habakkuk - no matter what happens: ten attributes of persistent faith

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Habakkuk Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith Christy Bower No Matter What Happens

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In a mere 56 verses, Habakkuk reveals ten principles on how to hold firm to your faith in God, even when things go from bad to worse. Meet the prophet Habakkuk through a narrative introduction that tells the story of his prophetic ministry. Work at your own pace through this 20+ page workbook, filled with commentary and questions to guide your study.

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Page 1: Habakkuk - No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith

Habakkuk

Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith Christy Bower

No Matter What Happens

Page 2: Habakkuk - No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith

No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith (Habakkuk) © 2012 Christy Bower

www.ChristyBower.com

“Those who are taught the word of God

should help their teachers by paying them” (Galatians 6:6).

Thank you for purchasing this Bible Explorer workbook. You just put a meal on my table. And your

support enables me to continue to produce other resources to help people grow in their faith.

Look for other Bible Explorer titles at www.ChristyBower.com.

Contact me on Twitter @christybower

No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith (Habakkuk) © 2012 Christy Bower

All rights reserved. This workbook is for individual use only and may not be distributed in electronic or

print form unless an extended license is purchased at www.ChristyBower.com. The extended licenses

offer quantity discounts for those who wish to use the workbooks for groups.

Cover image purchased to support artists. © iStockphoto.com / David Jones

All other images are in the public domain.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by

permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Page 3: Habakkuk - No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith

No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith (Habakkuk) © 2012 Christy Bower

www.ChristyBower.com

About Christy I have a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies from Multnomah Biblical

Seminary (2004). I am the author of three books: Best Friends with

God (2010), Devotion Explosion (2007), and Abundant Life (2002). I

have written numerous articles for Christian publications, as well as

writing web content for clients. And, in January 2011, God set me

on the path of full-time writing ministry, which has enabled me to

focus on producing Bible resources to help others grow in their

faith.

Welcome!

The Bible Explorer series

provides a hands-on

approach to studying

individual books of the

Bible. The studies are

intended to help you

discover the answers for

yourself, while guiding

you through the difficult

terrain of context and

setting.

May God bless you as you

study His Word.

Christy

Page 4: Habakkuk - No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith

No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith (Habakkuk) © 2012 Christy Bower

www.ChristyBower.com

Introduction No matter what happens. Are you prepared to follow God, no

matter what happens?

That’s the struggle of faith that Habakkuk wrestled with in his day,

and it’s the struggle we all face when life gets difficult.

The book of Habakkuk can be described as an argument with God.

It is the prophet’s search for answers to moral and theological

questions that believers still ask today: Why does God permit evil

among his people? How can a good God allow the wicked to

overcome those less evil?

When he receives answers from God, the answers are more painful

than the questions. God brings the bad news that the worst is yet

to come and the people of Judah will be invaded by the cruel

Babylonians.

It’s one thing to have objective answers from God. It’s one thing to

believe the Bible is true and know what it says about our problems.

But it’s quite another thing to work through the difficulties in how

it affects our own life and faith until we arrive at a personal

response to God’s word.

The book of Habakkuk is a mere 56 verses, but it contains

important truths about what it means to wrestle with our faith, to

accept God’s word when it is unpleasant, and to arrive at a position

of acceptance of God’s will no matter what it means for us

personally.

Take a moment to read the following narrative, which provides

some context for the events of Habakkuk after the death of King

Josiah (609 B.C.E.) as recorded in 2 Chronicles 35.

“Look at the

proud! They

trust in

themselves,

and their lives

are crooked;

but the

righteous will

live by their

faith”

(Habakkuk 2:4).

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No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith (Habakkuk) © 2012 Christy Bower

www.ChristyBower.com

Habakkuk: A Man of Persistent Faith

Weeping. Wailing. Huddles

of women whispering. Circles

of old men tugging on their

beards and reminiscing

about the good old days.

Young men running about to

fortify the city and make

preparations.

Habakkuk walked through

the streets of Jerusalem in a

daze. He felt numb to the

pain and panic, but he could

see it in the eyes of those

who met his stunned gaze.

As he rounded a corner and

saw into the town square, he

could see Jeremiah in the

courtyard singing a lament

for the death of King Josiah.

The news had come by a

swift runner this morning:

“King Josiah has been

mortally wounded in battle.”

Then, a chariot brought King

Josiah, clinging to the last

threads of life, back to

Jerusalem. Physicians tended

him right there in the

courtyard where Jeremiah

now stood. But the

physicians could do little

more than remove the

arrow. He bled to death in

the courtyard as the city

gathered to grieve.

