End of Days
Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:18
Exult – Better read the context before you start the celebration. Habakkuk has just recounted the circumstances of disaster. The trees do not bear fruit. The vines fail. The fields have no crops. The flocks are scattered. Now that total economic collapse is at hand, exult in the Lord.
The Hebrew verb ‘alaz means “to rejoice, to be jubilant.” It is party-time. This kind of celebration is a full endorsement of the message. God Himself exults over Israel. But here the prophet finds a way to exult in the worst of times. When everything seems to be at the end of days, there is still a reason to exult. God is our salvation.
Of course, that does not mean that we will escape. His salvation does not mean that suddenly all will be turned to the good. It doesn’t mean a short trip to the heavenly gates. It means confident trust in God’s ways, even if those ways mean I will die. The righteousness man is knocked down seven times. That’s an idiom for being killed. Yet he rejoices. He will rise again. The rightouesness man can say, “Even if You slay me, yet I will worship You.” “Even if He does not rescue us from your fiery furnace, we will not bow down or serve this idol.” “Even if this cup cannot pass from me, yet Your will be done.” The message is the same throughout Scripture. Circumstances are not the measure of God’s goodness. I trust who He is, not what He does. I celebrate Him. The situation is only a distraction.
Perhaps we can relate to the economic woes of the prophet. Perhaps we need to bring his insight into our contemporary culture. There is a lot of bad news on the horizon. There are a lot of economic woes. There is more risk today than most of us have faced in a lifetime. Circumstances tend to diminish our hope. If we pay attention to our troubles, we are likely to miss the biblical perspective. “The question of man’s position before God is the question of existence. Everything else depends on it.”[1] The answer depends on our understanding of the character of our Father. It does not depend on His plans, choices, designs or purposes.
If the Hebrew idea of faith is trustworthiness, then faith is placing my life in the hands of the one who is ultimately trustworthy. I have seen His faithfulness in history. I will see it again when I look back over my life a thousand years from now. But today, I celebrate. I exult in the God who rescues – and I trust that He will once more.
Topical Index: exult, ‘alaz, rejoice, celebrate, Habakkuk 3:18
[1] Wurthwein, TDNT, Vol. IV, p. 985.
NASB
Habakkuk 2:6 “Will not all of these take up a taunt-song against him, Even mockery and insinuations against him And say, ‘Woe to him who increases what is not his— For how long— And makes himself rich [fn] with loans?
The Jerusalem Bible
II. Curses on the Oppressors
Habakkuk 2:6 “On him, will not all men make SATIRES, and turn an epigram against him?
“Five Imprecations”
Trouble is coming to the man who amasses goods that are not his,
(for how long?)
and loads himself with pledges.
Hi all,
In my view, two important points regarding the prophet Habakkuk are obscured by the NASB translation.
The first point has to do with literary genre, as in Tragedy, Comedy, Romance, and Satire.
What is interesting to me about Habakkuk is that his Five Imprecations are some of the oldest examples of satire in existence.
In the ancient, shame-based cultures, the “satirist” was feared because his words were like flames that could “scorch” the faces of his enemies “like the east wind.”
Just to provide another example, I found the following poem from an old Irish satirist; not sure if he is of the Hara clan, but we can see hints of the evil impulse in his invective.
A “poem to raise blisters” from Cormac’s Glossary:
Maile baire gaire Caier
“Evil, death, short life to Caier”
combeodutar celtra cath Caier
“May battle spears slay Caier”
Caier diba Caier dira Caier foro
“Caier by land, Caier by earth, Caier rejected”
fomara fochara Caier.
“Under mound, under rocks, Caier.”
In the following line from a much longer Irish satire, each word means “I will satirize” using three different roots:
gromfa gromfa glamfa glamfa aerfa aerfa
The other point I wanted to make has to do with the theme of Habakkuk’s first imprecation, which I think is very relevant to our National Immorality.
Seems to me that Habukkuk is focused on our primary problem here in the USA today:
“Woe to him who increases what is not his— For how long— And makes himself rich with loans?”
We talk a lot about addiction and rightly so; it is IMO a perfect metaphor for American culture today.
We are addicted to the consumption of commodities and, in our “post modern” world of globalization,
virtually everything has become a commodity.
To make matters worse, we are buying our commodities with money that we will never be able to pay back.
Trillion dollar debts.
Woe to us.
Woe indeed. There is NO sustainable human solution to this problem that does not involve a great deal of pain. I am also convinced that there is no divine solution to this problem that does not involve a great deal of pain. Sin has consequences. Ezekiel’s pronouncement against Sodom fits us, not for sexual immorality but for the complete misuse of wealth and resources. We will pay. That is a principle of the universe. God will not remove the payment although He may forgive the debt.
I could not agree more, Skip. Just as, for instance, the further along the path an arrow travels, when it is ‘missing the mark’, the more extreme is the angle necessary for correction; so it is with us. What if we had prophets who were able to convince ‘Christian’ leaders that this is a principle of the universe, designed by the Creator for His purposes? What if a national day (or month) of repentance were called for – and actually carried out among GOD’S PEOPLE? I believe that we would still go through the fire, and all our earthly treasures would be consumed. But our souls might be purified, as is gold. How we delude ourselves – God help us!
