Behold, The Prince of Peace Pt. II | Habakkuk 3:1-7

April 27th, 2025

In this week’s sermon, we dove further in the “song shaped lament” featured in Habakkuk Chapter 3. In the previous weeks at Southside, we looked at idolatry, some of the theological themes in the first two chapters of the book of Habakkuk, and the problem of evil. This week, the section of Habakkuk that we covered is a “Shiggaion” or deeply emotional song. This portion of Habakkuk is an incredibly important look at the author's heart.

A “shiggaion” is a Hebrew literary term used to describe “a highly passionate style of performance requiring fervent expression.” It is used only in Psalms 7 and Habakkuk 3. In this setting, Habakkuk is using the emotion he feels deep in his heart  through both a prayer and a song to draw the congregation before the Lord. This is a dramatic, urgent, emotional prayer of lament, a plea before God for peace.

Habakkuk understands clearly who God is and the fact that the judgment coming to Israel through the Chaldeans is deserved and yet…Habakkuk chose to go boldly before the throne of God and say to God “I have heard the report about you and I fear” but he was not too afraid to bring his request to God, “ revive your work…in rage, remember compassion”. The word in Hebrew that is used for report is “shama” which is a declaration of divine acts, similar to the “Great Shama” in which God tells us who He is. This report of God informs Habakkuk’s prayer before the Lord. Habakkuk brings to bear the full report of God. All His redemptive acts, all the ways He cared for Israel in the wilderness. As Habakkuk prayed, he brought his full emotional self into creating this theophanic hymn. His lament was a tangible testimony of the way that God had delivered Israel in the past and was anticipating the way He would eventually do it again in the future. Habakkuk pleads with a tone of reverential fear and awe because of the righteous judgment coming against Israel. “I heard the report about you and I fear”. But Habakkuk also looked to the horizon from where he had stationed himself on the guardpost and saw God on the move! Even though judgment was nearing, God was faithful and Habakkuk could see that.

In this one prayerful hymn, Habakkuk exhibited a whole range of emotions. He experienced confidence, anticipatory joy, reverential awe, and great fear. None of these emotions were felt in a sinful way because they were all guided and governed by who God is. They were based on the report of the Lord. Likewise, we ought to bring our emotions into alignment with God and His will for our lives. The tears Jesus cried as He entered into Jerusalem were not a weakness or a sinful response, but a holy alignment with God’s will. Both Jesus and Habakkuk demonstrated a heart prostrated before God. This emotional prayer of Habakkuk was practical theology on display.

Procession of Peace vs 3

In these verses, Habakkuk gives us a vivid picture of who God is. His splendor is on display! In the same way that viewing a sunrise at the grand canyon brings people to a silent awe, the splendor of the Lord. The silence created by the majesty and splendor of the Lord is not a fear induced silence but a transfixed reverence. We can do nothing but sit silently at the feet of the Lord when we more fully understand His character, reputation, and greatness.

The closer we look at God, the more we realize that He is not at all like us. His majesty is a visual representation of His holiness. This idea is echoed in Psalm 19:1 “the heavens declare the glory of God”. This is not an intimate whispering of who God is but a global declaration of His glory for all to see. This glory draws us into worship, not a rote, manufactured worship but an emotion filled praise of who God is. The Hebrew word used here is “Halal” which means to celebrate with words of glory. We are called to a loud, visible, communal halal. The word is used 160 times in the Old Testament. It can also be used in times of sorrowful faith, like the experience of Job in Job 1:21. “The Lord gives and takes away”. Job used a halal there. Praise is an act of faith, in the midst of tribulation and triumph, we praise God.

Praise also sets up an atmosphere of glory. When we read the book of Revelation, we glimpse the glorious culmination of God’s redemptive work on earth. The fullness of God’s splendor will be on display. We understand that for all of eternity, God will continue to reveal His glory in new ways. We will never reach the end of the display!

It is with this backdrop of who God is and what it means to praise Him that Habakkuk brings us into his vision. Habakkuk praises God within the context of judgement, because he rightly understands who God is even in the midst of intense judgment. Through the brightness of God’s splendor, Habakkuk reminds us that God is not approachable on our terms. God cannot be conformed to our standards. We have to turn our faces, so to speak, from His stunning glory. That’s why Habakkuk says, “The rays are flashing from His hand and there’s hiding in His might”.  Moses had to turn his face so as not to be overwhelmed by God and Isaiah cried “Woe is me, I am undone”. 

The rays of God’s splendor both reveal His glory and act to conceal it. God shows enough of Himself so that we can understand who He is and He withholds enough so that we are not overwhelmed. Habakkuk is giving words to the theological concept of the incomprehensibility of the approaching Prince of Peace. God creates for Himself a cloud of praise, revealing what He wills and concealing what He wills. He brings ultimate peace through judgment. 

Habakkuk says that God is on the move and before Him there is a pestilence and after Him there is a plague. Habakkuk is not speaking only of disease but of terrible judgment. God clears the path before Him. He cannot be in the presence of sin so He judges as He goes so He sends out His all consuming fire of judgment before and after himself. The Chaldeans will not escape judgement, Israel will not escape judgement. God marches through time and Habakkuk gives us a wonderful picture of the momentum of God’s movement. Do you view God as a god who molds to your agenda or do you view Him rightly as God marching through time?

Often when we approach God, we come as advisors, rather than humble subjects. The Prince of Peace we have crafted is a gentle, unobtrusive one. The reality is that He comes with non negotiable terms and unstoppable power. When God stands and looks over the earth in verses 6-7, He stood and measured the mountains. He took stock of where He would establish His dominion of ultimate peace. This is a peace that won’t drift in like a fog and lay on top of things, this is a peace that fills the entire space of the earth! God’s peace is not the absence of fear or trouble but rather the fullness of Him! Where He is, there is peace. God stands on the edge of the earth making a holy assessment of all that is in His dominion. He looks at the actions being done through time and will begin to judge them. God never looks at a situation casually. He looks and assesses to take action. He discerns the heart motives of men. God doesn’t need an army to bring judgement. His sovereignty is enough. Mountains crumble under HIM. He strips any sense of security we have created for ourselves because we cannot hide from His judgment! 

In the midst of this intense judgement, He continues to bring peace! We serve a King who not only judges completely but one who purifies with His light. Who revives the broken and takes the judgement for our peace so that we might know peace. When the world shakes around you, hold to the rock of peace! 

1. How have you tried to force God to fit into your mold and agenda?

2. How have you seen God bring peace to your life?