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Commentary on Habakkuk 3 verses 3–15
It has been the usual practice of God's people, when they have been in distress and ready to fall into despair, to help themselves by recollecting their experiences, and reviving them, considering the days of old, and the years of ancient times (Psa 77:5), and pleading with God in prayer, as he is pleased sometimes to plead them with himself. Isa 63:11, Then he remembered the days of old. This is that which the prophet does here, and he looks as far back as the first forming of them into a people, when they were brought by miracles out of Egypt, a house of bondage, through the wilderness, a land of drought, into Canaan, then possessed by mighty nations. He that thus brought them at first into Canaan, through so much difficulty, can now bring them thither again out of Babylon, how great soever the difficulties are that lie in the way. Those works of wonder, wrought of old, are here most magnificently described, for the greater encouragement to the faith of God's people in their present straits.
I. God appeared in his glory, so as he never did before or since (Hab 3:3, Hab 3:4): He came from Teman, even the Holy One from Mount Paran. This refers to the visible display of the glory of God when he gave the law upon Mount Sinai, as appears by Deu 33:2 whence these expressions are borrowed. Then the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai in a cloud (Exo 19:20) and his glory was as the devouring fire, not only to enforce the law he then gave them, but to avow the deliverance he had wrought for them and to magnify it; for the first word he said there was, "I am the Lord thy God, that brought thee out of the land of Egypt. I that appear in this glory am the author of that work." Then his glory covered the heavens, which shone with the reflection of that glorious appearance of his; the earth also was full of his praise, or of his splendour, as some read it. People at a distance saw the cloud and fire on the top of Mount Sinai, and praised the God of Israel. Or the earth was full of those works of God which were to be praised. His brightness was as the light, as the light of the sun when he goes forth in his strength; he had horns, or bright beams (so it should be rendered), coming out of his side or hand. Rays of glory were darted forth around him; and with some rays borrowed thence it was that Moses's face shone when he came down from that mount of glory. Some by the horns, the two horns (for the word is dual), coming out of his hand, understand the two tables of the law, which perhaps, when God delivered them to Moses, though they were tables of stone, had a glory round them; those books were gilt with beams, and so it agrees with Deu 33:2, From his right hand went a fiery law for them. It is added, And there was the hiding of his power; there was his hidden power, in the rays that came out of his hand. The operations of his power, compared with what he could have done, were rather the hiding of it than the discovery of it; the secrets of his power, as well as of his wisdom, are double to that which is, Job 11:6.
II. God sent plagues on Egypt, for the humbling of proud Pharaoh, and the obliging of him to let the people go (Hab 3:5): Before him went the pestilence, which slew all the first-born of Egypt in one night; and burning coals went forth at his feet, when, in the plague of hail, there was fire mingled with hail - burning diseases (so the margin reads it), some think those that wasted Egypt, others those with which the number of the Canaanites was diminished before Israel was brought in upon them. These were at his feet, that is, at his coming, for they are at his command; he says to them, Go, and they go, Come, and they come, Do this, and they do it.
III. He divided the land of Canaan to his people Israel, and expelled the heathen from before them (Hab 3:6): He stood, and measured the earth, measured that land, to assign it for an inheritance to Israel his people, Deu 32:8, Deu 32:9. He beheld, and drove asunder the nations that were in possession of it; though they combined together against Israel, God dispersed and discomfited them before Israel. Or he exerted such a mighty power as was enough to shake in pieces all the nations of the earth. Then the everlasting mountains were scattered, and the perpetual hills did bow; the mighty princes and potentates of Canaan, that seemed as high, as strong, and as firmly fixed, as the mountains and hills, were broken to pieces; they and their kingdoms were totally subdued. Or the power of God was so exerted as to shake the mountains and hills; nay, and Sinai did tremble, and the adjacent hills; see Psa 68:7, Psa 68:8. To this he adds, His ways are everlasting, that is, all the motions of his providence are according to his eternal counsels; and he is the same for ever, that which he was yesterday and today. His covenant is unchangeable, and his mercy endures for ever. When he drove asunder the nations of Canaan one might have seen the tents of Cushan in affliction, the curtains of the land of Midian trembling, and all the inhabitants of the neighbouring countries taking the alarm; and though they were not in the commission given to Israel to destroy, nor their land within the warrant given to Israel to possess, yet they thought their own house in danger when their neighbour's house was on fire, and therefore they were in a great fright, Hab 3:7. Balak the king of Moab was so, Num 22:3, Num 22:4. Some make the tents of Cushan to be in affliction when, in the days of judge Othniel, God delivered Cushan-rishathaim into his hand (Jdg 3:8), and the curtains of the land of Midian to tremble when, in the days of judge Gideon, a barley cake, in a dream, overthrew the tent of Midian, Jdg 7:13.
