Habakkuk 3:5

Habakkuk 3:5 says, Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.  This is a continuation of Habakkuk's prayer and a continued reflection about God's work in the past.  God has sent a pestilence on the people of Egypt to gain the freedom of Israel.  Even when Israel was enslaved, God had not forgotten them, but in His time, He delivered them.  They didn't leave Egypt with just their freedom, but they left with riches as well.  When God delivers a person from sin, He also delivers them into the riches of His kingdom.  Though we may never see riches in this world, we are joint heirs with Christ to all of God's blessings if we only put our faith in Christ.  Verse six adds, He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting.  God created the heavens and the earth, and He still has power over them.  They will move at His command.  If we are told that if we have even a mustard seed worth of faith we can move mountains, imagine what the One we put our faith in can do.  As Habakkuk stated, God's ways are everlasting.  Verse seven continues, I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.  Habakkuk said that just as God had worked in the past to overthrow those who oppressed His people, he was praying for the same deliverance.  We know that God has delivered us from our sins through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, but if we find that we are suffering under the oppression of the world today, we need to ask God to strengthen us that we might remain faithful to Him.  Verse eight states, Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation?  The question was whether God was angry with the rivers and sea when He changed their course.  The answer was no that God was just using His dominion over nature to deliver and sustain His people. Nature of itself has never done anything against God.  It is only the sins of people that cause nature to be out of balance.   We were to care for the earth, not abuse and misuse it.  Verse nine adds, Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.  This is a continuation of remembering God's power and work in protecting Israel.  I believe if we are ever in a bad situation today, all we need to do is remember how God has worked in our lives in the past to have faith that He will work in our lives again today to deliver us from the power of sin.  Verse ten continues, The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high.  This is just another reminder that God controls all of the universe.  We read today of new planets or heavenly bodies being discovered, but they are not new or unknown to God.   Verse eleven concludes, The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.  God did indeed once stop the sun from setting to enable the Israelites to win a battle.  What we need to acknowledge is that God does indeed control the universe, and that victory over sin will always be His.