Habakkuk 3:11-The Lord Jesus Christ Will Cause the Sun and the Moon to Stand Still at His Second Advent
Bill Wenstrom
Habakkuk Chapter Three • Sermon • Submitted • 1:07:29
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Habakkuk 3:11 Your arrows, your spear, which produces lightning, which results in a spectacular manifestation of light, they will be launched, causing the sun and moon, whose purpose is to give light to the celestial sky, to enter into the state of standing still. (My translation)
As we noted in our study of Habakkuk 3:3-10, Habakkuk 3:3-19 is a prayer which the prophet Habakkuk offered up to the God of Israel, which he directed to be sung in the temple as part of the worship of the God of Israel.
We also noted in verses 3-10 that Habakkuk 3:3-15 is not only poetic but also prophetic referring to the events of the seventieth week and Second Advent of Jesus Christ.
They are also alluding to the mighty acts of God which He performed on behalf of the nation of Israel in past history such as during Israel’s exodus from Egypt under Moses.
As we also noted in detail in our study of Habakkuk 3:3, I adhere to the eschatological interpretation of Habakkuk 3:3-15 in the sense that I interpret these verses as being fulfilled in the future during the seventieth week of Daniel and the Second Advent of Christ.
Habakkuk 3:11 contains a poetic statement, which asserts that the Lord God of Israel’s arrow and spear, which produces lightning, which results in a spectacular manifestation of light, they will be launched, causing the sun and moon whose purpose is to give light to the celestial sky, to enter into the state of standing still.
Of course, the prophet Habakkuk 3:11 is employing figurative language to describe the actions of the Lord God of Israel, who we noted is the Lord Jesus Christ.
This statement is not only alluding to a past historical event in Israel’s history but is also prophet for an event which will take place in the future at Jesus Christ’s Second Advent which will deliver the nation of Israel from Satan and the fallen angels, Antichrist and the false prophet and the armies of the Gentile nations who will exist during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week of Daniel.
The past historical event in Israel’s history which is being alluded to in Habakkuk 3:11 is the Lord God of Israel causing the sun and moon to stand still in the celestial sky until Israel defeated the Amorites.
This action is in response to Joshua’s prayer.
Joshua 10:12 The day the Lord delivered the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua prayed to the Lord before Israel: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon! O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon!” 13 The sun stood still and the moon stood motionless while the nation took vengeance on its enemies. The event is recorded in the Scroll of the Upright One. The sun stood motionless in the middle of the sky and did not set for about a full day. (NET)
However, as we noted, Habakkuk 3:11 is also prophetic for the Second Advent of Jesus Christ when the Lord will again cause the sun and moon to stand still until He has defeated Satan and the fallen angels, Antichrist and the false prophet and the armies of the tribulation.
Isaiah 13:9-10, 24:23, Joel 2:10, 31, 3:15, Zechariah 14:6-7 and Matthew 24:29-31 all predict that the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light when Jesus Christ returns at His Second Advent.
Isaiah 13:9 Look, the Lord’s day of judgment is coming; it is a day of cruelty and savage, raging anger, destroying the earth and annihilating its sinners. 13:10 Indeed the stars in the sky and their constellations no longer give out their light; the sun is darkened as soon as it rises, and the moon does not shine. (NET)
Isaiah 24:1 Look, the Lord is ready to devastate the earth and leave it in ruins; he will mar its surface and scatter its inhabitants. 24:2 Everyone will suffer—the priest as well as the people, the master as well as the servant, the elegant lady as well as the female attendant, the seller as well as the buyer, the borrower as well as the lender, the creditor as well as the debtor. 24:3 The earth will be completely devastated and thoroughly ransacked. For the Lord has decreed this judgment. 24:4 The earth dries up and withers, the world shrivels up and withers; the prominent people of the earth fade away. 24:5 The earth is defiled by its inhabitants, for they have violated laws, disregarded the regulation, and broken the permanent treaty. 24:6 So a treaty curse devours the earth; its inhabitants pay for their guilt. This is why the inhabitants of the earth disappear, and are reduced to just a handful of people. 24:7 The new wine dries up, the vines shrivel up, all those who like to celebrate groan. 24:8 The happy sound of the tambourines stops, the revelry of those who celebrate comes to a halt, the happy sound of the harp ceases. 24:9 They no longer sing and drink wine; the beer tastes bitter to those who drink it. 24:10 The ruined town is shattered; all of the houses are shut up tight. 24:11 They howl in the streets because of what happened to the wine; all joy turns to sorrow; celebrations disappear from the earth. 24:12 The city is left in ruins; the gate is reduced to rubble. 