Then panic ensued.

The court officials crowned

Josiah’s son, Jehoahaz, to

make him king of Judah in

place of his father. There was

no time for a royal

ceremony. There was no

time to grieve. There was no

time to prepare for war.

Couriers reported that the

Egyptian army was barreling

down on Jerusalem as fast as

their iron chariots could

carry them, and Egypt was

known for the speed of its

mighty horses.

With most of the military out

of the city to fight the

Egyptians, the lower-ranking

military officers now shouted

orders to civilians, but the

fear in their eyes did not

convey the confidence the

people needed right now.

Habakkuk felt tired and a

little sick to his stomach, so

he leaned up against a wall,

closed his eyes, and listened

to his friend Jeremiah give

the lament for Josiah.

Jeremiah recounted the

accomplishments of the

beloved king.

Thirty-one years ago, Josiah

became king at the age of

eight. He sought the Lord for

help in leading the nation

and began to remove idols

and restore the Temple.

During this restoration, a

scroll containing a portion of

the Law was found and read

to Josiah. He immediately

instituted reforms to bring

the nation back into

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No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith (Habakkuk) © 2012 Christy Bower

www.ChristyBower.com

alignment with the word of

God.

Jeremiah reminisced about

the glorious days of Josiah

and the freedom, prosperity,

and religious revival that

occurred among the people

during his reign.

Habakkuk thought about

Jeremiah’s words. Freedom

and prosperity were fragile.

The Assyrians, who had

destroyed the Northern

Kingdom of Israel a century

ago, had been otherwise

occupied—or at least

disinterested in the little

nation of Judah. Thanks to

this, Josiah enjoyed freedom

and prosperity despite the

ravages of war going on in

the land all around them.

Now, the Assyrians had

grown weak and felt

threatened by the increasing

advances of the Babylonian

alliance. With their forces

stretched thin, Assyria

summoned Egypt to help

them. But Josiah did the right

thing. He took Judah’s army

out to meet the Egyptian

army to prevent them from

reinforcing the Assyrian

slaughterers.

And now what?

The king was dead.

The Egyptians had Jerusalem

as their next target, and

Assyria would likely follow up

to destroy this nation that

had presumed to interfere.

What would happen now?

Had it been worth it to get

involved and make

themselves a target? Where

was the Lord? Would He

intervene? Would He let

righteous Judah become

slaughtered by nations with

a bloodthirsty lust for

power? Would the Lord

protect His people?

Questions. So many

questions. Habakkuk opened

his eyes. The daylight was

veiled by a thin layer of

clouds and a sense of doom

hung heavily over the City of

David. Habakkuk looked at

Jeremiah who was still

singing a lament before a

crowd of women and

children. Then Habakkuk

turned and began to make

his way home, still dazed and

deep in thought.

Many sleepless nights

ensued as Habakkuk cried

out to the Lord, asking God

to intervene in the dire

circumstances in Jerusalem.

Weeks and months turned

into years. The Egyptians had

not destroyed Judah.

Instead, they placed Josiah’s

son, Jehoiakim, as king.

Jehoiakim ruled as a tyrant.

Judah’s enemies had not

destroyed her, but she was

about to destroy herself.

Prices soared as people took

advantage of each other

instead of helping one

another. Bribes perverted

justice and the law became

useless in a city increasingly

characterized by anarchy and

violence among its own

people.

Habakkuk continued to pray

every night. “How long, O

Lord, must I call for help? But

you do not listen! Must I

forever see this sin and

misery all around me?

Wherever I look, I see

destruction and violence.

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The wicked far outnumber

the righteous.”

The Lord replied, “Watch and

be astounded at what I will

do! I am raising-up the

Babylonians to be a new

power on the world scene.

They are a cruel and violent

nation who will march across

the world and conquer it.”

Habakkuk asked, “Why? Your

people have sinned and

deserve punishment, but

why would you allow a

nation even more wicked to

destroy your people? Is the

answer to wickedness to

send more wickedness? How

can this be? Will wicked

people succeed forever?”

There was no reply.

Habakkuk waited.

Then, one night the Lord

replied:

“Write my answer so

everyone will know. My

solution will happen slowly,

steadily. Eventually I will

judge those whom I have

sent to judge you. If it seems

slow, be patient. Look at the

proud! They trust in

themselves, but the

righteous will live by their

faith. To those who trust in

themselves: Beware!”

