high." "'l'h" mountains being the '.most prominent objects on the surface of the globe, Habakkuk rdtern.tcs in a somewhat prominent form wbt\t he had expressed in the eixth Vl'rse in order to preserve the impression of the tremendous character of the transactionH 10 illustrate which they had been figuratively introduced" (Henderson). "The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the li;!:ht of thine arrows they went, and nt the shining of thy gl:ttering spear" (see Josh. x. 12, 13). Some, however, suppose that the reference here is to the surpassing splendour of the Divine manifestation, th11t t.he heavenly orbs withdraw altogether from the fear and horror that pervade all naturP, \',bich are expressed in the mountains by trembling, and in the waters by roaring, and in the sun and moon by obscuration. God is here viewed as a warrior whose darts are so brilliant that sun and moon pale before them. "Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger." The special reference here may be to his march in leading the children of Israel through the wilderness, and smiting down his enemies. "Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck." "Havinp: described, in language of the most sublime and terrible import, the manifestations of Jehovah 'in reference to his enemies, Habakku.k now proceeds to specify in express terms the·end which they were designed to answer, viz. the deliverance and safety of the chosen people, and then depicts their fatal effects it. the destruction of every hostile power" (Henderson). "' Thou didst 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. Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, through the heap of great waters.' .Thou goest out t.o the rescue of thy people, to the rescue of thine anointed one: thou dash est in pieces the head from the house of the wicked one, laying bare the foundation even to the neck. Thou piercest with his spears the head of his hordes which storm hither to beat me to powder, whose rejoicing is as it were to swallow the poor in secret. Thou trcadest upon the seas : thy horses upon the heap of great waters. The Lord, at whose coming in the terrible glory of the majesty of the Judge of the world, all nature trembles and appears to fall into its primary chaotic state, marches over the earth, and stamps or tramples down the nations with his feet (compare the kindred figure of the treader of the wine-press in Isa. lxiii. 1, 6). Not all nations, however, but only those who are hostile to him; for he has come forth to save his people and hie anointedrt>ne. The perfects in vers. 13-15 are prophetic, describing the future in spirit as having already occurred" (Keil). Now, all this sublime representation of God is poetic, highly poetic. It is the characteristic of poetry that it ascribes to one class of objects attributes that belong to another; and in this o~e we find attributes ascribed to the Creator which belong to the creature. For example, heis here represented as moving from one place to another, from Teman and from Paran ; as standing, "he stood," etc. ; as conquering his enemies by human weapons; as riding upon horses and dl'iving in chariots; and as fired with indignation. All this is human. The Infinite One does not move from place to place, does not stand in any one spot, knows no rage, fury is not in him. Whilst in this ode the attributes of the creature are applied to the Creator, we find also the attributes of the living ascribed to dead and insentient existences. The mountains are here represented as writhing and in pain, the deep as uttering its voice and lifting up its hands. But whilst we take this as a poetic representation, we must not fail to notice some of the grand truths which it contains. 1. That God's glory transcends all revelations. 'fhe brightness of the Shechinah, in which he appeared on Sinai and elsewhere to the Jews, however effulgent, was but a mere scintillation of the infinite splendour of his Being, the mere" hiding of his power." All his glory as seen in nature, both in the material and spiritual universe, is but as one ray to the eternal sun. 2. That God's power over the materi,a,l universe is absolute. He makes the mountains tremble, and the seas divide, and the orbs of heaven stand still. In the Apocalypse the refulgent glory of the judgment-throne is represented as causing the material nniverse to melt away before it. And before a full manifestation of himself, what :1re mountains, rivers, sun, and stars? Mere vapours on the wings of the storm. 3. That God's interest in good men is profound <Ill'td practical. All hiij operations, as here poetically described, are on behalf uf hie chosen people. Though he is hip:h, he has resr,ect to the lowly, and to that man he ever looks who is of o. contrite and humble apirit, rrr. m. 1-19.J THE BOOK OF HABAKKUK. 71
II. PRAOTIOALLY REMEMBERED. Why did tbe prophet recall all these Divine manifestations made to the Hebrew people in past times? Undoubtedly to encouraue in himself and in his countrymen unbounded confidence in him at the critical aid dangerous period in which they were placed. The Chaldean hosts were threatening their ruin, the politioal heavens were black with thunder-clouds under which bis countrymen might well shiver and stand aghast. Under these perilous circumstances he turns to God; he calls to mind and portrays in vivid poetry what he had been to his people in ancient times. 1. He recalls the fact that God had delivered his people in ancient times from perils as great as those to which they were now exposed. From the Egyptians, the Canaanites, the Philistines, etc. 2. That God had done this by stupendous manifestations of his power. Manifestations of his power in the sea, in the mountains, in the orbs of heaven, etc. 3. That what God had done for his people he WQll,ld continue to do. "His ways are everlasting," or, as Keil renders it, "His are ways of the olden times." The idea, perhaps, is that he has an eternal plan, fixed and settled. What he has done for them he will still do. Thus the prophet remembered the days of old, and took courage.-D. T.