Habacuque 3
John Gill · Exposição de Toda a Bíblia
Habacuque 3
INTRODUÇÃO A HABACUQUE 3 O título deste capítulo é uma oração do profeta Habacuque, composta à maneira de um salmo de Davi, e dirigida ao cantor principal, Habacuque 3:1. A ocasião é expressa em Hab 3:2, em que o profeta declara sua preocupação com a obra do Senhor e com a promoção do reino e interesse de Cristo; e observa os vários passos que foram, ou seriam, dados para o seu avanço; pelo qual ele ora, e sugere que estes seriam segundo a maneira do Senhor lidar com o povo de Israel, e estabelecê-los na terra de Canaã, Hab 3:3 e há várias coisas terríveis neste relato, tanto com respeito aos julgamentos de Deus sobre seus inimigos, quanto aos conflitos e provações de seu próprio povo, isso afetou grandemente a mente do profeta, Hab 3:16 e ainda assim, diante do pior, ele expressa sua forte fé no Senhor, como para melhor tempos e coisas que certamente viriam, Hab 3:17.
Habacuque 3:1
Uma oração do profeta Habacuque sobre Shigionoth. Do nome, caráter e cargo do profeta; veja Gill em Hab 1:1. Este capítulo é intitulado uma “oração” dele, suplicante, apresentada de maneira humilde e sincera, no exercício da fé e sob a influência de um espírito de profecia. Ele antes teve uma visão da vinda de Cristo e de quais inimigos se levantariam e obstruiriam seu reino e interesse no mundo; e aqui ele ora para que essas obstruções sejam removidas e que o reino de Cristo, em toda a sua extensão e glória, possa ocorrer no mundo; e é uma oração de fé, como ele orou para que fosse, ele acreditou que seria; e deixou esta oração para trás, para uso e instrução da igreja em todas as épocas, até que tudo fosse realizado. Parece ter sido composto à maneira dos salmos de Davi, para torná-lo mais agradável e agradável; e que possa ser mais considerado e mais adequado para o uso e serviço público do santuário: isso aparece no estilo dele, que é poético, elevado e sublime; do uso frequente da palavra “Selá”, peculiar aos salmos de Davi, Hab 3:3 e da direção dela ao cantor principal nos instrumentos de cordas, Hab 3:19 e da frase “sobre”, ou “de acordo com Shigionoth” aqui, que a versão da Septuaginta traduz “com uma canção”; e assim a versão árabe, “à maneira de uma canção”; pois esta palavra parece ser o plural de Shiggaion, o título do sétimo salmo Salmos 7:1; que era o nome, título ou primeira palavra de alguma canção ou canções, segundo as quais esta deveria ser cantada; ou o nome da melodia com que seria cantada; ou do instrumento no qual seria cantado: muito provavelmente projeta, e pode ser chamada, uma canção "errática" ou "errante", por causa da variabilidade de sua métrica e de sua melodia. A versão Vulgata Latina interpreta erroneamente, “por ignorâncias”; como se esta fosse uma oração do profeta pelo perdão dos pecados de erro e ignorância cometidos por ele mesmo, ou por outros, ou ambos; cujo sentido é favorecido pelo Targum, "uma oração que Habacuque, o profeta, fez, quando lhe foi revelado a respeito do período (de tempo) que (Deus) deu aos ímpios; que, se eles retornassem à lei com um coração perfeito, deveriam ser perdoados todos os pecados que haviam cometido antes dele como ignorância: '' mas não aparece durante toda a oração um único pedido de perdão de qualquer pecado.
Habacuque 3:2
Ó Senhor, ouvi o teu discurso e tive medo, .... Ou "tua audição" (p); que o Senhor fez com que fosse ouvido de si mesmo; o relatório que foi feito a ele e a outros profetas antes dele, particularmente Isaías, que diz: "quem acreditou em nosso relatório?" Is 53:1 onde a mesma frase é usada aqui: embora pareça aqui não considerar tanto a parte evangélica desse relato, a respeito da vinda de Cristo, seus sofrimentos e morte, a fim de obter redenção e salvação para seu povo; pois isso teria sido, e foi, motivo de alegria, e não de medo e consternação: mas a verdade é esta, o Senhor no discurso anterior, sendo um relatório que ele fez ao profeta a respeito do Messias, havia significado que Cristo teria muitos inimigos dos judeus e dos gentios, de Roma pagã e de Roma papal; que a igreja de Cristo enfrentaria grandes aflições e perseguições, e seria acompanhada de muitos conflitos, tentações e dificuldades; que o interesse do Redentor às vezes seria muito baixo, e a obra do Senhor estaria em pé no mundo, sim, aparentemente morta, completamente perdida e desaparecida; foi isso que causou medo e angústia na mente do profeta, e lhe deu aquela dor e desconforto: e daí a seguinte petição, Ó Senhor, reaviva a tua obra no meio dos anos; que não se refere à libertação do cativeiro babilônico, que foi fixado para um período de anos, quando, e não antes, não no meio deles, seria realizado; mas para a grande obra do Senhor nos tempos do Evangelho. Há uma leitura dupla dessas palavras na versão da Septuaginta, e ambas muito diferentes do texto hebraico. A primeira é: “no meio de duas vidas você será conhecido”; a vida que existe agora e a que está por vir. A outra, por uma mudança de sotaque, é: “no meio de dois animais você será conhecido”; então a versão árabe. Teodoreto menciona ambos e se inclina para o primeiro; "alguns (ele diz) por dois animais entendem anjos e homens; alguns os poderes incorpóreos próximos à Glória divina, os querubins e serafins; outros os judeus e babilônios; mas para mim parece que o profeta não diz animais, mas vidas, o presente e o futuro, no meio dos quais ele era um juiz justo: '' mas a última leitura é seguida por muitos dos antigos, cujos diferentes sentidos são dados por Jerom no local; alguns interpretando-os do Filho e do Espírito, por quem o Pai é dado a conhecer; outros dos dois querubins em Êxodo, e dos dois serafins em Isaías; e houve alguns que os compreenderam dos dois Testamentos, o Antigo e o Novo, no meio dos quais o Senhor pode ser conhecido; e outros sobre Cristo sendo crucificado entre dois ladrões, pelos quais ele pode ser conhecido: mas, além desses sentimentos diferentes, muitos dos antigos concluíram daí que Cristo estava deitado na manjedoura entre dois animais, o boi e o burro, e aos quais eles se referem em seus hinos antigos (q); mas embora esta seja uma versão errada do texto e um sentido errado que lhe é atribuído, juntamente com Isaías 1:3; contudo, como observa Burkius, há neste erro uma verdade certa e antiga, que o texto de Habacuque pertence à obra de Deus em Cristo, e especialmente à natividade de nosso Senhor Jesus; e assim alguns escritores posteriores aplicam isto à obra maravilhosa da encarnação de Cristo, aquela coisa nova, inédita e surpreendente que o Senhor operaria na terra; cuja promessa, sendo adiada, pode parecer morta; e, portanto, pede-se que seja revivido e que seu desempenho seja acelerado; e outros à obra de redenção por Cristo, que o Pai lhe deu para fazer, e ele prometeu vir e realizar; mas, sendo adiados, os santos do Antigo Testamento ficaram impacientes com isso. Cocceius e Van Till restringem-no à ressurreição de Cristo dentre os mortos, sua vinda já foi profetizada antes; e traduza as palavras: “Ó Senhor, tua obra é a vida dele (r), no meio dos anos”; a ressurreição de Cristo dentre os mortos, ou a vivificação dele, é profetizada em muitos lugares como uma obra que seria realizada e na qual a esperança e a expectativa dos santos foram colocadas; sendo esta uma obra de grande importância tanto para Cristo, sua exaltação e glória, quanto para seu povo; sua aceleração junto com ele; sua regeneração, ou passagem da morte para a vida; sua justificação de vida e ressurreição dentre os mortos, dependendo disso; e esta é a obra do Senhor, e devido à grandeza excessiva de seu poder, e é frequentemente