“Beware of pride and

ambition. Beware of

arrogance and greed. Beware

of cruelty. Beware of

drunkenness. And beware of

idolatry, for your idols are

lifeless inside. But the Lord is

inside his holy Temple. Let all

the earth be silent before the

Lord.”

Habakkuk trembled in awe of

the Lord. He had a vision of

the Lord rolling across the

land like a thunderstorm,

coming to save His people.

Habakkuk’s heart welled up

in song:

I have heard all about you,

Lord, and I am filled with awe

by the amazing things you

have done. In this time of our

deep need, begin again to

help us, as you did in years

gone by. Show us your power

to save us. And in your

anger, remember mercy.

I trembled inside when I

heard all this. But I will wait

quietly for the coming day

when disaster will strike the

people who invade us.

Even though the fig trees

have no blossoms, and there

are no grapes on the vine;

even though the olive crop

fails, and the fields lie empty

and barren; even though the

flocks die in the fields, and

the cattle barns are empty,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I

will be joyful in the God of

my salvation. The Sovereign

Lord is my strength! He will

make me as surefooted as a

deer and bring me safely

over the mountains.

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No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith (Habakkuk) © 2012 Christy Bower

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The Landscape of History Habakkuk lived during the reign of Josiah, who became king of

Judah when he was eight years old and he reigned for thirty-one

years (639-609 B.C.E.). He sought God and instituted religious

reforms, beginning with eliminating idolatry in Judah. As the

workers began a massive restoration of the Temple, the high priest

discovered a book containing God’s Law and read it to Josiah. The

young king humbled himself and wept that God’s people had

neglected God’s law. He pledged to obey the Lord and required the

people in Jerusalem to make a similar pledge (2 Chronicles 34).

While religious reform took hold, it did little to transform society

on a moral level. Despite a period of peace and prosperity, violence

and corruption infested Judah like a disease. Habakkuk could see

past this veneer of religious reform and see the vile lives of those

who professed to observe God’s feasts and religious observances.

This sent Habakkuk on a quest to seek answers from God about

how long He would allow this to continue. But answers from God

were slow in coming.

When God said He would judge the corruption of His people by

bringing the Babylonians to invade Judah, Habakkuk was surprised

because Babylon was not yet a world power. The greatest threat

had been Assyria, and sometimes Egypt. But Chaldean tribal

groups, who had made successful skirmishes against the Assyrians

armies, were only beginning to form a Babylonian alliance that

would later become a world power.

The following map shows the reach of the Babylonian Empire at

the height of its power.

Chaldeans

Become

Babylonians

The Chaldeans were a

tribal group living in

southern Babylonia. They

often waged guerrilla

warfare against the

Assyrians. In the Bible, the

Chaldeans first appeared

as allies with Judah, but

they later became a

threat. Occasionally a

Chaldean king would

occupy the throne of

Babylon. The Chaldeans

gradually acquired

domination of Babylonia

and took on the name

“Babylonians” or “Neo-

Babylonians.” For this

reason, the Bible often

uses the terms

“Chaldean” and

“Babylonian”

interchangeably. So

whenever you see the

term “Chaldean,” think

“Babylonian.”

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No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith (Habakkuk) © 2012 Christy Bower

www.ChristyBower.com

The Babylonian Empire God predicted the rise of the Babylonian Empire. They did, indeed,

march across the world and conquer it.

“I am raising up

the

Babylonians to

be a new

power on the

world scene.

They are a

cruel and

violent nation

who will march

across the

world and

conquer it”

(Habakkuk 1:6).

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No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith (Habakkuk) © 2012 Christy Bower

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Outline

Habakkuk: Persistent Faith in Desperate Times

I. A Crisis of Faith (Chapters 1-2)

a. Habakkuk’s First Question: How long will you sit

back and do nothing while violence and injustice

prevail? (1:1-4)

b. God’s First Reply (1:5-11)

i. The worst is yet to come.

ii. The cruel Babylonians will march across

the world and conquer it.

c. Habakkuk’s Second Question: Why? How can a

holy God judge the sins of Judah at the hands of

people more wicked than they? (1:12-17)

d. Habakkuk Waits for God’s Answer (2:1)

e. God’s Second Reply (2:2-20)

i. Their time is coming.

ii. Those who trust in themselves will get

what they deserve.

iii. The righteous will live by their faith.

