Instead of dreaming about the future the Lord wants us to have prophetic vision which can uplift our hearts in these troublesome times we live in.Prophetic Vision
Andre Pelser
17/07/2005

It is one thing to have a dream; it is something else if you have a prophetic vision. Habakkuk saw a prophetic vision after looking at the condition of the world around him. His nation was being oppressed by the Chaldeans and he could not understand why God would not punish them. He had such a burden for his nation and wanted to see God vindicate them. It seemed as if the Chaldeans could do whatever they wanted to and no one stopped them. They continued slaying innocent people without pity and yet their wealth increased and they lived like kings. The prophet cried out to God about the anarchistic violence in the world – it seemed as if the law was powerless to contain these perpetrators of evil. Isn’t that the picture of our world today? We see Al Quada hijacking planes and flying into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre, bombing trains in Spain and London, explosions in public places such as the Theatre in Moscow, killing thousands of innocent people and claiming responsibility for their violent acts. They cause chaos and fear everywhere and no one seems to be able to contain them. It seems as if judgement has been perverted. We also wonder what God will do about the situation.
The burden of Habakkuk was the motivating force behind his desire to understand the purposes of God in his generation. The church today feels the same burden. It is time for a prophetic vision. We need to hear from God in our time.
Burden in Hebrew is ‘Massa’ and it refers to something being carried or lifted up; figuratively it speaks of an oracle or prophecy to which the soul can be lifted up. We need a prophetic vision of the future so that our souls can be lifted up again.
The way Habakkuk saw his vision is described by the Hebrew word ‘chazah’ that tells us the prophet was in an ecstatic state when he saw this vision and that he experienced his vision.
Violence is ‘chamac’ and speaks of ethical wrong doing as well as physical harm. ‘Yasha’ in Hebrew explains what they mean by our word ‘save’: to liberate and give victory, to deliver from moral troubles and to preserve.
Throughout media coverage we are continually fed images of devastation and violence: cities are turned into rubble by bombing and wars: nation is rising against nation: there seems to be no regard for human life. And what are they fighting about? The main reason is lust for power: the one wants to rule over the other and gather the spoil the other nation can afford. Jesus predicted that it would be this way at the end of time: wars and rumours of wars.
Habakkuk was a professional prophet: someone who earned a living from prophesying. He also played and instrument and led worship, so he might have been a priest as well.
Habakkuk means ‘one who embraces or clings’: he clung to God even though he did not understand what was going on in the world. He inherited prophetic vision through faith and patience and that gave him fresh hope to carry on. That is exactly what we need today. He grew from uncertainty to certainty; from questions to answers; from complaints to praise! He changed from despair to assurance; from doubt to confidence!
God finally punishes the greed and aggression, the exploitation and extortion in the world. He finally deals with violence, immorality and idolatry. He is aware of everything and the perpetrators of violence will not escape judgement. But in a sense, Judah was guilty of the same offences and stood under the same judgement. So God was merciful to give Judah a time to repent and to sort things out in their own lives, before judgement came! God is fair and just and when we understand His purposes we rejoice like Habakkuk did in the end.

God’s reply to Habakkuk’s Questions
Why does his own nation (Judah) refuse to repent even though God often speaks to them through prophecy and calls them to repentance? God replies that the Chaldeans will be His chastening rod upon the nation. This announcement causes the prophet to pray more than even before. Why would God use the Babylonians from Chaldea against Judah? They are such a wicked nation? Why does it seem as if God is doing nothing about the wickedness of the Chaldeans?
God’s purposes are beyond our comprehension. He uses nation against nation and punishes nations for their wickedness – but in the end, one valuable lesson the prophet learned amidst all the confusion, was that the just shall live by faith! Faith always triumphs in the end. If you can hold onto your faith in God, even though you do not understand what is going on, you will triumph in the end.

Habakkuk means ‘one who embraces or clings’ and he held onto his faith in God – no matter what. He kept on believing even though he could not understand certain things. The key verses in Habakkuk are:

Habakkuk 2:4
4 Behold (the proud), his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
The King James Version

Habakkuk 3:17-19
17 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: 18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19 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.
The King James Version

There are three references to salvation in Habakkuk and there is a promise that the glory of the Lord shall fill the earth when He comes again:

Habakkuk 3:13,18
13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah. 18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The name of Jesus (‘Jeshua’) is derived from the word used for salvation used in these verses.
The King James Version

Habakkuk 2:14
14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
The King James Version

The circumstances of life often seem to contradict God’s revelation concering His power and purposes. This caused Habakkuk’s faith to falter. Things promised never seem to materialise. He sees how people violate the law and distort justice without fear of divine intervention and nothing seems to stop them. Habakkuk wants to know why God allows this growing iniquity to go unpunished. God reveals to Habakkuk that Judah is guilty of similar things: they violate the law of God. So if God had to punish everyone Judah would also be punished. Habakkuk wrote his prophecy down during the reign of Jehoiakim (609 -597 BC) who was a godless king who led the nation down the path of destruction (See Kings 23:34 -24:5 and Jeremiah 22:17).

In the end God wanted to reveal himself to Habakkuk and to Judah. He wanted them to get to know and trust Him. His wisdom, power and goodness could only be revealed by allowing Him to have His way: God’s plan is perfect, and nothing can stand in its way. Ultimately God will perform His intentions – in spite of appearances to the contrary. God is still on the throne and He determines the history of nations. He is worthy of our fullest trust.

It takes humility to trust in God – whom we cannot see. It takes humility to trust in God in spite of our circumstances. The proud person cannot submit to a God he cannot see. A