Bible Study - Book of Habakkuk Part 6 - Living by Grace Through Faith

In this sixth and final portion of our study of Habakkuk, we looked at New Testament passages that talk about living by faith, that are very similar to what we hear in Habakkuk; and we heard from some Lutheran commentators on the message of Habakkuk.

We began with Hebrews 11:1-3 where we have a definition of what “faith” is: “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Faith has to do with things that are “hoped for” but not “seen.” The author of Hebrews then uses many examples from the Old Testament.

In verse 3, he says that it is “by faith we understand that the universe was created by the Word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. ”Creation” means making something out of nothing, as God did by His Word. We cannot prove this in a way science would like, but by faith we believe and trust that God did truly create all things. In verse 7, we hear that by faith, Noah built the ark, based upon “events as yet unseen,” simply trusting God’s Word that a great flood would come in the future.

Example after example is then given in Hebrews of others who lived by faith, such Abraham and Sarah, who were far too old to have a child, yet lived by faith that they would have one (verses 8-12). It was a great struggle for them to keep that faith, as the Book of Genesis tells us, and especially when Abraham was told that he was to sacrifice that son who finally was given to them. See verses 17-20.

God had also told of a “land of promise” for them, but Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and many of their descendants never took possession of it. Even Moses only saw it from a distance (Hebrews 11:8-10, 13-16). This was a way of teaching them that they were only “strangers and exiles on earth” and that God would eventually provide them with a “heavenly homeland.” In the meantime, they were to live by faith in God’s unseen promises, for “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). Read all of Hebrews 11 for more of these examples. Chapter 11 ends with the words (verses 39-40) that all of these people did not see the fullness of what was promised  in their own days. That would only happen with the coming of the Savior Jesus, from that long line of people beginning with Abraham.

Hebrews 12 then tells us and all believers to live by faith in Jesus, “the Founder and Perfecter of our faith.” Jesus is the greatest example of one living by faith. He gave up everything and became a human being and trusted His Father’s plan, even in being willing to suffer and die for us, in our place, to forgive all our sins and count us as acceptable to God, simply by faith in Him. Jesus then rose in victory and returned in glory to the Father; yet He had to live 33 years by faith, “enduring from sinners such hostility against himself, despising the shame, and even enduring the cross,” for us.

Keeping our eyes on Jesus will help us, also, to live by faith, as we “run with endurance the race that is set before us in this life.” It will not be easy for us either, as we live as sinners in this sinful world. We will face many challenges and will need our heavenly Father’s discipline when we stray and His strength to keep going, sure-footed like a deer, even when there are many uncertainties  and questions in our lives (Hebrews 12:1-13 and Habakkuk 3:17-19).

Living by faith, though, does not mean, as some people have suggested, that we take a leap of faith into total darkness. Our faith is based on real evidence - the truth of God and His love for us revealed in the Scriptures, the promises of God centered in Jesus and all He has done for us and promises us, and the eyewitness testimony of all of the prophets and apostles, who know the reality of Christ’s life and death and resurrection and His teachings.

We do not have all the answers to much of what goes on, though. At times, we may be as confused and questioning as Habakkuk, especially as we see all the evil and troubles in this sinful world and have our own struggles. But God is with us, and we “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). As Ephesians 2:8-10 says, “We are saved by God’s grace, through faith in Christ,” and not by our own faith or efforts, but by the gifts of God. Even when what God does or doesn’t do seems “foolish” in the eyes of the world or in our own eyes, we still live by God’s grace through faith in Him and His wisdom and His ultimately working for good. (Read 1 Corinthians 1:18, 22-25, 29-31.)

Finally, let’s go back to Habakkuk and hear what some Lutheran commentators say. Read Habakkuk 3:16-19 again. A writer in the Concordia Self-Study Bible (NIV version) says, “Habakkuk has learned the lesson of faith (2:4) - to trust in God regardless of the circumstances. He declares that even if God should send suffering and loss, he would still rejoice in his Savior-God - one of the strongest affirmations of faith in the Scriptures.”

Look at Habakkuk 3:1-15. Dr. Roehrs, in the Concordia Self-Study Commentary of the 1960s says, “It is characteristic of Biblical thinking that Habakkuk contrasts the evil Babylonians under the fivefold curse (2:6-20) not with righteous believing people but with the vision of the God of salvation (3:3-15) and what he would do. So Paul does also in Romans, where the dreadful picture of mankind under the wrath of God (Romans 1: 18-32, 3:9-20) is followed by the proclamation of the righteousness of God in action in Christ (3:21-31). See also the terrible news of Ephesians 2:1-3, followed by the Good News of God making us alive in Christ by His grace. All this emphasizes the fact that faith is not a virtue in us but first and foremost a receiving from God, a being-dealt with by the God of salvation and His grace.” Our faith and hope are not in ourselves and our faith and goodness, but in God and His grace, from beginning to end.

Dr. Roehrs also notes in Habakkuk 3:16 that Habakkuk is shaken by the seriousness of sin and the coming judgment and discipline of God, but he can still have faith. “This is a God whom one can trust to keep His Word, a God in whom one can find rest, depending on Him alone, no matter how hard the agonies of life and history press upon us.” 

Finally, Dr, Roehrs says, “The word 'faith' occurs only once in Habakkuk (2:4); but his whole prophecy is a Word of faith, faith agonized, questioning, seeking, finding rest in God, and jubilant, finally, in the assurance of God’s love, even with the obstacle of all the chaos going on… For both Paul and Habakkuk, faith is faith without works, for both it is 'quietly waiting’ for God to do His saving work. For faith is not just one aspect of man’s existence before God, but the whole of his relationship to Him.”

Dr. Keil, in his commentary, says, “The prophet prays and speaks throughout the entire prophecy in the name of his fellow believers at that time. His pain is their pain; his joy is their joy.” Habakkuk is honest about his and their struggles in understanding God’s will and ways in these very hard times for them, yet assures them of the hope and even the joy they can still have in the Lord, as he has been given it. There is wrath, but God does answer prayers and remembers His mercy and love and will help His people through (Habakkuk 3:2).

Finally, the Lutheran Study Bible (ESV) reminds us, “Much in our lives brings anguish, fear, and even feelings of helplessness to our hearts (Psalm 25:16-18, Acts 14:22). God does humble us under His mighty hand, but He does so in order to lift us up.” See 1 Peter 5:6-11.  So much more could be said about this little book of prophecy, but I pray that this study has been helpful to all of us in living by God’s grace through faith, no matter what is going on around us.