atribuída a Deus Pai, que ressuscitou Cristo dentre os mortos, e lhe deu glória: e isso foi “no meio dos anos”, ou entre os anos do Antigo e do Novo Testamento; o primeiro foi o ano da longanimidade e tolerância de Deus, o tempo em que a igreja judaica, como as crianças, estava sob governadores e tutores, até o tempo designado pelo Pai; o último é o ano aceitável do Senhor e o ano dos redimidos; e entre esses dois anos, no final de um e no início do outro, o Messias veio, foi cortado ou morreu, e foi vivificado e ressuscitado: mas eu deveria preferir entender isso de forma mais geral da obra do Senhor nas igrejas cristãs durante toda a dispensação do Evangelho, ou pelo menos em alguns períodos específicos dela. A própria igreja é obra das mãos do Senhor, Is 45:11, que às vezes parece ter estado em um estado e condição muito morta e sem vida, como nos tempos sombrios do Papado; e embora tenha havido um renascimento após a Reforma, ainda assim houve um declínio desde então; e o estado eclesiástico da Sardenha, no qual estamos agora, é descrito como tendo um “nome”, que “vive” e ainda assim está “morto”; e o interesse da religião, e da igreja de Cristo, será ainda menor quando as testemunhas forem mortas, e seus cadáveres permanecerem insepultos, antes que o Espírito do Senhor entre neles e os reviva: agora o profeta tendo em vista esses vários intervalos, e especialmente o último, ora por um reavivamento do interesse e da igreja de Cristo, e da obra do Senhor nela; e o que será feito quando Cristo vier de maneira espiritual e destruir o anticristo; quando o Espírito será derramado abundantemente do alto; quando o Evangelho for pregado pura e poderosamente em todo o mundo; quando as ordenanças serão administradas como no início; quando multidões de igrejas forem levantadas e formadas, os judeus serão convertidos e a plenitude dos gentios será trazida: este será realmente um tempo de reavivamento! e nunca haverá um completo até que chegue este tempo; e isso acontecerá “no meio dos anos”; entre os anos do reinado do anticristo, os 1.260 dias ou anos dele, que agora expirarão, e os mil anos do reinado pessoal de Cristo na terra; entre estes dois estará este tempo de renascimento ou reinado espiritual de Cristo(s). As palavras podem ser aplicadas com bom propósito à obra da graça nos corações dos verdadeiros crentes em Cristo, que é a obra do Senhor, e sua única; não homens, nem ministros, nem anjos, mas somente Jeová é o autor e consumador disso. Isso às vezes parece estar morto, quando as graças do Espírito não estão em exercício; quando os santos estão em estados de alma mortos e sem vida; quando estão atrasados nos exercícios espirituais e religiosos; quando o mundo e as coisas dele tiverem poder sobre eles, e eles não se preocuparem com as coisas de Cristo, com a honra de seu nome e com o bem de suas próprias almas; quando estão sob o poder de algum pecado e são levados cativos por ele, como foi o caso de Davi, Pedro e outros: agora esta obra é revivida, quando as graças do Espírito são chamadas novamente para um exercício vivo; quando os afetos vão fortemente atrás de objetos e coisas divinas; quando os pensamentos da mente e as meditações do coração são sobre assuntos espirituais; quando a conversa e a conversa giram principalmente sobre coisas de natureza religiosa e celestial; quando há uma disposição para os exercícios espirituais, um estímulo de si e dos outros para eles, e uma continuação neles; quando há um crescimento visível na graça e uma fecundidade em toda boa obra: isso deve ser orado e vem do Senhor; e é devido ao fato de ele ter colocado a mão no trabalho pela segunda vez; para o seu ser como o orvalho para o seu povo; a Cristo o sol da justiça surgindo sobre eles, com cura em suas asas; e ao vento sul do Espírito soprando sobre eles e fazendo fluir suas especiarias; e isso é desejável no meio de seus anos, antes que cheguem os anos em que eles não têm prazer, ou antes de partirem e não existirem mais: no meio dos anos dê a conhecer; que Cocceius e Van Till restringem a notificação da ressurreição de Cristo dentre os mortos pelo ministério do Evangelho, para o benefício do povo do Senhor, tanto judeus como gentios; como sendo uma questão de grande importância para eles, e para a confirmação da religião cristã, como sem dúvida foi: mas parece melhor entendê-lo em um sentido mais geral, que Deus se tornaria mais conhecido, como o Deus da aliança e Pai de seu povo, de sua mente e vontade, de seu amor, graça e misericórdia em Cristo; que ele tornaria conhecido mais de Cristo, de sua pessoa, ofícios e graça; que ele tornaria conhecida mais claramente a obra de seu Espírito e graça em seus corações, e demonstraria seu poder e a eficácia de sua graça, reavivando-a e levando-a adiante; que ele divulgaria mais amplamente sua aliança e promessas, sua verdade e fidelidade no cumprimento delas; que ele concederia uma medida maior de conhecimento de todas as coisas divinas do Evangelho e de suas verdades; tal como é prometido, e esperado será nos últimos dias, quando a terra estará em toda parte cheia do conhecimento do Senhor, Hab 2:14, na ira, lembre-se da misericórdia; os intérpretes acima referem isso ao tempo da ira e vingança de Deus sobre a nação judaica por sua rejeição ao Messias; e que o profeta não ora pode ser evitado, mas que a misericórdia possa ser lembrada por seu próprio povo entre eles, como foi; que tiveram o Evangelho pregado pela primeira vez a eles, e foram chamados pela graça e salvos; e que lhes foi dada a oportunidade de escapar de Jerusalém, antes da destruição daquela cidade: mas pode ser mais agradável interpretar isso do estado das igrejas de Cristo e dos verdadeiros crentes; que, quando estão sob aflição e angústia, ou em tentação e deserção, estão prontos para concluir que Deus está lidando com eles com ira; e a quem o profeta personifica, e por ele eles são ensinados a orar, para que nessas épocas Deus se lembre de sua aliança, de suas promessas, de sua benignidade e terna misericórdia, do favor que ele presta ao seu próprio povo, e sorria para eles novamente e conforte suas almas. (p) “tuam auditionem”, V. L. Burkius; "tuum auditum", Pagninus, Montanus; "rumorem", Tarnovius. (q) "Agnoscat bos et asinus Jacentem in praesepio." E novamente, “Cognovit bos et asinus, Quod paer erat Dominus”. (r) Tomando for como na ver. 10. Então Ben Melech observa que pode ser levado. (s) O Targum interpreta estes anos do tempo em que Deus renovará o mundo.
Habacuque 3:3
