HABAKKUK COMMENTARY – CHAPTER 2

HOW LONG GOD? WHY GOD? NEW COMMENTARY ON HABAKKUK CHAPTER 2 – Habakkuk was deeply distressed by the evil and injustice that surrounded him and cried out to Jehovah, Who answered in Chapter 2 with one of the most beautiful prophecies in the Bible, a prophecy giving all of God’s children the promise of a future GLORIOUS DAY when

 

“the earth will be filled with the knowledge of
the GLORY of the LORD,
as the waters cover the sea.”
(Hab 2:14)

 

What a Word of Promise and Hope this prophecy from Jehovah must have been to the heart and soul of the perplexed prophet, who had been given an oracle (Hab 1:1-2-note; Hab 1:5-6-note) of the fierce Chaldean’s (Babylonian’s) coming destruction of Judah and Jerusalem, a destruction he knew would include the Holy Temple where the (“Shekinah”) GLORY of God was manifest in the Holy of Holies (pic below portrays the Shekinah over the wilderness Tabernacle)!

 

 

Indeed, not many years later, the prophet Ezekiel watched in his vision of the final destruction of the Temple as “the GLORY of the God of Israel went up from the cherub on which it had been (on the Mercy Seat on the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies), to the threshold of the Temple” (Ezekiel 9:3-note) and finally “the GLORY of the LORD went up from the midst of the city (Jerusalem) and stood over the mountain (Olivet) which is east of the city” (Ezekiel 11:23-note). (See chart depicting departure of GOD’S GLORY)

 

The GLORY of God had departed the Temple! But God in the midst of wrath remembered mercy (Hab 3:2-Spurgeon sermon) and so the Father of glory (Ep 1:17-note) sent His Son, the “true Shekinah” Who returned to the Temple some 500 years later, John recording that “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God…And the Word became flesh and dwelt (tabernacled) among us and we beheld His GLORY, GLORY (Gk = Doxa > “doxology“) as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (Jn 1:1, 14-note)

 

“He (Jesus) came to His own and those who were His own did not receive Him” (Jn 1:11-note). Paul added that “none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the LORD OF GLORY.” (1Cor 2:8-note). Then Jesus “ascended far above all the heavens.” (Eph 4:10-note) Once again the GLORY had departed. But centuries earlier God had promised Habakkuk that a GLORIOUS DAY was coming, a day when all wrongs will be made right, all evils will be perfectly vindicated (Ro 12:19-note, Dt 32:35-note), all suffering will become GLORY (2Cor 4:17-note, Ro 8:18-note), for in that GLORIOUS DAY “the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and GREAT GLORY” (Mt 24:30), the GLORIOUS DAY when all “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the GLORY of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”

 

In light of such soul satisfying and heart encouraging truth, such “a sure word of prophecy, (we) do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the (GLORIOUS) DAY dawns and the Morning (Day) Star arises in (our) hearts.” (2Peter 1:19-note). Until that GLORIOUS DAY, may He find us daily LOOKING for Him, a LOOKING which motivates our LIVING for Him (enabled by His Spirit). In the meantime, may our Father grant that His Spirit enable us to pray without ceasing (1Th 5:17-note) –

 

“Blessed be His glorious Name forever and
MAY THE WHOLE EARTH BE FILLED WITH HIS GLORY.
AMEN AND AMEN.”
(Psalm 72:19-sermon)

 

Take a moment to praise and worship the King of GLORY (Ps 24:7-10-note) as you sing GLORIOUS DAY by Casting Crowns

 

Resource: Habakkuk 2 Commentary
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Resource: Habakkuk Commentaries, Sermons, etc