Habakkuk Chapter 3

John Sweetman

17th October 2010

1. He Prays
*Habakkuk 3:1-2
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth.
Lord, I have heard of your fame;
I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord.
Renew them in our day,
in our time make them known;
in wrath remember mercy.

*When God doesn't answer, we stop praying but Habakkuk didn't
*When kids are having struggles, mom's would care much about it. It is the same with God
*God cares for you more deeply in these times
*Thats why we need to continue praying because He is nearer than you can even imagine
*We all have problems but God is there

2. He remembers
*Habakkuk 3:3-8:
God came from Teman,
the Holy One from Mount Paran.
His glory covered the heavens
and his praise filled the earth
His splendor was like the sunrise;
rays flashed from his hand,
where his power was hidden.
Plague went before him;
pestilence followed his steps.
He stood, and shook the earth;
he looked, and made the nations tremble.
The ancient mountains crumbled
and the age-old hills collapsed.
His ways are eternal. I saw the tents of Cushan in distress,
the dwellings of Midian in anguish.
Were you angry with the rivers, O Lord?
Was your wrath against the streams?
Did you rage against the sea
when you rode with your horses
and your victorious chariots?

*Israel slaves of Egypt --> Passover --> took over Canaan
*Habakkuk 3:9-14
You uncovered your bow,
you called for many arrows.
You split the earth with rivers;
the mountains saw you and writhed.
Torrents of water swept by;
the deep roared
and lifted its waves on high.

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.

*Memory is very important
*Some people commit suicide because they are trap in the present and finds no way
*Habakkuk remembered the past events.

Remembering
a. In your own life
*When you're struggling and no answer is given, remember in your history what God has done for you whether in big or small ways.
b. In the lives of others
*Encouraging what God does in the lives of others
eg: videos
c. In scripture
*Refer back to the bible because it tells how God worked
*We participate in communion to remember what Jesus has done
1. He died on the cross- this assures us that Jesus loves us
2. Resurrection - No power could stop him. We have hope to be saved
3. He rejoices
*Habakkuk 3:17-18:
Through 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.

*Habakkuk is looking ahead when they take over Babylon, how terrible it would be when everything wipes out but "he will still be joyful in God his Saviour"
*As we pray and talk to Jesus, we can trust Jesus that He will bring us through
*Anxiety in relationships, family rejecting Jesus, bored of jobs. Habakkuk felt God should do other things better as well.
*Habakkuk 3:19:
The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to go on the heights.

For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.

*There is nothing wrong getting disappointed but in the middle remember, pray and rejoice so that we could dance with the deers:)



**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**