Habakkuk 2:3, commentary and pictures

The vision is reserved for its appointed time and will speak truthfully at the end without failing, so though its fulfillment seems delayed it must be waited for with certainty because it will surely come and will not pass beyond God's appointed time. It foretold a tarrying time for those expecting Christ's second advent after the passing of 1843 and the spring of 1844, when disappointed believers found themselves waiting by faith without visible support. That delay was only apparent and came from mistaken reckoning, since the decree of 457 B.C. went forth near the close of that year and carried the 2300 days of Daniel 8:14 to the autumn of 1844, while the error lay not in the time but in expecting the earth to be the sanctuary cleansed. Its final fulfillment is the glorious coming of Jesus Christ as King of kings, with the inheritance of the whole earth freed from sin and the universal desolation written by the prophets becoming a living reality. The apparent long tarrying is God's forbearance to compass the salvation of souls and give time to carry the warning to all nations, and in this waiting the just are to live by faith, remain patient without casting away confidence, and cooperate with the Lord until the faithful who waited are saved.

Setting and Wording

The verse was God's gracious answer when Habakkuk set himself to stand upon his watch on the tower to watch to see what God would say to him while he was meditating concerning the future. It is an exercise of strong faith that rests the future in God's compassionate hands. The vision is reserved for an appointed time and at the end shall speak and not lie or prove false. Though its fulfillment seems delayed it must be waited for, because its coming is certain and it will not tarry means it will not pass beyond God's appointed time.

God commanded the vision to be written and made plain upon tables so that he who reads it may run. The prophetic chart devised by Charles Fitch in 1842 fulfilled that command to write the vision, though believers did not then recognize the teaching about the tarrying time in the next words. God intended the prophetic vision to be made plain so that readers can understand it and act on it. The Bible was designed as a guide to the will of the Maker, giving the sure word of prophecy, and important matters concerning salvation were not left involved in mystery to perplex and mislead the honest seeker after truth. Angels and Christ Himself made known to Daniel and John the things to shortly come to pass, and the word of God is plain to all who study it with a prayerful heart, so that every truly honest soul will come to the light of truth.

Advent Disappointment Fulfilled

The verse foretold an apparent delay, a tarrying time, in the prophecies of the second advent after the first expected time in the spring of 1844. After the passing of the year 1843, reckoned from March 21, 1843 to March 21, 1844, and after the passing of March and April 1844, disappointed believers understood themselves to be in this waiting time. They held by faith to the blessed hope without a foundation for the feet and refused to let go while scoffed at, with weakened faith yet still looking in hope for the Lord's appearing. It was instruction specially adapted to uncertainty and suspense after disappointment, calling for patient waiting in faith that what is now dark will in due time be made plain.

The delay was only apparent and came from mistaken reckoning, not from the vision failing. Because the decree of 457 B.C. was issued near the end of that year, the 2300-year period of Daniel 8:14 reached autumn or the fall of 1844 rather than at the close of 1843. The corrected reckoning showed that the prophetic periods reached 1844, not 1843, and the appointed time had not yet arrived. The apparent delay tested and revealed those who truly waited, exposed motives and character, and helped sincere believers become stronger in the truth.

Believers at first overlooked and did not recognize the teaching about the tarrying time; the command to write the vision had suggested the prophetic chart devised in 1842, but the tarrying in the next words was not seen until afterward. Only after the disappointment did its words about waiting become clear, as earnest study traced the prophetic periods through the waiting time. The same scriptural evidence that had led them to expect the Lord in 1843 led them to expect Him in 1844, and this trial was needed to develop and strengthen sincere believers.

The message of definite time was from God and led people to search Scripture and discover truth; the error was in what event would occur, not in the time itself, so the vision had not failed. They had wrongly expected the earth to be the sanctuary cleansed at the end of the periods, while the promised event was fulfilled in Christ's work in the heavenly sanctuary though its meaning was not yet understood. Just so Jonah's forty-day warning that Nineveh would be overthrown was from God though the city was spared upon humiliation and its probation extended, yet it still tested by the message according to God's will.

After the close of the prophetic periods in 1844 there is a period of waiting and watching with no proclamation of definite time before the Lord's coming. Believers are to wait without knowing the day or hour, yet know from prophetic reckoning that Christ is at the door and is near. The slumbering and sleeping of all the wise and foolish virgins on the time, not on the fact of the coming, fulfills this tarrying. The renewed preaching of definite time for the tenth day of the seventh month is the true midnight cry, Behold the Bridegroom cometh, giving again a rock in Matthew 25 on which to stand with joy unspeakable and requiring a venture of all like Abraham, Noah, Lot, Israel in Egypt, Daniel, and the three Hebrews.

Final Fulfillment Foretold

The vision has its appointed time and will certainly be fulfilled, for its scenes belong to the last days and it will not pass beyond that appointed time. Though fulfillment seems delayed and circumstances discourage, it will speak at the end and will not prove false, so it must be waited for with confident trust in deliverance in the appointed time and way. Its final fulfillment is the glorious advent of Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords, which is His long-foretold coming. While waiting for that coming the just live by faith.