II. A Triumph of Faith (Chapter 3)

a. Habakkuk’s Prayer for Mercy (3:1-2)

b. Habakkuk’s Vision of God Coming to Save His

People (3:3-15)

c. Habakkuk’s Response to the Vision Is a Declaration

of Joyful Faith in God, No Matter What Happens

(3:16-19)

Survey of

History

612 B.C.E. Babylonians

captured the Assyrian

capital of Nineveh

609 B.C.E. King Josiah of

Judah blocked Pharaoh

Necho II of Egypt as he

marched north to assist

Assyria against the

Babylonians

605 B.C.E. Babylonians

defeat Egypt at the Battle

of Carchemish

597 B.C.E. Jerusalem fell

into Babylonian hands

586 B.C.E. Jerusalem

destroyed

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No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith (Habakkuk) © 2012 Christy Bower

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Faith Lessons Habakkuk had some tenacity. He brought his complaints to God

and even argued with God’s responses as he wrestled with the

implications of God’s word for his own life and faith. The prophet

received bad news from God: the worst was yet to come. And yet,

Habakkuk clung to his faith and made a remarkable declaration of

faith as he learned to accept God’s will, no matter what.

From Habakkuk, we can glean ten attributes of persistent faith.

They are as relevant for us as they were for Habakkuk.

Persistent faith . . .

Calls to God for help, even when God is silent (1:1-11).

Continues to dialogue with God when His answers seem

unacceptable (1:12-17).

Waits patiently for the Lord to respond (2:1-3).

Trusts in God rather than in personal effort (2:4-5).

Heeds God’s warnings (2:6-20).

Accepts God’s plan (3:1-2).

Focuses on God’s attributes (3:3-15).

Waits in confidence (3:16).

Finds joy in God, not in circumstances (3:17-18).

Relies on God’s strength for the present crisis (3:19).

Ten Attributes

of Persistent

Faith

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No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith (Habakkuk) © 2012 Christy Bower

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Persistent faith calls to God for help, even

when God is silent (1:1-11). Habakkuk watched the misery, destruction, violence, and injustice

around him and wondered how God could remain silent in the face

of such wickedness. His prayers apparently continued unanswered

long enough that Habakkuk grew frustrated with God’s non-

responsiveness to his prayers, too.

Have you ever prayed for something and wondered “how long?”

before God answers your prayers? What do you do when God

seems silent? How does it make you feel? How does your

sentiment compare with that of Psalm 73:11?

Sometimes God seems silent in the midst of injustice and evil.

According to 2 Peter 3:9, why might God seem silent or slow to

act?

To Habakkuk, God’s answer (1:5-11) seemed worse than His

silence. The Lord said that He would judge the wickedness in Judah

by bringing the Babylonians to conquer it. “They are notorious for

their cruelty. . . . They are a fierce people, more fierce than wolves

at dusk” (1:7-8). If God told you that the worst is yet to come in

your life, how would you respond?

How long, O

LORD, must I

call for help?

But you do not

listen!

(Habakkuk 1:2).

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Persistent faith continues to dialogue with God

when His answers seem unacceptable (1:12-

17). God answered Habakkuk, but it wasn’t the answer he had hoped

for. God’s judgment was coming in the form of the ruthless

Babylonians. Has God ever given you an answer that didn’t seem

fair? If God were to give you an answer that seemed too difficult to

bear, what would you do? Would you give up on God or try to talk

Him out of it?

It seemed as if God was going to let the wicked prevail. Habakkuk

asked, “Will you let them get away with this forever?” (1:17). Read

Psalm 73. What was the psalmist’s view of the wicked at the

beginning of the psalm (73:1-14)? How did his opinion change

(73:15-20)? What changed his perspective (73:21-28)? Which

perspective do you have? Why?

O LORD my God,

my Holy One,

you who are

eternal—is

your plan in all

of this to wipe

us out? Surely

not! O LORD our

Rock, you have

decreed the

rise of these

Babylonians to

punish and

correct us for

our terrible sins

(Habakkuk

1:12).

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Persistent faith waits patiently for the Lord to

respond (2:1-3). Habakkuk had learned to wait for God’s reply. His first complaint

was “How long?” because he had been calling out to God for help.

When God replied, Habakkuk voiced a second complaint to God,

but he knew God’s reply might not come immediately, so he

prepared to wait. What does Lamentations 3:25-26 say about the

benefit of waiting for God? What activity does it suggest we do

while we wait?

In God’s answer to Habakkuk’s second complaint, He indicated that

the answer would take time to be fulfilled: “If it seems slow, wait

patiently, for it will surely take place.” When God doesn’t change

our circumstances quickly, we become impatient and wonder if

God doesn’t understand the urgency of our situation. Waiting can

cause us succumb to doubts. What do you do to keep doubts at

bay? According to Micah 7:7 and Psalm 27:13-14, what qualities

will help us wait without doubting?

