Habacuque 3
Thomas Constable · Citado em PreceptAustin
Habacuque 3
Constable comments that...Power seemed to flash from His fingertips as rays (lit. horns) of light stretch from the rising sun (cf. Ex. 34:29, 30, 35). In spite of this, most of His power remained concealed. Rays (07161) (qeren) means a literal horn (Ge 22:13), but also referred to horn-like extensions (Ex 27:2, Jer 48:25). In other contexts, qeren was used figuratively to describe strength (1Sa 2:10) or power (2Sa 22:3). The Lxx translates qeren in Hab 3:4 with keras which literally means a horn. Figuratively keras was used to describe exceptional might or power (Lk 1:69, Ps 89:17, Ps 148:14). Keras is used to translate the Hebrew qeren in the expression "the horn of salvation" (Ps 18:2, 2Sa 22:3). Patterson...Roberts (1991:153) remarks, “The form Habakkuk sees has two prongs (qarnayim) extending from his hand. This is an apt description of the standard representation of the Syro-Palestinian storm god. He is usually portrayed standing, one hand grasping a lightning bolt as a weapon, and the end of the stylized lightning bolt that extends above the hand forks into two or more prongs that closely resemble horns. Here, of course, the description is of the Lord in all his radiant glory.” (Ibid) And there is the hiding of His power - ESV = "and there He veiled His power", NAB = "where His power is concealed", NIV= "where His power was hidden"; NLT = "where His awesome power is hidden." - This description seems to refer to the unfathomable "inner recesses of the divine power." How can a finite being, even the godly prophet Habakkuk, comprehend and stand in the presence of infinite power? But dear child of God, don't forget that this very One is also YOUR Father, YOUR God, YOUR Protector! Be encouraged! There is a verse in Job which alludes to the fact that we only see a small fraction of Who God really is, which makes sense for if He is infinite, everything about Him is infinite including His power and His glory. Thus Job declares... Job 26:14 “Behold, these (What? Read Job 26:6-13) are the fringes of His ways; and how faint a word we hear of Him! But His mighty thunder, who can understand?” Habakkuk 3:5 Before Him goes pestilence and plague comes after Him.: Ex 12:29,30 Nu 14:12 Nu 16:46-49 Ps 78:50,51 Na 1:2,3 after Him: Ps 18:7-13 Habakkuk 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries JEHOVAH'S JUDGMENT MANIFESTATION OF HIS POWER Before Him goes...comes after Him - Lxx = "Before Him shall go (future tense)...it shall go forth (future tense)." Here is the other dimension of God's coming. First His brilliance and glory but not the pestilence and plague. As Spendera says... The plague, visited upon Egypt during the Exodus, will come upon those who resist God. Babylonians beware! But Judah must also take note. Judah’s sins have become worse than the surrounding nations (2Ki 21:11; cp. Dt. 28:20-22), so the plague will include God’s people. (Ibid) Pestilence (01698) (deber) refers to any kind of plague (think "Bubonic plague"!) or pandemic (think the 1918 flu pandemic) that results in widespread death and most uses speak of divine punishment. Death and destruction are clearly the results of pestilence and plague. John describes such a divinely decreed devastation in the end times when "A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues" (Rev 9:18-note, cp Rev 15:1-note) Deber - 48v - Not surprising, this Hebrew noun is prominent in the Prophets! - Ex 5:3; 9:3, 15; Lev 26:25; Num 14:12; Deut 28:21; 2 Sam 24:13, 15; 1Kgs 8:37; 1Chr 21:12, 14; 2Chr 6:28; 7:13; 20:9; Ps 78:50; 91:3, 6; Jer 14:12; 21:6f, 9; 24:10; 27:8, 13; 28:8; 29:17f; 32:24, 36; 34:17; 38:2; 42:17, 22; 44:13; Ezek 5:12, 17; 6:11f; 7:15; 12:16; 14:19, 21; 28:23; 33:27; 38:22; Hos 13:14; Amos 4:10; Hab 3:5. Translated = pestilence(38), plague(10), thorns(1). Plague (KJV = "burning coals") (07565) (resheph) refers to a flame, live coal. Figuratively of love