Arise, O LORD, in your anger, lift up yourself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me to the judgment that you have commanded.
The title is Psalms 7:6, a Psalm directly connected to Habakkuk 3 and the LORD catching His people away from their enemies and into His presence. In the above verse, we see the LORD’s anger, His righteous indignation, is focused on and contrasted against the rage of the enemies of His people and His anointed. In previous posts, we have seen the LORD doesn’t punish the world, doesn’t take vengeance on the whole world because of the evil of the few, those attacking and manipulating the innocent and the ignorant. Even the acts of nature, the creations of nature’s God, occur to remind us of how little we are in control, and of the fragility of mortal man and what he creates.
This understanding brings us to the later point made in the opening passage; God will awaken to judgment, which is defined in these chapters mentioned above and in many prior posts. The concept of judgment is seen in Habakkuk 3:8, asking, “Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? was Your anger against the rivers? was Your wrath against the sea, that You did ride upon Your horses and Your chariots of salvation?”
We know the rivers are used to tell of how the waters flow into the sea; symbolically describing the means by which words and ideas are transmitted to the masses. The verse asks if the LORD is displeased at the means, which leaves us to logically conclude, His displeasure is toward the content. It continues by asking if His wrath is against the sea, that He would use His power and strength (horses and chariots) against the people He has come to save?
The next verse then tells of the mountains seeing Him, as He comes for the salvation of His people; which is speaking of the powers risen from the earth. They are defined in the next verse as the sun and the moon, which we know represent the church and civil governments, which were created to shine and reflect God’s righteous rule as light on the earth. As we know, this light is understanding reflected in and by promulgating truth, justice, and equity regardless of a person’s measurable station.
The unjust mountains tremble at seeing and hearing this, and the sun and the moon stand still in their place. They realize the LORD has come to shake the wicked from the high places and to remove those infesting these institutions.
Ephesians 6
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the LORD, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Friends, these words are the word of God, spoken here by my hand to the world (“my tongue is the pen of a ready writer”). The wicked in power should know their time is up, and God’s wrath and judgment are against them and their evil deeds.
Thus says the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, I tell you the same as I told the Egyptian: “Thus says the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.”
Habakkuk 3
1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.
The name Habakkuk is from the Hebrew word chabaq meaning to take hold of, as in to clasp or fold the hands. It is telling of when God brings those in error back into the fold of His flock, taking them by the hand to himself, and there shall they ever be with the LORD.
Friends, these chapters speak of the event the false prophets have by their ignorance distorted into the rapture, the harpazo, meaning to seize upon and translated as “caught up.”
The name Shigionoth, is actually the compounding of two Hebrew words: shagah, which means to enrapture (snatch away – as in John 10:12, when the wolf catches the sheep) into error or ignorance. It is speaking of those held in the place the LORD comes to snatch them away from (by correction). The other word is yonah, the same as Jonah, and from the same word as is rendered Greece (yavan – mire), all from the word yayin, meaning wine, for its intoxicating power.
The word is referring us directly to the error of Jonah and the place it took him, where he was held until he repented and came to his senses. The error was to not go to those the LORD had sent him, to call them to repentance. He was held in the grave among the dead, until he was quickened to life by once again looking to the LORD, hearing and obeying His commandment.
Jonah 2
1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly [from the agitation of the world that had swallowed him up],
2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of Sheol [the habitation of the dead] cried I, and you heard my voice [see Isaiah 49:8 below].
3 For you have cast me into the deep [into the darkness of not understanding], in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all your billows and your waves passed over me [the pride and troubles of the world and the agitation of the masses].
4 Then I said, I am cast out of your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.
5 The waters [the word of God defiles by the words of man’s erroneous ideas] compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.
6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet have you brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.
7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto you, into your holy temple.
8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
9 But I will sacrifice unto you with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
10 And the LORD spoke [and His word was heard and understood] unto the fish, and it vomited out [the agitation and the errors released what they held] Jonah upon the dry land [upon the place in need of God pure waters/word].
