Habakkuk 3:17-19 - Homiletics

Sorrowing, yet rejoicing.

I. THE CASE SUPPOSED . A complete failure of all creature comforts.

1. Extremely unusual. Even the worst are seldom reduced to the bare boards of absolute privation ( Psalms 145:9 ; Matthew 5:45 ). David confesses in old age that he had "never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread" ( Psalms 37:25 ).

2 . Not impossible or unknown. Persons, and these by no means always the ungodly, but sometimes the good, the excellent of the earth, the pious, the people who fear God and keep his commandments, who believe in his Word and delight in his ways, have been known to be placed in circumstances of utter destitution, such as Habakkuk so touchingly describes. Whether Habakkuk himself was in it, he expected that he might be, as he foresaw that many of his countrymen would be when the terrible Chaldean invasion came. Job had experience of such a situation as Habakkuk portrayed ( Job 1:13-22 ); Paul ( 2 Corinthians 11:27 ) and many others both before and since have known it.

3 . Always sad. No blossom on the fig tree, no fruit upon the vine, no harvest from the olive trees or cornfields, no flocks in either fold or stall. Everything gone. Every prop and stay taken—money scattered to the winds by unsuccessful trading, household furniture arrested and sold to pay debt, means of earning a livelihood gone, friends vanished just at the moment when most required, children laid down with sickness when money to pay for medical relief is wanting, health precarious through age or infirmity. When a case like this occurs it is sad.

4 . Yet it might be worse. It would be if a Christian were to lose not the creature comforts merely, but the Creator himself, from whom these comforts flow. Let a man lose what he may, so long as he has God and Jesus Christ, the Bible and the throne of grace, with the gift of forgiveness and the hope of heaven, he is not utterly undone.

II. THE RESOLUTION TAKEN . TO "rejoice in the Lord."

1 . Sensible. If a man loses three-fourths of his fortune, it may be natural to grieve over what is lost, but it cannot fail to strike one as more sensible to make much of and rejoice in what remains. So a good man, when he sees his creature comforts taken from him, will show himself a wise man by letting these go without too great indulgence in sorrow and cleaving to the Creator, who is infinitely more precious than all besides.

2 . Satisfactory. What remains to the good man after the departure of creature comforts is the best part of his estate. It is the part he can least want; he might do without his fig trees, etc; but not without his God; and the part that is most satisfying—fig trees, etc; might feed the body, but only God can support a soul; and the part that is most permanent—the only part that is permanent, all earthly things being subject to decay.

3 . Sanctifying. No man can make and keep it without becoming holier and better because of it. He who rejoices in God will gradually grow like God.

4 . Profitable. It will come back to him who adopts it in blessings upon his head. If any man will delight in God. God will delight in him, will rejoice over him to do him good.

III. THE CHERISHED EXPECTATION . That God would perfect his salvation.

1 . By imparting to him strength. "Jehovah, the Lord, is my Strength." The man who used these words had made three great discoveries:

2 . By inspiring him with alacrity or zeal. "He maketh my feet like hinds' feet;" i.e. maketh them lithe and nimble, active and steady, skilful to climb, and tenacious to hold on like those of the female deer, which quickly scents danger, and bounds along with safety among the crags and cliffs of its native haunts. The language is descriptive of one who, in the season of adversity, in the hour of trial, temptation, and danger, is quick to discern, eager in adopting, and steadfast in pursuing the path of duty, which for him, as for all, is the path of safety. Moreover, the man who rejoices in God will commonly find himself advised in due season of the approach of danger, assisted in ascertaining the path of duty, and strengthened both to enter upon and adhere to it.

3 . By exalting him to safety. "He maketh me to walk upon mine high places." The man who can rejoice in God will sooner or later find that God has begun to exalt him beyond common men:

Learn:

1 . The vanity of creature comforts.

2 . The sweetness of Divine comforts.

3 . The secret of true happiness.

4 . The certainty of final glory.