God Arrives. His Glory Covers the Earth Habakkuk 3:3 - Equipped for Battle

Habakkuk wondered where God was in the midst of all the trouble in the world around him. He had difficultly understanding why God did not intervene, and once God shared his method of intervention, Habakkuk couldn't believe God's means. Now that God's plan was explained, Habakkuk responds in this loud, musical prayer, and today we see Habakkuk reference to God's past movements to declare His future coming. He wrote in Habakkuk chapter three and verse three:

God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.

Habakkuk first declares, “God came from Teman” or the area of the Edomites. Habakkuk refers to the days when God gave the ten commandments upon Mount Sinai. God's presence and glory was so powerful that the people cried out for Moses to commune with God alone rather than they participate.

Then Habakkuk states, “and the Holy One from mount Paran,” which is from the south area. In other words, God is moving from the north, from the south, and covering the Earth with His presence. The next word is important, “Selah.” The idea is to pause and think about this. Remember we are in the middle of a song, and this pause should cause everyone who sings it to stop for a moment and consider what was just expressed. God has been with them. God will be with them, and the words Habakkuk is writing is a reminder for us that Jesus will come again as was promised by the angels on the day when He ascended back into heaven. The writer of the book of Acts wrote in chapter one and verse eleven:

You men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven.

Jesus is coming back again, and as Habakkuk shares about God, “His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise,” so shall it be when Jesus returns.

The glory of God covers the heavens, but the earth is not always full of His praise. Unfortunately at this time many do not praise God and even more brazen people curse Him. This will not always be the case. As God had a plan for Habakkuk's day, God has a plan for ours. We may not always understand His plan, but He is working toward the day when He will arrive not only physically, but within the circumstances in which we dwell.

It takes faith to believe that God has a plan and He is working it out, especially when we wonder if He is even concerned. But we should take courage, God is not only concerned but has our greatest interest in mind. We may not understand His methods or ways, but we can trust that He is well on His way to not only having His glory and praise cover the heavens and earth, but also to have us participate within our hearts and minds in giving glory and praise to Him.

Next time we will continue this prayer and song of Habakkuk, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow...there is more...

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