In light of the recent hurricane devastation of Abaco (Habakkuk) Island,
My Beloved Brother Alan shares his understanding of passages found in Habakkuk:
NKJ Habakkuk 2:3 “For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.
2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.”
This ‘prophecy’ is not referring to a ‘future’ time, at least not a future chronological time on a calendar; not for Habakkuk, and not for any of us. This is referring to a time when the ‘prophet’ in you and me has matured to the point of being able to ‘see’ God, as Yashua was referring to ‘seeing God’, and being able to understand what is going on around us as Our Father sees what is going on around us, and then reveals to us His Understanding. This book is about spiritually maturing to the point that you see Father as only The Son can see His Father.
My translation of Habakkuk 2:3-4;
“For the soul, which is puffed up with pride, is not righteous within. But the Righteous Son will Live by saying “Amen” to what Father reveals to him; literally, he will Live the Life of His Father, and do so by faith”. Life, and/or Living, is a quality of existence in relationship to Him Who Is Life; Our Father! Yashua declared to us, “Herein is Life; that I know God (as Father), and Christ whom Father has given to me as a gift”. my paraphrase, of course.-
This particular passage is quoted multiple times in the New Testament. Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in Romans chapter 1:
17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed in a way that awakens more faith]. As it is written and forever remains written, “The just and upright shall live by faith.”
In chapter 3:
22 This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all those [Jew or Gentile] who believe [and trust in Him and acknowledge Him as God’s Son]. There is no distinction.
And in Galatians chapter 3:
11 Now it is clear that no one is justified [that is, declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing] before God by the Law, for “The righteous (the just, the upright) shall live by faith.”
It is written in Hebrews chapter 10 by THE SPIRIT:
35 Do not, therefore, fling away your [fearless] confidence, for it has a glorious and great reward.
36 For you have need of patient endurance [to bear up under difficult circumstances without compromising], so that when you have carried out the will of God, you may receive and enjoy to the full what is promised.
37 For yet in a very little while,
He who is coming will come, and will not delay.
38 But My righteous one [the one justified by faith] shall live by faith [respecting man’s relationship to God and trusting Him];
And if he draws back [shrinking in fear], My soul has no delight in him.
39 But our way is not that of those who shrink back to destruction, but [we are] of those who believe [relying on God through faith in Jesus Christ, the Messiah] and by this confident faith preserve the soul.
No matter what catastrophes occur around us, let us not “shrink back” to destruction and be moved by the chaos. We must not allow our faith to waver as we persevere in whatever afflictions occur. Our faith is perfected through Our Lord Jesus Christ thus we should never allow His preeminence in our life to be shaken by the events occurring in the world.
As we come into full maturity and are “able to understand what is going on around us as Our Father sees”, there will be much spiritual resistance. Our faith will be tested and anything that can be shaken will be removed. Any works apart from FATHER’S plan will be burned up as wood, stay, and stubble. The final sifting requires the greatest focus and intensity.