The coming will surely arrive and will not go beyond its appointed time, and it will not tarry past the time when the message is borne to all nations, tongues, languages and peoples. Though the time seems long, the apparent delay is no mistake in doctrine but forbearance toward the wicked within a vast and merciful plan to compass the salvation of souls. Those who wait must keep cooperating in carrying that message and must not say in heart or works that the Lord delays His coming, nor show the effect of that error by striking fellow servants and eating and drinking with the drunken as in the days of Noah.

The chapter gives a faint description of the reality now at hand when the end is near. It is the time when Satan is every year drilling his army to develop strong parties ready against the great battle of the last great conflict. It calls for wisdom for the time when evil shall spring forth and the vision shall become a living reality, though men in high places supposing themselves wise block the way until the King's highway is cleared.

The promise that may appear delayed will be fulfilled at its appointed time, as seen in the promise to Abraham, which was not finally fulfilled by Israel's occupation of Canaan. Abraham himself is to share the inheritance, which embraces the whole earth freed from sin, and through Christ those who belong to Him are Abraham's heirs and will receive this lasting inheritance. The vision of destruction and desolation is likewise for an appointed time and will not tarry beyond the time appointed, and the scenes it clearly describes will soon be witnessed universally just as written. The prophecies of the Old Testament are the word of the Lord for the last day, so its fulfillment is as sure as the seen desolation of San Francisco, and all must be ready because the Son of man comes in such an hour as they think not. In the time of the end, when the predicted signs begin to occur, those who wait and watch are to recognize their meaning, look up, and rejoice because their redemption is near.

Purpose of the Delay

Though the coming has been long foretold, its seeming long delay is no mistake in doctrine, even when those who have had great light conclude that there is. The apparent tarrying is God's forbearance toward the wicked, part of His vast and merciful plan to compass the salvation of souls. It will surely come at its appointed time and will not go beyond that time.

That appointed limit will not pass beyond the bearing of the message to all nations, tongues, languages, and peoples. The delay is therefore an occasion and mercy to use every ability to carry the warning and the message of truth to people throughout the world before the end. It gave time in great mercy after the expected coming in 1843 to gain better understanding of many things not understood at first, including the fourth commandment and keeping the seventh day, to investigate the Scriptures more fully, and to do the great work yet to be done of warning the world and carrying the light to cities and places that had not been worked.

The tarrying time after the expected coming tested whether believers truly loved His appearing and revealed those who truly wait for the Lord. The passing of the expected time exposed motives and character, with some driven by fear denying belief and ridiculing the faithful, while the disappointment led sincere believers back to Scripture and made them stronger in the truth. This trial was needed to develop and strengthen sincere believers, who had at first overlooked the tarrying and had not allowed for the apparent delay. Tracing the prophetic periods through the waiting time showed the mistake was in reckoning, not in the vision failing, for the decree of 457 B.C. issued near the end of that year carried the 2300-year period to the fall of 1844 rather than to the close of 1843.

Faithful Waiting Required

During the waiting time the just are to remain patient and live by faith, waiting confidently for deliverance in God's appointed time and way even when fulfillment seems delayed and circumstances discourage. The vision is for an appointed time and will speak truthfully at the end without proving false, so though it tarries it must be waited for because its coming is certain and will not pass beyond its appointed time. This instruction is specially adapted to uncertainty and suspense after disappointment, giving assurance that what is now dark will in due time be made plain and that God had led in past experience, so faith must not fail.

After disappointment faith must not fail, confidence must not be cast away, and there must be no drawing back to perdition. Believers are to keep waiting in faith that the event is near and certain even when zeal cools and many are weakened, for the tarrying was foretold and gives relief for the disappointment. The command to write the vision and make it plain upon tables suggested the prophetic chart to Charles Fitch in 1842, but the tarrying time in the next words was not seen until afterward, only after the year 1843 reckoned from March 21, 1843 to March 21, 1844 passed without the coming of the Lord. The same scriptural evidence that had led to expecting the Lord in 1843 led to expecting Him in 1844, though disappointment had weakened the faith of many. After the close of the prophetic periods in 1844 there is a period of waiting and watching with no proclamation of definite time before the Lord's coming, waiting without knowing the day or hour yet knowing from prophetic reckoning that Christ is at the door. The delay is only apparent, for at the appointed time the Lord will certainly arrive without real delay, and the call is to remain patient in prayer, to look for and love His appearing and to work to prepare others, until at His coming the faithful who waited are saved and exclaim, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us.

Waiting means cooperating with the Lord in carrying the message, and in the time of the end when the predicted signs begin to occur those who wait and watch are to recognize their meaning, look up, and rejoice because redemption is near. The coming will surely arrive and will not tarry past the time that the message is borne to all nations, tongues, languages, and peoples. The apparent long delay is no mistake in doctrine but God's forbearance to the wicked as part of His vast and merciful plan to compass the salvation of souls, even when those with great light conclude there is a mistake. True waiting forbids impatience and forbids saying in heart or works, My Lord delayeth His coming, for to live as though the coming were delayed brings the effect of error seen in smiting fellow servants and eating and drinking with the drunken as in the days of Noah.

When an answer to prayer is delayed, believers must not cease to pray but keep waiting in trust. Delay calls for continuing earnest, persistent prayer and for trusting God's wisdom, tender sympathy, and timing rather than trying to bring about the answer through human plans. All plans are to be laid at the Redeemer's feet, with assurance that if the request is for His name's glory the gracious answer will be given according to the word asked.