"Lord, I have heard of your fame;
    I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord.
Repeat them in our day,
    in our time make them known;
    in wrath remember mercy." --Habakkuk 3:2

My church has been going through the minor prophets in our Wednesday night Bible studies. Tonight, we finished reading through Habakkuk. This short book begins with Habakkuk's questions to the Lord and ends with Habakkuk's prayer in response to God's answers.

A Brief Summary

Habakkuk writes during a time when Judah has fallen into wickedness and is being overrun by Babylon. As the Lord uses Babylon to judge Judah, Habakkuk questions how long God will allow the Babylonians to continue in their own evil. He laments the plight of the remaining righteous in Judah who are facing this turbulent time. God answers with a promise that He is doing a work in Judah. The nation taking captives and stealing wealth will surely face judgement as well. In the midst of the desolation, we see the Lord's sovereign hand at work.

The book concludes with Habakkuk's prayer. He prays that God would repeat His faithful deeds and remember mercy in the midst of judgement. The prophet then describes the great acts the Lord had done for His people.

"Sun and moon stood still in the heavens
    at the glint of your flying arrows,
    at the lightning of your flashing spear.
In wrath you strode through the earth
    and in anger you threshed the nations.
You came out to deliver your people,
    to save your anointed one.
You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness,
    you stripped him from head to foot.
With his own spear you pierced his head
    when his warriors stormed out to scatter us,
gloating as though about to devour
    the wretched who were in hiding.
You trampled the sea with your horses,
    churning the great waters." --Habakkuk 3:11-15

The prophet references the Lord's deliverance in the time of Moses and the time of Joshua. He speaks of the victories God gave to His people, rescuing them from their enemies time and again. Over and over, the Lord displayed His power by overcoming wicked nations and caring for His people. The Lord had been consistently faithful in the past; would He not be faithful in the midst of this trial as well?

Near the end of Habakkuk's prayer, we see the prophet's faith shining through. He continues,

"I heard and my heart pounded,
    my lips quivered at the sound;
decay crept into my bones,
    and my legs trembled.
Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity
    to come on the nation invading us.
Though the fig tree does not bud
    and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
    and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
    and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
    I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
    he enables me to tread on the heights." --Habakkuk 3:16-19

Even though sorrow and destruction surrounded Habakkuk, he trusted in God. At a time where there were no physical signs of the Lord's coming redemption, when crops failed and livestock were gone, the prophet believed in the word of the Lord. His hope rested in a Savior who gives strength and joy in the middle of trials. While the world around him was full of darkness, Habakkuk knew that the Lord was capable of all He promised to do. Knowing the goodness of God, Habakkuk chose to wait and rejoice in the Lord.

What We Can Learn from Habakkuk's Prayer

In his prayer, Habakkuk looked back at all the Lord had done before and found encouragement. The same God who's glory was revealed in the past was still in control of Judah's situation. In the same way, when trials surround us, we can find rest in the Lord. When pain and doubts arise, and everything seems to fall apart, God is still good.

We can look at His Word and see His faithfulness in Scripture. We can look back at our own lives and see the great deeds the Lord has done for us. When we consider all that God as done in the past, we find reminders that the Lord is trustworthy. He never changes, never fails, and never forgets His promises. We can find joy and strength when we rely on Him and trust in His word.

And when we share that message of hope, we can help others to find that joy and strength as well.

Dear Lord, Help us to wait patiently for your answers in our trials. Help us to rejoice in you always, and to find our strength and hope in you alone. When we meet others who are struggling, help us to share encouragement. Each day, help us to stand in awe of your deeds and to fill the earth with your praise. You are so good, Lord, and your mercy endures forever. Thank you for your mercy toward us.

Karley Conklin

Karley Conklin is a librarian by day, writer by night, and bookworm 24/7. You can find more of her writing on litwyrm.com