The Rich Man & Lazarus Commentary – Luke 16:19-31

Posted on April 13, 2025 by dkoop

In Jesus’ parable of a rich man and a poor man, their fortunes were exactly reversed at death: the poor man went to paradise, while the rich man suffered in hell. In agony, the rich man cried out for help, asking Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers of this tragic, irreversible fate.

16:19-21 Finally, regarding the Pharisees’ attitude toward money (they “dearly loved” it, 16:14), Jesus gave an illustration that vividly portrays the value of money in light of future judgment. This Lazarus should not be confused with the Lazarus whom Jesus raised from the dead in John 11. Incidentally, this is the only person in any of Jesus’ stories who is given a name. The rich man in this parable lived out the lifestyle afforded to the wealthy who lived in the Roman Empire. Splendid clothing, delicious food of all types, and days lived in luxury could be had by those with enough money.

In contrast, there is a poor diseased beggar. Ancient Rome had no middle class—there were the very rich and the very poor. Often the poor were reduced to begging in order to survive. This man, Lazarus, was sick, hungry, and abandoned, so he lay at the rich man’s door, longing for scraps from the rich man’s table. Leftovers were all he desired, and the rich man could easily have shared from his extravagance by sending a servant out with a plateful. But the rich man chose to spend his money on himself, refusing to share, probably not even taking notice of the poor man at his door. His wealth was not sinful, but his selfishness was. While he had everything he could possibly want, Lazarus lay hungry with even the dogs licking his open sores.

  • LIFE APPLICATION – HARD-HEARTED HOARDING
  • The Pharisees considered wealth to be a proof of a person’s righteousness. Jesus startled them with this story where a diseased beggar is rewarded and a rich man is punished. The rich man did not go to hell because of his wealth but because he lacked faith and compassion by refusing to feed Lazarus, take him in, or care for him. The rich man was hard-hearted despite his great blessings. The amount of money a person has is not as important as the way he or she uses it. What is your attitude toward your money and possessions? Do you hoard them selfishly, or do you use them to help others?

16:22-23 In time, both the rich man and Lazarus died, for death takes everyone regardless of social station or wealth. The rich man ended up in torment in the place of the dead, the destiny of those who have refused to believe. The “torment” is described in 16:24 as “flames.” Added to the torment was the rich man’s ability to see paradise, with Abraham and Lazarus in peace and luxury. The role reversal is obvious—as Lazarus once lay in pain outside the door of the rich man’s house watching him feast, so here the rich man was in torment watching the joy far away in heaven.

In contrast, Lazarus must have been a God-fearing man, despite the fact that God had not allowed him an easy or pleasant lifetime on earth. When Lazarus died, the angels carried him to be with Abraham, another way of describing the Kingdom.

Jesus’ words teach about the danger of making money a god or idol, trusting money more than God, and the finality of God’s judgment.

16:24-25 Not only could the rich man in this story see into heaven’s bliss from his torment, but he could call out to those in paradise as well. He spoke to Father Abraham, a title any Jew would use for Abraham, the father of their nation (John 8:39). The request for Abraham to send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water shows that the rich man’s basic attitude had not changed. For all his deference to Abraham, he still thought of Lazarus as no more than a messenger who could be sent by Abraham to do the rich man a favor.

Abraham sent an answer, but not the one that the rich man wanted or even expected. The rich man may have thought there was a mistake. He had been rich, and if wealth was a sign of God’s blessing, why would he be in agony? Abraham explained that, during their time on earth, the rich man had everything, but Lazarus had nothing. While the rich man could have helped the poor within his reach (such as Lazarus), he chose only personal pleasure. The roles for eternity would be reversed. Lazarus went from pain and hunger to comfort; the rich man went from pleasure and merriment to anguish. This would have unnerved the Pharisees who were listening to this parable. To them, wealth was a sign of God’s blessing, poverty a sign of God’s disfavor. So they enjoyed their wealth and did not attempt to bridge the chasm that separated them from the “disfavored ones.” But Jesus was explaining that another chasm would develop, and they would find themselves on the wrong side.

16:26 Abraham explained to the rich man that he couldn’t send Lazarus because between them and him was a great chasm and no one can cross over. The ultimate fates cannot be changed. God’s decision upon death is final. There is only one life on this earth, and that is the time of decision. People cannot wait until eternity to make their relationship right with God—it will be too late. The judgment will have been made on the basis of their choices, and it will be irreversible.

16:27-29 The rich man still thought Lazarus could be sent on messenger duty. If Lazarus could not come to help him, then he wanted Lazarus sent to warn his five brothers about the place of torment so they wouldn’t have to go there when they died. Abraham simply explained that they could read the words of Moses and the prophets (that is, the Old Testament) and there find the warnings about the place of torment. If those brothers hadn’t heeded the major message of God in his word, they would not heed a messenger.