Habakkuk 3
2 O LORD, I have heard your speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive your work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.
3 God came from Teman [this is referring us to the word taman – Strong’s #2934, meaning to hide (by covering), in secret by the defiled understanding], and the Holy One from mount Paran [from pa’ar, Strong’s #6286, meaning to gleam, and to explain and make clear]. Selah. His glory [His uncovering covers the heavens with light] covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.
4 And his brightness was as the light; he had horns [power as rays of light] coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.
5 Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.
6 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.
7 I saw the tents of Cushan [I saw the high place of the earth in darkness] in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian [and the covering of strife – agitation and ignorance] did tremble.
8 Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? was your anger against the rivers? was your wrath against the sea, that you did ride upon your horses and your chariots of salvation?
9 Your bow was made quite naked [His ways have become quite apparent], according to the oaths of the tribes [in accord with His promises of Salvation], even your word. Selah. You did cleave the earth with rivers [the rivers of His pure waters/word, spoken of in Revelation 22:1].
10 The mountains saw you, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by [this word of God]: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high [and the LORD is risen by His own power].
11 The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of your arrows they went, and at the shining of your glittering spear.
12 You did march through the land in indignation, you did thresh the heathen in anger.
13 You went forth for the salvation of your people [as promised], even for salvation with your anointed; you wounded the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering [uncovering the cause of the darkness] the foundation unto the neck [the whole head was the cause]. Selah.
14 You did 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.
15 You did walk through the sea with your horses, through the heap of great waters [the words they cast out of their mouths, trying to stop the unstoppable rise].
16 When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice [Do you hear me now?]: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he comes up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops [those who have risen with the LORD, and have come out of the grave, from among the dead, when called].
17 Although the [the old] fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor 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: [because the LORD has struck down the unrighteous shepherds who sold their souls, and the sheep have been freed to each go to their own house in peace. See the prior post and 1 Kings 22:17 and Revelation 18:4 – and Zechariah 3:10 below]
18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19 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.
Psalms 7
1 O LORD my God, in you do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:
2 Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
3 O LORD my God, If I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;
4 If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:)
5 Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honor in the dust. Selah.
6 Arise, O LORD, in your anger, lift up yourself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me to the judgment that you have commanded.
7 So shall the congregation of the people compass you about: for their sakes therefore return you on high.
8 The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.
9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God tries the hearts and reins [reasoning mind and conscience].
10 My defense is of God, which saves the upright in heart.
11 God judges the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
12 If he turn not, he will whet his sword [His word in my mouth]; he has bent his bow, and made it ready.
13 He has also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordained his arrows against the persecutors. [The wicked in high places, who He will suffer long but not forever.]
14 Behold, he travailed with iniquity, and has conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.
15 He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.
16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.
17 I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.
Isaiah 49
1 Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, you people, from far; The LORD has called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother has he made mention of my name.
2 And he has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand has he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver has he hid me;
3 And said unto me, You are my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
4 Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for naught, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.
5 And now, says the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
6 And he said, It is a light thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
7 Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose you.
8 Thus says the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you: and I will preserve you, and give you for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
9 That you may say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.
10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that has mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
11 And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.
12 Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim [double].
13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD has comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.
14 But Zion said, The LORD has forsaken me, and my LORD has forgotten me.
15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget you.
16 Behold, I have graven you upon the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.
17 Your children shall make haste; your destroyers and they that made you waste shall go forth of you.
18 Lift up your eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to you. As I live, says the LORD, you shall surely clothe you with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on you, as a bride does.
19 For your waste and your desolate places, and the land of your destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed you up shall be far away.
20 The children which you shall have, after you have lost the other, shall say again in your ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.
21 Then shall you say in your heart, Who has begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?
22 Thus says the LORD God, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.
23 And kings shall be your nursing fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers: they shall bow down to you with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of your feet; and you shall know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
25 But thus says the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contends with you, and I will save your children.
