Habakkuk 3:7-12
Habakkuk 3:7
(KJB)
I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains
of the land of Midian did tremble.
Cushan and Midian were in the Transjordan region.
Midian was east of the southern part of the Sinai Peninsula.
Cushan was the king of Mesopotamia but this reference may be referring to
the land of Cush which was south of Egypt and is Ethiopia.
They were in affliction because they had feared that the Israelites in
such great number would attack them and conquer them.
The curtains are the tents of Midian since many dwelled in tents.
They also feared when they saw the numbers of Israelites which were
heading their way and thought they would be conquered.
Habakkuk 3:8
(KJB)
Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? was thine
anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride
upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation?
Here we have a reference to the crossings of the Red Sea
and the crossing of the Jordan River.
The Lord was not displeased with the rivers or the sea but they seemed to
pose a hindrance to the crossing by the Israelites, that is, until God used his
miraculous power to divide the Red Sea so Israel could cross over on dry land
and also the same scenario when they crossed the Jordan River on dry land.
Exodus 14:29 (KJV) But the
children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters
were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
Joshua 4:18 (KJV)
And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant
of the LORD were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the
priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan
returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.
The chariots represent God leading the people of Israel as a General
leads his army to a point where they would never see the face of the Egyptians
again, since they will all be drowned in the Red Sea when the walls of water
close in on them. That would be
akin to salvation for a Christian.
Never again would Satan have authority over those whom God has saved just like
the Egyptians had no authority any more over the Israelites.
Habakkuk 3:9
(KJB)
Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of
the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.
The bow was normally kept in a case which was made of
either leather or cloth. To make it
“naked” meant that it was out of the case and ready for use at a moment’s
notice. The expression signifies a
preparation for war. God made an
oath to Israel that he would drive out the inhabitants in each sector which was
given to the individual tribes. It
was God keeping his word that he made to Israel.
While they were travelling through the desert, they would have become
very thirsty and there were no rivers in the middle of the desert.
So God had Moses strike a rock and out came fresh water which quenched
the thirst of the people.
Exodus 17:6 (KJV) Behold, I will stand
before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and
there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in
the sight of the elders of Israel. It
was another evidence of the mercy of God.
Habakkuk 3:10
(KJB)
The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the
overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up
his hands on high.
Exodus 19:18 (KJV)
And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in
fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole
mount quaked greatly. When the
Lord descended upon Mt. Sinai, then the mountain quaked and trembled as if it
did it in fear. The overflowing of
the waters refers to both the Jordan River and the Red Sea.
Once the Israelites went through the sea and the priests walked through
Jordan, both of them went back to normal.
When these waters returned to normal there was a sound as of rushing
waters when the walls on both sides caved in and went back to normal.
When the waters obeyed God and stood in a heap, it was like they were
lifting up hands in obedience.
Habakkuk 3:11
(KJB)
The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the
light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.
Joshua 10:13 (KJV)
And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged
themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the
sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole
day. God commanded the sun and
moon to stand still for a time until Joshua finished the battle and then they
were allowed to once again to move and regain their normal routine.
The light of thine arrows may be an allusion to the overthrowing of the
Amorites when they were attacked by Israel with the sword and spear but they
were also destroyed more fully when the Lord sent large hailstones down on them.
Joshua 10:11 (KJV) And it came to
pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Beth-horon,
that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they
died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of
Israel slew with the sword.
Habakkuk 3:12
(KJB)
Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou
didst thresh the heathen in anger.