IV. He divided the Red Sea and Jordan, when they stood in the way of Israel's progress, and yet fetched a river out of a rock when Israel wanted it, Hab 3:8. One would have thought that God was displeased with the rivers, and that his wrath was against the sea, for he made them give way and flee before him when he rode upon his horses and chariots of salvation, as a general at the head of his forces, mighty to save. Note, God's chariots are not so much chariots of state to himself as chariots of salvation to his people; it is his glory to be Israel's Saviour. This seems to be referred to again (Hab 3:15): "Thou didst walk through the sea, through the Red Sea, with thy horses, in the pillar of cloud and fire (that was his chariot drawn by angels); thus thou didst walk secure, and so as to accommodate thyself to the slow pace that Israel could go, as Jacob tenderly drove, in consideration of his children and cattle: Thou didst walk through the heap, or mud, of great waters; and Israel likewise was led through the deep as a horse through the wilderness," Isa 63:13, Isa 63:14. When they came to enter Canaan the overflowing of the water passed by, that is, Jordan, which at that time overflowed all his banks, was divided, Jos 3:15. Note, When the difficulties in the way of perfecting the salvation of Israel seem most insuperable, when they rise to the height, and overflow, yet then God can put them by, break through them, and get over them. Then the deep uttered his voice, when, the Red Sea and Jordan being divided, the waters roared and made a noise, as if they were sensible of the restraint they were under from proceeding in their natural course, and complained of it. They lifted up their hands, or sides, on high (for the waters stood up on a heap, Jos 3:16), as if they would have made opposition to the orders given them. They lifted up their voice, lifted up their waves; but in vain. The Lord on high was mightier than they, Psa 93:3, Psa 93:4. With the dividing of the sea and Jordan, notice is again taken of the trembling of the mountains, as if the stop given to the waters gave a shock to the adjacent hills; they are put together, Psa 114:3, Psa 114:4. When the sea saw it and fled, and Jordan was driven back, the mountains skipped like rams and the little hills like lambs. The whole creation yielded; earth and waters trembled at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the mighty God of Jacob. But (as Mr. Cowley paraphrases it)
Fly where thou wilt, thou sea; and, Jordan's current, cease.
Jordan, there is no need of thee;
For at God's word, whene'er he please,
The rocks shall weep new waters forth instead of these.
So here, Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers; channels were made in the wilderness, such as seemed to cleave the earth, for the waters to run in, which issued out of the rock, to supply the camp of Israel, and which followed them in all their removes. Note, The God of nature can alter and control the powers of nature, which way he pleases, can turn waters into crystal rocks and rocks into crystal streams.
V. He arrested the motion of the sun and moon, to befriend and complete Israel's victories (Hab 3:11): The sun and moon stood still at the prayer of Joshua, that the Canaanites might not have the benefit of the night to favour their escape; they stood still in their habitation in the heaven (Psa 19:4), but with an eye to Gibeon and the valley of Ajalon, where God's work was in the doing, and of which they, though at so vast a distance, attended the motions. At the light, at the direction, of thy arrows, they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear; they followed Israel's arms, to favour them; according to the intimation of the arrows God shot (as Jonathan's arrows, Sa1 20:20), and which way soever his spear pointed (the glittering light of which they acknowledged to outshine theirs) that way they directed their influences, benign to Israel and malignant against their enemies, as when the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. Note, The heavenly bodies, as well as earth and seas, are at God's command, and, when he pleases, at Israel's service too.
