Our scripture reading for today, to which I invite you to turn with me at this time, is found in the Old Testament so-called minor prophecy of Habakkuk, the book of Habakkuk, the third chapter. The book of Habakkuk is found toward the end of the Old Testament, again, in one of the so-called minor prophets, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Habakkuk chapter three. We conclude today our series of messages on the book of Habakkuk. I will be setting a bit of the context and briefly referencing some of the other messages in the course of our study, but I will not do so at this time. When we begin reading in Habakkuk 3 verse 1, we read to the end of the chapter. And since we have already considered together in great detail verses one and two of Habakkuk 3, our text for today will consist of verses three and following, verses three through verse 19. Habakkuk 3, beginning in verse one, let us hear then the word of the Lord. A prayer of Habakkuk, the prophet on Shigionoth. Lord, I have heard of your fame. I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day. In our time, make them known. In wrath, remember mercy. God came from Timon, the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens and His praise filled the earth. His splendor was like the sunrise. Rays flashed from His hand where His power was hidden. Plague went before Him. Pestilence followed his steps. He stood and shook the earth. He looked and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled, and the age-old hills collapsed. His ways are eternal. I saw the tents of Kushan in distress, the dwellings of Midian in anguish. Were you angry with the rivers, O Lord? Was your wrath against the streams? Did you rage against the sea when you rode with your horses and your victorious chariots? You uncovered your bow. You called for many arrows. You split the earth with rivers. The mountains saw you and writhed. Torrents of water swept by. The deep roared and lifted its waves on high. Sun and moon stood still in the heavens, at the glint of your flying arrows, at the lightning of your flashing spear. In wrath you rode through the earth, and in anger you threshed the nations. You came out to deliver your people, to save your anointed one. You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness, you stripped him from head to foot. With his own spear, you pierced his head when his warriors stormed out to scatter us, gloating as though about to devour the wretched who were in hiding. You trampled the sea with your horses, churning the great waters. I heard, and my heart pounded. My lips quivered at the sound. Decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us. Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be joyful in God my Savior. The sovereign Lord is my strength. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer. He enables me to go on the heights. The director of music on my stringed instruments. Thus far, the reading of God's holy word. And because we will be looking at this text in great detail, I, as always, ask and encourage you to keep your Bibles open and handy as we look to God's word together today. Dear congregation of Jesus Christ, I can recall reading several years ago an article concerning the late nationally syndicated advice columnist who went by the name of Ann Landers, Ann Landers. This particular article happened to mention the fact that Ann Landers routinely received on the average 10,000 letters per month. And the vast majority of those letters came from people who were extremely weighed down with various cares and heartaches and personal problems. Well, at one particular point in time, Ann Landers was asked if there was any one problem in particular which seemed to predominate among the tens of thousands of letters which she received. When she was asked that question, she gave a very, very prompt reply. And her reply was this, "'Why yes,' she said, "'as a matter of fact, there is. "'The one problem which prevails above all the others "'seems to be fear. "'People are afraid of losing their health, "'their wealth, their loved ones. "'People are afraid of life itself.'" End of quote. Now friends, think about that. Think about that. Have you ever been afraid? Have you ever been afraid? Friends in the Fellowship Ball, have you ever been afraid? Really afraid? I have. In fact, boys and girls, I can remember a time many, many years ago when I was about your age, I was having a nightmare. I was having a really, really bad dream. And I woke up so petrified that when I tried to call out to my parents to come and help me and comfort me, I opened my mouth and nothing came out. I was trying to cry, help. And I went, ah, and nothing would come out of my mouth. I was literally paralyzed with fear. I was paralyzed with fear. Well, friends, needless to say, I was not the first to have been so incredibly terrified that it resulted in physical symptoms. In fact, did you happen to catch the words of Habakkuk in Habakkuk 3, verse 16a, in the words of our text for today, where Habakkuk goes on to say, verse 16, Obviously Habakkuk was so afraid that his fear resulted in physiological symptoms. Habakkuk was so afraid that there were physical effects in his body. He was absolutely terrified. But now that begs the question, does it not? What in the world was it that caused the prophet Habakkuk such profound fear? What was it that made this Holy Spirit inspired prophet so incredibly afraid that it resulted in physiological or physical symptoms in his body? What was it? Well, if you were with us in our first few studies of the book of Habakkuk, you may well recall that we first of all considered together the theme, when God seems silent. When God seems silent. That is, especially in the face of the wickedness of His people and the wickedness of the world. Secondly, you may recall that we considered together the theme, when God doesn't seem fair. When God doesn't seem fair. And in the words of our text, it related to the fact that God was about to judge His people Israel by means of a kingdom much more sinful and wicked and wayward than they were. You also may recall that in our third study of the book, we considered the theme, approaching God in prayer. Approaching God in prayer. Because in this historical context, when God seemed silent in the face of such wickedness and waywardness, when it seemed as if God was not fair that He was going to use the Babylonian Empire and the wicked King Nebuchadnezzar to judge His holy covenant people, Habakkuk was moved to pray. And his prayer, as we saw previously, was filled to overflowing with emotion. As in Habakkuk 3, verse 2, He cried, Lord, I have heard of Your fame. I stand in awe of Your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day. In our time, make them known. In wrath, remember mercy. Ah, but notice, but notice. As we now get to the words of our text for today in Habakkuk 3 verses 3 and following, we find ourselves being both confronted and incredibly comforted by the fact that even and especially at those times when you and I may be experiencing a heart-pounding, lip-quivering fear, The Bible says that by the grace of God, through faith in the name of Jesus, you and I must also seek to pursue the same two-step strategy which was owned and implemented by the prophet Habakkuk some 2,600 years ago. And friends, I truly believe that if God were so gracious to us and the Holy Spirit would so move among us, no matter what we're facing in the midst of everyday life, We too would find that just as was true for the prophet Habakkuk of old, we too will be able to rejoice even in the midst of ruin. We too will be able to rejoice even in the midst of ruin. Now what exactly was this two-step strategy owned and implemented by the prophet Habakkuk? Well, step number one, our text teaches us, is that Habakkuk prayed God's power which provided patience. And I'll say that again. Habakkuk prayed God's power which provided patience. Now what exactly do I mean by that? Well, let's look at the word of God together and seek to discern what that means. Look at verse three with me. Here Habakkuk writes, God came from Taman. the Holy One from Mount Paran. Now some of us may know that Mount Paran and Timan were regions, it was a mountainous region in the southern portion of the land of Palestine. It was actually near Mount Sinai. And so what Habakkuk is saying here, brothers and sisters, is that he's about to set before us the history of God's miraculous dealings with His people when He led them out of slavery in Egypt and brought them victoriously into the Promised Land. For example, look at the next part of verse 3 with me. It says, His glory covered the heavens and His praise filled the earth. This may very well be a reference to what was called the cloud of Shekinah glory or the Shekinah cloud with which God led His people through the desert by day. His glory filled the heavens. His splendor was like the sunrise. Rays flashed from His hand where His power was hidden. Verse 5. Plague went before Him. Pestilence followed His steps. Boys and girls, can you think of a time in the Old Testament where God used plagues, pestilence to accomplish His purposes? Most Bible commentators and scholars believe this is a reference to the ten plagues which God brought against Egypt, which brought Pharaoh to his knees, and he ultimately let God's people go. Verse 6, He stood and shook the earth. Do you remember we read a few moments ago in Exodus 19.18 that when God came down on Sinai, the whole mountain trembled? We're talking here about the special effects, about the presence and power of God. He stood and shook the earth. He looked and made the nations think of this tremble. Drop down to verse 7. I saw the tents of Kushan in distress, the dwellings of Midian in anguish. I was prayerfully pondering that. I said, when were some of the times when the nations literally feared, not his people, but the nations literally feared God? And you know what was one instance that came to my mind? Turn back to the book of Joshua with me, if you would, please, just for a moment. After the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, we come to Joshua. And in Joshua chapter 2, Joshua has sent out two spies to spy out the promised land. And they didn't want to be found out by the people of the land, and so they hid in the home of a prostitute named Rahab. And friends, look with me if you did turn with me. Otherwise, just listen. That's okay. But in Joshua chapter 2, verses 9 through 11, notice what Rahab says to the spies. She says in Joshua 2 verse 9, I know that the Lord has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted, and everyone's courage failed because of you. For the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below." And so the nations were terrified. And I believe that that is one of the historical events which Habakkuk had in mind when he notes here that the nations trembled. And that the tents of Kushan were in distress, the dwellings of Midian in anguish. Drop down to verse, let's see, drop down to verse 11 with me, if you would, please. We'll skip over. No, let's go to verse eight, first of all. Were you angry with the rivers, O Lord? Was your wrath against the streams? Again, friends, I ask you. Can you think of a time in Old Testament history when God did a miraculous work among the rivers or the streams? Think of the Jordan River, when