Habakkuk 2:1-4

Introduction: Do you have “VISION”? What kind of VISION? A brief definition for “VISION” is what, “could be” and what, “should be.” Helen Keller, who was blind at birth, once said, “What’s worse than having no eyesight, is having eyesight, but no vision”! Solomon wrote, “Where there is no vision, the people perish,” (Prov 29:18). Speaking of vision, I heard about a man who was standing in front of the bathroom mirrors flexing his muscles….his wife walked up to the bathroom door. While squeezing his biceps, he replied, “I used to have bulging biceps! A rock-solid chest! Iron-like stomach! Legs like brass! Shoulders built like Sampson!” Finally, when he turned around, his wife said, ” You got to admit one thing…..there ain’t nothing wrong with your eyesight!”

The minor prophet Habakkuk writes to the remnant in southern Judah wondering why a “GOOD GOD” would allow “BAD” things to happen to His people. Why do the righteous suffer? Of course, God had a purpose in allowing a heathen nation to chastise his people. However, in the middle of the prophet’s complaining, God gives him a Word to stand on: Three (3) stages of Faith:

1. WATCH Expectantly with the Eye of FAITH! (Hab 2:1)

“1I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.”

   • Have you Learned to listen to God? (v 1)

   • Have we Learned to Look to Jesus in Faith? (v 1)

2. WRITE Obediently with the Hand of FAITH! (Hab 2:2)

“2And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.”

    • Notice our Lord’s part: He will answer (v 2)

    • Notice our part: Write it down (v 2)

{The great missionary Hudson Taylor, who saw God’s vision and answered the call to, “Go to China,” was used by the Lord in a mighty way! His dear mother had prayed for him and actually knew when he would be saved. God revealed it to her, and she DARED to believe the Lord by faith}

3. WAIT Patiently with the Heart of FAITH! (Hab 2:3, 4)

“3For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. 4Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.”

     • Starting place – “An appointed time” (v 3)

     • Testing place – “Though it tarry” (v 3)

     • Finishing place – ” It will surely come” (v 3)

Conclusion: When it comes to the will of God, sometimes our VISION can become blurry. In fact, without corrective lenses, my vision is limited by distance….in other words, I’m nearsighted (can’t see far off). Have you heard about the woman with (3) pairs of glasses? She had (1) pair of glasses to see up close! She had (1) pair of glasses to see off at a distance!……..And she had (1) pair of glasses to find the other (2) pairs when she lost them!!!

A God – given, “Vision” is *Conceived, *Birthed, and *Delivered by the Lord…but remember:

There will be labor pains in the process!