I will climb up

into my

watchtower

now and wait

to see what the

LORD will say to

me and how he

will answer my

complaint

(Habakkuk 2:1).

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No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith (Habakkuk) © 2012 Christy Bower

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Persistent faith trusts in God rather than in

personal effort (2:4-5). Habakkuk wanted to know why God would allow the wicked to

prevail over those who were more righteous (1:13). But God’s

answer indicated that He doesn’t see things in relative terms.

Everyone who does not live by faith in God but trusts in themselves

will get what they deserve in due time. What does Proverbs 16:5,

18 say about this problem? Is such a fate self-inflicted or God-

inflicted? Why?

New Testament writers often cited Habakkuk 2:4 because of its

foundation of faith. Do Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews

10:38 provide any additional insights into the life of faith? The

repetition of “the righteous will live by their faith” indicates its

importance. What does it really mean to live by faith? See Hebrews

11:1. How does living by faith help us to overcome our natural

inclination to trust in ourselves?

“Look at the

proud! They

trust in

themselves,

and their lives

are crooked;

but the

righteous will

live by their

faith”

(Habakkuk 2:4).

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No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith (Habakkuk) © 2012 Christy Bower

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Persistent faith heeds God’s warnings (2:6-20). God explains that, although He is using the Babylonians to carry

out His judgment against Judah, the Babylonians will eventually get

what they deserve. Their time is coming. The Lord gives five

warnings (woes) to the Babylonians and all who trust in themselves

rather than living by faith. In one or two words, describe each of

the five warnings.

(2:6-8) Beware of . . .

(2:9-11) Beware of . . .

(2:12-14) Beware of . . .

(2:15-17) Beware of . . .

(2:18-20) Beware of . . .

Are these warnings relevant today? Underline any of the warnings

that you may need to heed. What are the consequences of not

heeding these warnings?

How are these problems a result of trusting in oneself rather than

living by faith? For each one, list a specific response of faith. For

example, greed could be remedied by faith in God’s provision and

contentment with what God provides.

“But soon it will

be your turn!

Come, drink

and be

exposed! Drink

from the cup of

the LORD’s

judgment, and

all your glory

will be turned

to shame”

(Habakkuk

2:16).

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Persistent faith accepts God’s plan (3:1-2). Once again Habakkuk prays, but this time with a more submissive

tone. How does his tone resemble that of Job after his encounter

with God (Job 42:5-6)? What shift does this reflect?

Habakkuk appealed to God to help His people, but he seemed to

accept God’s plan for judging Judah with a Babylonian invasion.

Instead of arguing and complaining, he acknowledged God’s power

and ability to save, and pleaded “in your anger, remember your

mercy.” A few years later, the prophet Jeremiah wrote a lament

after the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem. Read his words in

Jeremiah 3:19-24. According to Jeremiah, how can we have hope in

the midst of suffering? How does this help us to accept God’s plan

when it seems unacceptable to us?

I have heard all

about you,

LORD, and I am

filled with awe

by the amazing

things you have

done. In this

time of our

deep need,

begin again to

help us, as you

did in years

gone by. Show

us your power

to save us. And

in your anger,

remember your

mercy

(Habakkuk 3:2).

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No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith (Habakkuk) © 2012 Christy Bower

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Persistent faith focuses on God’s attributes

(3:3-15). According to Habakkuk 1:1, the book is a record of the message

Habakkuk received from the Lord in a vision. Up to this point, the

text has contained dialogue, with no other sensory details. But

these verses (3:3-15) contain a vivid description of what Habakkuk

saw. What parts of this description are most striking to you?

Having appealed to God to help His people again as He had done

throughout history, Habakkuk saw a vision of God coming to save

them. But, in the vision, the past, present, and future were

intertwined. Some of the imagery is similar to the Lord’s acts at

Sinai and the Red Sea, but these are combined with the image of

God approaching in a thunderstorm. What might these intertwined

images indicate? See Hebrews 13:8.

How does envisioning God’s mighty power help us to have

persistent faith? What attributes of God do you need to envision

coming to bear on your circumstances?

I see God, the

Holy One,

moving across

the deserts of

Edom and

Mount Paran.

His brilliant

splendor fills

the heavens,

and the earth is

filled with his

praise! What a

wonderful God

he is!

(Habakkuk 3:3).