Deus veio de Teman, .... Ou "que Deus venha de Teman" (t); já que faz parte da oração de Habacuque: ou, como “de Teman” (u); como ele antigamente veio de lá, uma cidade na terra de Edom, Jeremias 49:7 ficava a cinco milhas de Petra, na Iduméia, onde ficava o Monte Seir, de onde o Senhor surgiu, e brilhou do Monte Parã, na promulgação da lei, Deuteronômio 33:2 à qual a alusão está aqui. Então o Targum, "ao dar a lei ao seu povo, Deus foi revelado do sul;'' pois assim Teman significa. O profeta, para encorajar sua própria fé e a fé de outros, observa, neste e nos versículos seguintes, os exemplos da graça, bondade e poder de Deus para seu povo Israel, ao aparecer a eles no Monte Sinai, indo adiante deles no deserto, destruindo seus inimigos, expulsando-os diante deles, e introduzindo-os na terra de Canaã, e estabelecendo-os lá; sugerindo que aquele que fez essas coisas grandes e maravilhosas apoiaria e manteria, continuaria e promoveria seu próprio reino e interesse no mundo; para que o profeta ore a Deus Pai pela vinda de seu Filho, seja na carne, para que o Deus encarnado apareça no mundo e nele estabeleça seu reino; ou, em oração, ele profetiza sobre isso e expressa sua fé: “Deus vem do sul”; ou “ele virá” (w), como pode ser traduzido: ele sabia, pela profecia de Miquéias, que aquele que seria governante em Israel viria de Belém, Miquéias 5:2, que ficava ao sul de Jerusalém; e daí ele o esperava, e acreditou que ele viria, e orou por isso como sendo muito desejável e bem-vindo: ou então isso diz respeito à vinda do Messias, no ministério da palavra aos judeus e gentios, após sua ressurreição dentre os mortos, e ascensão ao céu, e o derramamento de seu Espírito no dia de Pentecostes; que assim como o Senhor veio dos lugares aqui mencionados, quando deu a lei no Monte Sinai, ele enviaria seu Evangelho de Sião e Jerusalém, e seguiria junto com ele, cavalgando em sua glória e em sua majestade, conquistando e para conquistar; fazendo com que seus ministros triunfassem nele, e por eles subjugassem multidões de almas a ele, tanto na Judéia, quanto no mundo gentio, por meio do qual seu reino poderia aparecer nele: e o Santo do Monte Parã; ou “mesmo o Santo” (x); que veio ou brilhou “do Monte Paran” anteriormente; pois foi Cristo então quem apareceu no Monte Sinai e deu a Moisés os vivos oráculos de Deus; veja Salmos 68:17 ele, como ele é verdadeiramente Deus, Deus manifestado na carne, “Emanuel”, Deus conosco; então ele é o Santo de Deus, infinita e essencialmente santo, como uma Pessoa divina; e santo, e inofensivo, e sem pecado em sua natureza e vida humana; e é o santificador e a santificação do seu povo. O Monte Parã estava situado ao sul da terra de Canaã, assim como Temã, o que assim significa, como observado anteriormente. É chamado por Ptolomeu, Pomponius Mela e outros, Strobilus, por sua semelhança com um abacaxi. Seu nome vem da cidade de Parã, que ficava entre o Egito e a Arábia (y); veja Reis 11:18 que Jerom diz (z) eram três dias de viagem de Aila para o leste; é feita menção a Ail, ou Elparan em Gênesis 14:6, perto do qual ficava o deserto de Parã, freqüentemente mencionado nas Escrituras, Gênesis 21:21, o mesmo que Josefo (a) chama de vale ou planície de Farã, onde Simão de Gerasa fez cavernas e covas, e escondeu o tesouro que saqueou do povo: de acordo com Adrichomius (b), era um deserto árido e terrível, onde nada crescia, ou deveria ser obtido, através do qual o os filhos de Israel viajaram; e às vezes era levado para a primeira parte do deserto da Arábia, perto do Monte Sinai, e às vezes para a última parte, em direção à terra da promessa; às vezes era chamado de deserto de Sin, e às vezes de deserto do Sinai, daquela montanha; mas seu nome mais geral era Parã e continha onze dias de viagem do Monte Sinai a Cadesbarnéia. O Monte Parã (ele diz (c)) é espesso e sombrio, próximo ao Monte Sinai, e até “contíguo”, como deveria parecer em Deuteronômio 33:2, ao qual a referência está aqui. Assim, Hillerus (d) interpreta isso como “cheio de galhos” ou “galhos”; ou então ele teria que significar "o canto de Aran", filho de Dishan, filho de Seir, o horeu, que habitava este país; veja Gênesis 36:20 e tanto Temã quanto Parã estando ao sul, podem apontar para o lugar do Redentor, por quem a grande obra deveria ser feita, referida. Jerom diz que ouviu um homem hebreu discursar sobre esta passagem, assim, "que Belém fica ao sul, onde nasceu o Senhor e Salvador: e que é dele que se diz aqui:" o Senhor virá do sul "; isto é, nascerá em Belém e daí surgirá; e porque aquele que nasceu em Belém anteriormente deu a lei no Monte Sinai, ele é" o Santo "que veio do" Monte Parã "; visto que Parã é um lugar próximo ao Monte Sinai; e a palavra" Selá "significa “sempre”; e o sentido é que aquele que nasceu em Belém, e que no Monte Sinai, isto é, no Monte Parã, deu a lei, sempre é o autor e doador de todas as bênçãos, passadas, presentes e futuras. A palavra Selá está aqui no meio do versículo. É interpretado, por vários escritores judeus, “para sempre”, como pelo mencionado hebraico; e por outros como uma afirmação, e traduzi-la, "em verdade, em verdade", como uma resposta a "Amém". Alguns entendem como uma pausa ou ponto final, denotando atenção a algo dito que é notável; e outros consideram que é uma nota, direcionando o cantor para a elevação de sua voz, onde ela se encontra; e portanto não é outra coisa senão uma nota musical; daí a Septuaginta vertê-lo. Um homem muito erudito (e) escreveu uma dissertação sobre ele, mostrando que é um dos nomes de Deus; e usado de forma diferente, conforme o sentido exige, seja no caso vocativo, como “Selá”, isto é, ó Deus; ou nos outros casos, de Deus, para Deus, etc.: a sua glória cobriu os céus; isto é, a glória de Deus, o Santo, quando ele veio, ou deveria vir: isso era verdade para ele quando ele desceu ao Monte Sinai, e sua glória residiu sobre ele; e a visão da sua glória era como um fogo consumidor; e os anciãos viram o Deus de Israel, sob cujos pés estava como uma obra pavimentada de safira e como o corpo do céu em sua limpidez; sim, tão grandes que tornam inúteis a luz e a glória dos corpos celestes, até mesmo para cobrir e ocultar seu brilho; veja Êxodo 24:10 e pode respeitar as aparições gloriosas no nascimento de Cristo, quando o exército celestial desceu e cantou Glória a Deus nas alturas, e quando a glória do Senhor brilhou ao redor dos pastores, Lucas 2:9 e em seu batismo, quando os céus foram abertos, a voz do Pai foi ouvida, e o Espírito desceu sobre Cristo, como uma pomba; e na sua transfiguração, quando o seu rosto brilhou como o sol; e Moisés e Elias apareceram em formas gloriosas, e uma nuvem brilhante os cobriu, e uma voz foi ouvida da excelente Glória, Mateus 3:16 ou melhor, pode ser, isso pode respeitar a Cristo como o brilho da glória de seu Pai, e a glória de Deus na face de Cristo, conforme apresentado à luz do glorioso Evangelho de Cristo, quando levado por todo o mundo por seus apóstolos; por meio do qual sua glória foi tão espalhada nele, que os céus foram cobertos com ele e o declararam; sim, foi colocado acima dos céus e o nome do Senhor tornou-se excelente em toda a Terra, como segue; veja Salmos 19:1, e a terra encheu-se do seu louvor; com as palavras de seu louvor, como o Targum; assim, a fama das coisas poderosas feitas pelo Senhor no Egito, no mar Vermelho e no deserto, para seu povo, alcançou as nações do mundo, e especialmente aquelas da terra de Canaã, e os atingiu com temor e pavor, Josué 2:9 e a fama de Cristo, seus milagres e doutrinas, percorreram a terra de Israel e toda a Síria; e multidões glorificaram a Deus e o louvaram pelo que foi feito por ele, Mateus 4:23 e mais especialmente a terra ficou cheia de sua glória e louvor quando seu Evangelho foi levado a todas as partes por seus apóstolos; que ocasionou alegria universal a todos os pecadores sensatos, e encheu seus corações e bocas com louvor a Deus por tal Salvador, e por tais bênçãos de graça e coisas boas que vieram por ele: ou, "a terra estava cheia de sua luz" (f); da luz do seu Evangelho e do conhecimento de si mesmo por meio dele. (t) "veniet", então alguns em Calvin, Van Till. (u) "sicuti olim ex Theman", Van Till. (w) Venit, Grotius; "veniet", Pagninus, Montanus, Calvin, Gussetius. (x) (y) Hiller. Onomástico. pág. 585, 908. (z) De locis Hebr. fol. 91. FG (a) De Bello Jud. eu. 4. c. 9. seita. 4. (b) Theatrum Terrae Sanctae, p. 116. (c) Ibidem. pág. 123. (d) Ut supra, (Hiller. Onomastic.) p. 431, 477, 908. (e) Paschii Dissertatio de Selah, p. 670. no Tesauro. Teólogo. Filólogo. par. 1. (f) "et lux ejus implevit terram", Junius & Tremellius; "et splendoris, vel fulgoris ejus plena terra", Vatablus, Drusius; então Kimchi, Ben Melech e R. Sol. Urbina. Ohel Moed, fol. 3. 1.
