雖然無花果樹不發旺 Though the Fig Tree Does Not Bud

Cathy Chen, 9/23/2025

雖然無花果樹不發旺（哈巴谷書1-3章)

當你打開電視，或步出家門，目睹世間的不公與罪惡——暴力兇殺四處橫行，人們鑽法律漏洞，律法形同虛設，眾人卻依然歌舞昇平，對是非公義毫不在乎，你的心會如何反應？難道你不渴望那位洞察萬事的神，以祂的公義使真理彰顯？然而，當周遭的人無視你的憤慨與痛苦，對神的公義和救贖漠不關心，你是否也感到孤單無助？然而 ，倘若神回應你，祂已看見一切，並且祂的作為將遠超過你的想像，只是祂的方式將令你心痛，你又當如何面對？

哈巴谷的質疑與掙扎

《哈巴谷書》呈現了這樣的掙扎。先知在第一章向神發出撕心裂肺的呼喊：「耶和華啊，我呼求，你為何不應允？我向你喊『暴力！』，你為何不拯救？為何讓我目睹罪孽與奸惡？」（哈1:2-4）他的質問滿載對不公的憤慨，也流露出對神似乎沉默的困惑。

第二章中，神回應了哈巴谷，卻揭示一個令人震驚的計劃：祂將興起殘暴的巴比倫人，作為審判惡人的工具。這對哈巴谷而言幾乎難以接受——因為巴比倫人比猶大的惡人更加兇殘，怎能容許「惡人吞滅比自己公義的人」？（哈1:13）這是他信仰中極大的挑戰。

神的主權與義人的信心

神卻在回應中宣告祂不變的主權與應許：「這默示有一定的日期，終必成就；雖然遲延，你要等候，因它必臨到，決不落空。看哪，心高氣傲的人，心不正直；惟義人必因信得生。」（哈2:3-4）這段話成為全書的轉折點，提醒哈巴谷：神的公義從未缺席，義人的盼望不在於眼前的現象，而在於信靠神。

哈巴谷的心被逼到了一個安靜之地，世間的喧囂退去，只剩他一人獨自面對上帝。他的心意顯然與神的旨意相左，此時的他必須作出抉擇：究竟該繼續抓住自己的期待不放，還是安靜地降服，讓神在祂的「時間」與「方式」中成就祂的旨意？神已表明，祂看見世上一切不公與罪惡（哈2:5-20），而義人的出路在於他的信，不是因為他擁有很大的信心，而是在於他信靠的對象很大。

頌讚與信靠的詩篇

第三章中，哈巴谷轉而頌讚神榮耀的作為，回顧祂自古以來的權能：「祂的榮光遮蔽諸天，頌讚遍滿全地；祂的輝煌如日光，祂手裡發出光芒。」他述說神掌管萬有——瘟疫與疾病也服在祂的權能之下，江河、山嶺、日月星辰都在祂面前戰兢。神在「山崩地裂、大水翻騰」之上施行公義，彰顯審判與救贖（哈3:3-15）。哈巴谷順服神的時間和方式，並祈求神在發怒時以憐憫為念（哈3:2）。

最後，他在敬畏戰兢中唱出信心的詩篇：

雖然無花果樹不發旺，

葡萄樹不結果；

橄欖樹無出產，田地不出糧食；

圈中絕了羊，棚內也沒有牛；

然而，我要因耶和華歡欣，

因救我的神喜樂。

主耶和華是我的力量，

祂使我的腳快如母鹿，

使我穩行在高處。（哈3:17-19）

祈禱

親愛的主，當我的內心充滿憂傷與不平時，祢說：「惟義人必因信得生。」（哈2:4）因著信靠祢，我就得著不動搖的盼望。雖然我無法明白祢一切的作為，但因著祢用重價買贖了我，我這不配的罪人就成為祢眼中的義人，免於和世界一同落入被審判的命運。我願意單單信靠祢，在困境中仍仰望祢的憐憫。

祢配得一切敬畏與頌讚！謝謝祢透過《哈巴谷書》，再次向我顯明祢那亙古不變的榮耀與主權。站在祢面前，我是何等的渺小？因此我願放下短暫又微小的執念，接受祢長濶高深卻永不改變的應許。縱然無花果樹不發旺，田地不出糧食，不順遂臨到，我仍要因祢喜樂，因祢就是我的力量，使我如母鹿穩行在高處。奉耶穌基督的名，阿們。

