Habacuque 3

Habacuque 3

Barber - In his prayer Habakkuk portrayed God as coming “from Teman,” a district of Edom, and from Mt. Paran, a region south of Seir. Habakkuk amplified the word he used for God, ’Eloah, by the descriptive term “Holy One,” emphasizing a specific aspect of God’s deity in keeping with the judgment He was about to execute. The historic backdrop of the events described by Habakkuk were portrayed by Isaiah as having a future fulfillment. Isaiah described the Lord as advancing in judgment upon his enemies and coming “from Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah” (Isa. 63:1–6-note). The context of Isaiah’s prophecy definitely has application to the second advent of Christ and the events bringing to a close the Battle of Armageddon. That which Habakkuk saw, therefore, apparently had more than one fulfillment. It had an immediate context that foreshadowed a final, ultimate victory. (Habakkuk and Zephaniah - Everyman’s Bible Commentary) A C Gaebelein offers a very lucid summary of Habakkuk 3:3-15... The great description of His coming must be linked with similar prophecies (See Dt. 33:2; Ps 18:8-19, 33, 34; Ps 68:8, 34; Ps 77:17-20). The great ode, cast in the form of a Psalm, begins with the statement that God cometh from Teman and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Moses in his prophetic blessing also begins with a similar declaration. “The Lord came from Sinai, and rose from Seir unto them; He shined from Mount Paran, and He came with the thousands of His saints (angels); from His right hand went a fiery law for them.” Just as He was manifested when He had redeemed them out of Egypt, and constituted them His Kingdom people at Sinai (Ex 19), so will He appear again to deliver the remnant of His people from the dominion of the world-power, and judge them as He judged Egypt. He comes from the direction of Edom, for Teman is the southern district of Idumea, while Paran is more southward. Isaiah also beheld him advancing from the same direction. “Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah?” (Isa 63:1-6-note). It is unfortunate that the Authorized Version has “God came from Teman,” when it is “God cometh,” not a past but a future event. After this opening statement the first Selah is put. This means to pause and to lift up. We are to pause and meditate, and then to lift up our hearts and voices in praise and thanksgiving. It is found seventy-one times in the Psalms and three times in this chapter of Habakkuk. (Gaebelein, A. C. The Annotated Bible, Volume 5: Daniel to Malachi). His splendor covers the heavens (See Shekinah glory) - KJV = "His glory covered the heavens." Picture the sunrise and how the sky is lit by the sun. Yahweh's coming causes the heavens to light up with His glory, while the earth reacts with joyful praise.