VI. He carried on and completed Israel's victories over the nations of Canaan and their kings; he slew great kings and famous, Psa 136:17, Psa 136:18. This is largely insisted upon here, as a proper plea with God to enforce the present petition, that he would restore them again to that land which they were, at the expense of so many lives, so many miracles, first put in possession of.
1.Many expressions are here used to set forth the conquest of Canaan. (1.) God's bow was made quite naked, taken out of the case, to be employed for Israel; we should say, his sword was quite unsheathed, not drawn out a little way, to frighten the enemy, and then put up again, but quite drawn out, not to be returned till they are all cut off. (2.) He marched through the land from end to end, in indignation, as scorning to let that wicked generation of Canaanites any longer possess so good a land. He marched cum fastidio - with distaste (so some), despising their confederacies. (3.) He threshed the heathen in anger, trod them down, nay, he trod them out, as corn in the floor, to give them, and what they had, to be meat to his people Israel, Mic 4:13. (4.) He wounded the heads out of the house of the wicked; he destroyed the families of the Canaanites, and wounded their princes, the heads of their families; nay, he cut off the heads, and so discovered the foundations of them, even to the neck. Are they a building? They are razed even to the foundation. Are they a body? They are plunged into deep mire even to the neck, so that they cannot get out, or help themselves. He broke the heads of leviathan in pieces, Psa 74:14. Some apply this to Christ's victories over Satan and the powers of darkness, in which he wounded the heads over many countries, Psa 110:6. (5.) He struck through with his staves the head of the villages (Hab 3:14); with Israel's staves God struck through the head of the villages of the enemies, whether Egypt or Canaan. Staves shall do the same execution as swords when God pleases to make use of them. The enemy came out with the utmost force and fury, as a whirlwind to scatter me (says Israel); for many a time have they thus afflicted me, thus attacked me, from my youth, Psa 129:1. Pharaoh, when he pursued Israel to the Red Sea, came out as a whirlwind; so did the kings of Canaan in their confederacies against Israel. Their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly; they were as confident of success in their enterprise as ever any great man was of devouring a poor man, that was no way a match for him; and his design against him was carried on with secrecy. But God disappointed them, and their pride did but make their fall the more shameful and God's care of his poor the more illustrious. (6.) He walked to the sea with his horses (so some read it, Hab 3:15), that is, he carried Israel's victories to the Great Sea, which was opposite to that side of Canaan at which they entered, so that they went quite through it, and made themselves masters of it all, or rather God made them so, for they got it not by their own sword, Psa 44:3. Now,
2.There were three things that God had a eye to, in giving Israel so many bloody victories over the Canaanites: - (1.) He would hereby make good his promise to the fathers; it was according to the oaths of the tribes, even his word, Hab 3:9. He had sworn to give this land to the tribes of Israel; it was his oath to Isaac confirmed to Jacob, and repeated many a time to the tribes of Israel, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan. This word God will accomplish, though Israel be ever so unworthy (Deu 9:5) and their enemies ever so many and mighty. Note, What God does for his tribes is according to the oaths of the tribes, according to what he has said and sworn to them; for he is faithful that has promised. (2.) He would hereby show his kindness to his people, because of their relation to him, and his interest in them: Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, Hab 3:13. All the powers of nature are shaken, and the course of nature changed, and every thing seems to be thrown into disorder, and all is for the salvation of God's people. There are a people in the world who are God's people, and their salvation is that which he has in his eye in all the operations of his providence. Heaven and earth shall sooner come together than any of the links in the golden chain of their salvation shall be broken; and even that which seems most unlikely shall by an overruling hand be made to work for their salvation, Phi 1:19. (3.) He would hereby give a type and figure of the redemption of the world by Jesus Christ. It is for salvation with thy anointed, with Joshua, who led the armies of Israel and was a figure of him whose name he bore, even Jesus our Joshua. What God did for his Israel of old was done with an eye to his anointed, for the sake of the Mediator, who was both the founder and foundation of the covenant made with them. It was salvation with him, for in all the salvations wrought for them, God looked upon the face of the anointed, and did them by him.
