Message Notes

YAG 6th RETREAT
Pulai Springs, JB
8-10 November 2007
Theme: “Revive me”

Session 2

6. A Study of Habakkuk

A Brief Outline

a) Concerns felt by the prophet Habakkuk

i) Prevalence of wickedness in Israel             Habakkuk 1:1-4

ii) Answer of the Lord                                       Habakkuk 1:5-11

b) Concerns about God’s answer/solution offered

i) Would God’s answer be too drastic?          Habakkuk 1:12-2:1

ii) God’s further reply                                       Habakkuk 2:2-20

c) Habakkuk’s long prayer as a response             Habakkuk 3:1-19

d) The subject of Revival in the book of Habakkuk

O LORD, I have heard Your speech and was afraid;
O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years!
In the midst of the years make it known;
In wrath remember mercy                                    Habakkuk 3:2

7. Key thoughts/words/phrases

Concept of “The fear of the Lord” well applied in Habakkuk           Habakkuk 3:2

a) “Afraid”

i) Of God’s speech     (Cf. Habakkuk 1:5-11; 2:2-20)

ii) Of God’s revealed plan concerning the discipline of Judah and the Babylonians

iii) Of the suffering that would come as a result of the Babylonians

iv) Evaluation of this sense of “fear”

b) “Revive Your work in the midst of the years”

i) Acceptance of God’s revealed will

ii) Plea for Revival versus total destruction

c) “In the midst of the years make it known”

i) That true Revival prayed for had indeed taken place

ii) That God had once again returned to His people

d) “In wrath remember mercy”

i) Acceptance of God’s righteous anger (Cf. Psalm 90)

ii) Plea for “mercy”

iii) Foundational theological truths
(Exodus 34:5-7; Psalm 86: 5, 13, 15)

8. Renewed Faith

a) “Though-Faith”

Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olives may fail, and the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls-
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will joy in the God of my salvation         Habakkuk 3:17-18

i) A faith that accepts that Adversity may prevail

ii) A faith that will always find joy in the Lord

b) Strengthened faith

The LORD God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer’s feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills            Habakkuk 3:18

i) Living in God’s strength                                      Habakkuk 3:19

ii) Deer’s feet                                                             Habakkuk 3:19

iii) Walking on the high hills                                 Habakkuk 3:19

ADDENDA – OTHER PROPHETS WHO PRAYED FOR REVIVAL

1. Hosea

Come, let us return to the LORD;
For He has torn, but He will heal us;
He has stricken, but He will bind us up.
After two days He will revive us;
On the third day He will raise us up,
That we may live in His sight.                     Hosea 6:1-2

2. Isaiah

For thus says the High and Lofty One
Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy;
I dwell in the high and holy place,
With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,
To revive the spirit of the humble,
And to revive the heart of the contrite ones          Isaiah 57:15

STUDIES IN HOSEA

Lessons from the history of ancient Israel

1. Things taken for granted

a) The mercies of the Lord                                                    Hosea 1:6… Lo-Ruhammah

b) The covenant-relationship of being God’s people       Hosea 1:9… Lo-Ammi

c) Closeness of relationship to God                                     Hosea 2:2… Wife/mother

d) Material blessings                                                              Hosea 2:9

e) Betrothal Covenantal-Love                                              Hosea 2:16-23

2. Things that caused the downfall of Israel

a) Idolatry                                                       Hosea 2:13; 3:1; 4:12

b) Lack of true knowledge of God              Hosea 4:1, 6

c) People-failure                                            Hosea 4:4

d) Priest-failure                                             Hosea 4:4, 9

e) Prophet-failure                                          Hosea 4:5

f) Stubbornness                                              Hosea 4:16

g) Rebellion                                                     Hosea 4:18

h) Dishonor                                                      Hosea 4:18

i) Short-lived faithfulness                              Hosea 6:4

j) Pride                                                               Hosea 6:5; 7:10

k) Murder                                                          Hosea 6:8

l) Unrepentant                                                  Hosea 7:10

m) Foolishness                                                 Hosea 7:11

n) Lies against God                                          Hosea 7:13

o) Devising of evil                                            Hosea 7:15

p) Transgression of Covenant                       Hosea 8:1

q) Forgetting God                                            Hosea 8:14

r) Corruption                                                    Hosea 9:9

s) Wickedness/Evil                                          Hosea 9:15; 10:15

t) Trusting in self                                              Hosea 10:13

u) Backsliding                                                   Hosea 11:7

v) Deceit                                                             Hosea 11:12

w) Oppression                                                   Hosea 12:7

x) Materialism (wealth)                                  Hosea 12:8

y) Bloodshed                                                      Hosea 12:14

z) Increasing of sins                                         Hosea 13:2