Habacuque 3:4
E seu brilho era como a luz, .... de fogo, de fogo devorador no topo do monte, ao qual a visão de sua glória era como, Êxodo 24:16 ao qual Kimchi se refere. Aben Ezra pensa que se pretende a coluna de fogo, na qual o Senhor foi diante de seu povo no deserto, Êxodo 13:21 ou como a luz e o esplendor de Bereshith, como o Targum, daquela luz primogenital que foi produzida no primeiro dia da criação; ou como a luz dos sete dias da criação, como Jarchi; veja Isaías 30:26 ou melhor, como a luz do sol brilhando em toda a sua força, sendo Cristo a luz do mundo e o sol da justiça; e assim pode descrevê-lo como o brilho da glória de seu Pai; ou a sua glória, como o unigênito do Pai, visto pelos seus próprios discípulos nos dias da sua carne, brilhando através das suas obras e milagres; ou como exibido à luz do seu glorioso Evangelho, que é a grande luz que brilhou sobre os homens; e em e por meio do qual aqueles que estavam sentados nas trevas viram a luz, e que eram as próprias trevas foram feitos luz no Senhor: que glória, brilho, brilho e luz, o Evangelho se espalhou pelo mundo na primeira publicação dele! ele tinha chifres saindo de sua mão; que os intérpretes judeus entendem de Moisés tendo chifres ou raios de luz e glória da mão e do poder de Deus, quando ele conversou com ele no monte, e a pele de seu rosto brilhou, onde a mesma palavra é usada como aqui, Êxodo 34:29 embora alguns deles a interpretem das duas tábuas da lei, que vieram da mão do Senhor, afiadas com glória e brilho, e pareciam fogo; portanto chamada de “lei ígnea”, Deuteronômio 33:2. As palavras podem ser traduzidas, como na margem, “ele tinha vigas” saindo “do seu lado” (g); e ser compreendido por Cristo, que tem raios e raios de glória em todos os lados dele, ao seu redor; ele é todo glória (h); ele é coroado com glória e honra, e altamente exaltado à direita de seu Pai, acima de todos os principados e potestades: e "chifres" sendo um emblema de poder e poder, autoridade e domínio, a frase pode denotar que poder e autoridade no céu e na terra são dados a ele como Mediador, e exercidos por ele. Van Till observa que a palavra "chifre" é um termo militar e é usada para designar as alas dos exércitos, a direita e a esquerda; e como Cristo é aqui descrito como um general de um exército, marchando de maneira guerreira; estes podem denotar os exércitos ou companhias sob seu comando, sob seu comando e sob seu comando, equipados e prontos para obedecer suas ordens; e particularmente pode ter respeito à divisão feita entre os apóstolos, a quem ele enviou para subjugar os homens a ele; entregando o Evangelho da circuncisão a Pedro, e da incircuncisão a Paulo, Gálatas 2:7, cujas ministrações foram bem sucedidas para derrubar as fortalezas do pecado e de Satanás, e reduzir muitos à obediência de Cristo: e ali estava o esconderijo do seu poder; isto é, em sua mão; ali seu poder, que antes estava oculto, se manifestou; e ainda assim tão pouco exibido, em comparação com o que é em si, que pode-se dizer que está mais oculto do que revelado; ou aí, em sua mão, está seu poder, com o qual ele esconde e cobre seu povo no dia da batalha; especialmente seus servos ministradores, a quem ele segura em sua mão direita, e os preserva em meio a mil perigos e dificuldades, e os guarda para maior utilidade; veja Atos 18:10. O Targum é, "faíscas saíram da carruagem de sua glória; ali ele revelou sua majestade, que estava escondida dos filhos dos homens, com poder sublime." Aben Ezra pensa que a arca significa "o esconderijo do seu poder", chamada "a arca da sua força", Salmos 132:8. (g) "e lateribus utrinque emicabant cornua", i. e. "raios", Drúsio. (h) Assim, R. Joseph Albo os interpreta como faíscas de luz espiritual, que vêm do próprio Deus, e não de outro. Vídeo. Sepher Ikkarim, l. 2. c. 29.
Habacuque 3:5
Antes dele foi a pestilência, .... Ou na terra do Egito, quando ele marchou por isso, e matou todos os seus primogênitos, Salmos 78:50 ou melhor, que ele enviou diante dele, e Israel seu povo entre as nações da terra de Canaã, com outras doenças e julgamentos, e os destruiu para abrir caminho para seu povo, que pode ser aqui aludido, Êxodo 23:27 e pode apontar para os julgamentos de Deus, e aquelas doenças pestilentas que se apoderaram sobre os perseguidores dos cristãos, tanto entre os judeus, como Herodes, Atos 12:23, quanto entre os gentios, como muitos dos imperadores romanos, que morreram de forma violenta e grave; e particularmente pode considerar a pestilência, a fome e outros julgamentos dolorosos que precedem a destruição de Jerusalém, e os habitantes dela, por sua rejeição e crucificação do Messias: e brasas saíram a seus pés; que alguns entendem de granizo misturado com fogo, ao qual pode ser a alusão, sendo uma das pragas do Egito, Êxodo 9:23. Alguns interpretam isso como doenças quentes, febres ardentes, então Kimchi; que estão sob o comando de Deus e enviados por ele quando ele deseja, para fazer sua vontade. Os antigos pais expõem tudo isso sobre a destruição da morte, e do diabo, e seus principados, por Cristo na cruz; e o Targum é, "de diante dele foi enviado o anjo da morte, e sua palavra saiu em uma chama de fogo;'' mas isso parece ter respeito ao incêndio da cidade e do templo de Jerusalém, que foi feito pelos romanos como instrumentos, mas de acordo com a direção, ordem e vontade de Cristo, Mateus 22:7, ver Salmos 18:12.
Habacuque 3:6
He stood and measured the earth,.... This alludes to the ark of the Lord, the symbol of his presence, standing and abiding at Gilgal for the space of fourteen years, while the land of Canaan was subdued by Joshua; and then measured out by him, and divided by lot, as an inheritance to the children of Israel, according to the direction and appointment of the Lord, Jos 13:1 &c.: here it may have respect to the mission of the apostles into the various parts of the world, and the distribution of it among them; some being sent into one part, and some into another, called their particular line and measure, Co2 10:14 some into India, others into Ethiopia; some into Asia, and others into Europe; by which means the Gospel was preached everywhere, and great part of the world became Christians: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; with a look of his he made them give way; he drove the Canaanites out of the land, and separated them from one another, and scattered them about, to make room for his people Israel, Psa 78:55, and the everlasting mountains were scattered; or, "were broken" (i): the perpetual hills did bow; the mountains and hills that were from the beginning of the creation, that were settled upon their bases, and never moved, now trembled, shook, and bowed, as Sinai and others did, at the presence of the God of Israel; see Jdg 5:5 or rather, figuratively, these may design the kingdoms and states, kings and princes, greater and lesser, belonging to the land of Canaan, which were shaken, moved, and taken by the Israelites, and brought into subjection to them; and in like manner kings and kingdoms, comparable to mountains and hills, through the preaching of the Gospel, and the power of Christ attending it, were brought to yield unto him, at the downfall of Paganism in the Roman empire: this is signified by every mountain and island being moved out of their places, and kings and great men calling to the rocks and mountains to fall on them, and hide them from the wrath of the Lamb, Rev 6:14, his ways are everlasting; and what he has done in ages past he can do again; his power, his wisdom, and his grace, are unchangeably the same; and all he does in time, every step he takes, is according to his counsels, purposes, and decrees in eternity, which infallibly come to pass; nor can he be hindered and frustrated in the execution of them; as he has begun, he will go on; as he has set up his kingdom in the world, he will support and maintain it; and though there are many obstructions and remoras in the way of it, he will go on, and remove them, until he has thoroughly established it, and brought it to its highest glory, which he has designed; all mountains and hills are nothing before him; he can soon make them a plain; see Rev 11:15, or, "the ways of the world (k) are his"; the world is under his government, and all things in it subject to his providence; he can rule and overrule all things for his own glory, and the good of his interest, and he will do it; everything is subject to his control, and under his direction; not a step can be taken without his will. This the prophet observes along with the above things, to encourage the faith and expectation of the saints, that the work of the Lord will be revived, and his kingdom and interest promoted and established in the world; though there may, and will, be many difficulties and distresses previous to it. (i) "contriti sunt", Pagninus, Montanus; so R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 95. 1. (k) "itinera mundi", Vatablus, Tigurine version.
Habacuque 3:7
I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction,.... The same with Cush or Ethiopia; hence the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions render it, "the tents of the Ethiopians"; and these are the same with "the curtains of Midian" in the next clause, tents being made of curtains, and the Ethiopians and Midianites the same people; so the daughter of the priest of Midian, whom Moses married, is called an Ethiopian woman, Exo 2:21. This seems to have respect to that panic which seized the neighbouring nations by whom the Israelites passed, as well as the Canaanites, into whose land they were marching, when they heard what wonderful things were done for them in Egypt, at the Red sea, and in the wilderness, which was predicted by Moses in Exo 15:14 and not only fulfilled in the Canaanites, as appears from what Rahab says, Jos 2:9 but particularly in the Moabites and Midianites, who sent to each other, and consulted together against Israel; and, by the advice of Balaam, found ways and means to draw them into fornication, and so to idolatry; for which the Israelites having suffered, were stirred up to avenge themselves on them, and slew five of their kings, and a great multitude of their people; and so the words may be rendered, "for iniquity" (l); and the word is often used for idolatry; that is, for the sin they drew the Israelites into, they were brought into trembling and great distress, which the prophet saw, perceived, and understood by reading the history of those times; see Num 22:3 though the Jewish commentators, and others, generally refer this to the case of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia, who carried Israel into captivity, from whence they were delivered by Othniel, who prevailed against Cushan, and into whose hands he fell; and so then he and his people were seen in affliction, Jdg 3:7 but Cushan here is not the name of a man, but of a country: and whereas it follows, the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble; this is thought to refer to the times of Gideon, when the Midianites were overcome by him with three hundred men, and in their fright fell upon and destroyed each other; signified by a barley cake tumbling into the host of Midian, and overturning a tent, as represented in a dream to one of Gideon's men, Jdg 7:13 but the former reference seems best; and it should be observed, that Cush or Ethiopia, and Midian, were parts of Arabia; for not only the Arabians are said to be near the Ethiopians, or at the hand of the Cushites, Ch2 21:16 but Sinai, a part of Horeb, where Moses fed the flock of his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, is expressly said to be in Arabia; compare Exo 3:1 and with those Arabians called Scenitae, from their dwelling in tents, agree the characters in the text: now the people inhabiting those places, the prophet foresaw by a spirit of prophecy "under vanity" (m), as it may be rendered; that is, "subject" to it, as the whole Gentile world was, Rom 8:20 or under the power of idolatry; but it was foretold that these should be converted in Gospel times, Psa 68:31 which was brought about, partly by the Apostles Matthew and Matthias, said to be sent into Ethiopia; and partly by the Ethiopian eunuch, converted and baptized by Philip, who doubtless was the means of spreading the Gospel in his own country, when returned to it, Act 8:27 and chiefly by the Apostle Paul, who went into Arabia, and preached there, quickly after his conversion; and here were churches in the first times of Christianity; See Gill on Gal 1:17 and at this time Cushan or Ethiopia was in affliction; and the Midianites trembled, such of them to whom the word came in power, and they were made sensible of their danger and misery, as the apostle did, the instrument of their conversion, Act 9:6 once more, as an Ethiopian is an emblem of a man in a state of nature, and describes very aptly wicked and profligate persons, apostates from religion, and such as are persecutors of good men, Jer 13:23 it may design such here; and be expressive of their distress and trouble, the fear and dread they would be seized with on seeing Christianity prevail, and Paganism falling in the Roman empire; which distress and trembling are in a very lively manner set forth in Rev 6:15. (l) "propter iniquitatem", V. L. Calvin, Tigurine version. (m) "Subjecta vanitati", Heb.; "sub vanitate", Piscator, Cocceius, Van Till.
Habacuque 3:8
O Senhor estava descontente com os rios? foi a tua ira contra os rios?... Referindo-se, como se costuma pensar, aos rios do Egito transformados em sangue, que foi uma das pragas daquela terra, Êxodo 7:20, quando o ressentimento do Senhor não era tanto contra eles como contra os egípcios; e como punição deles por afogarem as crianças dos israelitas neles, e a fim de obter a demissão de seu povo daquela terra: ou então para o rio Jordão, chamado de “rios”, por causa de sua grandeza, e da abundância de água nele; contra o qual o Senhor não se irou, quando ele dividiu as águas, o que foi feito apenas para fazer uma passagem através dele para o seu povo na terra de Canaã, Josué 3:16, Foi a tua ira contra o mar, e montaste nos teus cavalos e nos teus carros de salvação? o mar Vermelho, quando um forte vento leste foi enviado e dividiu suas águas, o que não era sinal de desagrado contra isso; mas para o benefício do povo de Israel, para que pudessem passar por ela como em terra seca; e para a destruição de Faraó e seus exércitos, que, entrando nela com seus cavalos e carros, foram afogados; o Senhor vindo contra ele, montado em seus cavalos e carros, a coluna de fogo e nuvem, pela qual ele defendeu Israel, e através da qual ele olhou, e desconcertou o exército dos egípcios, e operou a salvação para seu povo; veja Êxodo 14:19 com o qual compare Salmos 114:3. As nuvens são as carruagens do Senhor, Salmos 104:3 então anjos, que às vezes são representados por cavalos e carruagens, Salmos 18:10 Zacarias 1:8 e aqui eles podem projetar os anjos de Miguel, ou Cristo, Apocalipse 12:7 os imperadores cristãos, Constantino e Teodósio, a quem o Senhor levantou e usou como instrumentos para demolir o paganismo, estabelecer o cristianismo e libertar e salvar seu povo de seus perseguidores, que vieram sobre eles como uma inundação; e que, por seu número e força, eram comparáveis aos rios, sim, ao mar; e sobre quem o Senhor mostrou alguns sinais manifestos de sua ira e descontentamento; assim, pessoas, línguas e nações são comparadas a muitas águas, Apocalipse 17:15 e monarcas e seus exércitos, Isaías 8:7 e o Targum aqui interpreta os rios dos reis e seus exércitos: e pode-se observar que algumas partes do império romano são significadas pelo mar, e rios e fontes de águas, nos quais o soar da segunda e terceira trombetas trouxe desolação; como os estados anticristãos são descritos pelo mesmo, sobre os quais serão derramadas a segunda e a terceira taças da ira de Deus, quando ele realmente ficará descontente e zangado com os rios e o mar, entendido figurativamente, Apocalipse 8:8.
Habacuque 3:9
Thy bow was made quite naked,.... It was took out of its case, and arrows out of their quiver, and these made use of against the enemies of his people: this is put for all weapons of war; the sword was unsheathed, and all military weapons employed, and the power of the Lord was exerted; or, as the Targum, "the Lord was revealed in his power;'' fighting the battles of his people, as in the times of Joshua: according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. That is, to fulfil his word of promise, to which he had annexed his oaths, he at several times swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to the fathers of the Israelites, that he would put them in possession of the land of Canaan; and which being worthy of notice, and to be remarked, the word "Selah" is added. So the Targum, "in revealing thou art revealed in thy power, because of thy covenant which thy word made with the tribes for ever.'' The "bow" here is an emblem of the Gospel, with which Christ the Captain of our salvation, the antitype of Joshua, went forth, more especially in the first ages of Christianity, conquering and to conquer, Rev 6:2. The arrows of this bow are the doctrines of the Gospel, which are sharp in the heart of Christ's enemies, his elect; who are so in a state of nature, whereby they are brought into subjection to him, Psa 45:5 and hereby the promises of God confirmed by his oaths are accomplished, that the spiritual seed of Christ shall endure for ever; or he shall never want a seed to serve him, Psa 89:35, Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers; which is generally supposed to allude to the smiting of the rock, from whence waters gushed out, and ran in dry places like a river; for which channels or canals were made in the earth, in which they flowed and followed the Israelites wherever they went, and supplied man and beast with water. So the Targum, "for thou didst break strong rocks, rivers came forth overflowing the earth;'' see Psa 105:41 but this seems to be going back in the history; rather therefore this refers to the rivers formed in the land of Canaan, whereby it became fertile; hence it is called a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths, that spring out of valleys and hills, Deu 8:7. This may respect, in futurity, either the provisions of grace, and the large abundance of the blessings of it, made for the supply and satisfaction of the children of God in times of distress and difficulty, Isa 41:17 or that help and assistance against, protection and deliverance from, the flood of persecution, cast out after the church by Satan, in order to overwhelm her, by the earth opening its mouth, and swallowing up the flood, Rev 12:15.
Habacuque 3:10
The mountains saw thee, and they trembled,.... At the power and presence of God, as Sinai of old; See Gill on Hab 3:6 by which are signified mighty people and nations, kings and great men, struck with terror at the amazing providence of God in the world, on the behalf of his own people, and against their enemies; see Rev 6:14, the overflowing of the water passed by; which is usually referred to the overflowing of the river Jordan at the time of the passage of the Israelites through it, when the waters above stood and rose up as a heap, and those below failed, and were cut off, and passed away into the salt sea, Jos 3:15 but perhaps it may refer to the times of David, when he conquered all his enemies round about, who were like an overflowing flood; but now passed away, particularly the Philistines, who had always been very troublesome to Israel, but now were overcome by David at Baalperazim; where the Lord, on the contrary, broke forth upon his enemies as the breach of waters, from whence the place had its name, Sa2 5:20 and as this respects time that was then to come, when this prayer was made, it may regard the flood of persecution, which ceased in Constantine's time, when Paganism was abolished, and Christianity established; concerning which it might be said, "the winter is past, the rain is over and gone", Sol 2:11 and the word (n) here used signifies a large shower of rain, causing an inundation, a storm, a tempest; and so fitly expresses the violence of persecution, now at an end: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up hands on high; language very poetical, exceeding striking, very beautiful and elegant. It is generally understood of the deep waters of the Red sea, or of Jordan, or both, when divided for the Israelites to pass through; at which time, when they rose up, they made a great noise, and stood on a heap; and so the phrases are expressive of the roaring and raging of them as they rose up, which was as if they had spoken; and of the position in which they were, standing up on high, as if they had hands, and these lifted up: but rather they figuratively refer to the mighty nations conquered by David, who asked favour and mercy of him, and signified their subjection to him; and, having respect to times to come, may denote the subjection of the multitude of people and nations in the Roman empire to Christ, when heathenism was abolished in it; and the joy and rejoicing of Christians upon it, and the ceasing of persecution in it, even high and low, rich and poor, all ranks and degrees of men; height and depth, men in high or low circumstances, signified by the depth uttering his voice, and the height lifting up its hands, in token of praise and thankfulness; for so the latter clause may be rendered, "the height lifted up his hands" (o); and answers to the deep in the preceding clause; agreeable to this sense is Jarchi's note, ""the deep uttered his voice": the inhabitants of the earth praised him; "the height lifted up his hands"; the host of heaven confessed unto him;'' every creature in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth, and in the sea, ascribed blessing, honour, glory, and power, to the Lord on this occasion, Rev 5:13. The Targum is, "the powers on high stood wondering;'' amazed at what was done, and lifted up their hands with astonishment. (n) "nimbus", Tigurine version; "impetus", Munster; "imber aquosus", Cocceius, Van Till; "inundatio aquarum", Burkius. (o) "altitudo manum suam sublevavit", Munster; "tudo manus suas tulit", Burkius.