(Verse 6.) He stood and measured the earth: he beheld, and scattered the nations, and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting. For there are also other mountains and hills, which the bridegroom leaps upon and transgresses in the Song of Songs (Chapter 2), about which it is also said in the second psalm of degrees: I lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from whence shall my help come (Psalm 120, 1). But the mountains of the world themselves are also the dark mountains; concerning them Jeremiah commanded that our feet should not stumble upon them (Jeremiah 31). These are the hills in which Saul reigned when he killed the priests of God (I Samuel 22): for indeed Gabaa is interpreted as a hill. And the hills of the world were elegantly curved, he said. Before the coming of the Savior, they walked with their heads held high, and no one could humble their pride. But they were crushed and bent by the paths of His eternity, that is, God's, because His eternity deemed it worthy to come to us, either because He always came to the saints from the beginning of the world until His incarnation and became the Word of God in the hands of each of them, and He triumphed over all and bent His eternal journey, breaking the hills and mountains. These things should be said through metaphor, according to the Hebrew. Furthermore, according to the Septuagint, after the word of God has preceded, and has gone out into the open, God the Father comes there, where a royal preparation is made for his word, and he comes after the footsteps of his word, and he stands; never going before, but always waiting, so that he may prepare a way for himself. But when he stands by the footsteps of his word, immediately the earth, namely the works of flesh and bodies, unable to withstand the presence of God, are moved. And when they have been stirred up, the power of speech and the presence of God look upon all the nations of souls, whose thoughts and manifold opinions we are able to understand, which there are dissolved and wasted away. If anything has also exalted itself against the knowledge of God on earth, and has taken hold of the mind of the listener, it will be broken and crushed by this preceding speech and the coming of God. But when the mountains have been broken and crushed at the sight of God, the hills will be consumed by liquification and reduced to nothingness. For the mountains of God are not, but the mountains of the world. For the eternal journey of God, looking back at those things which His word precedes, will consume and destroy them more strongly than the hills of the world. Moreover, the mountains can also be understood as demons, who dwell in heretics and rise up against the knowledge of God. The hills are also other fortresses of demons, which make people admire the beauty of bodies, dignities, riches, nobility of birth, and other goods of the world. It is allowed to see after the advent of the word of God, and the presence of God the Father, how human souls are moved, and everything that is earthly is dissolved, and former thoughts are reduced to nothing. Then demons are destroyed, then the heights of the world are brought to nothing, and all knowledge of heretics, which was once swollen, is humbled, crushed, and consumed by the advent of the word of God. And what previously seemed beautiful and great is cast aside and considered small. And this happens because of the coming of God and the hospitality of Christ, as it is written elsewhere: I will dwell in them, and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people (Lev. XXVI, 12).
In all of what he said he conveyed to us the ineffable power of God: action follows his will, and by merely wishing it (the sense of “he took his position and looked down”) he moves the earth, undoes human nature, splits open the mountains and melts the hills like wax. In fact, he has not ceased doing such things for people’s benefit (by “passing” referring to his doings). Now in what is said he implies also the cross, which is the source of salvation for all people. On it Christ the Lord “took his position,” shook the earth, moved and split open the mountains, struck with fear the hordes of demons, and destroyed their shrines on mountains and hills. While it was from the beginning and before the formation of the world that he so decided, it was in the last days that he accomplished it.