How will you praise Me…
If I take it all away how will you praise me?
If I take away your house, would you praise me on the street?
If I take away your wife and your children, would you praise me at their grave?
If I take away your job, your car, your IRA & 401K, would you praise me on the soup line?
If I take away your respect, your name, your power and prestige, threw you in prison and beat you to your knees…would you praise me in your chains?
If I took away your health, your sight, your hearing, if I took away it all and gave you nothing but pain, would you praise me still?
Would you…woul you still praise me?
Lord, as I huddled in the corner of a dark and cold and dreary cell; beaten and broken, bleeding and blind, and alone; hurting and tired, gasping and dying; I would whisper with my last and only breathe…TO YOU LORD BE THE GLORY! TO YOU LORD I SURRENDER MY SOUL!”
So yes Lord, I would and will always praise you for I now have nothing left… I have already lost it all…I have gladly given all back to you!
Rejoice in the Lord alway: [and] again I say, Rejoice. Philippians 4:4
I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. Psalm 31:7
Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart! Psalm 32:11
In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Psalm 33:21
Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him; let all the upright in heart praise him!
Psalm 64:10
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24
I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. Psalm 119:14
This last one really grabbed me and I had to end the course here. Can we truly agree with these inspired words as we walk the dark places, unashamed of the gospel, even in light (context) of current events and realities?
The “comfortable” and “wealthy” are in danger of losing touch with reality…lulled to sleep and overcome by the allure that is of another kingdom. Whatever level of economic “prosperity” we are in, what value and purpose has been established in it?
“He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich–both come to poverty.” Proverbs 22:16
The website tells me that just saying amen is too short. Hopefully this is long enough. AMEN!
We must “remember” His words. Adam forgot. Abraham forgot. Moses forgot. There is a long, long line of those who have “forgotten G-d and have forsaken His words. The “recipe” for the healing of our land (or any land) is written in G-d’s book. We only need to “do what He says to do.” Obedience is the key to blessing. Disobedience (sin) is the pathway to trouble. True?
So.. what does G-d say in His (living and powerful) word? We are to “Rejoice in the LORD always and again I say rejoice!” (Philippians 4.4)
Are these man’s words or G-d’s words? Is this “rejoicing” possible or was this placed in the book just to tease us? Does G-d have a history of delivering His people from crisis situations? Has G-d ever delivered you- can you see His mighty hand at work in you life? “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.” Selah. (Psalm 68.19) Do we (using His eyes) agree with this? Is He worth of our praise?
Three hundred sixty-six times we have been enjoined: “fear not.” Do you think maybe G-d was/is trying to communicate something to us?
Unless we are blind in one eye and can’t see out of the other we are aware of the stellar leadership proceeding forth from our nation’s capital. Personally, if I told you my assessment of Washington D.C. “situation” it would be the sound of someone choking on a chicken bone. The word “abomination” constantly rings in my ears. I can neither fathom nor stomach what I view on the “box of lies.”
Yet, I will exult in the LORD.. How is this possible? (It’s okay to ask questions- how else are we gonna learn?) How is this “choice to rejoice” possible? #1- We know G-d’s character. (He is holy!). #2 He is (ever) faithful. (I am the LORD- I change not). May I say this?– He is the LORD, He changes not! lol! #3 His kingdom is forever. He is the (now) the Victor (last one standing) and His pathway is the pathway of life.
There is wonderfully sweet song entitled “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”
If you want an “overflowing” blessing- do some research on this word “friend.’ Go way back- way,way back, and “see” the origins of this wonderful word. It will cause you to “exult” in the LORD, our Savior, Redeemer,Comforter, and most amazing of all- our Friend.
“Rejoice in the LORD always and again I say rejoice!” (Philippians 4.4)
Hi Carl,
Thanks for calling our attention to Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Philippians 4.4 is a beautiful, tender, and powerfully written part of the letter with a great message: “do not give way.”
Philippians 4.4
4:1 So then my brothers and dear friends, do not give way but remain faithful in the Lord. I miss you very much, dear friends; you are my joy and my crown.
4:2 I appeal to Evodia and I appeal to Syntyche to come to agreement with each other in the Lord; and I ask you, Syzygus, to be truly a “companion” and to help them in this.
4:3 These women were a help to me when I was fighting to defend the Good News — and so, at the same time, were Clement and the others who worked with me. Their names are written in the book of life.
4:4 I want you to be happy, always happy in the Lord; I repeat, what I want is your happiness.
Philippians 3:2
In Philippians 3:2-3 on the other hand, Paul shows himself to be something of a satirist.
Alluding to the incident in Mark where Jesus calls the old pagan woman a puppy, Paul warns the Philippians to “Beware the dogs.”
Note: The “dogs” are an ironic reference to the non-Christian Jews who like the “cutters” thought physical circumcision was the Law and thus a prerequisite for salvation.