230820 Habakkuk 2:2-4: Perseverance | Pride | Parousia

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James 1.3 “knowing that the testing of your faith brings about perseverance.”

Habakkuk 2.1-5 “I will stand on my guard post And station myself on the fortification; And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me And how I may respond when I am reproved. Then Yahweh answered me and said, “Write down the vision And write it on tablets distinctly, That the one who reads it may run. “For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It pants toward its end, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come; it will not delay. “Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith. “And indeed, wine betrays the haughty man So that he does not stay at home. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, And he is like death, never satisfied. He also gathers to himself all nations And assembles to himself all peoples.”

QUESTIONS:

Who?

Habakkuk - the Embracer/Prophet/Levite(?) Hymnist/The waiting watchman,

Yahweh - Sovereign Lord, the Fulfiller of Visions, the One who hears and answers, the One who judges Habakkuk 1.11 ““Then they will sweep through like the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty, They whose power is their god.”” The Everlasting Holy One, the Rock, the One who established reprovers Habakkuk 1.12 “Are You not from everlasting, O Yahweh, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. You, O Yahweh, have placed them to judge; And You, O Rock, have established them to reprove.” Dwells in His holy temple and commands silence - Habakkuk 2.20 ““But Yahweh is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.”” Yahweh is the Possessor of rage and compassion Habakkuk 3.2 “O Yahweh, I have heard the report about You, and I fear. O Yahweh, revive Your work in the midst of the years; In the midst of the years make it known; In rage remember compassion.” God is all powerful and glorious Habakkuk 3.3-6 “God comes from Teman, And the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His splendor covers the heavens, And the earth is full of His praise. His brightness is like the sunlight; He has rays flashing from His hand, And there is the hiding of His strength. Before Him goes pestilence, And plague comes after Him. He stood and measured out the earth; He looked and startled the nations. So the perpetual mountains were shattered; The ancient hills collapsed. His ways are everlasting.” Yahweh saves Habakkuk 3.13 “You went forth for the salvation of Your people, For salvation with Your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked To lay him bare from thigh to neck. Selah.” Yahweh is the strength of the prophet Habakkuk 3.19 “Yahweh, the Lord, is my strength, And He has set my feet like hinds’ feet And makes me tread on my high places. For the choir director, on my stringed instruments.”

The Reader/Runner, 2 Peter 3.4 “and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”” 2 Peter 3.9 “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some consider slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

The dissatisfied Proud One/Haughty Man, The proud ones defined - fearsome, self led, Habakkuk 1.7 ““They are dreaded and feared; Their justice and exaltation come forth from themselves.” Worship power, Habakkuk 1.11 ““Then they will sweep through like the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty, They whose power is their god.”” Treacherous, oppressive Habakkuk 1.13 “Your eyes are too pure to see evil, And You cannot look on trouble. Why do You look On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they?”

The Righteous, they tremble at prophecy Habakkuk 3.16 “I heard, and my inward parts trembled; At the sound my lips tingled. Decay enters my bones, And in my place I tremble. Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress, For the people to arise who will invade us.” Exults in the Lord Habakkuk 3.18 “Yet I will exult in Yahweh; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.” Fear Yahweh Habakkuk 3.2 “O Yahweh, I have heard the report about You, and I fear. O Yahweh, revive Your work in the midst of the years; In the midst of the years make it known; In rage remember compassion.”

INTRODUCTION

Without trials can our faith be tested? Without hardship can we know if we believe something?

Psalm 37

Luke 13.1-5 .

Habakkuk 2.14 ““For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh, As the waters cover the sea.” how can this happen apart from allowing free will and opportunity to faithfully follow God or abandon Him

MAINPOINT

James 1.3 “knowing that the testing of your faith brings about perseverance.”

ROADMAP

PRAYER

CONTEXT

Year is 607BC -

NAC Conversation is opposite of most prophetic books in the OT. Conversation is toward God and not toward the people. Habakkuk’s concern is injustice unaddressed by God - God answers “wait and see what I am doing.” Central message of Habakkuk is - “The righteous shall live by faith.” Prophetic contemporaries include Jeremiah, Nahum, Zephaniah. Assyria has faded and Babylon has ascended. Habakkuk was likely fully aware of the fall of Nineveh in 612BC and the ascendency of Babylon. In 609BC Josiah rode west from Jerusalem to Megiddo to stop Pharoah Neco from assisting Assyria in their fight against Babylon but because of the delay Assyria fell and Josiah died at the hands of Pharaoh’s archers. Josiah’s son, Jehoiakim was a despot focused on enlarging his palace Jeremiah 22.13-19. He killed a prophet of the Lord - Uriah (Jeremiah 26:20–23). Lots of prophetic activity is taking place at this time both true and false. Habakkuk’s name means “to embrace” or “to caress.”

