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ROUTE 66 EP 040

Introduction: God's Voice in Our Lives

The pastor began by reflecting on the journey through the Old Testament, noting that the church’s usual practice is a verse-by-verse study of a specific book to ensure accuracy and force a deep study of the passages. He highlighted a recurring theme: God always sends a prophet, a man of God, when His people (Israel) go "off the rails." The sermon then introduced the prophet Habakkuk and his very human struggle with a burden that weighs on him, a struggle many can relate to when looking at the world or our own lives. We are encouraged to engage in an active, vocal dialogue with God, turning our commutes or quiet moments into a conversation with the Lord.

  • Who is God? God is a God who speaks and sends messengers to guide His people back to Him. He puts pastors and spiritual leaders in our lives to speak truth. He is an unshakeable foundation; even when a tornado of life destroys everything, the foundation remains.

  • How should I live? We should be receptive to the truth spoken into our lives, even when it is difficult to hear. The primary goal is to align with God’s Word. By actively bringing our "woes" to God, He can give us His "vision." Experiencing God's strength often comes only when we get weak and get on our knees.

This sermon will cover four areas regarding the book of Habakkuk:

  1. A panoramic view of the book.

  2. A breakdown of the stories and characters.

  3. Pictures of Jesus in the book.

  4. Practical applications.

The pastor identifies his own style as practical and exhortational, often interspersing application points throughout the sermon.

A Panoramic View of Habakkuk

In ten words or less, the book of Habakkuk is about how we need to trust God even when His actions seem unresponsive or unfair. We must trust His timing, recognizing that He is God and we are not. Many of us go through things we cannot understand from our selfish, human perspective, but in eternity, we will understand from God’s perspective.

Habakkuk's Complaint and God's Shocking Response

Habakkuk, a prophet in Judah during the time of the divided kingdom, complains to God about the violence and injustice among God's own people. The book is a dialogue where Habakkuk works through his confusion.

  • Habakkuk's First Problem (Habakkuk 1:1-4): The prophet's first complaint is a question many believers ask: "Why does God permit wickedness to continue in Judah?" He sees evil proceeding unchecked and questions why a righteous God would allow it.

  • A Relatable Struggle: This mirrors questions we ask today. We see people who seem to ignore God thriving, while we, who try to live faithfully, face difficulties. The pastor notes that as believers, when we strive to do right, we often attract the enemy's attention. The key is to maintain an eternal perspective.

  • God's Shocking Plan: God reveals His plan to deal with the problem in Habakkuk 1:5-6:

    "Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you. For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs."

  • Who is God? God is sovereign, and His plans can be surprising. To address the sin of His people, His chosen solution was to use a wicked, "nasty and hasty nation"—the Chaldeans (Babylonians)—to punish them.

Habakkuk's Second Argument and God's Vision of "Woe"

Habakkuk continues his dialogue, arguing that the Chaldeans are a terrible people. This second problem is found starting in Habakkuk 1:12. He says to God in Habakkuk 1:13, "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil."

  • God’s response unfolds throughout chapter two, providing a vision that reveals the ultimate fate of the wicked. This vision is punctuated by a series of "woes" against the unrighteous, found in:

    • Habakkuk 2:6: "Woe to him..."

    • Habakkuk 2:9: "Woe to him..."

    • Habakkuk 2:12: "Woe to him..."

    • Habakkuk 2:15: "Woe unto him..."

    • Habakkuk 2:19: "Woe..."

  • The Purpose of the Woes: These declarations reveal God's justice. Though the wicked may seem to prosper for a time, God’s judgment is certain. This divine, eternal perspective begins to shift Habakkuk's understanding.

  • God’s final word on the matter is found in Habakkuk 2:20:

    "But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him."

  • Who is God? God is holy and enthroned. His authority is absolute. While He allows our questions, He ultimately calls for our silent trust and reverence.

  • How should I live? It is okay to have a dialogue with God, to question and wrestle with Him. This process, even if it starts with frustration, often ends with us submitting to God’s authority in silence. This happened to the pastor as recently as the morning of the sermon, on March 22, 2026, at 5:15 AM, when reading God's Word.

The Call to Faith

One of the most significant verses in the book, quoted later by the Apostle Paul, is Habakkuk 2:4:

"Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith."

  • How should I live? As just people, we are called to live by faith. Faith is trusting what we cannot see. We walk by faith, not by sight.

The Outline and Journey of Habakkuk

The pastor offered two simple ways to outline the book’s three chapters, which also map Habakkuk's spiritual journey.

Outline 1: Burden to Vision to Prayer

  1. Chapter 1: A Burden. The book begins with "The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see" (Habakkuk 1:1).

  2. Chapter 2: A Vision. God instructs him, "Write the vision, and make it plain" (Habakkuk 2:2).

  3. Chapter 3: A Prayer. The chapter starts with "A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet" (Habakkuk 3:1).

Outline 2: Problem and Praise (and "Selah")

  • Chapters 1-2: The Problem. These chapters detail the problem Habakkuk sees and his protest to God.