I have seen His ways of eternity beyond the labors. The ways are of the temporality of the Lord, by which He came into the world, so that He might appear to men for a time; but His ways of eternity, by which, leaving the world bodily, He returned to the Father, with whom He remained eternally, even while He conversed temporally in the world: indeed, He longed for these ways, when approaching His passion, He said to the Father: I have glorified You on the earth, I have finished the work which You gave Me to do (John 17:4). These are concerning the ways of assumed temporality, and immediately concerning the ways of eternity He added: And now, Father, glorify Me with Yourself with the glory which I had with You before the world was (John 17:5). The prophet saw these ways of eternity beyond the labors, namely of the incarnation and passion, of which it was said above: God shall come from Lebanon, or from the South, and: Rays are in His hands, and other such things, which are found many in this same song. Of these labors the Apostle says: He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Phil. 2:8); and immediately concerning the ways of eternity, which the Mediator of God and men deserved through these labors, he added: Therefore God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and under the earth; and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:9-10); and because through these same labors of His, and through these same ways of His eternity, when, having completed the labors of His passion, He returned to the Father, not only the people of the Jews but also of the nations were to come to eternal rest, aptly it is added:
The everlasting hills flowed down. By the name of hills, as with mountains, proud men are expressed, but perhaps inflated with a lesser arrogance of elation, yet not free from the guilt of swelling pride, and therefore healthily inclined, so that they may deserve to be elevated by the Lord. They are rightly called everlasting hills, because while temporarily humbled, they flow down from the swelling of pride, they are glorified forever by Him who says: And everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled (Luke 14:11). Another translation for everlasting hills plainly has hills of the world, which pertains to the distinction of the hills of the Lord, that is, of holy men, who, because of the loftiness of mind, disregarding all temporal and lowly things, are worthy of such a name, about whom the Psalmist says to the Lord: Let the mountains receive peace for Your people, and the hills righteousness (Psalm 72:3).
His feet stood, and the earth was moved. For when the steps of truth are impressed upon the minds of the listeners through the preaching doctor, soon the mind itself, troubled in its consideration, is moved. However, the feet of the Lord can not inconveniently be understood as the doctors themselves, through whom the word is ministered, for he who is present everywhere by himself is carried into the whole world through them as through his feet. These feet stand, and the earth is moved, because the more the holy doctors persist strongly in preaching and preserving the truth, the sooner the hearts of earthly people are struck to repent of their errors; and because this action of repentance should be attributed not to the human preacher but to illuminating grace, it is rightly added:
The mountains were broken exceedingly. He calls them proud mountains, and about the vanity of this world, or kingship, or wisdom, or wealth, exalting themselves, who, with the Lord watching, were not only broken but exceedingly broken, when, by His mercy, some from such ranks not only descended from empty and proud heights but also opposed the same by living and preaching. Indeed, Saul and Matthew were mountains, the former elevated by the wisdom of carnal letters, the latter by the mammon of iniquity, but when each was converted to the teaching of humility, they were made disciples of Christ, the mountains surely were exceedingly broken.
He looked, and the nations melted away. Which is to say openly: The Lord had mercy, and the nations repented; by which gaze he looked at Peter when he denied; and he, pricked by the memory of his sin, immediately melted into tears.
He beheld: One look of his eye is enough to melt all the nations, and to reduce them to nothing. For all heaven and earth disappear when they come before his light. Apoc. 20. 11.
The ancient mountains: By the mountains and hills are signified the great ones of the world, that persecute the church, whose power was quickly crushed by the Almighty.
