The just shall live by faith. God first declares this truth to His people in the oracle of Habakkuk. [1] The phrase is repeated in Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews and has ignited God’s people in many ways through the years. His choice of Habakkuk is justified as this prophet testifies to this truth in his own life.

Let’s just pretend that God awakened you one night and said:

I want to talk with you and confide in you some things that are going to happen in your country. The economy will collapse completely. Those countries that regard you as their enemy will attack bringing death and destruction randomly to any who stand in their way. Some of your people will be taken as slaves and your captors will show no mercy. Brother will be against brother in their fight for survival.

You have no doubt whatsoever about this being God who spoke to you and He

assigns you to share these ominous predictions with your people. How do you take this announcement?

This is exactly what happened to Habakkuk, called the “embracer” because of his love for God. We don’t know much about this minor prophet. but what we do know impresses us. He had this conversation with God and was appalled at the vision the Lord gave to him. You’re not going to believe what I am about to do, Habakkuk. I am raising up the Chaldeans to execute divine judgment on Judah because of her sinful ways. [2] Nebuchadnezzar, one of the great monarchs of Chaldea, was to be used by God to bring about the Babylonian captivity of seventy years. He then instructed Habakkuk to record this vision very clearly on tablets for everyone to read.

What was Habakkuk’s reaction? What would be your reaction?

I heard and my inward parts trembled, At the sound my lips quivered. Decay enters my bones, And in my place I tremble. Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress, For the people to arise who will invade us. [3] I think that would probably be our reaction, too. But Habakkuk accepted God’s plan and began a prayer vigil to watch and see what was to come. [4]

As Habakkuk lived with the plans God had shared with him and walked the narrow streets of Judah, observing the overt wickedness around him he came to a remarkable decision. “God’s plans are justified. Yes. This thing is surely going to come to pass. And though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, And makes me walk on my high places.

This is one of the most well known statements of commitment in the Bible. Peter declared his commitment, but reneged when the time came for stepping across the line in the sand. But we need to remember that Peter proved his commitment after the coming of the Holy Spirit. He had the power now to stand firm. Paul made several commitments, one of the best known is one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. [5] Paul, too, had the power of the Holy Spirit to bring about this commitment to “stand firm”

As always, the question comes to me: Can I stand firm? “Well, I can do my best. I’ve been in some pretty tough spots and I’ve come through.” You see, my strength was my god. The god I depended on to get me through every stress-filled day. Then I came across Habakkuk 1:11 which says, They will be found guilty, they whose strength is their God. Me? Guilty? Not me! I was a dedicated Christian. I did everything I could to impress the Lord – and people – all in Anabel’s strength This verse in Habakkuk was the verse God used to finally get my attention and to confess my “super-woman” strength that had carried me through most of my life.

Can I “stand firm” Lord? God quietly shook His head and said, It won’t work your way, Anabel. It must be my way. Stand you will, for the Lord, your God is able to make you stand. [6] You will meet Habakkuk one of these days, Anabel. You can hug him and tell him how his writing helped you. How you grasped from him his passion – his commitment to stand – you and all the others who declare, “The Lord God is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, And makes me walk on my high places.”

[1] Habakkuk 2:4

[2] Habakkuk 1:5

[3] Habakkuk 3:16

[4] Habakkuk 2:1

[5] Philippians 3:13-14

[6] Romans 14:4