Jesus throughout the Scriptures: Pre-exilic Prophets 4 (7)
Pray Psalm 102.12-14.
But You, O LORD, shall endure forever,
And the remembrance of Your name to all generations.
You will arise and have mercy on Zion;
For the time to favor her,
Yes, the set time, has come.
For Your servants take pleasure in her stones,
And show favor to her dust.
Sing Psalm 102.12-14.
(Leominster: Not What My Hands Have Done)
But You, O LORD, abide forever in Your place.
Arise and stand on Zion’s side and lavish us with grace!
Revive Your Church, O LORD! Let all her dust and stones
be strengthened by Your mighty Word, and compact be as one.
Read Habakkuk 3.1-19; meditate on verse 13-19.
Preparation
1. Why did God come to the earth?
2. What did He do to accomplish that purpose?
Meditation
By looking back to recall what God has done, the prophet foresees the coming day of His great salvation. All the earth and every nation will be affected and transformed when the LORD comes in judgment and salvation to restore His people (vv. 1-15). He will bring salvation to His people by destroying their enemy, just as He had done in delivering them from Egypt (v. 13). He will scatter and destroy the foes of His people with astonishing power.
In response Habakkuk trembled with fear, hoping for the rest of the LORD to be his rest (v. 16). Yet the salvation he envisioned was for a future day. Leanness awaited the people for now, but Habakkuk, looking to the LORD and His promises, would rejoice and hope in the LORD regardless of the difficulties that lay ahead (17-19).
We are in the same place as Habakkuk was. We look back with rejoicing at the great salvation Jesus has accomplished for us by destroying the enemy of our soul: Satan and death. But now we live in confused and uncertain times. We might be tempted to be fearful like so many others about such things as the stability of the economy or the reliability of government. But no outward circumstances can change the fact of our belonging to God through faith in Jesus Christ (v. 18). We rejoice in Him and His salvation and look to the Lord to make our feet like deer’s feet, that we may bring the Good News of Christ and His Kingdom swiftly and adeptly to all the people in our lives (v. 19).
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Again and again, throughout the Scriptures: “There He is! There’s Jesus, our Savior!”
“You went forth for the salvation of Your people, for salvation with Your Anointed” (Hab. 3.13).
Always, the words of the prophets are proved true; always, Jesus comported Himself to fit the narrative.
When He was accosted in the garden by the betrayer Judas, and the cohort of soldiers—the mob—He did exactly what He should have done.
But He could’ve done differently, as He explained to His disciples and the mob:
“Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father,
and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?
How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled that it must happen thus?
Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?
I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me.
But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled” (Matt. 26.52-56).
And of course, after these beautiful words of love, power, and clarification—
“Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled” (Matt. 26.56).
Which brings us to Habakkuk’s summation of the Christian’s Kingdom walk:
“Though the fig tree may not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines;
though the labor of the olive may fail,
and the fields yield no food;
though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
and there be no herd in the stalls—
yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will joy in the God of my salvation” (Hab. 3.17, 18).
And though all your friends forsake you, even then, “The LORD is my strength…” (Hab. 3.19).
Jesus came to earth for the salvation of His people.
Nothing changed His mind.
Nothing swayed His determination.
Nothing waylaid Him from doing the will of His Father on earth, as it is done in heaven (Matt. 6.10).
“Therefore I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed” (Is. 50.7).
“When the time had come…He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” (Lk. 9.51).
LORD, grant that we may have the same courage and determination, circumstances notwithstanding,
to set our hearts on following You to the very end (Ps. 119.112).
Reflection
1. Why can Christians rejoice in every situation? How do you practice this?
2. How would you explain to a new believer how great the salvation is that we have in Jesus?
3. What are the keys to having “courage and determination, circumstances notwithstanding,” to follow Jesus to the end?
The prophet looked back upon the experiences of the church in former ages, and observed what great things God had done for them, and so was not only recovered, but filled with holy joy. He resolved to delight and triumph in the Lord; for when all is gone, his God is not gone. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Habakkuk 3
Pray Psalm 102.15-28.
Pray for revival, for the churches of the Lord to recover our mission and calling, and for the Lord to prepare the hearts of many to hear the Good News of His salvation. Pray that He will use you to that end in your Personal Mission Field today.
Sing Psalm 102.15-28.
(Leominster: Not What My Hands Have Done)
Then let the nations fear the glory of the LORD!
For He shall in His Church appear to heed our sighing words.
Then let our children learn to praise the LORD above.
He hears their groans and knows they yearn to dwell within His love.
Yet let us tell God’s Name and praise His glorious grace;
let all as one His love proclaim together in this place.
Though now our strength is low; though shortened grow our days,
our God will not forsake us so, but keep us in His ways!
Of old You made the earth and heavens by Your hand.
Though they shall perish You endure; forever shall You stand.
They change, yet You remain the same, without an end.
Our children shall Your favor gain, and theirs shall be Your friend.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