Judgement has been pronounced in chapter 1

SERMON

I. Perseverance (v1)

Habakkuk 2.1 “I will stand on my guard post And station myself on the fortification; And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me And how I may respond when I am reproved.”

K&D says that Calvin takes this figuratively - an inward withdrawing to consider.

RESTATE

NIV a better approximation: “and what answer I am to give to this complaint” ie what God’s revelation will speak through me to answer the complaint in chapter 1.13-17

WORD BY WORD

x עמד Habakkuk is describing the action from his point of view as it is unfolding - he will stand

x אֶעֱמֹ֔דָה Hitpael a Reflexive counterpart to the Piel stem

x אֲצַפֶּ֗ה Piel - to attentively look, keep watch

x רְאוֹת֙ Qal - to see/understand/find out

x אָשִׁ֖יב Hifil - I may repent or turn back or return

x יְדַבֶּר־בִּי Piel - to express in speech (How is this an intensive?) | בּ why is “בּ” translated “to me” instead of “in me?” K&D agree with me that this should be “in me” not “to me” YLT has “against me”

x עַל־תּוֹכַחְתִּֽי upon my reprimand K&D say this refers to Habakkuk’s complaint raised against God in Habakkuk 1.13-17 “Your eyes are too pure to see evil, And You cannot look on trouble. Why do You look On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they? And You have made men like the fish of the sea, Like creeping things without a ruler over them. The Chaldeans bring all of them up with a hook, Drag them away with their net, And gather them together in their fishing net. Therefore they are glad and rejoice. Therefore they offer a sacrifice to their net And burn incense to their fishing net Because through these things their portion is rich And their food is fat. Will they therefore empty their net And continually kill nations without sparing?” and says that this text distinguishes from his internal mind and the Spirit speaking within him - shouldnt that be a different pronoun - what “He will say within me”

CROSS REFERENCE:

Luke 18.1 “Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,”

OBSERVATION:

Interesting how Habakkuk is faithful in his diligent waiting for a response from Yahweh

God is faithful and expects faithfulness from His people and responds to faithful people via the Holy Spirit’s application of Scripture in the lives of believers

QUOTABLE:

Carl E. Armerding said of Habakkuk “It is a wise man who takes his questions about God to God for answers.”

II. Clarity (v2)

Habakkuk 2.2 “Then Yahweh answered me and said, “Write down the vision And write it on tablets distinctly, That the one who reads it may run.”

RESTATE

NAC and K&D regard this as writing as needing to be so distinct/clear that the one who reads it may read it even while running - billboard clear

NAC: Traditional reading is a runner must be able to read it at a glance

K&D not a literal tablet but a writing down of the prophecy (?)

OBSERVATION: Justification by Faith Alone Galatians 3:10–14 “For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse, for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO DO THEM.” Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident, for “THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” However, the Law is not of faith; rather, “HE WHO DOES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”— in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (WHERE IS THE “BUT”/“HIS”?) Romans 4.3 “For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS COUNTED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”” CICR Abraham was not justified when he was an idolater but after he had demonstrated his holiness (approximately 10 years - my notes). Genesis 15.6 “Then he believed in Yahweh; and He counted it to him as righteousness.” Genesis 17.11 ““And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.” CICR To be justified by Law works are not only required but are the basis of salvation but no one is able to do this except Christ. Faith turns from self to what God says He will do. It turns from self to God’s mercy. Romans 4.2 “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about—but not before God!”

III. The Vision Will Be Fulfilled (v3)

Habakkuk 2.3 ““For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It pants toward its end, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come; it will not delay.”

RESTATE

No way this will not come true and the fulfillment will be right on time

OBSERVATIONS: Perseverance/Parousia & Messianic Expectation Hebrews 10:32–39 | 32 But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, 33 partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and afflictions, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. 34 For you also showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted with joy the seizure of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better and lasting possession. 35 Therefore, do not throw away that confidence of yours, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. 37 FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY. 38 BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH, AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM. (THIS IS BACKWARDS!!!!) 39 But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul. (WHY IS THERE A “MY/ONE” AND WHERE IS THE “HIS”?)