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Persistent faith waits in confidence (3:16). Although Habakkuk was disappointed at the news that God would

send Babylon to invade Judah, the prophet had now seen a vision

God of coming to save them, sending nations fleeing before His

presence. Knowing Babylon’s ultimate demise made it easier for

Habakkuk to wait with confidence.

Sometimes waiting can be accompanied by fear and dread. What

does the Bible promise in Isaiah 40:31 to those who wait on the

Lord with confidence? How can that help you to wait in confidence

for whatever God has planned for you?

I trembled

inside when I

heard all this;

my lips

quivered with

fear. My legs

gave way

beneath me,

and I shook in

terror. I will

wait quietly for

the coming day

when disaster

will strike the

people who

invade us

(Habakkuk

3:16).

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No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith (Habakkuk) © 2012 Christy Bower

www.ChristyBower.com

Persistent faith finds joy in God, not in

circumstances (3:17-18). In a dramatic change in perspective, Habakkuk moves beyond

complaining to joyfully accept whatever the future holds.

Habakkuk realized it is better to live by faith in the midst of

desperate circumstances than to be self-reliant in prosperity.

Relying on God helps overcome the frustrations of life. What

frustrations do you have? How would it change your perspective to

rely on God rather than yourself to resolve those frustrations?

A military invasion would destroy all that the people needed to

live—crops, flocks, and cattle. But Habakkuk determined to

demonstrate persistent faith that found joy in God, not in

circumstances. Using Habakkuk’s words as an example (“Even

though . . .”), write your own declaration of faith in God no matter

what happens in life.

Despite outward circumstances, Habakkuk resolved to joyfully trust

the Lord. What does Philippians 4:4-7 say about how to experience

joy and peace? How is it possible to have joy and peace regardless

of circumstances? In Philippians 4:11-13, Paul says “I have learned

the secret of living in every situation.” What is the secret?

Even though the

fig trees have no

blossoms, and

there are no

grapes on the

vine; even

though the olive

crop fails, and

the fields lie

empty and

barren; even

though the flocks

die in the fields,

and the cattle

barns are empty,

yet I will rejoice

in the LORD! I will

be joyful in the

God of my

salvation

(Habakkuk3:17-

18).

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No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith (Habakkuk) © 2012 Christy Bower

www.ChristyBower.com

Persistent faith relies on God’s strength for the

present crisis (3:19). With his new attitude of joyful acceptance of God’s plan, Habakkuk

knew that God would give him the strength to endure the

Babylonian invasion and the destruction of life as he knew it. He

could not endure it on his own strength, but God would be his

strength.

In similar fashion, Paul pleaded with God to take away a “thorn in

the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:8-10) but God said, “My gracious favor

is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.” What

difficult circumstances does Paul list? Make a list of your own

difficult circumstances. If you’ve prayed and God has not changed

your circumstances, He might want to use your circumstances to

change you. Which do you think is true of your circumstances?

It’s easy to trust God when things are going well, but it takes

persistent faith to rely on God in the midst of difficult

circumstances. Habakkuk knew that God would not level the path

before him. There would be difficult terrain ahead. Though his own

footing was unstable, God would make him surefooted and see

him safely through the rocky road ahead. Compare Psalm 18:32-33

with Psalm 23:2-3. Which kind of path is God leading you on at this

point in your life?

The Sovereign

LORD is my

strength! He

will make me

as surefooted

as a deer and

bring me safely

over the

mountains

(Habakkuk

3:19).

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No Matter What Happens: Ten Attributes of Persistent Faith (Habakkuk) © 2012 Christy Bower

www.ChristyBower.com

Bible Explorers If you would like to explore Habakkuk more on your own, here are

some suggestions for where you might begin. Then, follow your

curiosity like a good explorer and see where your studies lead you!

In a Bible dictionary, look up:

Habakkuk

Chaldeans

Babylonians

Check a Bible atlas to see how the Babylonians marched “across

the world to conquer it” (Habakkuk 1:6). A good Bible atlas will

provide a written description of the events related to the rise of

the Babylonian Empire.

Contact Christy The best way to get to know me is to meet me on Twitter

@christybower.

You can also read more of my writings on my blog at

www.christybower.com. And I have a contact form on my website

if you need to contact me personally.

You can even write to me:

Christy Bower

PO Box 983

Whitefish MT 59937

I love to hear from readers!

Go ahead, make my day!

How has the

study of

Habakkuk

strengthened

your resolve to

demonstrate

persistent faith,

no matter what

happens?