Habacuque 3:11
The sun and moon stood still in their habitation,.... This is generally thought to refer to the miracle in the times of Joshua, Jos 10:12 but a different word is there used, especially of the standing still of the sun; nor are the sun and moon said there to stand in their habitation; nor will the series of the history of times past, or the thread of prophecy of things to come, admit of this reference; nor do the words express the clear shining of the sun and moon at their standing still, but the reverse; for the phrase, "in their habitation", may be rendered, "within their tent" (p), or pavilion; See Gill on Psa 19:4; which is no other than their being encompassed and covered with clouds; which is just such a pavilion as God is said to be in, when "darkness was his secret place; his pavilion round about him dark waters and thick clouds of the skies", Psa 18:11 and so is expressive of the dark times of antichrist, which followed, when the Pagan persecutions were over, Christianity supported by secular powers, and the Christian churches raised to the height of riches and honour; and then the man of sin showed himself, the pope of Rome took upon him the title of universal bishop, and introduced false doctrines, strange worship, and bad discipline, into the church, and obscured the glorious light of it; and Mahomet also arose with his locusts, the Saracens, out of the bottomless pit opened, from whence came a smoke which darkened the sun and air, Rev 9:1, at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear; the commonly received sense of the words is, either at the light and shining of the sun and moon, when they stood still in Joshua's time; the arrows of the Almighty, and the lightning of his spear, that is, hailstones mingled with fire, and thunder, and lightning, which the heathens call Jupiter's arrows; these steered their course, being directed against the enemies of the Lord's people, and fought for them, Jos 10:10 or at the light of these, which looked very bright and dazzling through the rays of the sun upon them, the Israelites marched against their enemies, and avenged themselves on them: but these bright arrows and glittering spear, and the light and shining of them, seem to design no other than the weapons of the Christian ministry or warfare; the Gospel, and the doctrines of it; the light of which broke forth at the Reformation, the same that is meant by the "morning star", Rev 2:28 irradiated by which, the ministers of it especially went forth with courage against their antichristian enemies, and prevailed, and spread the Gospel in many countries. It may be rendered as a petition, "let them walk at the light" (q), &c.; a prayer of faith that it might be, and which is a prophecy that it would be. (p) "intra habitaculum", Cocceius, Van Till, "vel in tugurio", ib. (q) "ambulent ad lucem", &c. Van Till.
Habacuque 3:12
Thou didst march through the land with indignation,.... Not the land of Canaan, fighting against the inhabitants of it, dispossessing them to make room for the Israelites, whatever allusion may be to it; but the antichristian land, the whole Romish jurisdiction, and all the states of it, through which the Lord will march in wrath and fury, when he pours out the vials of it upon them; or this is desired, and prayed for; for it may be rendered, "do thou march through the land" (r), &c.; foreseeing and believing that he would: thou didst thresh the heathen in anger; or, "do thou thresh" (s), &c.; these are the Papists, called heathens and Gentiles in Scripture, because of the heathenish customs and practices they have introduced into the Christian religion, Psa 10:16 these are the nations that will be gathered together like sheaves of grain on a floor to be threshed; and when Zion the church of Christ, and Christian princes, will be called upon to arise, and thresh them; and the Lord by them will do it, namely, separate his own people from them, which are like wheat, and utterly destroy them, as chaff and stubble, Mic 4:12. (r) "progredlaris", Van Till. (s) "tritures", Van Till.
Habacuque 3:13
Thou wentest forth for the salvation of that people, even for salvation with thine anointed,.... Or, "thy Messiah"; which Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret of Messiah the son of David; and read and give the sense of the words thus, "as thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, by bringing them into the land of Canaan, so do thou go forth for salvation with thy Messiah.'' God of old went forth in his power and providence for the salvation of his people, whom he chose above all people to be his special and peculiar people; making use of Moses and Aaron in bringing them out of Egypt, and leading them through the wilderness, and of Joshua to introduce them, and settle them in the land of Canaan; who were all types of Christ in the salvation of the chosen people. Joshua particularly was a type of Jesus; they agree in their name, which signifies a Saviour the salvation of God, or God the salvation; and in their character, office, and usefulness to the people of God, Jesus is the Lord's "anointed"; anointed with the Holy Ghost, the oil of gladness, above his fellows, which he received without measure; anointed to the office of Prophet, Priest, and King; and from whom his people receive the unction, and are denominated Christians, or anointed ones: and the "people" of God, for whose salvation he went forth with him, are not all mankind, who are not all saved; nor the people of the Jews only, or all of them; but a peculiar people, out of Jews and Gentiles, loved with a special love; chosen to salvation, secured in the covenant of grace, and given to Christ as his portion and people, and so saved by him, Mat 1:21. The "salvation" of them is a spiritual one, a salvation from all their sins; from the power and dominion, pollution and guilt, the damning power of them, and at last from the very being of them; as well as from Satan, the law, death, hell, and wrath to come: it is perfect and complete, and endures for ever. Jehovah the Father "went forth" with Christ his Son for this salvation, in his purposes and decrees concerning it; in his council and covenant relating to it; in the mission of him into this world to effect it; and by helping and assisting him in it, as man and Mediator. The words may be rendered, "thou wentest forth"; or, "thou goest forth"; thou wilt do so; and mayest thou do so, "to save thy people, to save thy anointed" (t); and so respect not the salvation of Israel by Moses or Joshua; nor the spiritual and eternal salvation of God's elect by the Messiah; but the salvation of the Lord's people from mystical Babylon, from the oppression and tyranny of antichrist, and from all his false doctrines, superstition, and idolatry, and ruin by them; and particularly the salvation of the two witnesses, the two olive trees, the two anointed ones that stand before the Lord of the whole earth; the singular being put for the plural, "anointed" for "anointed ones"; and so the Alexandrian copy of the Septuagint version, and the Arabic version, render it, "thy Christs", or "thy anointed ones"; now this will be done when the Lord shall go forth in his power and providence, and quicken and raise their dead bodies, when they have lain three days and a half, and shall cause them to ascend to heaven in the sight of their enemies; see Zac 4:14, thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked; not the princes of the families of the land of Canaan, as some; nor the first born of Pharaoh's family in Egypt, or him and his host at the Red sea, as, others; nor Goliath of Gath, smitten by David, as Burkius; nor Satan and his principalities and powers by Christ on the cross; but antichrist the man of sin, that wicked and lawless one, who is at the bead of a wicked house or family, the antichristian party; who received a wound at the Reformation; and ere long the kings of the earth will hate the whore, eat her flesh, and burn her with fire; and Christ, will utterly consume and destroy this wicked one with the breath of his mouth, and the brightness of his coming, Rev 13:3 see Psa 110:6. Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret this of the head of the army of wicked Gog, the king of Magog, taking it to belong to future time; and so some render all those phrases, "thou wilt go forth, thou wilt wound" (u), &c.: by discovering the foundation unto the neck; or "razing the foundation", as in Psa 137:7. There seems to be a double metaphor in the words, expressing the utter ruin and destruction of antichrist and his party; who, being compared to a building, will be demolished, and razed to the very foundation; that will be dug up, and laid bare, and no trace of an edifice to be seen any more; and, being compared to a human body, will be plunged into such distresses and calamities, as to be as it were up to the neck in them, from whence there is no escape and deliverance. Some understand this of the princes of this head, or of his friends, and those of his family that are nearest to him, as the neck is to the head; or of the whole body of the people under him, of which he will be deprived; and so be as a head without a body, and who cannot long survive them. Selah is added as a mark of attention, something of moment and importance being observed. (t) "ad salutem populi tui, ad servandum unctum tuum", De Dieu. (u) "egredieris"; so some in Vatablus. "transfiges"; so some in Drusius.
