Preparing to Have Joy

The little book of Habakkuk is one that is rarely studied, but that I greatly enjoy. The message of the book is one that is timeless. I am preparing to teach for several weeks on this book, and so I’ve been trying to do some reading and studying. Though I have taught the book before, there is still more preparation to do, because this book contains so many nuggets of truth.

One of those is something that you may have noticed and found quite obvious before, but that my brain just had not registered. It is at the very end of the book, as the prophet Habakkuk writes his beautiful song of trusting praise.

In Habakkuk 3:17-18, he wrote:

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

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.

I literally have no idea how many times I have read those words, but each time I do I am struck by the trust found in them. But here is how I have always read them: Habakkuk is facing struggle and times of economic difficulty–even ruin–yet, in those times, he will continue his trust in the Lord.

That certainly is one way to read those words, and it is a very helpful and encouraging way to read them. When we are in the midst of difficult times, it is important that we still find joy in our relationship with the Lord.

But considering the tense of the verbs in this poem, and considering the setting of the book of Habakkuk, there is another way to read these words, and it may be even more valuable to our walk of faith.

Remember that, earlier in the book, God had told the prophet not just what was happening currently, but what was going to happen. The Lord was going to use the Chaldeans (neo-Babylonians) to bring judgment on His chosen people. That leads to Habakkuk wondering how the Lord could possibly use a terribly wicked nation to bring about judgment upon His people. But that nation–the Chaldeans–was still being “raised up.” The battles had not started yet. All this was still in the future.

So, is it not possible that Habakkuk is thinking about what typically happens when there is war, and preparing himself for it? With the invasion of this army, there would most likely be economic ruin, so the prophet is saying that, even when that happens, I will rejoice in God.

If that is the case, what a reminder for us! Yes, we need to find our joy in God when we are in the midst of a difficult and trying time. But the best time to prepare our hearts to do just that is before the difficulties come. We need to resolve that we will find our joy in God no matter what might come our way. We need to prepare for joy.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4)

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AUTHOR: Adam Faughn