he stopped the flow of the Jordan so that his people could cross safely on dry land into the promised land. And then it goes on in verse 8, did you rage against the sea when you rode with your horses and your victorious chariots? Can you think of a time God did a miraculous work in a sea in the Old Testament? Well, think of the Red Sea. When He stopped the waters of the Red Sea, He parted the waters of the Red Sea so that His people could escape the thundering chariots of Pharaoh who were coming down on them, trying to capture them and destroy them. They made it safely into the Promised Land. And then, boys and girls, again, what did God do with the waters of the Red Sea? He brought them back on the armies of Pharaoh, and He destroyed them in the sea. He was working His mighty works for the redemption of His people. Now let's drop down to verse 11. Look with me, please. Sun and moon stood still in the heavens at the glint of your flying arrows, at the lightning of your flashing spear. Can you think of a time in Old Testament history when, as it were, sun and moon stood still? When the sun and moon stood still. Now, I referenced that, and I came across the time when Joshua was battling the five kings of the Amorites, and God had the sun remain in the sky to provide a longer day so that Joshua could accomplish the full and complete victory. And that's spoken of in the book of Joshua. I think it's around the fourth chapter or so. But he worked a mighty work by lengthening... excuse me, it's Joshua 10. He lengthened the day for the deliverance of his people. And now look at verse 13 with me, if you would please, of Habakkuk 3. You came out to deliver your people to save your anointed one. Now friends, in biblical history, the anointed one generally referred to the succession of the kings of Israel, culminating in the line of David, the line from whom our Lord Jesus would come, the anointed one. And yet it's interesting to note that in the book of Psalms, if you're taking notes, Psalm 105, 15, the people of Israel, corporately, are referred to as God's anointed ones. In fact, if you look carefully at verse 13, it says, you came out to deliver your people, and then the parallel is to save your anointed one. And so the reference here seems to be to God's people Israel, corporately, as God's anointed one, but the line from whom the anointed one, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, would come. And if you would turn with me just for a moment, please, to Psalm 2, notice what the sacred psalmist says here about our Lord Jesus Christ, the Anointed One. Psalm 2, verse 1. Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His anointed One. Let us break their chains, they say, and throw off their fetters. The one enthroned in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. Then He rebukes them in His anger and terrifies them in His wrath, saying, I have installed My King on Zion, My holy hill. Verse 10, same psalm. Therefore, you kings, be wise. Be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you be destroyed in your way. For His wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him." Now friends, let's bring that information to bear back on the words of Habakkuk 3. Look at verse 14 with me. Habakkuk says, "...with His, that is God's own spear, you pierced His head. When his warriors stormed out to scatter us, gloating as though about to devour the wretched who were in hiding. And I got to thinking about that. Boys and girls, think back with me to the shepherd boy, David. Does this ring any biblical bells with you? Speaking now of the enemy of God. the enemy of God's people. With his own spear, you pierced his head when his warriors stormed out to scatter us, gloating as though about to devour the wretched who were in hiding. Do you remember when the armies of Israel were terrified by a giant named Goliath? He was somewhere around nine or 10 feet tall. And the armies were cowering in fear. And this little shepherd boy, David, came forward and he said, who is this heathen? Who is this Philistine who is blaspheming in the name of Almighty God? And what did David do? He took a sling and he took some stones and he slung that stone and it hit the giant right in the forehead. He fell to the ground. And then it says, if you're taking notes, it says in 1 Samuel 17, verse 51, that David took Goliath's own sword. And he cut off his head. And I think that's what's being referenced here, that with his own spear, you pierced his head when his warriors stormed out to scatter us. Verse 15, you trampled the sea with your horses, churning the great waters. Brothers and sisters, think about how Habakkuk is praying. Think about what Habakkuk is saying. Think about what he is recounting here in the midst of a fear which gave him all kinds of physiological symptoms. He is recounting the mighty and miraculous acts of all mighty God. He is recounting the reality of who God is. He is recounting the reality of the power which he possesses. He is trying to remember the many ways in which God had mightily and miraculously delivered his people from some of the greatest terrors on earth. and had a profound effect on him. It had a profound effect on him. But before we go on to what that effect was, think about you and me in the New Testament era. We can recount all of these biblical stories. We can remember all of these historical events where God was acting so powerfully and miraculously, delivering his people, shaking the mountains, parting the waters, destroying enemies on every hand. But we can add to that the remembrances of our blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. healing the limbs of the lame. We can add to that the