1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, on Shigionoth. 2 O Lord, I have heard the report of You, and was afraid; O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of these years make them known; in wrath remember mercy.

3 God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise. 4 His brightness was like the light; rays flashed from His hand, and there His power was hidden. 5 Pestilence went out before Him, and plague followed His feet. 6 He stood and measured the earth; He looked and shook the nations. The eternal mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills bowed. His ways are everlasting. Habakkuk 3:1-6 Modern English Version

Habakkuk was a man who’d been deeply disturbed that God seemed silent when great wickedness was filling the land. But he became more disturbed when God let him know that He was going to use the cruel and arrogant Babylonians to bring judgment on the nations, including Judea. He had cried out to God: “How can you look at traitors, and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?” Then he set himself to watch and pray to see what God's answer would be. It seems from today's reading that God's answer came by way of a revelation, perhaps even a vision. It led to a prayer on Habakkuk's part which he seems to have expressed in a manner that could be accompanied with music. The strange word 'shigionoth' is thought to mean ‘with impassioned and triumphal music’.

What would you say was the overall impact on Habakkuk of vs 3-6, which may have been a vision he was given?

He was obviously reminded of how gloriously awesome God is! Teman and Mount Paran were both places associated with Israel's past history when God had rescued them out of Egypt and led them through wilderness regions. God had shown Israel something of His awesome presence when He gave Moses His commandments at Mount Sinai. Apart from God's glory being like brightest light, He is also seen as one who can bring judgments of pestilence and plague. And mountains that had stood forever shrank before Him. This was the God who Habakkuk says was 'measuring the earth' as He prepared to shake the nations. So what was Habakkuk's response to this revelation of God's person? (vs 2)

He felt a great sense of fear! Some translations use the word 'awe'. Whichever word we prefer, the lesson surely is that were we to actually see God, we would be overwhelmed. It might sound spiritual to pray 'Oh Lord, let me see you and your glory', but we should rather be grateful that God did display His glory through His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. As Jesus said to His disciples: “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9)

The other response of Habakkuk when He saw God's awesome glory and power was to pray that in the midst of His righteous judgments, He would remember mercy to His people. Someone has suggested that it’s as if Habakkuk was praying for a second rescue of God's people. God had rescued them once before out of Egypt with judgments and mighty power; now Habakkuk prays that He would rescue them again, this time out of Babylon.

Verse 2 is surely something that Christians can take to heart, especially in the days we are now living in. It looks to many as if we are in a time when God is again shaking the nations and days of judgment are upon the world. Nations like the USA and UK that were greatly blessed by the gospel appear to be tumbling back into dark days of rebellion against all the light the gospel had brought to them. The only thing that can keep God from having to pour out His wrath is for there to be a revival of His works of mercy. Whole denominations of believers have forsaken His word and truth has staggered in the market place. Mankind has forgotten that ‘it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God’. (Hebrews 10:31) May we who have heard the news of how awesome God is have a proper fear, and intercede for the world as His day of wrath draws nearer.