1. Habakkuk #3

2. Jeroboam 1 Baasha Elah Zimri Nadab David Rehoboam Abijah Asa Solomon
David united all of Israel & made it one kingdom
Solomon made the kingdom Great
But he TAXED people heavily to build the empire
Solomon Died BCE
Israel 10 Northern Tribes revolt split the kingdom (ISRAEL WORSHIPPED IDOLS)
Southern Tribes JUDAH & Benjamin (Judah & Benjamin remain faithful to David)
Kingdoms separate 200+ Years
Rehoboam becomes king (17 years Bad)
Abijah (3 years Bad)
Asa (41 Years GOOD)
Jeroboam 1 (22 years Bad)
Nadab (2 Years Bad)
Elah (2 Years Bad)
Zimri (7 Days BAD)

3. Judgement
JUSTICE
Habakkuk wants Justice so he asks for Gods Judgement!
HES NOT SCARED OF GOD
DO YOU WANT GOD’S JUDGEMENT?
God if your Good why don’t you step in & act NOW!
I have asked this question so many times 
GOD CAN HANDLE THIS QUESTION 
His question is about justice 
Habakkuk’s complaint is my complaint
Evil is running this world,

4. Waits Watches Expects Response Habakkuk has made his complaint to God
Requested Judgement so the bad guys don't always win
Now he waits
HE TRUSTS THAT GOD WILL RESPOND TO HIS COMPLAINT & HIS INTERACTION
He trusts in Gods good character to invite Judgement
Now he knows God will respond to him
How often do we pray for something finish prayer then just get on with life

5. Habakkuk 3 (MSG)
God Racing on the Crest of the Waves A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk, With orchestra: God, I’ve heard what our ancestors say about you, and I’m stopped in my tracks, down on my knees. Do among us what you did among them. Work among us as you worked among them. And as you bring judgment, as you surely must, remember mercy.
This is the setting
WITH ORCHESTRA
Song to be remembered
JUDGEMENT & MERCY

6. Hab 3:3-4 (MSG)
God’s on his way again,     retracing the old salvation route, Coming up from the south through Teman,     the Holy One from Mount Paran. Skies are blazing with his splendour,     his praises sounding through the earth, His cloud-brightness like dawn, exploding, spreading,     forked-lightning shooting from his hand—     what power hidden in that fist!
Habakkuk is speaking from a vision IN PAST TENSE
“Coming up from the South through Teman…”
Habakkuk paints the picture of God leaving his Holy Mountain (Sinai) & heading towards Jerusalem
The Bible Truth & Story & Illustration all mixed together
All illustration & language of Natures most powerful & uncontrollable facets
-Sunrise where the light takes over
---Lightning from his hand (images of Zeus) Lightning powerful, destructive (GODS FIST IS FULL OF LIGHTNING POWER)

7. Hab 3:5-7 (MSG)
Plague marches before him,     pestilence at his heels! He stops. He shakes Earth.     He looks around. Nations tremble. The age-old mountains fall to pieces;     ancient hills collapse like a spent balloon. The paths God takes are older     than the oldest mountains and hills. I saw everyone worried, in a panic:     Old wilderness adversaries, Cushan and Midian, were terrified,     hoping he wouldn’t notice them.
Plague & Pestilence (virus/disease) again “Uncontrollable Power”
Yahweh controls what’s uncontrollable, the UNCONTROLABLE ARE HIS TOOLS
Mountains fall apart, Hills collapse
Ancient times Earth quakes where the Ruminations of the god’s
When YahWeh comes Mountains fall apart
Cushan & Midian dwellings on route from Sinai to Judah

8. God, is it River you’re mad at. Angry at old River
God, is it River you’re mad at?     Angry at old River? Were you raging at Sea when you rode     horse and chariot through to salvation? You unfurled your bow     and let loose a volley of arrows.     You split Earth with rivers. Mountains saw what was coming.     They twisted in pain. Flood Waters poured in.     Ocean roared and reared huge waves. Sun and Moon stopped in their tracks.     Your flashing arrows stopped them,     your lightning-strike spears impaled them. Angry, you stomped through Earth.     Furious, you crushed the godless nations. You were out to save your people,     to save your specially chosen people.
Hab 3:8-13 (MSG)
The Sea was the place of mystery/judgement & monsters
Ancient land locked people were terrified of the sea
“imagery that God comes out of the sea steps on it rides a horse from it”
God appears as a thunderstorm, his chariot is like a rolling storm cloud bringing floods
God’s weapons Arrows & Spear (Lightning bolts)
Gods adversary is the Sea & Rivers
This is taken from Near Eastern Motifs where a supreme deity in the form of a
thunderstorm subdues the sea (sea=chaos)
After this conflict thunderstorm god ensures peace & order makes things right & just
Using pagan stories to show images of Yahweh & His supremacy

9. You beat the stuffing     out of King Wicked, Stripped him naked     from head to toe, Set his severed head on his own spear     and blew away his army. Scattered they were to the four winds—     and ended up food for the sharks! You galloped through the Sea on your horses,     racing on the crest of the waves. When I heard it, my stomach did flips.     I stammered and stuttered. My bones turned to water.     I staggered and stumbled. I sit back and wait for Doomsday     to descend on our attackers.
Hab 3:14-16 (MSG)
TIME SHIFT
Now speaking Post Invasion, Post Exile FUTURE.
God used you (Babylon) to restore justice by erasing the government
You’re a wicked King who is cruel & you will be destroyed
The Supreme God destroys the great Superpower of the day (the unbeatable empire ends up as shark food)

10. Though the cherry trees don’t blossom and the strawberries don’t ripen, Though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat fields stunted, Though the sheep pens are sheep less and the cattle barns empty, I’m singing joyful praise to God. I’m turning cartwheels of joy to my Saviour God. Counting on God’s Rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength. I run like a deer. I feel like I’m king of the mountain! (For congregational use, with a full orchestra.)
Hab 3:17-19 (MSG)
Empty trees & Empty sheep pens
When armies invaded they would eat a country dry
It was a war tactic even if the invading army lost
They left nothing & therefore won anyway (like a natural disaster had been)
Im singing Joyful praise…..
This is a heart posture even in suffering

11. Who or What is your Master?
Habakkuk wanted his people to sing his final song forever
He wanted to leave them with the truth that
God is Big, Powerful, Overcomer Of Chaos
Wielder of Lightning, Riding a Storm cloud chariot, Destroyer of Mountains
Overcomer of Tyrants & God of Justice & trustworthy
Who will your master be?
What or who will you give your heart too?
Comfort? Selfishness?
Apathy? Sarcasm?
Romantic love?
Money & Status?
Being Needed?
Being Beautiful or Strong?
Being Popular?