miracles of our Lord Jesus Christ when he cleansed vile lepers of their leprosy. We can add to that the reality of our Lord Jesus Christ turning the water into wine, giving sight to the blind, raising Lazarus from the dead. He himself being raised from the dead. Think of this. It's no wonder back in the days of my youth, some of the Jesus people used to sing, and some of you will remember this if you're at least as old as I am, put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the waters. Put your hand in the hand of the man who calmed the sea. Put your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee. You see, that's what Habakkuk was doing. And what was the effect for him in the midst of this incredible fear? Verse 16 tells us, look with me please, I heard, and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound, decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet, yet, because of what he had just prayed, I will wait patiently for the day of calamity." If you're with us Thanksgiving, the day of Tsarah, T-S-A-R-A-H. We read that in Psalm 50, verse 15, where it was translated, the day of trouble. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity notice to come, not upon us. I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us. God will set things right, you see. Again, if you were with us in our previous studies, you may recall that that is exactly what God did. He brought judgment upon the nation, invading them. If you're taking notes and want to just recall, it occurred specifically on October 29, 539 B.C., October 29, 539 B.C., when the Lord our God used the Persian King Cyrus to invade and conquer Babylon, which previously had seemed to be an invincible, unconquerable kingdom. Habakkuk just had to wait for that day, and that day came. Oh, glory be to God. So brothers and sisters, if you and I sincerely desire to be found rejoicing even in the midst of ruin, like Habakkuk of old, we must first of all pray God's power. We must pray God's power. We must pray God's power. which produces patience. Abba, notice. Step number two in this two-step strategy for rejoicing, even in the midst of ruin, is that Habakkuk sought strength from his Savior, which supplied stability. And I'll say that again. He sought strength from his Savior, which supplied stability. Now look at verses 17 through 19 with me, if you would. And here we find some of the most moving, inspirational words in all of Scripture. Habakkuk 3, verse 17, look with me, please. Though the fig tree does not bud, and there are no grapes on the vines, you know, interestingly enough, the Babylonians were like the Assyrians and the Egyptians. When they would conquer a land, they would cut down and burn all the fruit-bearing trees, and they would leave a wasteland behind. Though the fig tree does not bud, and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, that there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, imagine the catastrophe which that would mean to a farming agricultural society or an agricultural community. Friends, what we just read there makes what we recently have referred to as the Great Recession pale by comparison. Some of us today may feel that way. We have nothing. We have no one. Nobody cares, nobody hears, nobody sees. And what I do have I may be losing. Health, wealth, family, friends. Some of us may feel that way today. It's how Habakkuk felt. Then he goes on in verse 18, One of the greatest words in this text, three letters, he says, yet, yet, that is, all appearances to the contrary, yet, I will press on stoically with a stiff upper lip. No. Yet I will stop thinking about it, stop talking about it, I'll pretend it doesn't exist. No. Yet I will. And in Victor's fashion. Be the master of my fate. Captain of my soul. No. This is yet. I will. Rejoice. Translate the word in the Hebrew exalt. It literally means, this sounds crazy, but it literally means to jump up and down. That's what the word actually means, literally. I will so rejoice, I'll be jumping up and down. But he hasn't lost his mind. He says, I will rejoice in the Lord. Notice the four capital letters in Lord. I will rejoice in Yahweh. I will rejoice in the covenant-making, covenant-keeping God of Israel, whose mercies are new every morning, great is his faithfulness, Jeremiah says in Lamentations chapter, is it chapter three, verses 22 and 23, I think. Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. Stay with me. I will be joyful. He just said, I'm going to jump with joy. You know what he says now in that word joyful in the Hebrew? He says, I'm gonna spin around. I'm gonna jump up and down and I'm gonna spin around with joy in the Lord. That's literally what it means. I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be joyful in God, Elohim, the mighty creator of heaven and earth, my savior, my yeshah, the Hebrew says. That's where we get the name Joshua from. The Hebrew form of the name Jesus. with both names meaning the Lord saves, the Lord saves. That's why in this Advent season, we refer just momentarily to Matthew 1, verses 20 and 21, where the angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream, and he says in Matthew 1, 20 and 21, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife. Because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. Why? Because he will save his people from their sins. And that's also why in Acts 4, verse 12, the apostle Peter fearlessly proclaimed, salvation is found in no one else. There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved, you see. Glory be to God. So, back here in Habakkuk chapter 3, He says, I will be joyful in God my Savior. You see. Verse 19, the sovereign Lord, Yahweh Adonai, is my strength. Notice, it doesn't say the Lord gives me strength. He says the sovereign Lord, Yahweh Adonai, is my strength. Interesting. He is my strength. And as I was prayerfully pondering that, the words of the Apostle Paul appended in 2 Corinthians 12, 9-10 came to mind. 2 Corinthians 12, 9-10, where Paul makes this profession. He says, Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, writes Paul, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. We say, Paul, have you lost your mind? This is no. For when I am weak. Then I am strong. He is my strength, you see. Proverbs 18, verse 10 puts it this way, Proverbs 18, verse 10, the name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run into it and are safe. All glory be to God. Well, let's finish up our text in verse 19, back in Habakkuk 3. The sovereign Lord is my strength. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer. Boys and girls, young people, have you ever seen, I mean, physically, literally, a deer run? They are incredibly swift. They are incredibly stable. They also like to eat suburban flowers, by the way. We have a neighbor, he was putting up a fence one day, and we're very good terms, very nice guy, he's helped us out in different things, and he goes, Richard, I don't want you to feel bad about the fence, it's nothing personal. He said, the deer are coming through your yard into our yard, and they're eating all of Barbara's plants on the patio. So he said that she thinks this will solve the problem. So he puts up the fence and the deer did two things. One, they hopped over the fence first, but then they simply went around the other side of the house and came in from the other way and had a buffet on her patio. But deer are incredibly fast. They're incredibly swift. They're incredibly stable. And the Bible says, brothers and sisters, that even in the midst of our fears, that's how God makes us. How so? Well, there's a great reference, a very brief reference in 1st Chronicles 12 verse 8 to a group of warriors, boys and girls, young people called the Gadites. And in 1st Chronicles 12 verse 8, it speaks about the Gadites. They had defected from King Saul when he drove David from his presence and they sided with David. And in 1st Chronicles 12 verse 8, it says some Gadites defected and were at the stronghold of David in the desert. They were brave warriors, ready for battle, and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions, notice, and they were as swift as gazelles in the mountains. God makes His people like the Gadites. He gives us a firm footing. He gives us a great stability, but not only to walk through the valley and on the plain. It says in the end of our text, The sovereign Lord is my strength. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer. He enables me to go on the heights. Think about that. He enables us to go on the heights where we enjoy a distinct vantage point over all of the trials and all of the tears and all of the heartaches and all of the cares. He lets us climb above them and look down in victory upon them. Think of it. All glory be to God. He enables us to go on the heights. You know, friends, I think I shared this with you previously, but I think it bears repeating Way back in the 19th century, the noted naturalist, linguist, and statesman, Sir John Bowering, was visiting Macao on the South Chinese coast, when he spotted a huge bronze cross looming above the broken down walls of a great cathedral, which had been previously built by the Portuguese many years prior, but that great cathedral had been destroyed by a terrific typhoon. And it's said that the scene of that cross looming high above those ruins so moved Sir John Bowery that he wanted to sort of convey that sentiment in some form and fashion. And he did so by writing a hymn, which many of us no doubt have heard, and which perhaps some of us have sung. And the words go like this. In the cross of Christ I glory, towering o'er the wrecks of time, All the light of sacred story gathers round its head sublime. When the woes of life overtake me, hopes deceive and fears annoy. Never shall the cross forsake me, lo it glows with peace and joy. Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure, by the cross are sanctified. Peace is there, knows no measure. Joys that through all time abide." End of quote. Question. Of what or of whom are you afraid today? Of what or of whom are you or I afraid today? Friends, as you and I scan the landscape of our lives, what personal, practical, potential ruins, ruins do we see? Well, my friend, whatever they may be, The Bible says that if by the grace and mercy of God, through faith in the name of Jesus, we pray God's power and seek to draw strength from our Savior, not only will we be able to experience patience and stability, but we will also be found, along with the prophet Habakkuk, rejoicing even in the midst of ruin. Amen. Let's bow our heads and our hearts together in prayer. Oh, our mighty God. And most merciful Heavenly Father. More than 200 years ago, the English poet and hymn writer William Cowper who himself, Lord, struggled with and suffered from bouts of severe depression, anxiety, and fear. He summarized the sentiment of the last few verses of our text for today by saying, though vine nor fig, tree neither, their wanted fruit should bear. Though all the field 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. I cannot but rejoice. Oh, ever faithful father, grant to each and every one of us such grace, through faith we pray, so that along with the prophet Habakkuk of old, we too may forever be found rejoicing even in the midst of ruin. Hear us, O Lord, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.