An ideal theophany: 4. The glorious interposition of the Deity.
I. NATURE'S HOMAGE TO THE JUDGE. (Habakkuk 3:10, Habakkuk 3:11.) Jehovah's presence on that great and terrible day will be attested by a succession of marvels.
1. Wonders in the earth.
2. Wonders in the sea. The tempest of waters passed by, the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high" (Habakkuk 3:10). These words possibly allude to what occurred both in the Flood and in the dividing of the Red Sea and the Jordan.
3. Wonders in the sky. "The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, at the shining of thy glittering spear" (Habakkuk 3:11), as they did in the time of Joshua, when Jehovah fought for Israel against Gibson (Joshua 10:13). Compare the description in the Apocalypse of the great day of the wrath of the Lamb (Revelation 6:12-16).
II. THE WRATHFUL PROCEDURE OF THE JUDGE.
1. Marching through the land in indignation. The land referred to is in the foreground Chaldea, and in the background the whole earth, which, no less than Babylon, will have become an object of Divine displeasure.
2. Threshing the nations in anger. Not the Chaldean people only, but all the peoples who, like them, shall have become the oppressors of God's heritage, all the nations that have not known or served God, will experience the strokes of his anger.
3. Wounding the head of the house of the wicked, laying bare the foundation even to the neck. The wicked one is first the Chaldean king, the head of the Chaldean power, and lastly that wicked one whom Christ will destroy with the brightness of his coming (1 Thessalonians 4:8). The image is that of complete destruction (see Exposition).
4. Piercing with his own staves the head of his warriors or hordes. These were the Chaldean troops, whom the prophet saw coming up against himself and Israel as a whirlwind to scatter them, as highway murderers lying in wait to devour the poor secretly, but whom he also beheld falling upon and destroying one another, wounding themselves with their own swords (cf. 1 Samuel 14:20; 2 Chronicles 20:23, 2 Chronicles 20:24). So will God's enemies in the end consume and devour one another.
5. Overcoming every obstacle that might be supposed to hinder his purpose, viz. the execution of wrath upon his foes, or the deliverance of his people.
III. THE MERCIFUL PURPOSE OF THE JUDGE. This was (and always will be) the salvation of his people and of his anointed, i.e. of his people Israel and Judah with their Davidic king, then of his believing Church with its anointed Head. If God executes judgment upon the ungodly, it is because otherwise the salvation of the godly cannot be secured.
LESSONS.
1. The certainty of a day of judgment.
2. The terrifying aspect to the wicked of the glory of God.
3. The infinite fierceness of the wrath of the Almighty.
4. The ability of God to execute his purposes both of judgment and salvation.
5. The graciousness towards believers of all God's interpositions.