Habakkuk 3:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The dawn shall break, and the moon will hold its position in the luminosity of the day. Just as we perceive the abyss not in a physical manner, which is too crude, but rather in a spiritual and insightful way, we should shift our focus away from the elements, particularly the sun and the moon. Instead, through their representation, we will elevate our gaze to the divine and contemplate the deeper meanings within our thoughts. The sun represents the complete illumination and glory of the Gospel’s teachings, while the moon symbolizes the lesser, more subdued light of the law that glimmered in the darkness prior to Christ’s arrival. This transition marks the period when Christ, the Sun of righteousness, the spiritual day, shone brightly within the hearts of the faithful.

The sun will be lifted high, and the moon will take its rightful place, signifying Christ’s ascension to heaven and the establishment of the Church under His sovereign rule. The light will illuminate your arrows, and the brilliance of your weapons will shine forth, meaning that His words will be disclosed rather than concealed, as He instructed His disciples, “What I say to you in darkness, speak in the light” (Matt. 10:27).

We present our edition of the text to establish the sequence of this section based on the Hebrew text, after which we will analyze the text of the Seventy, addressing it section by section according to the punctuation. The mountains beheld You, O God, and were troubled; this refers specifically to the high kingdoms and the exalted rulers of this era, along with the four chariots mentioned by Zechariah that emerge from the bronze mountains (Zech. 6:1). They gazed upon You and were astonished. The waters of the abyss, representing every effort and persecution through which they tormented Your people, receded upon witnessing You. Consequently, the abyss itself, representing hell, glorified You; at that moment, the celestial beings, or angels, began to celebrate and proclaim the victor with a gesture of jubilation and uplifted hands. The sun, moon, and all other luminaries that You previously shone forth for Your people—now shrouded in darkness due to the weight of evil—have regained their brilliance and now shine with their former glory. Your arrows and Your lightning spear, symbols of Your plagues and discipline, have illuminated Your people. With the radiance of Your arrows and the brilliance of Your spear, which struck them for their correction, Your people began to walk in reverent fear of You. Therefore, when You take vengeance for the injustices of Your people, You will trample on the kingdoms of the earth and cause all nations to marvel at You, for You have acted for the salvation of Your people and have come to them through Your Christ. It is indeed affirmed in Hebrews that "Thou hast gone forth for the salvation of Thy people with Jesus Christ Thy Christ," because the name 'Jesus' signifies 'Savior.' At the arrival of Jesus Christ, Your Son, You struck down Antichrist in the house of iniquity, meaning in this present age which is steeped in wickedness; or You have confronted the devil himself, the head of wickedness, exposing his foundation completely, making his secrets manifest not just for a time, but for eternity, as the term sela signifies, indicating forever. The nations will witness You and will either mourn or experience the anguish reminiscent of childbirth, for ὠδινήσουσι signifies both. Therefore, after the earth is divided and rivers spring forth, those nations that have drawn from the rivers of God will behold God and will experience the pains of childbirth. By witnessing You, they will comprehend the conception and declare, "In fear of You, O Lord, we conceived in the womb, labored in childbirth, and gave birth: the spirit of Your salvation we will bring forth on the earth" (Is. 26:17, 18). “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). Thus, these nations, cleansed by the streams, have not yet seen God but are on the verge of witnessing Him; when they do, they shall conceive, enabling them to bear the fruits of doctrine. However, since they are referred to as nations, and it is not feasible for nations to behold the face of God, even though the expressions "shall see" and "shall conceive" refer to the future, it is preferable to interpret the Hebrew text figuratively, as stating, "The mountains have seen You, and have given birth to You," for it is indeed unique to the mountains to perceive God and bear the sons conceived through the Word of God. LXX: "Dissolve the waters of the way." - There exist various waters; some are eternal, while others are ephemeral. As for the eternal waters flowing from the springs of Israel, it is noted, "By rivers, shall the earth be divided." Of those that suddenly appear and flow only briefly, it is said, "All streams flow into the sea." The fate of such waters is extinction. Thus, God will disperse all waters defiled by errant doctrines once He has dismantled the schemes of rulers and the wisdom of this world. If you see heresies briefly thriving, only to be scattered by God's grace, acknowledge that the statement, "Thou shalt scatter the waters of the way," has come to pass. Furthermore, "of the way" may refer to "of the devil," signifying the waters through which the devil traverses; these waters have provided a pathway for numerous errors that the Lord will disrupt and scatter. Hence, other interpreters, seeking to portray the tumult of heretics, have translated it as, "The blow," or, "the rushing of the waters will pass by," for they are swept away in the rapid flow of eloquence and are violently carried off whenever they encounter someone frivolous in their path. LXX: "He gave the abyss its voice, the height of imagination concerning its imagination." - The term ‘abyss’ often conveys both good and bad connotations and sometimes appears neutral. Positively, it is seen in phrases like “Thy judgments are a multitude of abysses” (Psalms 35:7) and “the abyss calls unto the abyss” (Psalms 41:8). Negatively, it appears in contexts such as “The waters saw Thee, O God” (Ps. 76:17). Additionally, demons plead with the Lord not to be cast into the abysses (Luke 8:31), and in Genesis, it states, “The abyss was dark” (Gen. 1:2); whether these instances convey a positive meaning is uncertain. Indifferently, it is referenced where “The springs of the abyss were opened, and the heavens were opened” (Gen. 7:11). Likewise, in the one hundred and forty-eighth psalm: “Dragons and all abysses; fire and hail and stormy wind” (Ps. 148:7-8) — whether ‘dragons, fire, and hail’ have a