I started reading the minor prophets the other day, you know the ones no one usually bothers with? I admit to feeling a little down as all the hoped-for rapture dates drifted past and the world grows increasingly evil. Here's what I read when I turned to the book of Habakkuk
O Lord, how long shall I cry,
And You will not hear?
Even cry out to You, “Violence!”
And You will not save.
Why do You show me iniquity,
And cause me to see trouble?
For plundering and violence are before me;
There is strife, and contention arises.
Therefore the law is powerless,
And justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.
Habakkuk 1:1-4
And You will not hear?
Even cry out to You, “Violence!”
And You will not save.
Why do You show me iniquity,
And cause me to see trouble?
For plundering and violence are before me;
There is strife, and contention arises.
Therefore the law is powerless,
And justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.
Habakkuk 1:1-4
Sound familiar? I was astounded how this Scripture written thousands of years ago was so pertinent to today.The next verse is God's answer to Habakkuk
“Look among the nations and watch—
Be utterly astounded!
For I will work a work in your days
Which you would not believe, though it were told you. V. 5
Be utterly astounded!
For I will work a work in your days
Which you would not believe, though it were told you. V. 5
Wow. God gives us a reason it seems He is not answering our prayers and allowing wickedness to increase. He is doing a mighty work!
Although the chapter goes on about the Babylonians, it could easily be about the Global Satanic Elite of today. I encourage you to read the entire book. It's only 3 chapters. Habakkuk continues to converse with God, asking Him why He is allowing an evil nation to conquer and torture God's people. In Chapter 2, he resolves to stand his ground in faith and continue to be a watchman for the Lord. It is then that the Lord explains to Habakkuk the judgement of the wicked. It is interesting to note that we find a connection here with the End Times.
“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 at the end it will speak, and it 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 shall live by his faith.
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it 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 shall live by his faith.
Chapter 3 is Habakkuk's prayer to the Lord, quite unlike our prayers of today. Instead of coming to God with a laundry list of requests and petitions, Habakkuk offers praise to God, listing all of God's great accomplishments. We could very well take a lesson from this. God knows our prayer requests before we voice them. How much better to praise and worship the King and cite all His marvelous deeds? The final verses struck me hard in my spirit. These are words we all need to take to heart during this fearful time.
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.
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.
So when the shelves at the store are empty, when you've lost your job because you won't take the jab, when your friends and family abandon you, Rejoice in the Lord! He is your strength and He will make you surefooted and never let you slip!
The truth is, the Lord is doing a mighty work in this day. We may not see it. We may not feel it, but He is. These are the very moments before Jesus Himself descends onto a cloud and calls His people to "Come Up Here!" Yet before that glorious day, He has a final harvest to bring in. It could be only a few people here and there or it could be hundreds. So, let us join in prayer for these lost souls. Let us do our part to join with Jesus and His Holy Spirit in bringing these few into the Kingdom. Honestly, that is the only reason we are here. Did you know that Scripture says that we have a part in bringing the rapture sooner?
Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 2 Peter 3:11-13
We can hasten that day by doing our part to help save the lost, by using whatever gifts God has given us to be a witness to others. So, let's get with it and HASTEN that day!
How much longer? That is up to the Lord. Personally, I don't think it will be long. Things are moving at breakneck speed, so hang on and enjoy the ride.
I love the book of Habakkuk. Thank you for being such an encouragement to us!
ReplyDeleteMost welcome! God Bless!
DeleteGood morning, dear lady! I too love the book of Habakkuk and the final two verses are/have been my life verses. For over 40 years I have been a believer and not seen the spiritual fruit within my family--loved ones saved, prodigal returned, saved but worldly focused--I would hope for. My husband is finally a believer, but it was a very long time coming (early 80's). By then his hearing is so bad we can't attend church and he is not a reader or interested in study (although he recently asked me about a prayer book Costco is offering), but he totally gets end times, so we share that in common spiritually. I love Habakkuk's final 2 verses in The Amplified Version: Yet I will [choose to] rejoice in the LORD; I will [choose to] shout in exultation in the [victorious] God of my salvation! 19The Lord GOD is my strength [my source of courage, my invincible army]; He has made my feet [steady and sure] like hinds’ feet And makes me walk [forward with spiritual confidence] on my [e]high places [of challenge and responsibility]. Wow! let those verses sink in. I neede them again today, thanks! Notice it's a CHOICE. And God is our courage, our invincible army, amen! Perfect book to highlight for these days! We still have hope for some rapture possibilities (well, all the time, really) for the middle of the month: Cheshvan 17ish, the day God sheltered Noah on the Ark and the rains began. I had a "duh" moment over the weekend when I read the first two sentences of TW Tramm's article on The Flood and Halloween: THE BIBLE SAYS when Jesus returns it will be like the “days of Noah” (Matt. 24:37).
ReplyDeleteSignificantly, Noah’s Flood began in the biblical month of Cheshvan, corresponding to October–
November, the time of Halloween. It was if I slapped my head and said, "duh, Judi, could it really be that simple, Lord?" We could be raptured as in the days of Noah, literally the same day he and his family were Arked away and the rains came--as in the days of Noah? This year this time is apparently to be in mid-November, so it isn't over yet for high watch days. Keep on hanging on, everyone, even though we don't see God's deliverance, yet, God is faithful, His Word will not fail! Maranatha and Love and blessings! Judi
Judi, I LOVE that Scripture in the Amplified. It's worth printing off and hanging somewhere where I can see it all the time. What a great remembrance. Thank you for the encouragement on the days. Another pastor I listen to says the months are all off and the day Noah went into the ark is past.. but who knows? I would be THRILLED to leave anytime this month! LOL I am not giving up on this year. Not yet. I follow a young man who heard directly from the Lord that it was this year and then he received multiple confirmations. So, I'm hanging in there and continuing to look up!
