Faith Triumphant in the Day of Calamity
T. Hannam. 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… The text exhibits a season of peculiar distress, and the exercise of a gracious heart in the time of calamity. I. A SEASON OF PECULIAR DISTRESS. 1. Such seasons are effected by the hand of God. He is not a mere spectator, He is the great agent in bringing these things to pass. 2. Such seasons are the consequence of man's sin. Sin introduced this and every other misery. 3. Such seasons are designed by Infinite Wisdom to answer some important end. To manifest His absolute right over all creatures and things. He claims them all as His own. And He makes it manifest that they are His own, by taking them away at His pleasure. To convince us of our entire dependence upon Him for all our temporal enjoyments. Without the Divine blessing, all men do is ineffectual. To prove to us that earthly comforts are uncertain and perishing. The design of God, in bestowing temporal benefits, is to help us through life, not to make us too much in love with it. To lead us to the exercise of gratitude, when temporal blessings abound, and for the exercise of Christian graces in the hearts of His people. Now is the trial of their faith, patience, and resignation. II. THE EXERCISE OF A GRACIOUS HEART IN TIMES OF CALAMITY. 1. Gracious souls have a source of joy, when those of the ungodly are all dried up. 2. This rejoicing in God, in the midst of calamity, is the fruit of our Divine faith. If the promises were not believed, the soul would not rejoice. 3. It is a view of the gracious character of God, as a Saviour, that causes the sinner to rejoice in Him. Improvements — (1) God can as easily take away the whole of our possessions as part of them. (2) You will continue strangers to true happiness, while you remain strangers to the spirit of the prophet. (3) In such seasons beware now you endeavour to add to your own enjoyments at the expense of any others' comfort. (4) Let the oppressed poor remember to whom vengeance belongeth. (5) If you can rejoice in God, you shall soon be in a country where neither famine nor scarcity can ever be experienced. (T. Hannam.) 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: WEB: For though the fig tree doesn't flourish, nor fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive fails, the fields yield no food; the flocks are cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls: