God came from Teman,
    the Holy One from Mount Paran.
His glory covered the heavens
    and his praise filled the earth.
4 His splendor was like the sunrise;
    rays flashed from his hand,
    where his power was hidden.
5 Plague went before him;
    pestilence followed his steps.
6 He stood, and shook the earth;
    he looked, and made the nations tremble.
The ancient mountains crumbled
    and the age-old hills collapsed—
    but he marches on forever.
7 I saw the tents of Cushan in distress,
    the dwellings of Midian in anguish.

8 Were you angry with the rivers, Lord?
    Was your wrath against the streams?
Did you rage against the sea
    when you rode your horses
    and your chariots to victory?
9 You uncovered your bow,
    you called for many arrows.
You split the earth with rivers;
10     the mountains saw you and writhed.
Torrents of water swept by;
    the deep roared
    and lifted its waves on high

C.H. Spurgeon observed that, whether we like it or not, asking is the law of the Kingdom.

Habakkuk asked for revival (1). But whenever God ‘renews’ his deeds in our ‘day’, it is rarely, if ever, an exact replica. It is often similar, but different in certain ways. For example, the return from exile in Babylon was spoken of in parts of the Old Testament as a second exodus. But it was not an exact copy of the first, even though it was also a great deliverance.

The events of the exodus seem to be, to some extent, in Habakkuk’s mind here. It is good for us to know that God still moves mountains, even though we go through times when His power seems ”hidden.”

If you’re in such a season now don’t stop asking God to move.

Remember the words of Matthew Henry: ‘When God intends a great mercy for a people, first He sets them a praying.’

Let’s station ourselves next to Habakkuk, watching, waiting, asking.

 A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk, with orchestra:

God, I’ve heard what our ancestors say about you,
    and I’m stopped in my tracks, down on my knees.
Do among us what you did among them.
    Work among us as you worked among them.
And as you bring judgment, as you surely must,
    remember mercy. (The Message).