DeleteBlessings and love to you and yours!
Oh, and I know what it's like to be surrounded by family who is either lukewarm or not saved.. and also to have a husband who wasn't for quite some time. But God is FAITHFUL!! Keep praying and believing!!
I saw TW Tramm's article last night on FB and was intrigued to find Halloween and Noah's Flood linked. Wow! I read the article again after Judi's comment above - what a wonderful inspiration - thanks for posting about it, Judi. I gave it another read and noticed more than I had last night.
DeleteI am still excited at the posdibility of going home soon and very soon! I never thought about "as in the days of Noah" being so literal as to refer to a date - I just assumed, as many talk about, the evil of that time as it compares to now.
But a line in the KJV also caught my eye today, the way Jesus says, "(they) knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall the coming of the Son of man be" (Matt 24:39). I know it wasn't a rapture as such, but for the sudden-ness of it, I wonder how the original Greek transcribes that verse?
So interesting, MaryLu, about the young man who has had multiple confirmations that it will be this year. I have repeatedly seen the same numbers crop up over and over for about a year now, and TW Tramm's footnote about 11/23 sheds some *very* interesting light on that - if the numbers popping up on me really do signify anything, and if TW is right about 11/23....
It also seems like I have often lately come across 3:16 in different situations, sometimes a price or just the time. There were also 316 men saved from the USS Indianapolis in WW II. Could that be coincidence? I now wonder, as clearly numbers and dates seem to mean things, even in modern times.
Anyway, I am so grateful for your post today, MaryLu. I was recently inspired to tale a break from the part of the OT that I'd been reading and look at these "lesser prophets". I was amazed how Joel seems to clearly connect to the Tribulation and Second Coming, and I just noticed some connections between Hosea 13 and Revelation 13... Hmmm! I can't wait to get to Habakkuk!!
Hope you have a blessed week!
Rebekka
Rebekka, I think the Holy Spirit is opening up the Scriptures for us in these last days. I read something I've read a dozen times before and it takes on new meaning that relates to the times in which we live. What an amazing God we serve. Most of Joel is about the Tribulation! I'll have to check out Hosea 13 now. I also follow a pastor who has connected the days of noah by dates too and it's very interesting. I don't believe the Lord meant only the evil of that day.. but the timing too, the 120 year warning, how many days the boat floated, and did you know that the name Ararat (not sure of the spelling) the mountain where the Ark landed means "reverse the curse" and is the same day that Jesus either died or rose from the dead. I'll have to check.. but it's one of those. So numbers DO matter and the Bible is full of clues ad codes for us to dive into.
DeleteHi Rebekka, and then there is the most famous 3:16 of all . . . in John :-). Here is a comment I posted over on rev12dail.blogspot.com connecting Habakkuk to a couple of songs going through my mind at night and the next morning: ". . . as I was drifting off to sleep last night. Snippets of a song began playing in my mind, I knew I knew it but the identity just wouldn't come. Then I realized it was "You Raise Me Up." Wow, just now making the title connection. I had not recently heard this song, nor even thought about it. I know it was written and performed in a secular context, but it fits so appropriately with our Lord Jesus that I have always seen it this way. Then, when I awoke this morning the song The Blessing, based on the Abrahamic blessing was on my mind (now that one I had recently watched on allisrael.com as a joint Christian/Jewish venture against anti-semitism--powerfully done and I watched it twice). But the refrain that kept repeating was "Amen, amen." So, a form or Balaamic prophecy, albeit from a personal level?
DeleteI love the whole book of Habakkuk (check out how apropos it is for where we are today!) but especially the final two verses of chapter 3 in The Amplified Bible: "Yet I will [choose to] rejoice in the LORD; I will [choose to] shout in exultation in the [victorious] God of my salvation! 19The Lord GOD is my strength [my source of courage, my invincible army]; He has made my feet [steady and sure] like hinds’ feet And makes me walk [forward with spiritual confidence] on my [e]high places [of challenge and responsibility]." [notice our praise and confidence is a choice!]
So yes, He "raises us up so we can stand on mountains" and soon He will raise us up to be with Him forever. Amen, Amen! Be encouraged, Beloved, we are not forgotten, our longings and searchings and speculations are a joy to Him. One day soon our faith will be sight. All glory and praise to our King!
See you all in the air!
I have to admit that I am feeling a bit down, as well, as the high watch days of the Rapture have slipped by and this year is nearing an end. It seems I am living the coming days just going through the motions, waiting and watching, and praying for Jesus to come, not really involved in life at all; just waiting and trying to be patient. It is hard, as I hear the news of how this world is being taken over so quickly by evil. My heart aches. I just want it to be over; as I am sure that many of the rest of you feel the same way. Blessings, MaryLu. Hoping for good news soon.
ReplyDeleteHang in there, Kathy! It's normal to feel a little down and disappointed, but Jesus has not forgotten us. He knows and understands that the bride is tired and longing to see Him! I'm still holding out for this year... if not.. it can't be much longer. Just spend each day getting to know Jesus more and more and be obedient to whatever He says to do. Hugs!
Delete