Why Habakkuk Had Such Great Faith
The Prophet Habakkuk wrote about a fierce crisis inside God’s Church in this end time. His account shows how to build powerful, life-saving faith. “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4).
Faith is as simple as living by every word of the Bible (Matthew 4:4). Much of Jesus Christ’s message consisted of quotes from the Old Testament, so we really must obey the whole Bible. Christ said in Matthew 24 that many would be deceived in the end time because they talk about Him but not His message. Believe what Christ said! To survive the crisis described in Habakkuk, we need this kind of faith.
Traits of Habakkuk’s Faith
1. Habakkuk delivered God’s message with urgency.
“And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it” (Habakkuk 2:2). God commanded Habakkuk to teach the vision to as many people as possible. The Philadelphia Church of God today does this through television, radio, the Internet, publications, books and booklets. God’s loyal remnant is charged with delivering a clear warning message that causes people to run for their lives, both physically and spiritually! Doing God’s Work with urgency requires the kind of faith that gains entry into the Family of God and saves lives for all eternity! Time is running out.
God gives us Christ’s own faith if we obey Him (Galatians 2:20). We need urgency today more than ever! China, Russia, Iran, North Korea and other hostile nations are proliferating weapons of mass destruction and promoting terrorism.
“For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry” (Habakkuk 2:3). Today, Habakkuk’s prophecy is coming to pass. It is no longer being delayed. God speaks to us!
2. Habakkuk had a picture of God’s end-time Work and the world it would be operating in.
Habakkuk wrote his book over 2,500 years ago. The Old Testament includes book groupings called the major prophets, minor prophets and former prophets. It is full of end-time prophecy.
It takes a far-reaching faith to believe that God’s prophecies will come true. We can build this faith in our lives by studying God’s Word and applying it. God put Habakkuk through some real trials so that he could be an example of life-saving faith.
God tells His Church to proclaim His message. Do it to build faith! It will grow amazingly fast the more we do what He says.
3. Habakkuk had a living faith.
“Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4). No one can live by the faith of a religious leader or a church. Cursed is the man who trusts in man (Jeremiah 17:5). It has to be your faith. This particular verse in Habakkuk discusses two men inside God’s Church: one led by vanity and pride and totally lacking faith; and the other, who is just and full of faith. (Request my Habakkuk booklet to learn the identity of these two men.) One man temporarily destroyed God’s Church, and the other was used by God to get the Church back on track—because of his faith!
Faith is much more than just believing in God. Even Satan and his demons believe that God exists! (James 2:19). They certainly don’t have faith.
Living faith is active faith. “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (verse 20). If we don’t believe what God says and do it, then our faith is dead. God offers the very living faith of Jesus Christ to anyone who will allow it to fill their mind and life! What is more precious than that?
4. Habakkuk had a fighting faith.
During the sixth century b.c. when Habakkuk was alive, Jerusalem was destroyed and the temple was razed to the ground. The Jews suffered for not obeying God. This is a type of the plagues coming upon America, Britain and the Jewish state if our peoples refuse to repent.
“The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see. O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!” (Habakkuk 1:1-2). Habakkuk needed fighting faith to endure such trials.
The Apostle Paul admonishes us to fight the good fight of faith (i Timothy 6:12). The Philadelphia Church of God fought in a court battle for six years to preserve God’s truth. (My son’s book Raising the Ruins explains this court case in detail.)
5. Habakkuk trusted God in hard times.
Habakkuk witnessed the rebellion of God’s people. He asked God why he was forced to “behold grievance,” or witness such a horrible tragedy (Habakkuk 1:3). They fell away from God because they lacked faith! Most of God’s people falter in this end time, just before the Great Tribulation.
We must trust God when things don’t go the way we expect or the way we might prefer. That’s how to build godly character.
Strife and contention surrounded Habakkuk. He observed that “the wicked doth compass about the righteous” (verse 4). In this end time, a wicked man kicked a righteous man out of God’s Church!
6. Habakkuk feared God.
God imparted to Habakkuk a fearsome vision. “For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs” (verse 6). Chaldeans is another word for Babylonians, which points to the Holy Roman Empire and one specific “bitter and hasty nation” at its head. (Request our free booklet Germany and the Holy Roman Empire for proof of Germany’s identity in prophecy.) Throughout history, the Germans have started many wars and conquered many nations. Habakkuk describes them as “evening wolves”! (verse 8).
“Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god” (verse 11). The Holy Roman Empire is set to rise for the seventh and final time. Its leader worships the devil, the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). He will treat humans like lowly fish or insects (Habakkuk 1:14), mercilessly slaughtering as many as possible. Christ Himself will have to return to put a stop to World War iii (Matthew 24:21-22), which this demon-inspired leader will start!
“A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth. O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy” (Habakkuk 3:1-2). Habakkuk feared this vision, but he feared God more. God cherishes anyone who will tremble at His Word (Isaiah 66:1-2). Fear violating God’s law!
An evil man led most of God’s people astray after the death of Herbert W. Armstrong in 1986. He destroyed their faith. Habakkuk knew that God would revive His Work. It takes massive faith to rebuild a work after a series of unfathomable catastrophes, yet God’s loyal people have done it today.
“But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him” (Habakkuk 2:20). Have the humility to stop talking and listen to God! If everyone did this, all of Earth’s problems would be solved.
Habakkuk’s belly trembled at the horrifying vision that God gave him (Habakkuk 3:16). What was so bad about it? “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls” (verse 17). Only nuclear annihilation could cause such desolation!
Still, Habakkuk remained positive. “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14). Habakkuk believed in a beautiful world beyond the present troubles. What faith he had!
7. Habakkuk’s faith caused him to rejoice.
“Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments” (Habakkuk 3:18-19). Despite intense trials and sobering visions, Habakkuk rejoiced! He knew God, kept his mind on God, and lived by faith.
Build such faith in your life that, no matter the crisis, you will still rejoice! God’s people know the good news: that Jesus Christ will intervene in world affairs and bring all people joy and peace forever!