Habakkuk 3:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Moreover, referring to the works of the Savior, he addresses other nations against which the bow may be aimed, mentioning ‘the land of rivers,’ possibly alluding to Babylonian territory, which was situated amidst numerous rivers. This serves as a metaphor for the myriad of spiritual and unseen adversaries that the saints contend against. Prophetic words are often veiled in mystery. Therefore, the land of rivers might imply Judea, recognized for its multitude of prophets, akin to rivers nourishing the people and supplying divine streams. This notion is echoed by the blessed David, who states, ‘the rivers shall sprinkle with the hand’ (Psalms 97:8), and God declares through Isaiah: ‘The beasts of the villages, the dragons, and the daughters of the ostriches, shall acknowledge Me; for I will provide water in the wilderness, and rivers in the dry land, to give drink to My chosen people, the ones whom I sustain to declare My praises’ (Isaiah 43:20-21). Our Lord Jesus Christ is known as a fountain of sweetness (Psalm 35:9), and indeed He is. He is also depicted as a river, as He proclaims through His saints: ‘Behold, I lay upon you like a river of peace, and like a stream overflowing with the glory of tongues’ (Isaiah 66:12). Furthermore, David writes, ‘the river rushes forth to rejoice the city of God’ (Psalm 45:5).

There is no obstacle in referring to the saints themselves as rivers, reflecting their spiritual likeness to Him. Just as He is the true light (John 8:12), and He said to His holy apostles: ‘You are the light of the world’ (Matt. 5:14); similarly, He, being both a river and living water, grants the saints the privilege to be glorified in this likeness. Thus, the land of spiritual rivers, namely Judea, which refuses to partake of the living water and disregards the words of the holy prophets, and even the teachings of Moses himself, ‘For if they would believe Moses, they would also believe in Me, for he wrote about Me’ (John 5:46), will experience 'shrinking,' indicating thirst, as a parched land does shrink. The prophet expressed his amazement, lamenting that a land once abundant with rivers and springs will become a dry and thirsty place. There is a truth in the statement: ‘by streams Thou hast divided the earth.’

