Joy in God’s Strength and Salvation

Habakkuk 3:17-19

17 Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there 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;
He will make my feet like deer's feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills.

To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.

What a hymn of joyous faith!  Habakkuk laid down the framework and foundation for our praise in reliance on God’s strength for salvation regardless of any adverse circumstance or lack of visible fruitfulness in our lives.  He spoke of how the fruit of the fig tree or grapes on the vines may not grow or olive trees fail to give their oil and nutrients to us and all seems barren to the point of being destitute or hungry, yet still without that food and provision we have hope.  Even as the flocks and herds die off and the crops fail, we can rejoice with the prophet who witnessed grace of God in the midst of the failure of God’s people and their fruitless endeavors of sin and its consequences.  We also can find great unspeakable joy in the God who saves us from sin’s consequences of death and judgment!  He alone is the source and foundation of all our strength to carry on in and through all circumstances of life, both the extraordinarily good and heinously bad.  Haggai 2:19 reminds us how even though the vine, fig tree, pomegranate, and olive tree do not yield fruit, He will bless us!  The seed we need is not left in the barn, but given into our hands to plant.  As it is written in Zechariah 8:12, we shall have prosperous results in the sowing of this seed for the chosen remnant of Adam’s offspring.  This seed is the word of God in the gospel of Jesus Christ which we sow in hope according to God’s strength to save many.  That gives the children of the Lord great and unspeakable joy in prayer and comfort in praise.  He is our strength which makes us spring through life’s challenges and blessings like a graceful deer who runs through the fields and climbs insurmountable mountains along the way.  In this joy, we do not give up in the journey of faith no matter what comes our way.  May we therefore join with Habakkuk in singing this tune of joyous praise in celebration of our great deliverance from sin’s judgment and death into eternal life with our precious Savior forevermore before His face (Revelation 21:3-4, 22:3-4)!  Amen and amen!