negative connotation remains debatable, as all these beings declare praises to the Lord. If we determine to interpret the abyss positively, we could assert that once the waters of wickedness were dispersed, wise men beheld You and discerned the heights of knowledge received through contemplation of You (for the mountains saw You and bore You), subsequently proclaiming praises of what they had previously known about You. The unexpected flight of imagination He aptly refers to as “the heights,” as stated in the words of Jesus son of Sirach, “Who examines the abyss and wisdom?” (Sir. 1:2; Eccl. 1:2). Thus, from the spiritual mountain (Ps. 41:8; Phil. 2:7)—the assumption of human flesh, which Daniel describes as a stone cut from the mountain without hands (Dan. 2:37, 45)—the Abyss is addressed by Christ referring to the Father, another Abyss that thunders with His shutters' opening, conveying the word through which those preaching the Gospel are empowered. The New Testament could also be interpreted as the abyss, testifying to the small mountain from which the prince of Tyre was cast down, summoning the abyss of the Old Testament, aiming that through Christ's powerful shutters—through the Apostles—the preaching becomes robust and effective. Yet, should someone wish to understand the phrase “The abyss has given its voice, the height of its imagination” negatively, they could argue that after the dispersal of the waters of a bad way—clearly interpreted negatively—the subsequent reference must also be taken oppositely. Observe that it does not state “his own height,” but “the height of his imagination,” reflecting both shadow and semblance. They may appear elevated in knowledge of the Scriptures; however, their perceived elevation in light of the truth is fictitious, for it is in vain they raise their voice, knowing the waters of the way are already scattered. Can a good interpretation of imagination be found within the Scriptures? And since it is seldom found or lacks presence altogether, we ought to assume that both ‘abyss’ and ‘imagination’ are to be understood negatively. LXX: “The sun arose, and the moon took its place.” - A straightforward interpretation reveals the rising of both the sun and moon; according to Isaiah's words, in the age to come, the sun will shine sevenfold while the moon will radiate the sunlight (Isaiah 30:26). The creation will be liberated from the bondage of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God (Rom. 8:21)—the creation currently subject to vanity due to the one who subjected it, in hope for liberation—when all creation is freed; both the sun and the moon will be liberated and take their rightful place. Interpreting the Sun of Truth as Christ, and the moon, illuminated by the Sun's light—as the Church—it becomes clear that it shines both with truth's radiance and the illumination of humanity, as well as with God’s celestial glory and eternal light, waxing and waning within the present age based on oppression or favor. When the sun rises, and as the Apostle declares, God exalts Him, granting Him a name above all names (Phil. 2:9), the Church, unable to maintain its order now, will revert to its rightful place and will no longer depart from it, instead standing firm to hear "But thou shalt stand here with Me" (Exodus 34:2). LXX: “In brightness or light Thy arrows shall go forth, in the splendor-like brilliance of Thy weapons.” - The arrows of God, or His weapons that soar unceasingly, are not dispatched for destruction, but for enlightenment. In contrast to these arrows and spears stands the chosen arrow, Christ, who proclaims through Isaiah, “He has made me a chosen arrow; in His quiver He hides me, and said, ‘Great is the value of thy being called My servant’” (Isaiah 29:2-3). This arrow possesses or sends forth many arrows into the world. Thus, the bride, struck by this chosen arrow, declares, “I am wounded with love” (Song 2:5); in this light, we might say, “I am wounded with integrity; I am aligned with wisdom.” This arrow of wisdom also wounded the Queen of the South, who was amazed to find greater truth in the genuine Solomon than she had been told (1 Kings 10:7). These arrows, sent forth for illumination, are propelled in the brilliance of His weapons, meaning God’s. Indeed, those equipped to resist the devil's traps, armed with the full armor mentioned by the Apostle (Eph. 4:11), will have the arrows of light fly toward them, allowing it to be said, “You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14). Conversely, for the sinful who lament their existence among the dwellings of Kedar, the piercing arrows of the Strong are directed at them—sharp with devouring coals (Ps. 119:4-5)—that they may first be struck by the power of God's Word and admit, “I was in distress when the thorn pierced me” (Ps. 31:4); and later, after being convicted by the Seraphim, a purifying fire was sent to him, that the fiery Word of God may cleanse not just his lips (for Isaiah only recognized their impurity) but all parts of his being, leading to a complete cleansing from sin (Isaiah 4). LXX: “In threatening, Thou wilt diminish the earth, and in fury Thou wilt carry away the nations.” - These words can be interpreted regarding the end of the world, when due to incessant battles and the slaughter of multitudes, limited numbers will remain. Those who chose not to be part of God's people but persisted as unbelieving Gentiles will ultimately be cast into the depths of hell by the fury of God's wrath. Alternatively, we may apply this to the earthly actions of sinful individuals within the church, who do not await their sweeping away by the Lord’s fury but, aware of the divine punishments outlined in Scripture, repent and gradually lessen their earthly pursuits, aspiring towards heaven. Should any of us feel the weight of the fear from the Lord's threats, their earthly attachments will diminish, whereas those who remain with the Gentiles and refuse to align with the people of God—the ones referred to with, “The nations shall see Thee, and the mothers of childbirth shall endure pain” —will be drawn together with the Gentiles into a place of retribution. LXX: “Thou hast gone forth to save Thy people, to save Thy anointed ones.” - Let us first identify the various anointed ones and reason how the Lord sought to save them. In the Old Testament, the anointed include the patriarchs, as revealed in the Psalms, where it is noted that God rebuked kings for them with the words: “You shall not touch My anointed ones, nor do harm to My prophets” (Psalm 114:14-15). In 1 Chronicles, it is noted that all those who exited Egypt are referred to as anointed (1 Chron. 16:22).