The inquiries, “Is Your anger, O Lord, directed toward the rivers, or Your fury upon the rivers, or Your splash upon the sea?” are posed with an implication of doubt and suggest more a question than a declaration. Indeed, we find that there are rivers of virtue as well as those of vice. Some seas are more treacherous than others. For instance, the Psalm illustrates the blessed rivers: “The river of God is full of water” (Psalm 65:9), and whoever partakes of the Lord’s water shall have rivers flowing from within, leading to everlasting life (John 4:14). Conversely, we encounter the negative representation of rivers in the words of Pharaoh from Ezekiel: “The river is mine and I have made it” (Ezekiel 29:3, 9), wherein dwells a dragon, and similarly corrupt metaphors. The favorable aspect of the sea is evident in Psalm twenty-three, where the Church is depicted figuratively as οἰκουμένη, meaning the universe: “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein…” (Psalms 24:1). What God establishes upon the sea and prepares amidst the rivers certainly carries a positively understood significance. Similarly, the imagery of the vineyard brought from Egypt, as expressed, “You have extended her branches to the sea, and her shoots to the river” (Psalm 80:12), can also be interpreted positively. Those divine utterances, which are clearer than others and serve as sustenance for the thirsty, are likened to rivers; scripturally, the sea gathers those profound words filled with mysteries, to which the Apostle refers with, “O depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” (Romans 11:33) and the prophet declares, “Out of the depths have I cried unto You, O Lord” (Psalm 130:1). This illustrates that the sea can indeed embody a more benevolent meaning, yet it can also represent darker connotations, as suggested in the Psalms: “The sea is great and vast… There ships pass through, and living creatures both small and great” (Psalms 104:25). The dragon You have made to sport therein (Psalms 104:26). It becomes clear from the Gospel how the Savior commands the winds and the sea, insisting, “Peace, be still!” (Mark 4:39); and that which is prohibited is indicative of evil, as seen in the words of the prophet Zechariah, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan!” (Zechariah 3:2), and in the letter to Timothy: “Preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort” (2 Timothy 4:2). Thus, when the prophet inquires, “Is Your wrath kindled against the rivers, O Lord, or is Your fury against the rivers?” we assert that if these rivers are those of Egypt, or if the sea is red and bloody, the Lord's wrath is indeed upon them, swiftly confronting the abysses that rise against the knowledge of God. Thus, “the sea saw and fled” (Psalms 114:3) in response to the presence of God. The Jordan turned backward, retreating before the glory of Israel as they crossed, divided into two parts by Elijah and Elisha. To clarify further: the rivers that provoke God’s ire can be likened to the eloquence of heretics, which rush against the truth and the Church. In the souls of those entrapped by every wind of doctrine, forever stirred by malice and submerged in bitter abysses, one can observe the sea that the Lord confronts, which acknowledges His coming and knows its boundaries, hearing the declaration, “Your waves will be broken within” (Psalm 89:9). When both the sea and the rivers are good, it is because in the rivers Christ is cleansed and on this sea, He establishes His Church. Following these thoughts, “For You ascend on Your horses, and Your ascendancy brings salvation.” I contemplate the horses on which the Lord rides, thinking they represent the souls of the saints, through which God’s Word reaches salvation for them and others. Examples from Scripture illustrate horses: in the Song of Songs, the Bridegroom proclaims, “I have compared you, my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots” (Song of Solomon 1:9). This does not imply that Christ equates the Church or the Word of God, the soul—which He refers to as His beloved—with Pharaoh’s chariots, but rather, highlights that every soul, regardless of holiness, is akin to a chariot or a draft animal compared to God. Moses states, “I am a man of uncircumcised lips” (Exodus 6:12), and David confesses, “I was like a beast before You” (Psalm 73:22). This does not mean he identifies with ordinary livestock; it signifies his lowliness before God. These horses are markedly different from those of Pharaoh, of whom it is said, “He cast the horse and his rider into the sea” (Exodus 15:21). Climbing atop such a horse does not signify salvation, but rather ruin. Let us look for other equines upon which the Lord ascends. In the Kings, we read that Elisha’s servant arose early and saw an army surrounding the city, with horses and chariots (2 Kings 6:15). Once God opened the man’s eyes through prayer, “He looked, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:17). Notably, there were horses and chariots, yet not a single rider among the multitude of horses and chariots. The one who rides and directs these horses is He of whom the Psalmist cries, “You who sit between the cherubim, shine forth!” (Psalm 80:1). By such horses and chariots, Elijah was taken up to heaven (2 Kings 2:11). If anyone wishes to understand the words of the prophet Zechariah regarding the kinds of horses colored red, black, and white, which emerge from beneath the myrtles, as stated in the Seventy as “bronze,” we shall endeavor to provide an explanation in the comments on this prophetic book if it is God’s will for us to continue living. Similarly, John envisioned white horses and their riders (Revelation 6:2). In my perspective, the white horses symbolize the glorified bodies of the righteous, while the riders embody the souls of saints. Yet the sinner, akin to myself, will find himself on a black horse, with the proclamation: “All the horsemen have gone to sleep” (Psalm 76:6). Of such horses we also hear, “For safety, the horse is a vain hope” (Psalm 33:17), for the flesh contends against the spirit, and its wisdom is hostile to God. This is intended for those who cherish the body and ride upon black steeds. However, let us prepare our souls on the horses and chariots of the Lord. He rode upon Paul; He rode upon Peter, and traversing such chariots, illuminated the entire world. As He drew His bow or sent His arrows toward the scepters, that is, the kingdoms against which Jeremiah was sent, He shattered, toppled, and dismantled them (Jeremiah 8); He did this that sin might not dominate our mortal bodies. The scepters, meaning the realms of evil, which He revealed to the Lord, illustrate various sins—greed, indulgence, anger, slander, theft, and false oaths—against which the Word of God, who rides on His horses and chariots, directs the destructive arrows of His judgment without releasing them, lest the one whose bow is drawn be struck by the arrows’ force. He does this “always,” corresponding to the term Aquila employed instead of “diapsalma,” for He constantly dwells in His holy places, unceasingly armored. He mounts His horses, preparing sharp arrows against their tongues, and rushes forth for the salvation of the world.

Furthermore, the declaration "You shall nail Your bow" aligns with the words of the blessed David: "You will strike down and succeed, and You shall reign" (Psalm 44:5); succinctly put, "Your arrows are sharp; the people fall under You, and the hearts of the kings' enemies" (Psalm 44:6). By rivers, the earth will be spread out. Just as farmers direct water from rivers into the trenches they dig to irrigate their fields, You will similarly channel the divine Apostles and their followers like rivers, providing spiritual nourishment to humanity.