24:13 This is what will happen throughout the earth, among the nations. It will be like when they beat an olive tree, and just a few olives are left at the end of the harvest. 24:14 They lift their voices and shout joyfully; they praise the majesty of the Lord in the west. 24:15 So in the east extol the Lord, along the seacoasts extol the fame of the Lord God of Israel. 24:16 From the ends of the earth we hear songs— the Just One is majestic. But I say, “I’m wasting away! I’m wasting away! I’m doomed! Deceivers deceive, deceivers thoroughly deceive!” 24:17 Terror, pit, and snare are ready to overtake you inhabitants of the earth! 24:18 The one who runs away from the sound of the terror will fall into the pit; the one who climbs out of the pit, will be trapped by the snare. For the floodgates of the heavens are opened up and the foundations of the earth shake. 24:19 The earth is broken in pieces, the earth is ripped to shreds, the earth shakes violently. 24:20 The earth will stagger around like a drunk; it will sway back and forth like a hut in a windstorm. Its sin will weigh it down, and it will fall and never get up again. 24:21 At that time the Lord will punish the heavenly forces in the heavens and the earthly kings on the earth. 24:22 They will be imprisoned in a pit, locked up in a prison, and after staying there for a long time, they will be punished. 24:23 The full moon will be covered up, the bright sun will be darkened; for the Lord who commands armies will rule on Mount Zion in Jerusalem in the presence of his assembly, in majestic splendor. (NET)
Joel 2:10 The earth quakes before them; the sky reverberates. The sun and the moon grow dark; the stars refuse to shine. (NET)
Joel 2:28 (3:1) After all of this I will pour out my Spirit on all kinds of people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your elderly will have revelatory dreams; your young men will see prophetic visions. 2:29 Even on male and female servants I will pour out my Spirit in those days. 2:30 I will produce portents both in the sky and on the earth— blood, fire, and columns of smoke. 2:31 The sunlight will be turned to darkness and the moon to the color of blood, before the day of the Lord comes— that great and terrible day!
2:32 It will so happen that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be delivered. For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who survive, just as the Lord has promised; the remnant will be those whom the Lord will call. (NET)
Joel 3:9 Proclaim this among the nations: “Prepare for a holy war! Call out the warriors! Let all these fighting men approach and attack! 3:10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears! Let the weak say, ‘I too am a warrior!’ 3:11 Lend your aid and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves to that place.” Bring down, O Lord, your warriors! 3:12 Let the nations be roused and let them go up to the valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit in judgment on all the surrounding nations. 3:13 Rush forth with the sickle, for the harvest is ripe! Come, stomp the grapes, for the winepress is full! The vats overflow. Indeed, their evil is great! 3:14 Crowds, great crowds are in the valley of decision, for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision! 3:15 The sun and moon are darkened; the stars withhold their brightness. 3:16 The Lord roars from Zion; from Jerusalem his voice bellows out. The heavens and the earth shake. But the Lord is a refuge for his people; he is a stronghold for the citizens of Israel. (NET)
Zechariah 14:6 On that day there will be no light—the sources of light in the heavens will congeal. 14:7 It will happen in one day (a day known to the Lord); not in the day or the night, but in the evening there will be light. (NET)
Matthew 24:29 “Immediately after the suffering of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. 24:30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 24:31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (NET)
Isaiah 13:9-10, 24:23, Joel 2:10, 31, 3:15, Zechariah 14:6-7 and Matthew 24:29-31 all describe the tribulation portion of the seventieth week of Daniel immediately preceding the Second Advent of Christ since it corresponds to the description that our Lord gives of the tribulation period prior to His Second Advent (Matthew 24:29-31).
Therefore, Habakkuk 3:11 is a prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ who will cause the earth’s sun and moon to stand still in the celestial sky at His Second Advent despite the fact that Isaiah 13:9-10, 24:23, Joel 2:10, 31, 3:15, Zechariah 14:6-7 and Matthew 24:29-31 do not speak of Him doing so.
However, since Habakkuk 3:11 speaks of the sun and moon being affected by the actions of the Lord Jesus Christ and these other passages do so as well, it is reasonable to infer that Habakkuk 3:11 is prophetic of the Lord’s actions at His Second Advent.
Thus, Habakkuk 3:11 is giving more information about the actions of the Lord at His Second Advent which Isaiah 13:9-10, 24:23, Joel 2:10, 3:15, Zechariah 14:6-7 and Matthew 24:29-31 do not provide, namely that the Lord will cause the sun and moon to stand still in the celestial sky when He returns to planet earth at His Second Advent.