  •  LIFE APPLICATION – HARD-CORE SKEPTIC
  • In his life, the rich man refused to listen to God’s command to be generous to the poor. Honest and difficult questions about God will always tug at the minds and hearts of honest searchers who are open and curious and do not regard questions as threats or sins. Hard-core skeptics reject such questions as unsolvable and therefore unimportant. Their minds are resolved to avoid matters of faith, God, and eternity.   If you have questions, that’s good. Keep looking for answers. If you have given up, take this story’s warning. The serious pursuit of good questions is our human responsibility; an uncaring disposition erects a high wall between you and truth. One day all must give an account for rejecting God.

16:30-31 Perhaps the rich man knew his brothers only too well. The suggestion that they read God’s word (or listen to it read in the synagogue) met with a no. It just wouldn’t happen—probably for the same reasons that the rich man himself never had heeded the warnings therein. So the rich man begged that someone from the dead go back to them. Surely, then, they would turn from their sins. Abraham answered that if these brothers did not listen to Moses and the prophets, then they won’t listen even if someone rises from the dead and appears to them.

Notice the irony in Jesus’ statement; on his way to Jerusalem to die, he was fully aware that even when he had risen from the dead, most of the religious leaders would not accept him. They were set in their ways, and neither Scripture nor God’s Son himself would shake them loose.

www.Upwards.Church

Message Audio/Video and Outline: https://upwards.church/leander-campus/watch-now-message-videos

Watch Messages: YouTube-Upwards Church

Facebook: Upwards Church

Read Along Daily Bible Reading: YouVersion (https://www.bible.com/organizations/370f8a6e-16bc-464f-8c43-0b7623fd2952)

Sources:  Bible Background Commentary, Bible Knowledge Commentary, Life Application Bible Commentary, Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary

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A Parable about a Great Banquet – Luke 14:15-24

Posted on April 7, 2025 by dkoop

“A certain man was preparing a great banquet” Luke: 14:16

The “certain man” in this story represents God. This much is obvious and not usually debated. What is interesting and instructive is that this man, who represents God, is “preparing a great banquet.” In other words, God is preparing for a celebration.

This is a rather shocking picture of God for many people today. God is usually perceived as the Heavenly Sheriff who’s ready to give you a ticket for the slightest infraction, or he is perceived like a miserly boss at work who you hope to please by enough hard work and sacrifice. Rarely is God perceived as one who would throw a party or a banquet, yet in the Bible this is a regular theme and presentation.

For instance, in the story of the Prodigal Son, the father who represents God in the story throws a party or banquet for the son upon his return. Revelation 19:9 refers to God’s people participating in a great party known as the “Great Wedding Supper or Banquet of the Lamb.” In Isaiah 55 God invites everyone to freely come and share at his table where there is “wine and milk” and you can “eat what is good and delight in the richest of fare.” Even the religious life for the ancient Israelites revolved around seven feast or celebrations. Considering all these things it is very evident that God isn’t what some people perceive Him tom be. He loves to celebrate and prepares for his people to experience his joyous celebrations.

I want you to understand what God is truly like! People constantly think that God wants to take something away from them. People think that following God means a joyless existence because God is stern and demanding. This understanding of God is a caricature of religion and not the reality of God’s character.

  …and invited many guests.”  (Vs. 16)

It was customary to in that day to send two invitations.  One to announce the event:  days or weeks before the event occurred.  The second, a verbal summons to tell the guests everything was ready.  It seems strange to us today but both Jewish society and Roman society of that day practiced the courtesy of sending a personal summons at the dinner hour.

The guests in Jesus story insulted the host by making excuses when he issued the second invitation.  In Israel’s history God’s first invitation came from Moses and the prophets.  The second invitation came from Jesus, (God in the flesh).  The religious leaders accepted the first invitation, but they wouldn’t accept Jesus. They insulted God by refusing to accept Jesus.

  • What is this party or banquet referring to? Heaven

 A man’s comment causes Jesus to tell this parable.  He said, “Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” Luke 14:15

What is this banquet or party referring to?  Salvation or entering God’s Kingdom, it is an invitation to God’s house.  If you’re invited to someone’s house for the first time, there is element of curiosity, anticipation and excitement.  What does their house look like?, what kind of food will there be? What will we do, what will we talk about?  This is an invitation to God’s house.

 “Everything is now ready” stated the invitation This is no potluck supper.  You and I are not required to bring anything …   but ourselves to the Lord’s Party.

 The invitation is very simple. Come

 “At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’”  (Vs. 17)

 Not a word about “do this” and then I can come, “clean up my act” and then I can come. I am extended a “just as I am” invitation.  

We cannot achieve heaven and we can’t earn it.  It is complete.  It’s done.  We just have to come.  All that is missing from the party is you.   All that is missing from the party are those that don’t come.

The servant was not selling tickets for admission. It was not a $5,000 a plate fundraiser. It wasn’t a benefit supper where you kick in whatever you feel led. It wasn’t even a kingdom potluck, where you bring a main dish and salad or dessert. The master says, “Come, for everything is ready now.” All you need to bring is yourself. It is totally free for you, because the host picked up the tab. You eat at His expense.

This is one of the most beautiful things about God’s gospel invitation, and yet it is one of the most difficult things for people to accept because it means that they cannot take any credit for themselves. If they can offer something in exchange for the meal, they feel better about it, but to come and eat freely is an affront to their dignity and pride. But there is only one way that God offers His salvation: He pays for it all and all you can do is come and receive it freely.

Will you receive God’s gift of salvation for free?

Those invited to a free banquet in this parable would hardly look for a way out!  When this occurred in Jesus parable, no doubt his listeners sat up and listened to what happened next.

Am I Making Excuses?  (18-20)

“But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’  Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’”  (Vs. 18-20)

Jesus offered three examples of excuses offered to the host.  The excuses came from the ordinary course of business and family life.   They were polite.  “Please excuse me”

What do you think these same people if invited to another banquet a year later would have said?  Doubtless business would be more demanding; more acres and more livestock would have been purchased.  Family life would have been more engrossing.

 Were these good excuses?  Before you answer, consider this story.   A man asked his neighbor if he could borrow a ladder.   Sorry, I can’t let you borrow the ladder, said the neighbor, it’s leaning against the wall and it keeps the wall from falling down.  Why that’s ridiculous declared the man, your ladder doesn’t hold up the wall!”  True, the neighbor replied but when you don’t want to do something one excuse is as good as another.”

Most people agree that these business people would have not bought a piece of property or yolk of oxen sight unseen.  They would have looked at the property or the oxen first.  And newly married people went to parties as well to get established socially, it was insulting not to and a young man would want to look good in the eyes of the community for his social business reasons;  so this doesn’t make sense.  What all these boil down to are just excuses.

  • Excuses reveal my priorities.
  • Life consists of priorities and choices. I give my attention to my priorities. 

When I was single and very busy someone mentioned dating or girlfriend and I remarked that I was glad there wasn’t one because I don’t have time for her.  They said and I’ll never forget, “You will make time for what is important to you.”   So when the Lord brought Niki into my life I did make time for her and I still do because she is important to me.

 I will make time for what is important to me.

When you say, I don’t have time Lord, You have just revealed where the Lord is in your priorities.    So we make excuses… Our excuses are just as silly as theirs were.

 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant…”  (Vs. 21)

 Notice that the host hurt.  How do you feel when people give you lame excuses?  We would be angry and the host in the story is angry too.

The spiritual meaning is that if you refuse God’s invitation to salvation, you risk receiving his anger.  Rejection hurts.  There is no pain like rejection.  God feels this too.

If I refuse God’s invitation to salvation, I will receive his anger.

 Am I Inviting Others?  (21-24)

 If I have accepted God’s invitation to his party, I need to invite others.

  “…Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.”  (Vs. 21)

Wait a minute! This is where the town beggars and outcasts stayed   YES!  “bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.”   These groups represent people that begged for a living; people that were dirty or drunk, bums and the homeless.  Normally they would not be invited to banquets.

  • Jesus is saying that salvation is free to all people, even those I might consider undesirable.

In college if you try to join a certain sorority or fraternity you may not be accepted.  They may black ball you.  Some churches even won’t receive you.  But Christ will!  No matter who you are or what you have done, Christ accepts you!

A minister in Minnesota observed the hurt feelings of and depression of high school students without dates on Senior Prom Night.  John Carlson decided to do something for those not in the popular and beautiful crowd.  He planned an alternative party for all those without dates on prom night.   It took place on the same night as the Senior Prom and the students loved it.  There was no stopping this party, the press heard about it and spread the news.  A large corporation decided to give watches to all those who attended.  Other companies soon joined in.  Soon a bag full of gifts was given to everyone at the alternative prom.  It had more to offer. Some students who even could get date wouldn’t so they could go.  It was better party.

Heaven is the best party and it lasts forever.  Some of the “best” people (in the world’s eyes), the rich and famous, may not be there.  They need to accept the invitation.   They are too busy making money, movies, partying to accept God’s invitation.

“‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’”  (Vs. 22)

 This passage suggests the enormity of the party. There is always room for one  The salvation of God is open to all who will respond. 

 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel (KJV) them to come in, so that my house will be full.’” (Vs. 23)

We have searched the city now go into the country!   This is where the lepers, outlaws and outcasts would be.  The banquet is for all people, all of us together, all races, classes,  all people for Jesus.   We who have accepted God’s invitation to the Party, we need to compel others to come to the party.

Notice the phrase “make them or compel them to come in” This is great.  Some people will need some prodding.  We are not to force them. But we are to lovingly be persistent.   They may be reluctant at first to come.

  • Some people will need some prodding to come. They may be reluctant at first to come.  Don’t force them – be lovingly persistent. 

 “I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.”  (Vs. 24)

 If I fail to accept God’s invitation, I will not enjoy the blessings of his salvation. I will be separated from God. 

To each of us today Jesus issues the same urgent invitation, “Come for everything is now ready” Will you come?  If you’re a seeker or unbeliever, Christ invites you just as you are.  You don’t have to do anything except receive Jesus and his invitation to heaven.

 As a believer I am responsible to invite others.

 For those of you who are believers you are responsible to invite others:  friends, neighbors, and co-workers.  We are God’s servants to bring others.  Do you know how Peter came to be a disciple? His brother Andrew brought him to Jesus.  He said, “Hey Pete, come see this guy who may be the Messiah” Peter had to be invited!   Did you know Billy Graham became a Christian because someone invited him to a revival service?    I am not saying to be obnoxious or rude.  Just care enough to invite someone.  This day with the corona virus we can’t invite to an actual building but we can invite to our streaming service.  You don’t have to be a Billy Graham or an Apostle Peter but you could invite one who could become one.

We are to be inviting others and serving others.  This is what it is to be God’s servant.  This story is only a few chapters after Jesus sent out the 72 (his 12 disciples and 60 others) to the towns and villages around. (Luke 10)  They were sent, they were not to sit around and sing “kumbaya.” There are people ready to come, ready to be invited, ready to have someone who cares for them, but few who will invite, few who will care.  Will you believer, care enough to invite?

Darrell

www.Upwards.Church

Message Audio/Video and Outline: https://upwards.church/leander-campus/watch-now-message-videos

Watch Messages: YouTube-Upwards Church

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Invitation and Introduction – Kingdom Parables in Luke

Posted on April 4, 2025 by dkoop

You’re invited to our new message series:  Kingdom Parables from the book of Luke!

Description: Have you heard a great story lately? We all love a story that we can relate to.  Jesus was a master story teller who told stories with a spiritual point called Parables.  Since the human spirit is the same in each generation, we find Jesus’ Parables as relevant today as the day he told them.  Our spring message series will examine some of the most beloved Parables by Jesus in the book of Luke.  Pull up a chair and join us for Kingdom Parables!

Dates                      Titles                                              Events

April 6 – A Parable about a Party (Great Banquet)

April 13 – A Parable about Death (Lazarus & the Rich Man) Palm Sunday, Communion

April 20 – A Resurrection Appearance (Road to Emmaus)                          EASTER

April 27 – A Parable About Serving (Talents)                    Serving Emphasis /Mission

May 4 – A Parable about Neighbors (Good Samaritan)      Mission Emphasis

May 11 –A Parable about Needs (Widow, Tax Collector)                            Mothers’ Day

Introduction to Luke’s Parables

The parables of Jesus were stories He told to illustrate spiritual truth with everyday things. Seeds, fish, trees, bread — things people could easily relate to. While the parables He told sparked spiritual understanding in some people, they also served to make others aware of their own darkened spirituality.

Jesus did not code His teaching to prevent some people from understanding, since all equally would understand the imagery. All those gathered there certainly comprehended the aspects of the stories related to their everyday lives. Instead, His teaching divided the listeners into two groups based on their own responses.

His miracles had attracted many, and others had perhaps been astonished by His earlier teaching. But the parables themselves, just as in the story of the seed falling on various places (Matthew 13:3-9), revealed the true nature of their responses and their real decisions. Those committed to the Kingdom of God would seek and find further understanding. But those uncommitted—perhaps listening only because of the initial excitement—would reject the teaching as unintelligible.

However, some responded to their uncomfortable lack of understanding by pressing into Jesus harder. Nicodemus and the woman at the well are two examples of people who thought they understood the truth about spirituality and when they were confronted with Jesus’ unsettling words, they pushed into Him instead of drawing away.

Why Did Jesus Use Parables to Teach?

Jesus, a master storyteller, used parables to put the substance of faith into concrete form. He wanted to direct his hearer’s thinking and actions into a new realm of thought. Using parables, he shocked his hearers, called them to action, and challenged their ideals and values. Parables are more than stories; they proclaim the Gospel and call us to respond. As Jesus’ ministry continued, his teachings transitioned from direct instruction to clothed in parables. There are two reasons for this. One, following Jesus’ brilliant Sermon on the Mount, the Pharisees and many of his followers began rejecting his message. Two, it was to fulfill Isaiah’s prediction that some people would be ever hearing but never understanding because of their calloused hearts.

Toward the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, he faced increasing resistance and disbelief. Many times, he used parables to answer his critics. Parables became the vehicle to conceal truth from his enemies and reveal it to his followers. In his final six months, he told twenty-nine parables that centered on the future aspects of the Kingdom to be sought after.

How to Interpret Parables

While parables use comparison and analogy, we cannot confuse them with allegories. An allegory makes many comparisons through a coded message and each detail is a separate metaphor. There are four basic guidelines for interpreting parables. Following these four guidelines will help us determine the central meaning of each parable.

Our first step in interpreting parables is not overemphasizing the details in the parable. Each parable has one main truth to convey and the details support that truth. They do not detract from the truth Jesus intended. When we assign too much weight to the details, we miss the main point of the truth Jesus taught.

Second, we need to determine whether Jesus supplied the meaning of the parable. Many times, Matthew, Mark, and Luke note that Jesus gives a detailed explanation of the parable. We would be wise not to deviate from Jesus’ clarification.

Third, we need to remember that a parable represents a figure of speech and requires careful interpretation. This means that we need to avoid using parables as the foundation of doctrine. Parables are not the foundation or source of doctrine. They are illustrations Jesus used to support his teachings.

Fourth, context, context, context. When we interpret parables, we need to read the text before and after the parable. Then we ask: What is happening? What is the parable in response to? Who is there? What is the cultural context? For example, in the biblical sense, the word mystery means something revealed. But in our cultural understanding, it means something hidden. Biblical cultural context matters.

Parables Call Us to Action

Jesus used parables as a teaching method to illustrate his points. We learn that he calls us to his kingdom, he desires to save, they tell us how to live for him, and they inform us of future events. Every parable supports but does not define Jesus’ teachings. They are the best kind of stories and bring color to our lives today. They still provoke a call to action in us and remind us that God’s word is living and active, useful for everyday life.

List of Luke’s Parables

Each parable Jesus told served to bring truth and that truth functioned like a knife separating those who wanted truth and those who didn’t.

Here is a simplified list of topics included in Jesus’ parables. Many of the parables described the Kingdom of Heaven, not just heaven the place, but heaven as a kingdom with a purpose.

How The Kingdom Of Heaven Works (How God’s Character/Values Are Revealed)

How God Responds to Those Who Have Gone Astray

Why Does This Matter Today?

While the parables reveal spiritual truth through practical illustrations, regardless of whether or not a sowing seed hits us personally in our day-to-day living, just like the original audience, the parables require us to decide if we press into or turn away from the Scripture we understand. Will we respond like the disciples who followed Jesus until His words seemed too radical or will we, like Peter, Nicodemus, and the woman at the well, follow Him all the more when His words are hard to swallow?

www.Upwards.Church

Message Audio/Video and Outline: https://upwards.church/leander-campus/watch-now-message-videos

Watch Messages: YouTube-Upwards Church

Facebook: Upwards Church

Read Along Daily Bible Reading: YouVersion (https://www.bible.com/organizations/370f8a6e-16bc-464f-8c43-0b7623fd2952)

 

Sources: https://www.christianity.com/jesus/life-of-jesus/parables/why-did-jesus-teach-in-parables.html

https://www.christianity.com/11820931/

https://www.christianity.com/newsletters/evangelism-weekly/what-is-the-meaning-behind-parables.html

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When God is Savior – Habakkuk 3

Posted on March 31, 2025 by dkoop

When Habakkuk started his book, he was in a “low place” questioning God. Then he climbed higher and stood on the watchtower, waiting for God to reply. After hearing God’s Word and seeing God’s glory, he became like a mountain climber who raises his hands in excitement at reaching the top of the mountain. His circumstances hadn’t changed, but he had changed, and now he was walking by faith instead of sight. He was living by promises, not explanations.

It isn’t easy to climb higher in the life of faith, but who wants to live in the low place? Like Habakkuk, we must honestly talk to God about our difficulties, we must pray, we must meditate on God’s Word, and we must be willing to wait for the Lord to reveal Himself to us.   But it will be worth it as we reach new summits of faith and discover new opportunities for growth and service.

What took Habakkuk from the valley to the peak? The same spiritual disciplines that can take us there: prayer, praise, and faith.

  1. PRAYER: Pray For the Work of God (VV. 1-2)

Prayer is the ultimate way to get answers to questions about God and His work in the world. We must seek our answers directly from the Lord and from His Word. Books, theology, philosophy, science, advanced education, seminaries, Bible colleges, the thoughts and wisdom of others—none of these is a substitute for seeking the face of God Himself. This is the lesson of Habakkuk. We must go to God Himself and to His Word for answers to our questions.

This chapter is a “prayer psalm” that may have been used in the temple worship in Jerusalem. (For the other “prayer psalms,” see Psalm 17; 86; 90; 102; and 142.) The prophet was now praying to the Lord and not arguing with the Lord, and his prayer soon became praise and worship.

This prayer of praise focuses on the splendor and power of God, His majesty and mighty work in the world, and particularly His saving acts in the history of Israel. The unfamiliar word shigionoth (v. 1) was likely a musical notation that gave instructions as to how the song should be sung, possibly its tune or melody (also mentioned in Psalm 7). The word selah, a pause or musical note, is another example (vv. 3, 9, 13), and is commonly found in the Psalms.  This reference may strongly indicate that Habakkuk was a priest or Levite who served in worship at the Temple.

Habakkuk requested two things from the Lord (v. 2b). These are the only requests in Habakkuk’s long prayer of praise, but they were significant, being the most urgent needs he and his people had.

a. Habakkuk prayed for God to work among His people. The prophet longed for a fresh outpouring of the presence of God. Habakkuk’s prayer begins in this way: “Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known” Habakkuk prayed because he was overwhelmed by God’s splendor. “I stand in awe of Your deeds” ( 3:2, NIV).

*For Us Today:  We are called to acknowledge God’s work and to stand in awe of Him. This is true even when we do not understand God’s ways or His plans. Habakkuk did not understand why God would use such a wicked nation as Babylon to punish His own people. In fact, he had many questions that were not fully answered. Yet, the prophet composed a soaring hymn of praise to the Lord. He acknowledged the Lord’s majesty and stood in awe of His deeds—even though he did not understand them. He feared and revered the Lord despite his own confusion. As believers, we are all called to do just the same.

b.  Habakkuk Prayed for Mercy Finally, Habakkuk prayed because He wanted God to show mercy. The prophet agreed that the people of Judah deserved to be punished, and that God’s punishment would work out for their good, but He asked that God’s heart of love would reveal itself in mercy. He was like Moses when he interceded for the nation at Mt. Sinai ( 32) and at Kadesh Barnea (Num. 14). Perhaps Habakkuk had the promise of Isaiah 54:7-8 in mind as he prayed, and see Jeremiah 10:23-24. Certainly the Lord did show mercy to the Jews, for He preserved them in Babylon and then permitted a remnant to return to their land and establish the nation.

*For Us Today If, like Habakkuk, you ever become discouraged about the condition of the church, the state of the world, or your own spiritual life, take time to pray and seek God’s mercy. The greatest need today is for intercessors. (Isa. 59:16).

It may not look today as if God is not doing anything, but if you and I could see what is moving behind the scenes and see the wheels that are turning; I think that we would be as surprised as Habakkuk was. I think we too, would cry out to God for mercy.  Many believers today have thrown up their hands about the conditions in our own country — they’ve just given up. We all feel that way at times, don’t we? But, God is moving today in judgment, and somebody needs to cry out to Him and say, “Oh, Lord, as you are moving in judgment, don’t forget to be merciful to us. We need your mercy.” This great nation of ours needs the mercy of God today.  We have been on an ego trip. We have really had a flight of pride, of being the greatest nation in the world.  What would we do in the time of a major crisis?

  1. PRAISE: Praising The Greatness Of God (VV. 3-15),

God came in splendor (3:3-5). According to some scholars, Mt. Paran is another name for the entire Sinai Peninsula, or for Mt. Sinai itself (Deut. 33:2). Teman is usually identified with Edom. In this song, Habakkuk seems to be retracing the march of Israel from Sinai to the Promised Land.

Everything about this stanza reveals the glory of God. He is called “the Holy One” (Hab. 3:3, and see 1:12), a name used in Isaiah at least thirty times. “His glory covered the heavens” (3:3) is an anticipation of the time when His glory will cover all the earth (2:14). God’s appearance was like the lightning that plays across the heavens before the storm breaks. All of creation joined in praising Him as “the earth was full of His praise.” God’s brightness was like the sunrise only to a greater degree (see Matt. 17:2). “Horns” means “rays“: “rays flashed from His hand (Hab. 3:4, NIV) where His power was hidden.

Verse 5 takes us to Egypt, where God revealed His power and glory in the plagues and pestilences that devastated the land and took the lives of the firstborn (Ex. 7-12). Those ten plagues were not only punishment because of Pharaoh’s hardness of heart; they also revealed the vanity of Egypt’s gods. “Against all the gods of Egypt will I execute judgment: I am the Lord” (Ex. 12:12; Ps. 78:50). But this verse might also include the various judgments God sent to Israel when they disobeyed Him from time to time during their wilderness march.

God stood in power (3:6-7). Invading generals either push forward to gain ground or they fall back in retreat, but the Lord simply stood and faced the enemy unafraid. In fact, He calmly measured the earth as a sign that He possessed it. To measure something is an indication that it’s yours and you can do with it what you please. It’s also a preliminary step to action, as though the Lord were surveying the situation and estimating how much power it would take to execute His wrath on the nations. The Lord revealed His power when He shook the earth at Sinai before He delivered His Law to Israel (Ex. 19:18; Heb. 12:18-21).

The nations that lay between Egypt and Canaan are typified by Cushan and Midian, two peoples living near Edom. As the news of the exodus from Egypt spread quickly through the nations, the people were terribly frightened and wondered what would happen to them when Israel arrived on the scene (Ex. 15:14-16; 23:27; Deut. 2:25; Josh. 2:8-11).

*For Us Today:  These verses clearly demonstrate God’s incomprehensible power over nature. Most of us fear to even think that God would use the same natural disasters and pestilence today. Far fewer of us are bold enough to declare the truth of God’s coming judgment and the fearsomeness of His power to others. Such a warning might make us appear fanatical. Yet, one thing is definitely true: if God chooses, He can demonstrate the same power or any other supernatural act today, whether to get our attention or to correct the ways of His people. God’s Word makes it clear that He has done this throughout the history of the world. God’s Word also declares that as world history draws to a close, natural disasters and pestilence will increase and be more devastating. And God will be behind it all, using it all for His purposes.  See also:  (Mt. 24:7), Re. 6:1-6), (Re. 11:13, 19), (Re. 16:17-19).

God moved in victory (Hab. 3:8-15) Habakkuk uses dynamic poetic imagery to describe Israel’s march through the wilderness as they followed the Lord to the Promised Land and then claimed their inheritance. The Red Sea opened to let Israel out of Egypt, and the Jordan opened to let Israel into Canaan. The Egyptian chariots and their occupants were drowned, but God’s chariots were chariots of salvation. Verse 9 pictures the various battles that the Israelites fought en route to Canaan, battles that the Lord won for them as they trusted Him and obeyed His commands.

In verse 10, we move into the Promised Land and see Israel conquering the enemy. God was in complete control of land and water and used His creation to defeat the Canaanites. Verse 10 describes the victory of Deborah and Barak over Sisera (Judges 4-5), when a sudden rainstorm turned their battlefield into a swamp and left the enemy’s chariots completely useless. In Habakkuk 3:11, we have the famous miracle of Joshua when the day was prolonged so Joshua would have more time for a total victory (Josh. 10:12-13). Leading His army, God marched through Canaan like a farmer threshing grain, and His people claimed their inheritance (Hab. 3:12).

Expositors aren’t agreed as to what historical event is described in verses 13-15. Perhaps the prophet is referring to the various times God had to deliver His people, as recorded in the Book of Judges, and the “anointed one” would then be the judges. He raised up and used to bring deliverance (Judges 2:10-19).

However, perhaps Habakkuk was looking ahead and describing the deliverance of God’s people from the Babylonian Captivity. God brought the Medes and Persians to crush Babylon and then to” permit the Jews to return to their land (Ezra 1:1-4). The image of God stripping Babylon “from head to foot” (Hab. 3:13, NIV) parallels what Jeremiah prophesied in Jeremiah 50—51. Perhaps Habakkuk was looking both to the past (the Exodus) and to the future (deliverance from Babylon) and using the ancient victory to encourage the people to expect a new victory

In this hymn, Habakkuk describes his God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the God of glory who reveals His glory in creation and in history. He is the living God who makes the dead idols of the nations look ridiculous. He is the God of power who can command land and sea, heaven, and earth, and therefore, He is the God of victory who leads His people in triumph.

*For Us Today:  There is no substitute for understanding the greatness of God, whether in our messages or in our songs. The shallowness of some contemporary messages, books, and songs may be the major contributing factor to the weakness of the church and the increase in “religious entertainment” in meetings where we ought to be praising God. The thing that lifted Habakkuk to the mountaintop was his understanding of the greatness of God. We need a return to the kind of worship that focuses on the glory of God and seeks to honor Him alone.

  1. FAITH: Affirm The Will Of God (vv. 16-19).

This is one of the greatest confessions of faith found anywhere in Scripture. Habakkuk has faced the frightening fact that his nation will be invaded by a merciless enemy. The prophet knows that many of the people will go into exile and many will be slain. The land will be ruined, and Jerusalem and the temple will be destroyed. Yet he tells God that he will trust Him no matter what happens! Listen to his confession of faith.

“I will wait patiently on the Lord” (3:16). If Habakkuk had depended on his feelings, he would never have made this great confession of faith. If Habakkuk looked ahead, he saw a nation heading for destruction, and that frightened him. When he looked within, he saw himself trembling with fear, and when he looked around, he saw everything in the economy about to fall apart. But when he looked up by faith, he saw God, and all his fears vanished. To walk by faith means to focus on the greatness and glory of God.

One of the marks of faith is a willingness to wait patiently for the Lord to work. “Whoever believes will not act hastily” (Isa. 28:16, NKJV). When we run ahead of God, we get into trouble. Abraham learned that lesson when he married Hagar and fathered Ishmael (Gen. 16), and so did Moses when he tried to deliver the Jews by his own hand (Ex. 2). “In quietness and confidence shall be your strength” (Isa. 3:15).

Habakkuk could wait quietly because he knew that God was at work in the world (Hab. 1:5), and he had prayed that God’s work would be kept alive and strong (3:2). When you know that God is working in your life, you can afford to wait quietly and let Him have His way. Furthermore, God had commanded him to wait (2:3), and “God’s commandments are God’s enablement’s.” No matter what we see and no matter how we feel, we must depend on God’s promises and not allow ourselves to “fall apart.” “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him” (Ps. 37:7).

Over the years, I’ve often leaned on a verse that has helped me wait patiently on the Lord. “Be still and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10). Whenever we find ourselves getting “churned up” within, we can be sure that we need to stop, pray, and wait on the Lord before we do some stupid thing.

“I will rejoice in the Lord” (3:17-18). By the time Babylon was through with the land of Judah, there wouldn’t be much of value left (2:17). Buildings would be destroyed, treasures would be plundered, and farms and orchards would be devastated. The economy would fall apart and there would be little to sing about. But God would still be on His throne, working out His divine purposes for His people (Rom. 8:28). Habakkuk couldn’t rejoice in his circumstances, but he could rejoice in his God!

The prophet’s testimony here reminds us of Paul’s admonitions to believers today: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thes. 5:16-18, NKJV). Habakkuk discovered that God was his strength (Hab. 3:19) and song as well as his salvation (see Isa. 12:1-2; Ex. 15:2; Ps. 118:14); and therefore he had nothing to fear.

It’s one thing to “whistle in the dark” and try to bolster our courage, and quite something else to sing about the eternal God who never fails. Though his lips were trembling and his legs were shaking (Hab. 3:16, NIV), the prophet burst into song and worshiped his God. What an example for us to follow! It reminds us of our Lord before He went to the cross (Mark 14:26), and Paul and Silas in the Philippian dungeon (Acts 16:19-34). God can give us “songs in the night” (Pss. 42:8; 77:6; Job 35:10) if we’ll trust Him and see His greatness.

“I will rely on the Lord” (3:19). If my legs were shaking and my heart pounding, I’d find a safe place to sit down and relax, but Habakkuk began to bound up the mountain like a deer! Because of his faith in the Lord, he was able to stand and be as surefooted as a deer; he was able to run swiftly and go higher than he’d ever gone before. This is one reason why the Lord permits us to go through trials: they can draw us nearer to Him and lift us above the circumstances so that we walk on the heights with him.

God made us for the heights. If He allows us to go into the valley, it’s so we might wait on Him and mount up with eagles’ wings (Isa. 40:30-31). “He made him to ride on the high places of the earth” (Deut. 32:13). This is what David experienced when he was being chased by his enemies and by Saul: “It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places” (Ps. 18:32-33).

*For Us Today: Oftentimes, we do not understand God’s judgment or why He brings affliction into our lives. We cannot comprehend why He allows bad things to happen to us or to those we love. God’s Word teaches that He uses trials and afflictions for many reasons: to strengthen us, to correct us, to discipline us, to force us to turn from sin. Simply stated, God uses trials and tribulations in order to protect us and society—to keep us from harming ourselves and others. Apart from such judgment, many more people would continue in sin, causing more and more injury, corruption, and suffering in the world. More people would be doomed to eternal separation from God. Seen in this light, God’s judgment is an incredible act of mercy. In fact, many of the trials and afflictions we suffer in life are truly blessings in disguise. This is why Habakkuk was able to rejoice and praise the Lord even though judgment was coming. God’s Word speaks clearly on this subject:  (Mt. 7:25), (2 Co. 4:17),  (He. 12:11), (James 1:12), (1 Pe. 1:7), (Re. 2:10), (Job. 23:10),  (Ps. 119:67). (Zec. 13:9).

Habakkuk teaches us to face our doubts and questions honestly, take them humbly to the Lord, wait for His Word to teach us, and then worship Him no matter how we feel or what we see.

God doesn’t always change the circumstances, but He can change us to meet the circumstances. That’s what it means to live by faith.

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Read Along Daily Bible Reading: YouVersion (https://www.bible.com/organizations/370f8a6e-16bc-464f-8c43-0b7623fd2952)

Sources:
Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) – Old Testament
Boice Expositional Commentary – An Expositional Commentary – The Minor Prophets, Volume 2: Micah-Malachi.
J. Vernon McGee’s Thru The Bible
Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible – Commentary – The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible – Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.
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