HABAKKUK STUDY GUIDE part 5

“Faith in God Even When Your Whole World Has Crashed In On You”

THE TEXT
Habakkuk 3:17–19 (ESV)

17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 19 GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.

QUESTIONS
1. What kind of the trials have you been through or seen people go through? What were the reactions to these trials? Did you (or others you know) grow closer to the Lord through the trials or go farther away from the Lord? What do you think makes the difference between someone growing closer to the Lord through trials versus going farther away from the Lord?



2. What are the common means of grace God provides for us through which we can know joy and have strength even in the midst of crisis and confusion?



3. After thinking back over what we have learned from this wonderful book, list and write briefly about 2 or 3 things that have helped you to personally grow in your Christian walk.



4. The book of Habakkuk is not meant to give us all the answers we desire when it comes to suffering and tribulation. However there are a few key truths we can glean and hold onto when we face dire situations. What are some of these key truths and how can they help us in times of crisis?



CASE STUDY
While meeting with several other believers for prayer (say, during the prayer times at the end of home group), you learn that all of the other people in your group are struggling with some serious challenges. Several people are facing the loss of their jobs. Almost everyone is having some difficult issues at home. They are depressed, discouraged downtrodden, and feel badly beat up. They are looking for some help and can’t seem to find any. How do you help them? What do you say to them? How do you pray for them? What Scriptures do you use as you counsel them?



PERSONAL REFLECTION
Reflect on the difficult situation Habakkuk faced and how he dealt with it. Refer to the previous study guides if you need. Now contemplate a difficult situation you have faced in your life or are currently facing. Think about how you dealt with it, especially in regards to your prayer life. After analyzing your actions, would you say that you sinned in the process? Can you say with all sincerity that you trusted God? Be honest as you reflect on your heart’s attitude during the difficult time you experienced or are experiencing right now. Use the space below to sort of “journal out” your responses to these questions and be sure to include what (if anything) you believe the Lord would have you do differently next time you face a crisis.



FURTHER READING

The Sovereign Lord gives triumph over circumstances to those who trust Him. The way to get out from under the load is to get right under the Lord. To be under the Lord is to be over the circumstances. That lesson is worth the price of the book, especially when the world seems like a cesspool of quicksand.

Habakkuk was about to “go under” when he started this book. Destruction, violence, strife, conflict, injustice, and wickedness were all he could see. But he cried out to God and his cry did not go unheeded. The Lord not only answered his complaint but also provided the confidence needed to lift him from the quagmire. Habakkuk started in the pits, but ended on the mountaintop. His journey was not exactly an easy one, but it was certainly worth it.

God directed Habakkuk through the dialogue (chap. 1) in which He revealed His plans for disciplining Judah and destroying Babylon. Then at God’s command Habakkuk recorded a woeful dirge (chap. 2) that further justified God’s judgment on Babylon. Finally, the prophet reached a pinnacle of praise in which God revealed Himself in all His glory and power. The doxology (chap. 3) concluded with Habakkuk’s unwavering trust in the Lord.

The prophet’s complaints were swallowed up by confidence. His fear turned to faith. Habakkuk was transformed from a sour, jittery prophet weighed down with burdens to a secure, joyous preacher bouyed up with blessing. The just, the upright, the happy, the contented, the victorious live by their faith. Yes, faith is the victory that overcomes the world! (1 John 5:4)

SOURCE: J. Ronald Blue, The Bible Knowledge Commentary.


CLOSING HYMN

The final verses of Habakkuk 3 prompted William Cowper (1731–1800) to compose the poem “In Him Confiding,” which became “Sometimes a Light Surprises” (usually sung to the tune of “The Church’s One Foundation”)

Verse 1
Sometimes a light surprises
The Christian while he sings;
It is the Lord who rises
With healing in His wings:
When comforts are declining,
He grants the soul again
A season of clear shining,
To cheer it after rain.

Verse 2
In holy contemplation,
We sweetly then pursue
The theme of God’s salvation,
And find it ever new.
Set free from present sorrow,
We cheerfully can say,
‘E’en let the unknown morrow
Bring with it what it may:

Verse 3
‘It can bring with it nothing
But He will bear us through;
Who gives the lilies clothing
Will clothe His people too.
Beneath the spreading heavens,
No creature but is fed;
And He who feeds the ravens
Will give His children bread.’

Verse 4
Though vine nor fig-tree neither
Their wonted fruit should bear,
Though all the fields should wither,
Nor flocks nor herds be there,
Yet, God the same abiding,
His praise shall tune my voice;
For, while in Him confiding,
I cannot but rejoice.