THE PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK
Installment 7

Habakkuk 3:8-19
(Part 2)

In last month's study we examined the first seven verses of Habakkuk, chapter 3, which foretell the glorious, marvelous Second Coming of the Lord Jesus, and which will occur at the end of the Tribulation. In this month's study we shall complete the exposition of this chapter.

The Waters of the Earth are Affected by the Second Coming of Christ

8 Was Jehovah displeased with the rivers,
   Was thine anger against the rivers,
   Or thy wrath against the sea,
   That thou didst ride upon thy horses,
   Upon thy chariots of salvation?

9 Thy bow was made quite bare;
   The oaths to the tribes were a sure word. Selah
   Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.

10 The mountains saw thee, and were afraid;
    The tempest of waters passed by;
    The deep uttered its voice,
    And lifted up its hands on high" (Hab. 3:8-10).

The oceans and the seas cover three fourths of the earth's surface, but there are great reservoirs of water underneath the continents. That this statement is true is seen from the following quotation:

"For he hath founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the floods" (Ps. 24:2).

That the waters of the earth will be churned into a raging fury by the events connected with the Tribulation period and the Second Coming of Christ is seen from such a passage as Psalm 46:1-3:

1 "God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
2  Therefore will we not fear, though the earth do change,
    And though the mountains be shaken into the heart of the seas;
3  Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled,
    Though the mountains tremble with the swelling thereof. Selah.

The writer of Psalm 93 likewise spoke of the roaring of the sea:

3 "The floods have lifted up, O Jehovah,
    The floods have lifted up their voice;
    The floods lift up their waves.
4  Above the voices of many waters,
    The mighty breakers of the sea,
    Jehovah on high is mighty" (Ps. 93:3,4).

The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, in speaking of the coming events of the end time which culminate with His Second Coming, speaks of the roaring of the sea and the billows in connection with supernatural phenomena in sun, moon, and stars: "And there shall be signs in sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the billows" (Luke 21:25).

From Habakkuk 3:8-10 one sees that the earth will be rent at the Second Coming of Christ and that rivers and reservoirs beneath the surface of the earth will be exposed to human gaze.

In verse 8 the Lord is represented as "riding upon horses, upon chariots of salvation." This language reminds one of the description of the Lord's coming found in Revelation 19:11-16.

In verse 9 the Lord is represented as a warrior with his bow rushing into battle. In the same verse the Prophet calls attention to the fact that God's oaths to His ancient people are sure. God will carry out every threat which He has made and fulfill every promise.

In verse 10 we learn that the earth will be terribly rent (Ps. 60:2) and new rivers will flow. In this verse the mountains are thought of as people who are terrified by the sights which they behold. The sea is likewise personified. It utters its voice and lifts up its voice on high—in surrender to the Lord of all the earth.

"The sun and moon stood still in their habitation,
 At the light of thine arrows as they went,
 At the shining of thy glittering spear" (Hab. 3:11).

The sun, moon, and stars are likewise thought of as intelligent beings that in amazement stand in awe at the light of Jehovah's arrows speeding on their way and at the shining of His glorious spear.
 

"Thou didst march through the land in indignation;
 Thou didst thresh the nations in anger" (Hab. 3:12).

According to this verse, Jehovah will thresh the nations of the world by His mighty power (cf. Zechariah 14:1ff).
 

    "Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people,
     For the salvation of thine anointed;
     Thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked man,
     Laying bare the foundation even unto the neck. Selah
14 Thou didst pierce with his own staves the head of his warriors:
     They came as a whirlwind to scatter me;
     Their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly" (Hab. 3:13,14).

In this Scripture we learn that this last war is fought in order that Jehovah may deliver His people Israel. In this titanic struggle the Lord deals a death blow to the last ruler of this earth, the Antichrist. The generalissimo of the Antichrist in charge of the titanic struggle is slain. Those leading the armies of the enemy come with high expectation, but their hopes are blasted as they go down in defeat.
 

    "I heard, and my body trembled,
     My lips quivered at the voice;
     Rottenness entereth into my bones,
     and I tremble in my place;
     Because I must wait quietly for the day of trouble,
     For the coming up of the people that invadeth us.
17 For though the fig-tree shall not flourish,
     Neither shall fruit be in the vines;
     The labor of the olive shall fail,
     And the fields shall yield no food;
     The flock shall be cut off from the fold,
     And there shall be no herd in the stalls:
18 Yet I will rejoice in Jehovah,
     I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19 Jehovah, the Lord, is my strength;
     And he maketh my feet like hinds' feet,
     And will make me to walk upon my high places" (Hab. 3:16-19).

The vision of the invasion of the State of Israel first by the Chaldeans (Hab. 1:5-11) and by the armies of the world and the subsequent destruction of the country caused the Prophet to be spiritually depressed. Since the whole land will be turned into a battleground, food there will be reduced to a minimum. There will be untold suffering, but the Prophet rises on the wings of faith and sees the glorious outcome of Messiah's appearance.