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SUMMARY
Habakkuk 3:6 is a vivid and majestic declaration of God's absolute sovereignty and irresistible power, drawn from the prophet's prayer of awe and trust. It portrays the Lord as a divine warrior, whose mere presence causes the most enduring elements of creation—the earth, mountains, and hills—to respond in submission, and whose will effortlessly disperses nations. The verse culminates in a foundational theological truth: despite such overwhelming displays of power, God's character and methods remain eternally consistent and unchangeable.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Habakkuk 3:6 is rich with Theophany, describing a powerful manifestation of God's presence that evokes awe and fear. The verse employs Anthropomorphism by attributing human-like actions to God, such as "standing," "measuring," and "beholding," to make His divine power comprehensible to human understanding. Hyperbole is prominently used in the imagery of "everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow," exaggerating the effect of God's presence to emphasize His boundless might over even the most enduring elements of creation. This is further reinforced by Parallelism, specifically synonymous parallelism, where "everlasting mountains" are paired with "perpetual hills," and "were scattered" with "did bow," intensifying the sense of universal submission. The Repetition of "everlasting" (once for the mountains, once for God's ways) creates a powerful contrast, highlighting the transient nature of even the oldest creation compared to the eternal, unchanging nature of God Himself.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Habakkuk 3:6 stands as a profound declaration of divine omnipotence and unwavering constancy. It asserts that the God who orchestrates cosmic events and reshapes the landscape is the same God who sovereignly governs the affairs of nations, bringing judgment and justice according to His eternal plan. This verse provides a crucial theological anchor for the prophet's faith, reminding him—and us—that even amidst overwhelming chaos and seemingly inexplicable suffering, God remains firmly in control, His character and purposes unswerving. The terrifying display of power is not arbitrary but flows from His everlasting nature, ensuring that His ultimate design for righteousness and redemption will prevail.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
In a world characterized by constant change, political instability, and natural disasters, Habakkuk 3:6 offers a profound source of comfort and a powerful call to faith. The imagery of mountains scattering and hills bowing before God reminds us that no earthly power, no natural force, and no human circumstance is beyond His sovereign reach. This means that even when our personal lives feel like they are being shaken, or when global events seem to spiral out of control, we can rest in the assurance that God is not surprised, nor is He powerless. His "ways are everlasting" implies that His character—His love, justice, faithfulness, and wisdom—remains utterly consistent. We are called to trust in this unchanging God, finding our stability and hope not in the fleeting realities of this world, but in His eternal nature. This verse encourages us to cultivate a deep, abiding faith that looks beyond immediate circumstances to the God who stands above all, whose purposes will ultimately be fulfilled, and who remains the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is a "theophany" and how does it relate to Habakkuk 3:6?
Answer: A theophany is a visible manifestation of God to humankind. In the Bible, these are often accompanied by powerful natural phenomena, conveying God's majesty and power. Habakkuk 3:6 is part of a larger theophany described in Habakkuk 3:3-15. Here, God is depicted as a divine warrior appearing from the south, with cosmic effects like the earth trembling, mountains scattering, and hills bowing. This visual and sensory description serves to impress upon Habakkuk (and the reader) the overwhelming, irresistible power of the Lord, assuring him that the God who controls creation can certainly control the nations and fulfill His promises, even through judgment. The imagery in Psalm 18:7-15 or Exodus 19:16-19 provides similar examples of God's awesome manifestation.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Habakkuk 3:6, with its depiction of God's majestic power and everlasting ways, finds its ultimate fulfillment and clearest revelation in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The God who "stood, and measured the earth" and before whom "everlasting mountains were scattered" is the same God revealed in Christ, who is the "exact imprint of his nature" (Hebrews 1:3). Jesus demonstrated this divine authority over creation by calming storms (Mark 4:39), walking on water (Matthew 14:25), and commanding the elements. Furthermore, the God who "drove asunder the nations" foreshadows Christ's ultimate victory over all earthly powers and spiritual forces, establishing His eternal kingdom that will never be destroyed (Daniel 7:13-14). The profound truth that "his ways are everlasting" is perfectly embodied in Jesus, who is "the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8), and whose redemptive work on the cross and resurrection are the eternal, unchanging means by which God's justice and love are reconciled. Thus, the awesome power displayed in Habakkuk 3:6 is not just a terrifying force, but the power of the God who, in Christ, graciously saves and sustains His people according to His everlasting covenant.