“Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.” (Habakkuk 3:17-19 ESV)
Biblical joy is a reality that unbelievers will never understand. For those outside of Christ, joy—better understood as happiness, in their terms—is circumstantial. It comes and goes as they ride the waves of prosperity, health, and meaningful relationships and work. Although they may say they feel joyful in a given situation, they cannot accurately say that they are joyful. When their source of happiness changes, their state of happiness necessarily does as well.
As Habakkuk concludes his prayer, and the book as a whole, he exhibits a joy that exceeds anything this world can offer. In his climactic statement that is a distillation of the theology of all three chapters, Habakkuk also expresses a peace in the providence of God that should be instructive to each of us. He echoes the words of Job, “Though he slay me, I will hope in him” (13:15).
As with all Scripture, it is important to understand the context of the passage we are reading. Habakkuk lived in a primarily agrarian culture. They raised livestock and cultivated crops as their means of personal subsistence and as the means of prospering in society at large. Thus, when he says, “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD,” he is describing his people’s entire livelihood and way of life. Should those things fail to produce, they would find themselves in utter destitution. It would be similar to someone in the 21st century saying, “Even if the stock market crashes and there is no money in the bank, my house is foreclosed on and all my property is confiscated, I lose my job and everything I own is taken away, yet I will rejoice in the LORD.”
Habakkuk is exhibiting the same trust in his God that Paul did when he said, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8). Habakkuk’s hope is firmly rooted in the only One who does not change. As we have seen throughout the book, he was by no means fearless, but neither was he faithless. His situation was far more dire than anything the vast majority of us will ever experience, but the peace and joy he displays in these verses would still put most of us to shame.
He says, “I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” He is clinging to the promises of God, knowing that God will keep his Word to bring salvation to the remnant of Judah, even through the impending invasion. Habakkuk knows that God’s judgments are not idle, but neither is his salvation. He surely would have joined with Charles Spurgeon in saying, “I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.” It is usually the most difficult providences that bolster our faith, which is clearly the case for Habakkuk. His joy is anything but circumstantial, because his circumstances were anything but joyful.
The Lord was his strength, and the Lord must be our strength as well. Even if the worst events imaginable befall us, we may find comfort in Habakkuk’s words and example that declare God is still God, and we are still his people.
As another prophet said,
But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.” (Lamentations 3:21-24)
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
You give us a joy that surpasses any happiness we can gain from the most favorable circumstances and a joy that sustains us in the most difficult ones. Help us keep our faith rooted in your providential work and work in us a peace that surpasses all worldly understanding.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Prayer Requests:
- Tuesday: Pray for ongoing ministry to Syrian families in crisis.
- Wednesday: Pray for missionaries serving at the Ensenada Discipleship Center in Chile.
- Thursday: Pray for the local church ministry of Ekukhanyeni Baptist Church in Durban, South Africa, as they minister to a culture dominated by ancestor worship.
- Friday: Pray for those ministering to ABWE’s single missionaries through Flourish.
- Saturday: Pray for the audiovisual ministry of Studios Vérité in Togo.
- Sunday: Pray for missionaries serving in Japan.
- Monday: Pray for missionaries serving through compassion and mercy ministries.
Featured Serving Opportunity:
Healthcare Personnel
Location: South Asia
A variety of medical personnel, including physicians, surgeons, nurses, and physical therapists are urgently needed to serve at our partner hospital, Memorial Christian Hospital, in South Asia. Both short-term and long-term opportunities are available.