The depths will raise their cry, and the heights will summon their spirits. The sun and moon will maintain their positions. The Prophet furthered the metaphor while preserving the flow of his imagery. He referred to the holy Apostles as rivers, while the sea represents the nations engulfed in the bitterness of sin. Just as rivers encounter turmoil when they merge into the sea, obstructed by the waves, so too did the divine Apostles face chaos and resistance from those who rejected their life-giving message as they traveled among the nations. This is clearly illustrated in the book of Acts. For instance, in Ephesus, Demetrius the silversmith incited a riot against the Apostles (Acts 19:23-29).

What do the phrases signify: The sun has risen and the moon has taken its position? When the Sun of Righteousness illuminates us through our virtuous deeds and genuine understanding, it causes our mutable and imperfect nature, symbolized by the moon, to find stability.

The prophet Habakkuk prefigured the exaltation of Christ and the steadfastness of the Church under the symbols of the sun and moon: the sun rose, and the moon took its position (LXX; Hab. 3:11). Thus, it follows that the heart of every believer cannot be truly called a spiritual terrace of the sun, as it receives life-giving light from the rays of the supreme Sun. In a similar fashion, Rahab concealed the spies of Joshua on her roof, in the truest sense - at the highest level - and this action was inspired by her heartfelt love, which was guided by spiritual understanding. Through her righteous acts, she was able to proclaim the prophetic truth: In my heart I have hidden Thy word, that I might not sin before Thee (Psalm 118:11).

When the saints perform miraculous works, they resemble flashes of lightning, stirring the hearts of observers with both awe and illumination, igniting their spirits. Thus, it is proclaimed, "In the light your arrows shall go forth, in the shining of the lightning of your weapons." The arrows of the Lord symbolize the spoken truth of the saints that pierces the hearts of the unrepentant. Yet, these arrows have their own instruments of defense. For, dear brethren, as warriors shoot arrows and protect themselves with arms, so too do the holy men bolster their words with miraculous deeds. When they couple their proclaiming with wonders, it is as if they are equipped with arms to guard against being harmed: “in the light your arrows shall go,” as the words of God are revealed.