1. Pray. Ask the Lord to open your eyes, that you might behold wondrous things out of his Word (Ps. 119:18). 

2. Read Sunday's passage. Feel free to read it more than once, or in another translation.

3. Review the sermon outline. Try to see how the points came out of the text.

4. Answer the questions below. Focus on personal application.

5. Pray. Praise and thank the Lord, then ask him to work in mighty ways. 

Remember, we live not by bread alone, but by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God (Dt. 8:3; Mt. 4:4).

1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth. 2  O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy. 

3  God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. (Selah) His splendor covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. 4  His brightness was like the light; rays flashed from his hand; and there he veiled his power. 5  Before him went pestilence, and plague followed at his heels. 6  He stood and measured the earth; he looked and shook the nations; then the eternal mountains were scattered; the everlasting hills sank low. His were the everlasting ways. 7  I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. 8  Was your wrath against the rivers, O Lord? Was your anger against the rivers, or your indignation against the sea, when you rode on your horses, on your chariot of salvation? 9  You stripped the sheath from your bow, calling for many arrows. (Selah) You split the earth with rivers. 10  The mountains saw you and writhed; the raging waters swept on; the deep gave forth its voice; it lifted its hands on high. 11  The sun and moon stood still in their place at the light of your arrows as they sped, at the flash of your glittering spear. 12  You marched through the earth in fury; you threshed the nations in anger. 13  You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck. (Selah) 14  You pierced with his own arrows the heads of his warriors, who came like a whirlwind to scatter me, rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret. 15  You trampled the sea with your horses, the surging of mighty waters.

16  I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us. 17  Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18  yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 19  God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.

Intro: We come to the conclusion of the book, and we ask: what do you do when injustice is rampant, your hopes and dreams are dashed, and it seems your world is coming to an end? 

I. Reverence. Habakkuk reverently prays to the Lord. (3:1–2). He makes a reverent plea that as the LORD prepares to bring wrath, he also remember mercy. 

II. Remembrance. Habakkuk remembers God's faithfulness in the past, which prepares him for the future. (3:3–15). God shows Habakkuk that while he sometimes brings wrath, he is always merciful. He reminds Habakkuk of his ultimate purposes: to save his people and to defeat his enemies.

III. Resolve. Habakkuk resolves to rejoice in the Lord no matter his circumstances. (3:16–19). Because of who God is, Habakkuk decides to rejoice no matter what the future brings. Even if he loses everything, he will rejoice. He can do this because he knows God is good, and because he knows that God will ultimately triumph over all evil and injustice through his Anointed (his Christ). This is what it looks like to live by faith (see 2:4). 

Conclusion:  No matter what we you in this life, trust in Jesus, and you will be able to rejoice despite your circumstances.

1. Habakkuk reverently prays to the LORD.

- In the text, what clues us in to the reverent posture of Habakkuk's heart?

- Where else in the Bible do we see people praying reverently? 

- What is your go-to posture or attitude in prayer? 

- What increases your own reverence for God? 

- How can God be both wrathful and merciful? 

- Where in the Bible do we see wrath and mercy meet? 

2. Habakkuk remembers God's faithfulness in the past, which prepares him for the future.

- Which biblical narratives convey God's faithfulness most clearly to you? 

- How have you seen God's faithfulness in your own life? 

- How can past glimpses of God's faithfulness encourage us in times of need? 

- Which songs remind you of God's faithfulness? 

- Where is God's faithfulness most powerfully displayed? 

3. Habakkuk resolves to rejoice in the LORD no matter his circumstances.

- Is your happiness driven by your circumstances, or by your God? 

- What helps you rejoice when you are suffering, or observing the suffering of others?

- What if the thing you are hoping or praying for doesn't come true? Will you still rejoice?

- Who else in the Bible helps you learn how to rejoice despite suffering? Who in your own life?

- How does the return of Christ give us comfort and hope? 

1. Praise the Lord that he is merciful, and that he acts for the salvation of his people.

2. Ask the Lord to remind you of his faithfulness, both in biblical passages, and in the events of your life.

3. Tell God that you trust him with whatever circumstances he sends your way. Tell him that you will rejoice in him, no matter what.

4. Rejoice in him right how. Thank him for your salvation. Thank him for the blessings you enjoy. Thank him even for what you lack, as it gives you reason to seek him and rely on him. Thank him, praise him, rejoice in him. He is good.

Thanks for reading the Bible Study Guide! I pray it helps us "continue to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ" (Eph. 4:15).

Sincerely, your brother in Christ,

Tom Hansen, Senior Pastor