26 And I will feed them that oppress you with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am your Savior and your Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
Friends, it should be quite evident by now that the LORD has chosen me to speaks His word to the world. He seeks to do the same through as many as will receive Him and become the children of God by His purifying correction.
Isaiah 8
9 Associate yourselves [with the corruption and darkness], O you people, and you shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all you of far countries: gird yourselves, and you shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and you shall be broken in pieces.
10 Take counsel together, and it shall come to naught; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.
11 For the LORD spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying,
12 Say you not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear you their fear, nor be afraid.
13 Sanctify [come out from among them and separate yourselves to the LORD only] the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
14 And he shall be for a sanctuary [an impenetrable fortress]; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem [those who remain among the old and corrupted].
15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
16 Bind up the [this] testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
17 And I will wait upon the LORD, that hides his face from the house of Jacob [those still wrestling with His word, not knowing it the glory of His presence], and I will look for him.
18 Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwells in mount Zion [from where He rules].
19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter [those who use their words to deceive and manipulate]: should not a people seek unto their God? [Should they look] for the living to the dead?
20 [Or] To the law and to the testimony[?]: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light [understanding] in them.
21 And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry [those who reject this word will hunger and not know it is for this word of God]: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward [ignorant of the fact that “God is with us”].
22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.
Zechariah 3
1 And he shewed me Joshua [Jesus – as the body of Christ – the priesthood being cleansed and renews outside the old order – as in Melchisedec] the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist [from the Hebrew word satan – who is resisting the purification] him.
2 And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke you, O Satan; even the LORD that has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? [Jude 1:23, “And others save with fear, pulling them out (harpazo – again, the word distorted into the rapture – and here again seen in its true meaning) of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”]
3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy [defiled and corrupted ideas and ways] garments, and stood before the angel.
4 And he answered and spoke unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with change of raiment. [The change spoken of in 1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.]
5 And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments [the undefiled garments of the priest]. And the angel of the LORD stood by.
6 And the angel of the LORD protested [reiterated] unto Joshua, saying,
7 Thus says the LORD of hosts; If you will walk in my ways, and if you will keep my charge [2 Timothy 4:1 I charge you therefore before God, and the LORD Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 5 But watch you in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of your ministry.], then you shall also judge my house, and shall also keep my courts, and I will give you places to walk among these that stand by.
8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you, and your fellows that sit before you: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch.
9 For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes [the seven churches will look to the new priesthood for their way forward]: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, says the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
10 In that day, says the LORD of hosts, shall you call every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree [at his own house in peace – see 1 Kings 22:17]
Zechariah 4
1 And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep [the sleeping in Christ awaken].
2 And said unto me, What seest you? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon [all God’s people upon one foundation – Christ in us], and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:
3 And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
4 So I answered and spoke to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my LORD?
5 Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Know you not what these be? And I said, No, my LORD.
6 Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel [born (after coming out) of confusion], saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit [in those who love and keep the word of God], says the LORD of hosts.
7 Who are you, O great mountain [established governments of church and state]? before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
8 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me unto you.
10 For who has despised the day of small things [the day of this still small voice]? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven [the church as heavenly Jerusalem]; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?
12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves [see 1 John 5 below]?
13 And he answered me and said, Know you not what these be? And I said, No, my LORD.
14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth.
1 John 5
6 This is he that came by water [the word of God] and blood [and willing to sacrifice to deliver it as received], even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.
7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father [the origin], the Word [that flows to the son on earth as pure waters], and the Holy Ghost [the deliverer of understanding]: and these three are one.
8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit [the understanding received], and the water [that are then rightly divided], and the blood [what occurs when the errors are willingly confronted – life flows out of the one delivering and into those receiving it]: and these three agree in one.
9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he has testified of his Son.
10 He that believes on the Son of God has the witness in himself: he that believes not God has made him a liar; because he believes not the record that God gave of his Son.
11 And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
