Habakkuk 3:17-18 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail… 1. The conditions. "Yet." In spite of what verse 17 describes — apparent failure of our efforts for God, or apparent desolation of His cause around us. Deep reality of such trials. Success is to be sought and prayed for; we are not to ask for the discipline of failure. But it may come, and in one degree or another it will, in every deep Christian experience, whether as personal failure or as a sense of surrounding failure. On its external side the Lord Jesus Christ's work partook of the pain of failure. 2. The resolve. "I will rejoice in the Lord." The will is called up. Believers "will to do His will" only by His special grace preventing them; but they do really will, the act of willing is their own. We must not sit down passive, and wait for a sensible impulse. It will come through our own will when it comes. Let us, in this spirit, cultivate the habit of holy resolves, as well as holy desires. It is the joy of personal appropriation, of objective pardon and peace — "my salvation." Comp. Micah 7:7 for a rich parallel. The soul, outwardly tried and tired, goes to Him who is "my hiding-place," and there is "compassed about with songs of deliverance" (Psalm 32:7). 3. The result. Not selfish sloth. Some say personal enjoyment of present salvation is selfish." On the contrary, it is the spring of deepest sympathy with souls, and of love-animated efforts for them. Personal joy compels affectionate work. (Handley C. G. Moule, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour 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: |
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