  • Chapter 3: The Praise. As Habakkuk gains God’s perspective, a powerful transformation occurs. This chapter contains Habakkuk’s prayer and praise, marked by the appearance of the word "Selah" (Habakkuk 3:3, 9, 13).

  • What "Selah" Means: The pastor explained that "Selah," found frequently in the Psalms, means "to rest" or "to pause." For Habakkuk, it signifies a spiritual and mental breath—a moment of peace found after grappling with his burdens and receiving God’s vision.

Key Point 1: The Just Shall Live by Faith

The pastor highlights a pivotal phrase from the book and shows its development from the Old Testament to the New Testament.

  • Old Testament Context (Habakkuk 2:4): The verse reads, "...the just shall live by his faith." In this context, before Jesus, faith was more of a personal act of trust and obedience.

  • New Testament Context (Romans 1:17): Paul quotes Habakkuk, but the context shifts. The understanding becomes clearer in Galatians.

    • Galatians 2:16: "...a person is not justified by the works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ..."

    • Galatians 2:20: "And the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

  • Who God Is: God is the "Author and the Finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). He provides the very substance of our faith through Jesus Christ.

  • Who We Are & How to Live: Our justification doesn’t come from our own ability to muster up faith. It is a gift. The faith that saves us is the faith that Jesus gives us. We are not under the law; we are under the Savior. We can find rest because the just live by this gifted faith.

Key Point 2: From Burden to Vision

The sermon outlines the core process from Habakkuk for turning our personal burdens into God-given vision.

  • What is a Burden? A burden is something you see—an injustice or problem that weighs heavily on your heart. It’s an issue you see happening that you hate.

  • The Process in Habakkuk 2:1-3:

    1. Vision Starts with a Burden. If you feel you lack vision, pray for a burden—for God to make you sensitive to the things that burden Him.

    2. Get in the Watchtower. Habakkuk 2:1 says, "I will stand upon my watch and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what He will say unto me..." We must intentionally watch for God to speak.

    3. Be Willing to Be Reproved. The verse continues, "...and what I shall answer when I am reproved." The process of receiving God’s vision often involves His correction. We must be willing to respond to the truth of the Bible.

    4. Write the Vision and Make it Plain. Habakkuk 2:2 says, "And the Lord answered me and said, ‘Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.’" When God speaks, write it down and work on it until it is clear and simple, so that people can understand it and run with it.

    5. Understand the Appointed Time. Habakkuk 2:3 notes, "For the vision is yet for an appointed time." We need to hold onto God’s perspective and trust His timing.

Pictures of Jesus in Habakkuk

The pastor highlights two powerful "pictures" of Jesus found in the final chapter that provide a New Testament understanding for believers.

1. Jesus as Our Salvation

The first picture is in Habakkuk’s declaration: "I will joy in the God of my salvation" (Habakkuk 3:18).

  • Who God Is: God is the God of our salvation. Habakkuk realized that no earthly king could bring ultimate deliverance—only God could.

  • How We Are to Live:

    • Lay Down Your Burdens: We must learn to lay our burdens down and trust God to intervene.

    • Recognize Jesus as the Only Source of Salvation: The New Testament is clear that Jesus is the exclusive source of salvation (Acts 4:12, Romans 1:16, 1 Thessalonians 5:9, 2 Timothy 2:10).

    • Deliver the Message of Salvation: While salvation is in Jesus, it is delivered by us, the church (Acts 13:26, 47). Our job is to deliver the good news. The world's deepest need is Jesus.

    • Make Salvation Personal: The word "salvation" appears three times in this chapter. It is a massive work of God (Habakkuk 3:8) for His people (Habakkuk 3:13). But it becomes most powerful when it becomes personal: "the God of my salvation."

2. Jesus as Our Strength

The second picture of Jesus is in the next verse: "The Lord God is my strength" (Habakkuk 3:19).

  • Who God Is: Jesus is our strength. As Paul testified, when all had forsaken him, the Lord stood with him and strengthened him.

  • How We Are to Live:

    • Embrace Weakness: You will never experience the perfecting strength of God as long as you remain self-reliant. God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

    • Practice Humility and Surrender: The strongest position a believer can take is on their knees in humility. When we are at our wit's end, it is in surrender that we find God’s strength.

Conclusion: Rejoicing in the God of Our Salvation

The sermon concluded with the beautiful climax of Habakkuk’s prayer in Habakkuk 3:17-19. This is the confession of a man who has found true rest and joy in God, irrespective of his external circumstances.

"Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from thefold, and there shall 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, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places."

  • True Joy: This passage shows what it means to find joy in God Himself, not in our circumstances. Even when everything is failing, Habakkuk declares his joy in the God of his salvation.

  • Who God says I am: I am a candidate for a miracle when facing a disaster or problem.

  • Final Encouragement: As you work through your burdens, seek a vision from God through a consistent dialogue with Him. In doing so, you will see Jesus as your Salvation and your Strength. This change in perspective will allow you to find rest and rejoice in Him, regardless of your circumstances, because "the just shall live by faith" (2 Corinthians 5:7).