Here’s the English translation of your devotion, keeping the structure, theology, and devotional tone intact:

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Devotion on Habakkuk CH1-3

By Cathy Chen, 9/23/2025

Though the Fig Tree Does Not Bud

When you turn on the television or step outside, you witness the world’s injustice and evil—violence and murder are rampant, people exploit legal loopholes, the law becomes an empty shell, yet society continues to celebrate as if nothing is wrong, showing no concern for righteousness or justice. How does your heart respond? Do you not long for the God who sees everything to reveal His justice? And yet, when those around you dismiss your grief and indignation, when they show no concern for God’s justice or salvation, do you also feel alone and helpless? But if God were to respond and tell you that He has seen it all, that His work will far surpass your imagination—yet His way of accomplishing it will break your heart—how would you face it?

Habakkuk’s Questions and Struggles

The book of Habakkuk portrays such a struggle. In chapter one, the prophet cries out to God with anguish:

“How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, ‘Violence!’ but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?” (Hab. 1:2–4, NIV)

His questions overflow with anger at injustice, and with confusion at what seemed to be God’s silence.

In chapter two, God answers Habakkuk with a shocking plan: He will raise up the ruthless Babylonians as instruments of judgment against the wicked. To Habakkuk, this was almost unbearable—because the Babylonians were even more violent than Judah’s oppressors. How could God allow “the wicked to swallow up those more righteous than themselves”? (Hab. 1:13) This was a severe test of his faith.

God’s Sovereignty and the Righteous One’s Faith

Yet in His reply, God declared His unchanging sovereignty and promise:

“For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright—but the righteous person will live by his faith.” (Hab. 2:3–4, NIV)

This becomes the turning point of the book. God reminds Habakkuk that His justice is never absent, and the hope of the righteous does not rest on appearances, but on trusting in Him.

Habakkuk was brought to a place of quiet before God. The noise of the world faded, and he found himself alone before the Almighty. His heart’s expectations clearly conflicted with God’s will, and he had to make a choice: Would he cling to his own desires, or humbly surrender, allowing God to fulfill His purposes in His time and His way? God had already shown that He sees all the world’s injustice and evil (Hab. 2:5–20). The righteous one’s way forward lies not in the greatness of his own faith, but in the greatness of the One in whom he places his faith.

A Psalm of Praise and Trust

In chapter three, Habakkuk turned to praise, recalling God’s mighty works from of old:

“His glory covered the heavens and His praise filled the earth. His splendor was like the sunrise; rays flashed from His hand, where His power was hidden.” (Hab. 3:3–4, NIV)

He described how God reigns over all creation—plagues and diseases are subject to His authority, rivers, mountains, the sun, moon, and stars tremble before Him. God exercises His justice even over earthquakes and raging waters, displaying both judgment and salvation (Hab. 3:3–15). Habakkuk submitted to God’s time and way, and prayed that in wrath God would remember mercy (Hab. 3:2).

At last, with trembling lips, he sang a psalm of faith:

Though the fig tree does not bud,

and there are no grapes on the vines,

though the olive crop fails

and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep in the pen

and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Sovereign Lord is my strength;

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer,

He enables me to tread on the heights. (Hab. 3:17–19, NIV)

Prayer

Dear Lord, when my heart is filled with grief and unrest, You remind me: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Hab. 2:4) By trusting in You, I receive an unshakable hope. I cannot fully understand all Your ways, but because You have redeemed me at the cost of Your own life, I, an unworthy sinner, have become righteous in Your sight and have escaped the judgment that awaits the world. I desire to trust in You alone and to look to Your mercy even in times of hardship.

You are worthy of all reverence and praise! Thank You for using the book of Habakkuk to once again reveal Your eternal glory and sovereignty. Standing before You, I see how small I am. Thus I lay down my fleeting desires, and accept Your immeasurable, unchanging promises. Though the fig tree does not bud, though the fields yield no food, though adversity comes, I will rejoice in You—for You are my strength, making my feet like those of a deer, steady upon the heights. In Jesus Christ’s name, Amen.