Habakkuk 3:12

Habakkuk 3:12 says, Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger.  When God becomes indignant toward people because of their sin, He does indeed march through that land in indignation and thresh the heathen, those who refuse to acknowledge God.  Matthew Henry says these past few verses referred to Israel, God's chosen people, going into the Promised Land.  For us, it means that God will defeat all enemies that stand between us and our promised land, or heaven.  Verse thirteen adds, Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.  God does not just arbitrarily punish people, even the wicked ones, but He does it for the salvation of His people, which is anyone who puts their faith in Christ and the salvation that He brings.  Verse fourteen continues, Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.  When those in power begin to secretly devour, or misuse, the poor, especially those who are God's people, God takes notice.  We may think that we can get away with things done in secret, but nothing is secret from God.  Verse fifteen states, Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, through the heap of great waters.  This is probably a reference to God's deliverance of Israel out of Egypt when He parted the Red Sea.  Some today would claim that this was really just a marsh land and not really a sea.  If this were true, then God would have drowned the Egyptian army in a marsh.  People, in their attempt to limit God's power, often make statements that when viewed honestly only serve to show His power.  Verse sixteen adds, When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.  When God comes in judgment, we like Habakkuk should tremble in the presence of His power.  Fortunately for those who put their faith in Christ, though we may tremble in awe of God's power, we do not have to face the wrath of His judgment.  Verse seventeen continues, Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:  Habakkuk lists the failure of all the things that they relied on for sustaining life.  Then, in verse eighteen he declares, Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.  After saying that if all were to fail in the world, even the sources of food, Habakkuk declared that he would still rejoice in the Lord and joy in the God of his salvation.  We must likewise rejoice in the Lord, because He is the only source of our salvation.  Our rejoicing in God cannot be based on the material things of the world but must simply be due to His gift of salvation, which is everlasting.  Verse nineteen adds, The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.  Habakkuk said that the Lord God was his strength, and that God would lift him up to walk in high places.  This has not changed.  No matter what happens in this world, when God comes in judgment, He will lift up those who put their faith in Christ to walk in heavenly places.  Until then, we must simply rejoice in God, no matter what.