Hab 2:14    For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

       

This is a strange verse. It comes as part of a prophecy where the Lord is speaking to Habakkuk about a coming invader who is arrogant (v.5) and who draws the ungodly to himself. Eventually he will be pulled down and those who watch will declare three ‘woes' over him: “Woe to him who piles up stolen goods,” (v.6), “Woe to him who builds his realm by unjust gain,” (v.9), and “Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed.” (v.12). In other words he will be condemned by these things he does. Then the prophecy asks, “Has not the LORD Almighty determined that the people's labor is only fuel for the fire?” (v.13) as if to say, all of these ungodly and unrighteous acts of mankind are consigned to the fire.

 

It is then our verse comes, almost cutting right across these words of judgment. Why? It is because it comes as a complete contrast to the picture of the world's unrighteousness and the ungodliness that prevails. When the Lord burns this all up, the prophet is saying, then the glory of the Lord will be seen throughout the earth and everyone left will know it is the Lord's doing. Everyone throughout the earth will know it. In the same way as the seas cover the earth, so all the peoples of the earth will see this and know this. This would appear to speak of the End Times when the Lord will come and move in such a way that every single human being who is left will know the truth about Him. Hallelujah!

But there is an application here that applies to everyday life. The Lord works constantly to reveal Himself to His world, His glory to the whole earth, and sometimes He does that by acting into bad situations to bring good. How often, I wonder, do bad things happen in this Fallen World, simply because it is broken and 'goes wrong' because of Sin, and yet God moves and brings good through it. Watch history, watch the news, and watch to see His invisible hand moving to bring good to the earth, to bring His glory to the attention of His world,and when you see it, worship Him!