Romans 4.3 “For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS COUNTED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”” CICR Abraham was not justified when he was an idolater but after he had demonstrated his holiness (approximately 10 years - my notes). Genesis 15.6 “Then he believed in Yahweh; and He counted it to him as righteousness.” Genesis 17.11 ““And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.” CICR To be justified by Law works are not only required but are the basis of salvation but no one is able to do this except Christ. Faith turns from self to what God says He will do. It turns from self to God’s mercy. Romans 4.2 “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about—but not before God!”

NAC: The reason for the answer and evidence (?). It might seem slow but would be fulfilled. There is no chance that the vision will not be fulfilled but will certainly come about. “For” first word in sentence is a connector with verse 2. The “it will not delay” means it will arrive right on time, not it is coming quickly. Eschatological implications

CICR Calvin says faith is always accompanied by hope of eternal life. Hope is nothing more than the expectation of those things which faith previously believes to have been truly promised by God. Faith is the foundation on which hope rests; hope nourishes and sustains faith.

2 Peter 3.4 “and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.””

2 pt 3.9 “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some consider slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

IV. Contrast between the Proud and Righteous (v4)

Habakkuk 2.4 ““Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith.”

RESTATE

Nthe righteous will live everyone else will die (v6ff) and God will be glorified (v14)

OBSERVATION: Gospel Proclamation and Definition/Pride Romans 1.16-17 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY FAITH.”” (WHERE IS THE “HIS”?)Those who reject God’s revelation are turned over to themselves

Jeremiah 9.23-24 “Thus says Yahweh, “Let not a wise man boast in his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast in his might; let not a rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am Yahweh who shows lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares Yahweh.”

TWO GROUPS: Wicked Pride/Pride in Yahweh

The proud ones defined - fearsome, self led, Habakkuk 1.7 ““They are dreaded and feared; Their justice and exaltation come forth from themselves.” Worship power, Habakkuk 1.11 ““Then they will sweep through like the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty, They whose power is their god.”” Treacherous, oppressive Habakkuk 1.13 “Your eyes are too pure to see evil, And You cannot look on trouble. Why do You look On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they?”

The righteous ones defined - faithfulness. Righteous ones have lives that correspond to God’s leadership (NAC) Per NAC/TDOT those who are faithful are stable internally, they are genuine, reliable and conscientious, sincere, consistent. NAC Habakkuk was not to wait with bated breath for this to happen but to be faithful CT3 “Faith” or אֱמוּנָה is a noun (Person, place or thing) אֱמוּנָה ʾěmû·nā(h) steadfastness; trustworthiness, faithfulness; honesty; (permanent) official duty noun, feminine, singular, common, construct, suffixed Sense: trust (faith) – strong confidence in, and reliance upon, someone or something; often with the object of trust understood.

V. Contrast between the Proud and Righteous (v5)

Habakkuk 2.5 ““And indeed, wine betrays the haughty man So that he does not stay at home. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, And he is like death, never satisfied. He also gathers to himself all nations And assembles to himself all peoples.”

RESTATE

drunken on pride 5 coming curses

OBSERVATIONS

Justification by Faith Alone Galatians 3:10–14 “For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse, for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO DO THEM.” Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident, for “THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” However, the Law is not of faith; rather, “HE WHO DOES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”— in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (WHERE IS THE “BUT”/“HIS”?)

CICR To be justified by Law works are not only required but are the basis of salvation but no one is able to do this except Christ. Faith turns from self to what God says He will do. It turns from self to God’s mercy.

Romans 4.2 “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about—but not before God!”

APPLICATION

Hebrews 10:32–39

Remember Hebrews 10.32 “But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings,”

Sharing in Christ’s Sufferings Hebrews 10.33 “partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and afflictions, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated.”

Exchanging the perishable for the imperishable Hebrews 10.34 For you also showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted with joy the seizure of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better and lasting possession.

Retain confidence Hebrews 10.35 Therefore, do not throw away that confidence of yours, which has a great reward.

Doing God’s will Hebrews 10.36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.

Promise’s surety Hebrews 10.37 FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY.

God delights in living faith Hebrews 10.38 BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH, AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.

39 But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.

CONCLUSION

2 Peter 3.9 “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some consider slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”