Habacuque 3:14
Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages,.... Of his warriors, mighty men, princes; so the Vulgate Latin, Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions; or of his armies, as Jarchi and Kimchi; which some interpret of Pharaoh and his host, who were destroyed by the steps and methods which they themselves took, going into the sea of themselves, and so were struck through with their own staves: others of the princes and armies of the Canaanites, who destroyed one another with their own weapons of war, as the Midianites did; though we have no instance of it on record: others of Goliath, as Burkius, called before "the head out of the house of the wicked", with respect to his rise from Gath; here, "the head of his Pagans", as he renders it, or Gentiles, with respect to his preeminence over the common soldiers, and all the Philistines: others of Sennacherib and his army, as Jarchi; but Kimchi's sense is much better, who interprets it of Gog and his army; and which, if understood of the Turk, the eastern antichrist, is not amiss; and so, as the western antichrist and his destruction are pointed at in the preceding verse Hab 3:13, the ruin of the other is intimated here; whose armies are expressed by a word which sometimes has the signification of villages; because he said, "I will go up to the land of unwalled villages", Eze 38:11 in the land of Judea about Jerusalem, where he will distribute and quarter his soldiers; and where he and they at the head of them in these villages will be cut to pieces with their own weapons; as it is said, "every man's sword shall be against his brother", Eze 38:21, Cocceius and Van Till render the words, "thou hast designed", marked out, or expressed by name, "in his tribes, the head of his villages"; and understand them, not of the enemy, but of Christ the anointed One, and his people; the Protestants, or reformed churches, who, being separated from antichrist, are represented as divided into tribes, and as dwelling in villages alone, and in separate states and kingdoms; and suppose that God has designed in his purposes and decrees some particular place, called the head or beginning of these villages, where his great and glorious work in the latter day will first appear; but what and where that place is is not said: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me; the prophet representing the true Israel, or the whole church of Christ: it is not unusual for mighty armies to be compared to a whirlwind coming forth with great force, suddenly and swiftly; see Jer 4:13 and particularly it is said of the army of Gog or the Turk, which shall invade Judea, in order to dispossess the Jews of their land, when converted and returned to it; "thou shall ascend and come like a storm, thou shall be like a cloud, to cover the land, thou and all thy bands, and many people with thee", Eze 38:9 who will think to scatter the people of the Jews again among the nations, as they have been: their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly; the poor people of the Jews, to strip them of their substance, to carry off their gold and silver, their cattle and their goods; and which they thought they should as easily accomplish as a rich man gets the mastery over a poor man, and ruins him, that has none to help him; and that they should do this in a still, private, secret manner, so as that the Christian princes should have no knowledge of it, and come in to their assistance; and this they rejoiced at in themselves, and pleased themselves with it; see Eze 38:10. The above interpreters render this clause as a prayer, "let them tremble for fear": or be filled with horror, who come "to scatter me, whose rejoicing is as to devour the poor in secret"; which is interpreted of the Papists being terrified by some Christian princes, since the Reformation, from carrying some of their designs into execution; and of the clandestine arts and secret methods the Jesuits particularly use to do injury to the interest of Christ and true religion.
Habacuque 3:15
Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses,.... And as thou didst of old, so do again; as Jehovah walked through the Red sea in a pillar of cloud and fire, which were his horses and chariots, and destroyed the Egyptians; so may he walk through another sea by his instruments, and destroy the enemies of his church and people; See Gill on Hab 3:8. The "sea" here signifies the world, compared to it for the multitude of its people; the noise, fluctuation, and uncertainty of all things in it; and particularly the Roman empire, the sea out of which the antichristian beast arose, Rev 13:1. The "horses" are the angels or Christian princes, with whom the Lord will walk in majesty, and in the greatness of his strength, pouring out the vials of his wrath on the antichristian states: through the heap of many waters; or "the clay", or "mud of many waters" (w); that lies at the bottom of them; which being walked through and trampled on by horses, is raised up, and "troubles" them, as the Septuagint and Arabic versions render it: these "many waters" are those on which the whore of Rome is said to sit; and which are interpreted of people, multitudes, nations, and tongues, Rev 17:1 and the "mud" of them is expressive of their pollution and corruption, with her false doctrines, idolatry, superstition, and immoralities; and of their disturbed state and condition, through the judgments of God upon them, signified by his horses walking through them; trampling upon them in fury; treating them with the utmost contempt; treading them like mire and clay, and bringing upon them utter ruin and destruction. (w) "in luto aquarum multarum", Tigurine version; "calcasti lutum aquarum multarum", Cocceius, Van Till; "lutum, aquae multae", Burkius.
Habacuque 3:16
When I heard, my belly trembled,.... His bowels, his heart within him, at the report made of what would come to pass in future time; and not so much at hearing of the judgments of God that should come upon the enemies of his Church, antichrist and his followers; though even these are awful and tremendous to good men; see Psa 119:120 but upon hearing what troubles and distresses would come upon the churches of Christ, previous to these, afterwards called a day of trouble in this verse, and more particularly described in the next Hab 3:17, my lips quivered at the voice; at the voice of these words, as the Targum; at the voice of the Lord, expressing and foretelling these calamities, through fear and dread, consternation and amazement; under which circumstances the natural heat of the outward parts of the body retires to defend the heart, and leaves them trembling and quivering, particularly the lips, so that they lose their use for a time; and a person in such a case can hardly speak: rottenness entered into my bones; he became weak and without strength, as if he had long been in a wasting consumption; or was at once deprived of all his strength, and it was turned into corruption; see Dan 10:8, and I trembled in myself; within himself, in all his inward parts, as well as in his outward parts: or, "under myself" (x); was not able to keep his place, could not stand upon the ground that was under him; his knees trembled, as the Syriac version: that I might rest in the day of trouble; rather, as Noldius (y) renders the particle, "yet", or "notwithstanding, I shall rest in the day of trouble"; which had been represented to him in vision; and which he had a sight of by a spirit of prophecy, as coming upon the church of Christ, and had given him that concern before expressed. The Syriac version of this and the next clause, which it joins, is, "he showed me the day of calamity, which is about to come upon the people". Here begins the prophet's expression of his strong faith and joy in the midst of all the distresses he saw were at hand; herein representing the church, and all true believers helped to exercise faith in those worst of times. This "day of trouble" is the same with the hour of temptation that shall come upon all the earth to try the inhabitants of it; the time of the slaying of the witnesses, which will be such a time of trouble as never was in the world; see Rev 3:10. The "rest" the people of God will have then, which the prophet had faith in for them, will lie in the Lord's protection and keeping of his people; his perfections, power, and providence, are the chambers of rest and safety he will call them unto, and the shadow of his wings, which they will make their refuge till these calamities and indignation be overpast, Isa 26:20 when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops; or rather "him"; not "the people"; the people of God, "he" the Lord or Christ comes unto; but the enemy of them: this is the ground of the prophet's faith and confidence before expressed, or of the church's he personated; namely, that when Christ, Michael the great Prince, should come up to his people, appear for them, and stand on their side, he would lead his troops and march his army against their grand enemy antichrist; and "cut him to pieces" (z), as some render the word: so Christ is represented as a mighty warrior, marching at the head of his troops, the armies of heaven following him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, who are the called, chosen, and faithful; and with these he will fall upon the beast, the false prophet, and the kings of the earth, gathered together at Armageddon, and utterly destroy them, Rev 16:14. (x) "subtus me", Drusius, De Dieu; "subter me", Cocceius, Van Till. (y) Ebr. Concord. Part p. 108. No. 550. (z) "ut excidat eum", Calvin; "succidet eum", Vatablus.