in Song 8:6. Reshep was the name of a pagan god of fever and pestilence, so this could be a play on words. Another sources says Reshep is a name for the Canaanite god of pestilence and sterility. The "holy fire" of the Holy One burns up that which is unholy. Resheph - 7x in 6v - Deut 32:24; Job 5:7; Ps 76:3; 78:48; Song 8:6; Hab 3:5. Translated in NAS as - bolts of lightning(1), flaming(1), flashes(2), plague(2), sparks*(1). Pestilence...plague - As alluded to above, these terms most frequently speak of God's judgment (on sin, unrepentant sinners) (Ex 7:14-12:30, 12:29, Nu 16:46-49, Lev 26:25; Dt 28:21, 22; Ps 91:3, 6). Scott comments that... The Israelites saw the same manifestation of God’s power when they murmured in the wilderness. The glory and power revealed to Israel during that time will be experienced again when God destroys their enemies (Hab 3:12) and delivers them in the future (Hab 3:13). (When Prophets Speak of Judgment) Habakkuk 3:6 He stood and surveyed the earth; He looked and startled the nations. Yes, the perpetual mountains were shattered, The ancient hills collapsed. His ways are everlasting.: Surveyed: Ex 15:17 21:31 Nu 34:1-29 De 32:8 Ac 17:26 Startled: Jos 10:42 11:18-23 Ne 9:22-24 Ps 135:8-12 Everlasting: Hab 3:10 Ge 49:26 Dt 33:15 Judges 5:5 Ps 68:16 114:4-7 Isa 64:1-3 Na 1:5 Zec 14:4,5 Habakkuk 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE HOLY ONE ARRIVES! RESPONSE TO HIS PRESENCE He stood and surveyed the earth - His arrival causes an appropriate response in the topography and the nations. And so we see the aged mountains "rearranged" by the power of His presence. This picture of the arrival of the Holy One to earth is reminiscent of the response of the Roman soldiers who came to arrest Jesus: "When therefore He said to them, “I Am [He],” (cp Ex 3:14, Jn 8:58, 59 = another response!) they drew back, and fell to the ground." (Jn 18:6) So great is His power and authority! This is our God! Henry
Habacuque 3
Constable notes that "Many of these bad conditions did mark Judah when the Babylonians overthrew the nation (cf. Lam. 2:12, 20; 4:4, 9–10; 5:17–18). Habakkuk 3:18 Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.: Yet I will exult: Dt 12:18 1Sa 2:1 Job 13:15 Ps 33:1 46:1-5 85:6 97:12 104:34 Ps 118:15 Ps 149:2 Isa 41:16 61:10 Zec 10:7 Lk 1:46,47 Ro 5:2,3 Php 4:4 Jas 1:2,9,10 1Pe 1:8 1Pe 4:12,13 the God: Ex 15:2 Ps 25:5 27:1 Ps 118:14 Isa 12:2 Mic 7:7 Lk 2:30 Habakkuk 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries JUBILATION: REJOICE IN THE LORD NOT THE CIRCUMSTANCES "Jubilation in Desolation"** (** From a sermon by that title from G Campbell Morgan) Yet - Yet is clearly a term of contrast. Whenever you encounter a term of contrast ("but" is much more common - ), pause to ponder the passage in context, asking questions like - What is being contrasted?, What is the writer's change of direction?, How is this change possible?, How does this change apply to my life?, etc. Your Teacher the Holy Spirit (1Cor 2:12-16, Jn 14:26, 16:13. 14, 1Jn 2:20, 27 where "anointing" ~ the indwelling Holy Spirit, cp 2Cor 1:21, 22, Acts 10:38) will reward your diligence and desire to actively interact with the supernatural Word, often by illumining the passage in ways you would have missed had you read through quickly without taking time to "Wait on the Lord." This "yet" is one of the most beautiful and meaningful in all of Scripture. Habakkuk 3:17-18 presents one of the most striking contrasts in the entire Word of God. Habakkuk moves from a description of stark devastation to striking declaration of joy, from abject desolation to absolute jubilation, and all that in the space of two passages! In short, the prophet moves from a natural reaction based on his feelings to a supernatural reaction based on his faith. His faith is founded on the revelation of God - Jehovah's plan, Jehovah's presence (cp Ps 16:11) and Jehovah's power (as recorded in Habakkuk 2-3). G Campbell