Full Sails Ahead (Hebrews 10:36-38; Habakkuk 2:3-4)

Hebrews 10:38 says, "Now the just shall live by faith; but if (any man) draw back, my soul  shall have no pleasure in him."

This passage is quoted from Habakkuk 2:4, in the LXX (Septuagint) translation of the OT.                                                                                                                                                                                         [Not just the book of Hebrews, but over 95% of all OT quotations, in the NT, are taken from the LXX, and not the Hebrew text.]

The Hebrew text serves, in this case, to give further context to the quotation, and helps to establish the meaning.

The context was the Chaldean domination and persecution of Israel in approximately the 7th century B.C., which paralleled the suffering that the  NT Hebrew Christians were experiencing.

There are several points of interest in this text:

1) Both the Hebrew and Greek text place hope in the vision or word that Habakkuk received from God, of promised deliverance, but the Greek text, as with it's quotation in Hebrews 10:37, equate God's word coming to fulfillment [i.e., salvation, deliverance from oppression ] with God Himself [or Messiah; Christ] coming to fulfill the word.

Habakkuk 2:3 "For THE VISION is yet for a time, and it shall shoot forth at the end, and not in vain: though HE should tarry, wait for HIM; for HE will surely come...''

Hebrews 10:36, 37 "For you have need of patience that after you have done the will of God, you might receive THE PROMISE. (36) For yet a little while, and HE that shall come will come, and will not tarry." (37)

God and His word are one. "He sent His word and healed them..." (Ps.107:20a), and yet it was Jesus that came and healed "... and delivered (them) from their destructions" (Ps. 107:20b).

When God's word shows up, God shows up!

2) When the text is quoted in Hebrews, the Holy Spirit, through the Apostle Paul, chose to reverse the order of the quotation inverting the first and later part of the verse:                                                                                                                                                                                                                           "If he should draw back, my soul has no pleasure in him; but the just shall live by my faith" (Hab.2:4, LXX) 

"Now the just shall live by faith; but if (any man) draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." (Heb.10:38)

The Holy Spirit insured, that we understood, the meaning from the OT never implied, in any way, that He would draw back from fulfilling His word.

3) The LXX translation emphasizes, that the "faith" that we live by originates and has it's source in our Father. [ "... the just shall live by MY faith" ]. There is nothing wrong with His faith, and there is nothing wrong with the faith that we possess from Him.

4) The Hebrew text, as quoted in Habakkuk 2:4 makes no attempt to distinguish the equally valid translation of  "faithfulness" instead of "faith", which both the Greek and Hebrew texts allow, meaning that "... the just shall live by My faithfulness." is an interchangeable translation.

It is God's "faithfulness" that instills the unshakeable stability in our lives, that we call "faith". The Hebrew word imagery is that of a father securely holding his infant son in his arms, with the child at rest, safe and content in the strong arms that carry him.

5) "Draw Back"- This is an interesting word, in that it contains vivid imagery from two sources of use. It was used both as a military and nautical term, and both backgrounds convey a rich understanding of it's use in this passage.

Military

In military usage, it related to retreat from confrontation, often containing the underlying idea of cowardice, in the time of battle, or simply pulling back the troops because of fear of the outcome of the anticipated conflict.

Nautical

In nautical use, it related to drawing back the sails of a ship, again because of fear of what was ahead, or an approaching storm. The graphic imagery is that of a ship sailing, on course, and making good progress, and then, because of fear, the sails are drawn back, which slows the ship down and impedes the previously successful advancement of the vessel.

Both of these visual pictures of the word have the common denominator of FEAR [False Evidence Appearing Real].                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

You have a destiny to fulfill, and because of the faithfulness of your Father, you are more than equipped for the task that is before you. You don't have to allow the phony intimidation of the enemy to hinder your progress in being all, and doing all that your Father has set before you. Your on the right course, press on, full sails ahead, to reach your destination in God. 

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours.