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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 A prayer by Habakkuk the prophet,–in the manner of an Ode. |
A prayer – Habakkuk's entire prayer, recorded in this chapter of his prophecy, is symbolical. R5383:1
Rehearsing the trouble coming upon the world during the Day of the Lord from the Lord's standpoint, showing whose power really shakes the kingdoms and brings in everlasting rigtheousness. R622:4
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| 2 O Yahweh, I have heard tidings of thee, I am afraid. O Yahweh! Thy work–in the midst of the years, O revive it, in the midst of the years, wilt thou make known? In trouble, wilt thou remember, compassion? |
Thy speech – Thy fame. R622:5
Midst of the years – Of the time of trouble. R622:5
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| 3 GOD, from Teman, cometh in, and, the Holy One, from Mount Paran. Selah. His splendour, hath covered the heavens, and, his praise, hath filled the earth: |
From Teman – Using the marvellous display of God's power in Israel's deliverance from Egypt as an illustration of the world's deliverance at the establishment of the Kingdom. R622:4
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| 4 And, a brightness, as light, appeareth, Rays, out of his hand, hath he,–and, there, is the hiding of his power. |
His brightness – His Kingdom. R622:5
Light – Sunlight. R622:5
He had horns – Rays of light and blessing. R622:5
Out of his hand – Out of his every act. R622:5
The hiding – The secret; God's goodness is for a time kept secret, not recognized by men. R622:5
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| 5 Before him, marcheth pestilence,–and fever, goeth forth, at his feet: |
Went the pestilence – Moral pestilence shall flee as darkness before the rising sun. R622:5
Coals went forth – Dross and stubble shall be consumed as rigtheousness steps in. R622:5
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| 6 He hath stood and measured the earth, he hath looked, and caused nations to tremble, and, scattered as dust, are the perpetual mountains, and, sunk, are the age-abiding hills,–Forthgoings age-abiding, are his. |
Measured – Judged. R622:5
Drove asunder – Melted. R622:5
Everlasting mountains – Ancient governments. R622:5; A318
Scattered – Crushed to pieces. R622:5
Perpetual hills – Less autocratic governments. D551
Did bow – Sunk. R622:5
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| 7 Under distress, saw I the tents of Ethiopia,–tremble, do the curtains of the land of Midian. |
Tents of Cushan – The dwellings of darkness, of iniquity. R622:5
And the curtains – Those who caused the darkness. R622:5
Land of Midian – Strife. R622:5
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| 8 Against the rivers, is Yahweh wroth? Against the rivers, is thine anger? Against the sea, is thine indignation? For thou wilt ride on Thy horses, Thy chariots, [shall be] salvation! |
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| 9 To nakedness, is bared thy bow, oaths of chastisement–song! Selah. With rivers, thou dost cleave open the land. |
Oaths of the tribes – Like severe rods of punishment goeth forth thy sword. R622:6
Cleave – Open. R622:6
Rivers – Truth channels. R622:6
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| 10 The mountains, have seen thee–they tremble, a downpour of waters, hath passed along,–the roaring deep, hath given forth, his voice, on high–his hand, hath he uplifted. |
The mountains – Kingdoms. R1813:4
Of the water – The water of Present Truth. "The waters shall overflow the hiding place." (Isa. 28:17) R1813:4
Deep uttered his voice – "The sea and the waves roaring." (Luke 21:25) R1813:4
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| 11 Sun, moon, have stood still, on high,–like light, thine arrows, speed along, like brightness, is the flash of thy spear. |
The sun and moon – The Law and the Gospel. D590
Refers to a future event. R1813:3
Stood still – Were darkened. "The sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light." (Matt. 24:29) R1813:3
The miracle in Joshua's day was evidently typical of the power to be displayed by our Lord in the time of trouble. A61
See also comments on (Josh. 10:12, 13).
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| 12 In wrath, dost thou stride through the land,–in anger, dost thou thresh the nations. |
Thou didst march – Thou wilt tread the earth under foot in thy wrath. R622:6
Thresh the heathen – Astonish the nations. R622:6
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| 13 Thou hast come forth to the salvation of thy people, to salvation, with thine Anointed One,–Thou hast crushed the Head out of the house of the lawless one, baring the foundation up to the neck, Selah. |
With thine anointed – With thy Christ. R622:6
Woundedst the head – Satan. R622:6
Discovering – Destroying. R622:6
The foundation – Thus a complete overthrow. R622:6
Unto the neck – With its high-towering walls. R622:6
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| 14 Thou hast pierced, with his own staves, the head of his chiefs, they storm along, to scatter me,–their exultant thought, is, in very deed, to devour the oppressed one, in a secret place! |
With his staves – With his own spears. R622:6
The head of his villages – The chief of his warriors. R622:6
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| 15 Thou hast driven, into the sea, thy chariot-horses. Foaming are the mighty waters! |
Through the sea – The Lord's doctrines were enforced and conquered the great multitude-the "raging waves of the sea." (Jude 13) R622:6
With thine horses – With thy doctrines, which will then be enforced. R622:6
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| 16 I heard, and I trembled within me, at the voice, my lips, quivered, decay, entered, my bones, and, in my limbs, I trembled,–though I am to find rest, in the day of distress, when their invader, cometh up against the people. |
My belly trembled – My inmost parts trembled. R622:6
At the voice – At the report. R622:6
That I might rest – In the remembrance that the trouble brings the chariots of salvation for the deliverance of the just. R622:6
In this day only those can rest who are built upon the Rock foundation and are faithfully living up to their covenant of consecration. R622:6
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| 17 Though, the fig-tree, should not blossom, and there be no sprouting in the vines, the yield of the olive, should have deceived, and, the fields, not have brought forth food,–the flock, have been consumed out of the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls, |
The fig tree – But from God's standpoint, the fig tree (Israel) will be budding. R5384:4
Fruit be in the vines – The Church. The fruit of the vine will feed the world in the coming age. "I am the Vine, ye are the branches." (John 15:5) R5383:2
Olive shall fail – The Church, the special people of God. R5383:2
Seem to fail. R5383:2
The olive will give life to the world during the Messianic reign. R5383:3
The fields – "The field is the world." (Matt. 13:38) R5383:3
Yield no meat – The Babylonians, Medes and Persians, Greeks, Romans, Papacy, and lately Socialism, have successfully failed to better the world. R5383:3
The flock – The Church, the Little Flock. R5383:2
Shall be cut off – Our Lord Jesus was cut off from the earthly fold when he died. So with us. R5384:1
No herd – No perfect men, with the Church glorified and the Ancient Worthies not yet here. R5383:4
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| 18 Yet, I, in Yahweh, will rejoice,–I will exult in the God of my salvation. |
I will rejoice – Those who will then understand--the Great Company. R5383:4
By the fall of Babylon these will be set free. Before all this is made plain to them they may use the language of our text. R5383:2
All things had seemed to them to be failures, and now they see that God's plan has not failed, but has been fulfilled. R5383:2
"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready." (Rev. 19:7) R5383:2
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| 19 Yahweh, My Lord, is my strength, therefore hath he made my feet like hinds, and, upon my high places, will he cause me to march along. To the chief musician, on my double harp. |
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