Indeed, in the end times, the earth will be full of His praise (Hab 3:3) and full of the knowledge of His glory (Hab 2:14-note). Habakkuk like many of Israel's prophets had a message of judgment for the enemies of Israel and a message of hope for Israel in the end times. Indeed, as Scott says "What He did for Israel in the past He can do in the future." (Ibid) Spendera writes that "Every generation wrestles with the Coming of the LORD. Habakkuk learned to wait faithfully and accept the fact that God would come, but in His own time. Believers are encouraged to look for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13-note; cp Second Coming). As time progresses faith is challenged, especially in view of growing apostasy (2Peter 3:4-note). Dangerous to the truth of the return of Christ are the date-setters like Harold Camping, whose failures cause more confusion than stability. Rather, the Lord calls His own to faithfully serve Him, like Habakkuk, as they learn to watch and pray (Matt. 26:41-note). C H Spurgeon offers a practical application of the truth in the phrase “His ways are everlasting.” — Habakkuk 3:6 What He hath done at one time, He will do yet again. Man’s ways are variable, but God’s ways are everlasting. There are many reasons for this most comforting truth: among them are the following—the Lord’s ways are the result of wise deliberation; He orders all things according to the counsel of His own will. Human action is frequently the hasty result of passion, or fear, and is followed by regret and alteration; but nothing can take the Almighty by surprise, or happen otherwise than He has foreseen. His ways are the outgrowth of an immutable character, and in them the fixed and settled attributes of God are clearly to be seen. Unless the Eternal One Himself can undergo change, His ways, which are Himself in action, must remain for ever the same. Is He eternally just, gracious, faithful, wise, tender?—then His ways must ever be distinguished for the same excellences. Beings act according to their nature: when those natures change, their conduct varies also; but since God cannot know the shadow of a turning, His ways will abide everlastingly the same. Moreover there is no reason from without which could reverse the divine ways, since they are the embodiment of irresistible might. The earth is said, by the prophet, to be cleft with rivers, mountains tremble, the deep lifts up its hands, and sun and moon stand still, when Jehovah marches forth for the salvation of His people. Who can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou? But it is not might alone which gives stability; God’s ways are the manifestation of the eternal principles of right, and therefore can never pass away. Wrong breeds decay and involves ruin, but the true and the good have about them a vitality which ages cannot diminish. This morning let us go to our heavenly Father with confidence, remembering that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and for ever, and in Him the Lord is ever gracious to His people. (Morning and Evening) Habakkuk 3:7 I saw the tents of Cushan under distress, The tent curtains of the land of Midian were trembling.: Saw: Ex 15:14-16 Nu 22:3,4 Jos 2:10 Josh 9:24 Cushan: Ge 10:6,7 Midian: Ge 25:1-4 Nu 31:2-12 Ps 83:5-10 Habakkuk 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries DISTRESS AND TREMBLING AT HIS COMING NET = I see the tents of Cushan overwhelmed by trouble; the tent curtains of the land of Midian are shaking. ESV = I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. I saw - The prophet again speaks of his own experience. What he witnesses is distress and trembling of two representative tribes, which give further evidence of the impact of Jehovah's coming. Scott comments that... Two nations, Cushan and Midian were selected to illustrate how nations that opposed God and His people stood in fear. (Ibid) Tents of Cushan (means blackness) - This tent dwelling people is visualized as experiencing God's wrath. The parallel with Midian makes people think of an Arabian tribe, possibly nomads. The ISBE entry on Cushan comments that the... Septuagint renders Cushan, kushan, by Aithiopon (="Ethiopians"), reading perhaps kushim, or kushin (kushin). The context indicates that the same land or people is intended as the Old Testament elsewhere calls Cush, yet vaguely and not in any strict geographical usage that would limit it to Africa. Distress (0205) ('aven) conveys the idea of to come to naught and thus is strictly nothingness. 'Aven speaks of calamity, trouble, misfortune, suffering, some unfavorable circumstance which causes hardship (Nu 23:21; Job 5:6; 18:12; 21:19; Ps 55:4; 56:8; 90:10; Pr 12:21; 22:8; Jer 4:15; Am 5:5). Trembling (07264) (ragaz) means to quake, shake, quiver as with any violent emotion, in this context clearly fear of God's wrath.' Richard Patterson sums up this previous section noting that...God is here portrayed as the Divine Warrior who intercedes on behalf of his own. This motif will reach its climax in Hab 3:8–15. With such a defender available, the believing heart may rest secure (Ps 27:1). God’s past victory is a harbinger of a yet future day when the Lord shall intervene once again on behalf of his own in awesome power (Rev 19:11–21). Robertson (1990:224) appropriately remarks, “These past manifestations on a limited scale may be regarded as anticipations of the great final epiphany of the glory of God, when the Son of Man shall come in the clouds, accompanied by lightning shining from the East to the West (Mt 24:27). Then every eye shall see Him, and the vision of Habakkuk shall receive its finalized fulfillment.” (Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 10: Minor Prophets, Hosea–Malachi. Tyndale House Publishers). Habakkuk 3:8 Did the LORD rage against the rivers, or was Your anger against the rivers, or was Your wrath against the sea, that You rode on Your horses, on Your chariots of salvation?: LORD: Ex 14:21,22 Jos 3:16,17 Ps 114:3,5 Isa 50:2 Na 1:4 Mk 4:39 Rev 16:12 Rode: Hab 3:15 Dt 33:26,27 Ps 18:10 45:4 68:4,17 104:3 Isa 19:1 Rev 6:2 Rev 19:11,14 Habakkuk 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries CSB = Are You angry at the rivers, LORD? Is Your wrath against the rivers? Or is Your rage against the sea when You ride on Your horses, Your victorious chariot? ESV = Was your wrath against the rivers, O LORD? Was your anger against the rivers, or your indignation against the sea, when you rode on your horses, on your chariot of salvation? NET = Is the LORD mad at the rivers? Are you angry with the rivers? Are you enraged at the sea? Is this why you climb into your horse-drawn chariots, your victorious chariots? NLT = Was it in anger, LORD, that you struck the rivers and parted the sea? Were you displeased with them? No, you were sending your chariots of salvation! HABAKKUK QUESTIONS Did the LORD rage...- This is a rhetorical question. Interestingly some commentators say this calls for a "no" (He did not come to fight the natural forces) or "yes" the LORD came in rage, anger, wrath. Spendera feels the answer is "no" because...He came riding on His chariots of salvation to deliver His people. Behind Habakkuk’s description of this salvation is the Exodus experience. God did not fight against the sea, but used its power to defeat the Egyptian army. Rage...anger...wrath - This passage clearly highlights the anger of God. Earlier the prophet had alluded to God's anger, referring to His wrath in Hab 3:2. In the previous passages Habakkuk has presented a majestic theophany, depicting God's awesome presence and power. Now in this one verse, Habakkuk speaks not about God but directly to God ("Your anger...Your wrath...You rode...Your chariots"). The prophet then returns to his description of God's appearance in Hab 3:9. That You rode on Your horses - Lxx = "Thou wilt mount (future tense) on Thine horses." John