Scroll to the bottom for thoughts/discussion questions!
One-sentence summary: The Lord tells Habakkuk to write the vision for the future so that whoever reads it may run; Habakkuk vows to rejoice and praise the Lord in the midst of adversity, Who will make his feet like deer's feet and cause him to ride on the high places of the earth.
The prophet Habakkuk has a burden from the Lord. He cries out to Him but feels that He doesn't answer but only causes him to see only trouble, strife and contention with the people. He says the wicked surround the righteous, and justice is perverted. The Lord tells him to look at the nations and be astounded, for He will work a work that which Habakkuk would not believe if someone told him. The Lord says He is raising up the Chaldeans to possess land that is not theirs. They are terrible and dreadful, a violent people, gathering captives like sand, scoffing at kings and princes. They think it is because of their god that they are so great. Habakkuk praises the everlasting God, saying He has appointed them for judgement and correction. He says the Lord's eyes are too pure to behold evil and cannot look on wickedness. He asks Him why then does He behold those who do treacherously.
Habakkuk says he will watch to see what the Lord will say to Him and what he himself will answer when corrected. The Lord answers him and says, "Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but in the end it will speak and will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it, because it will surely come; it will not tarry. Behold the proud. HIs soul is not upright in him. But the just will live by his faith." The Lord also pronounces woe on the man "who sins with wine," who is proud. "His desire is enlarged like hell," and he cannot be satisfied. The Lord says there has been violence and covetousness in the land. He says woe to the one who establishes a city by iniquity. The nations weary themselves in vain, but "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." He says idols are worthless, "teachers of lies." Woe to the one who treats wood as if it were alive and real. There is no breath in them. "But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him."
Habakkuk prays and says he has heard the Lord's speech and was afraid. He asks the Lord to revive His work in their years. "In wrath, remember mercy," he prays. He declares that the Lord's ways are everlasting. He asks the Lord if He was angry with the rivers and the sea when He rode on His chariots of salvation and made His bow and arrow ready and divided the earth. The sun and moon stood even still (when the Lord brought justice and salvation.) The Lord marched through the land and trampled the nations but went forth for the salvation of His people through His Anointed. Habakkuk praises the Lord and says, "Though the fig tree may not blossom nor fruit be on the vines, though the labor of the olive may fail and the fields yield no food, though the flock may be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength. He will make my feet like deer's feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills."
Thoughts/discussion questions:
If you have never read the book Hind's Feet on High Places, I strongly recommend it. It is a beautiful allegory of our spiritual journey with Christ.
What do you think "riding on the high places of the earth" might look like?
Is there a vision for your life you need to write down? Be open to letting the Lord change it and redirect you, but there is power in writing it down and reading it!