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HABAKKUK 3: 17,18

Intro: Striking contrast between condition and experience-conditions of
       desolation; experience of jubilation.

I. HE DID NOT START ON THIS LEVEL 1:2-4.
        A. He looked at prevailing anarchy, "Why are you doing nothing?"
        B. God assured him, He was at work, He was bringing the Chaldeans
           to punish them.
                1. How can you use  a more wicked people to punish?
        C. "I will get to my tower and watch and wait."
                1. While waiting,  God shared a secret to help him.
                        a. The puffed up ones will be destroyed, but "the
                           just shall live by faith."
        D. "3:2"  I have heard your speech and was afraid, keep alive thy
                  work.
                I. don not understand you methods. I thought you had
                   forsaken us so I protested. You said you were working,
                   nut I'm still puzzled. Even though I don't understand
                   what you're doing keep on, "In the midst of the years
                   make it known, only in wrath remember mercy."
        E. In communion with God, He now considered present in light of
           past and presence of God.
                1. Though all be destroyed, God able to create all that is
                   necessary to sustain life.
                        a. He can supply from resources we don not know.
                                1. Quail, manna, water.
                                2. Elijah under juniper tree.
                2. God can multiply the little to make it last.
                        a. Shoes in wilderness.
                        b. Widows cruse of oil, barrel of meal.
                3. God could sustain without food.
        F. Everything else might fail, but God will never fail.

II. THE JOY OF HIS EXPERIENCE.
        A. His knowledge produced confidence and his confidence, joy.
                1. "I will rejoice in the Lord."  Lit. "jump for joy."
                2. "I will joy in the God of my salvation," "spin around."
                        a. Does it seem I am spoiling text?
                        b. One thing church lacks - exuberant joy.
                        c. Do we know anything of this joy when facing
                           desolation?
                3. The sphere of his joy "rejoice in the Lord."
                        a. Not rejoice in circumstances but over them.

III. HOW DID HE CLIMB FROM THE LOW LEVEL TO THIS HEIGHT?
        A. Started with honest doubt. Don't be angry with him.
                1. It is only the man of faith who doubts.
                2. No room for doubt unless you believe in God.
                        a. Everything is certain, mechanical; fixed, 
                           2+2=4, and you may as well be dead.
                        b. He did not start a society for men who found
                           relief in doubt.
                        c. He did not talk to men but to God about his
                           doubt.
        B. He waited on God through the trial.
                1. Simplest commands hardest to keep - "Be still and
                   know."
                2. Perfect exercise of faith is to wait.
        C. To the waiting prophet came the secret of God.
                1. Simplest commands hardest to keep - "Be still and
                   know."
        Can we rejoice in desolation? Suppose everything swept away. Our
        master can create a sustenance. He has resources we know nothing
        about. He can multiply the 5 loaves and two fishes. Habakkuk
        rejoiced in the twilight of revelation to us the day star has
        arisen - how much more. Our joy in proportion to our knowledge.
        Let us come to know Him more that we might trust Him more - that
        we might joy in the Lord!