Habacuque 3:17
Although the fig tree shall not blossom,.... Or rather, as the Septuagint version, "shall not bring forth fruit"; since the fig tree does not bear blossoms and flowers, but puts forth green figs at once. This was a tree common in the land of Canaan, and its fruit much in use, and for food; hence we read of cakes of figs among the provisions Abigail brought to David, Sa1 25:18 so that, when there was a scarcity of these, it was a bad time: neither shall fruit be in the vines; no grapes, or clusters of them, out of which wine was pressed; a liquor very refreshing and reviving to nature; and is said to cheer God and man, being used in sacrifices and libations to God, and the common drink of men, Jdg 9:13 so that, when it failed, it was a public calamity: the labour of the olive shall fail; or "lie" (a); disappoint the expectation of those who planted and cultivated it with much toil and labour, it not producing fruit as looked for. This tree yielded berries of an agreeable taste, and out of which oil was extracted, the Jews used instead of butter, and for various purposes; so that, when it failed of fruit, it was a great loss on many accounts: and the fields shall yield no meat; the grass fields no herbage for beasts; the grain fields no grain for man; the consequence of which must be a famine to both; and this must be very dismal and distressing: the flock shall be cut off from the fold; flocks of sheep; either by the hand of God, some disease being sent among them; or by the hand of man, drove off by the enemy, or killed for their use; so that the folds were empty of them, and none to gather into them: and there shall be no herd in the stalls; or oxen in the stables, where they are kept, and have their food; or stalls in which they are fattened for use; and by all these are signified the necessaries of life, which, when they fail, make a famine, which is a very distressing case; and yet, in the midst of all this, the prophet, representing the church, expresses his faith and joy in the Lord, as in the following verse Hab 3:18; though all this is to be understood, not so much in a literal as in a figurative sense. "Fig trees, vines", and "olives", are often used as emblems of truly gracious persons, Sol 2:13 partly because of their fruitfulness in grace and good works, and partly because of their perseverance therein; all these trees being fruitful ones; and some, as the olive, ever green: of such persons there is sometimes a scarcity, as is complained of in the times of David and Micah, Psa 12:1 and especially there will be in the latter day; for righteous and merciful men will be taken away from the evil to come, Isa 57:1 and, however, there will be very few lively, spiritual, and fruitful Christians, such as abound in the exercise of grace, and are diligent in the discharge of duty; for, when the Son of Man cometh, he will not find faith on the earth; and he will find the virgins sleeping, Luk 18:8. The "fields not" yielding "meat" may signify that the provisions of the house of God will be cut off; there will be no ministration of the word, or administration of ordinances; the word of the Lord will be scarce, rare, and precious; there will be a famine, not of bread and of water, but of hearing the word of the Lord; one of the days of the Son of Man will be desired, but not enjoyed; so no spiritual food in the use of means to be had; a very uncomfortable time this will be, Amo 8:11 Luk 17:22. The "flock" being "cut off from the fold" may denote that the sheep of Christ will be given up to the slaughter of the enemy, or be scattered abroad in this dark and cloudy day of persecution; so that there will be no fold, no flock, no sheep gathered together; and perhaps such will be the case, that there will not be one visible congregated church in due order throughout the whole world; all will be broke up, and dispersed here and there: no "herd" or "oxen in the stall" may signify that the ministers of the Gospel, compared to oxen for their strength, industry, and laboriousness in the work of the Lord, will be removed, or not suffered to exercise their ministry, nor be encouraged by any in it: this will be the case at the slaying of the witnesses, and a most distressing time it will be; and yet the prophet, or the church represented by him, expresses an uncommon frame of spirit in the following verse Hab 3:18. The Targum interprets all this figuratively of each of the monarchies of the world, which should be no more; "the kingdom of Babylon shall not continue, nor shall it exercise dominion over Israel; the kings of the Medes shall be killed; and the mighty men of Greece shall not prosper; and the Romans shall be destroyed, and shall not collect tribute from Jerusalem; therefore for the wonder, and for the redemption, thou shalt work for thy Messiah; and for the rest of thy people who shall remain, they shall praise, saying: the prophet said;'' as follows: (a) Sept.; "mentietur", V. L. Piscator; "mentiebatur", Pagninus.
Habacuque 3:18
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,.... In the Word of the Lord, as the Targum; the essential Word of the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ; in his person, the greatness and glory of it; in his offices, as Prophet, Priest, and King, the only Mediator and Saviour; in his relations, as head and husband, father, brother, friend; in his fulness, grace, and righteousness; in his spiritual presence, and comfortable communion with him, which may be expected in a remarkable manner after the above day of trouble is over; and in his personal appearance, which will shortly be, and when his tabernacle will be with men on earth: I will joy in the God of my salvation; in Christ, who is God, and so able to save his people; to make everything he did and suffered in human nature effectual and available to them; to supply all their wants, and to keep what they commit unto him, and to preserve them safe to his kingdom and glory: and who also joy in the salvation of their God, or which he is the author of, both temporal and spiritual, especially the latter; which is so great and glorious in itself, so suitable to their case, so complete and perfect, and makes so much for the glory of all the divine perfections, and is all of free grace, and lasts for ever: this salvation is peculiar to the people of God; it is theirs, and theirs only; it is what they choose and prefer to all other ways of salvation; it is brought and applied to them by the Spirit, and which they appropriate to themselves under his witnessings; and then it is they can and do rejoice: particularly salvation and deliverance from antichristianism, in all the branches of it, may be chiefly pointed at as the matter and ground of joy; and the enjoyment of Gospel privileges in the full extent of them; the word and ordinances in their power and purity; and the presence of Christ in them.
Habacuque 3:19
The Lord God is my strength,.... The author and giver of natural and spiritual strength, as he is to all his people; he is the strength of their hearts when ready to faint and sink, and of their graces, faith, hope, love, patience, &c. and continues and increases them, and draws them forth into lively acts and exercise; and of their lives, natural and spiritual, which he supports and maintains, secures and defends; from him they have their strength to perform the duties of religion; to oppose their spiritual enemies, sin, Satan, and the world; and to bear them up under all trials and afflictions, and carry them through them, and deliver out of them, and which is principally intended here: the church, though in distress, and pressed with sorrows, yet believed the strength of Christ would be made perfect in her weakness, and she should be upheld by him under all, and brought out of it: and he will make my feet like hinds' feet; swift as they, as the Targum, which are very swift; and on account of the swiftness of them is the comparison used: and which is to be understood, not barely of the Jews being swift of foot to return to their own country, when the time of their conversion is come; or to pursue their enemies, as Kimchi; that is, Gog or the Turks, having got the victory over them: but of all Christians, whose feet will be swift to run, in a lively cheerful manner, the way of Christ's commandments; their souls being strengthened, and their hearts enlarged with the love and grace of God; and to surmount with ease all difficulties and obstructions that lie in their way: and chiefly this regards the ministers of the Gospel, and the swift progress they will make in spreading it in the world; as the apostles and first ministers of the word, having their feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace, went swiftly through all parts of the world, even to the ends of the earth, with it; so in the latter day many will run to and fro, everywhere preaching the everlasting Gospel to all nations; the knowledge of it shall greatly increase; see Dan 12:4 this passage seems to be taken out of Psa 18:33 and there may be not only an allusion to the swiftness of those creatures, but to the strength and firmness of their feet; so that they can go upon rocks and mountains securely, and tread and walk, and even run upon them with safety; and this sense is directed to, not only by what follows, concerning "walking" on "high places"; but by the word here used, which signifies to "make", or "set", fix, place, order, and settle (b); and this agrees with the nature of those creatures, whose feet are not only swift, but firm; they tread sure and stable; hence hinds and harts are by the poets (c) called the "brasen footed hinds", or "harts"; because of the firmness and stability of their going; and it is an observation of Jarchi's (d), that the feet of the females stand firmer and more upright than the feet of the males; wherefore, both here, and in Psa 18:33, not harts, but hinds, are made mention of; and so this may also denote the stability of the saints in those times, both ministers and common Christians, in the exercise of grace, and in the performance of duty; their hearts will be established in the faith of Christ, and in love to him, and in the hope of eternal life by him; all which they will be settled in, and will hold fast, and not let go; and will be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord their God; and so in the Gospel of Christ, and in the ordinances of it, their souls will be established in and with the doctrines of grace, and will continue steadfastly in them, and abide by and keep the ordinances as they have been delivered to them; nor will any difficulties, which may seem like hills and mountains, and cragged rocks, deter or discourage them, or move them from the hope of the Gospel, or from their duty; but they shall walk on securely and firmly: and he will make me to walk upon mine high places: meaning not so much the high places of the land of Judea, some part of it being mountainous, though there may be some reference to them; but it signifies the exalted state of the church after the troublesome times, when it shall be exalted above the hills, and established on the top of the mountains; when Christ the Lamb, with his 144,000 sealed ones, shall stand upon Mount Zion with harps in their hands, having gotten the victory over the antichristian beast and his image; and when the saints shall have the dominion of the world; and the kingdom and the greatness of it, under the whole heaven, shall be given to them, Isa 2:2 as well as they shall be in lively, spiritual, and heavenly frames of soul; mount up with wings, as eagles; soar aloft in the exercise of faith; dwell on high in the contemplation of divine things; have their affections set on things above; and their conversation in heaven while they are on earth: especially this may be said of them when they shall have the glory of God upon them in the New Jerusalem state, and shall dwell in the new heavens and the new earth, with Christ at the head of them; and when they shall possess the ultimate glory in the highest heavens to all eternity; see Deu 33:29 and thus ends this prayer of Habakkuk; which serves to draw out the desires of good men after the flourishing estate of the kingdom and interest of Christ; to assist their faith in the belief, hope, and expectation of it; and to lead their views to its summit and perfection, notwithstanding all the difficulties and discouragements that may lie in its way: and being of so much moment and importance, that it might remain and continue, and be of use to the church in succeeding ages, the prophet delivered or directed it to the chief singer, to be set to tune, and sung by him, as David's prayers, and others, sometimes were, and to be preserved for future usefulness; and this he would have sung (he says) on my stringed instruments; which were either invented by him, or used by him in the temple, or were his own property: or he sent this prayer or ode to him who was over these instruments, had the care and use of them; and which were such as were to be stricken with the hand, bone, or quill; and are the same that are called "Neginoth" in the title of the fourth Psalm Psa 4:1, and others. (b) , Sept.; "et ponet", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Burkius; "qui disponit", Junius & Tremellius; "et possuit", (c) "Fixerit aeripedem cervam licet----" Virgil. Aeneid. 6. prope finem. "Vincunt aeripedes ter terno Nestore cervi." Ausonii Idyll. 11. (d) Comment. in Psal. xviii. 34. Next: Zephaniah Introduction