What Can God's People Do In A Reprobate Age?

Habakkuk 3:2

With anguish of heart I am compelled to plainly declare that we are living in a generation under the judgment of God! It is impossible for me to imagine any generation in history more totally engulfed in spiritual blindness, moral perversion, and self-serving chaos and rebellion. No generation in history has been given more light than ours. Yet, ours is a generation that chooses darkness. I fear God has given this generation what it has desired - Darkness! Like Ephraim, ours is a generation joined to its idols, and God has left it alone. This is a reprobate age! Well may those who believe God pray the prayer of Habakkuk: "O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy."

"O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years!" The word translated "revive" might better be translated "preserve alive." In these dark days I do not so much hope for great, sweeping revival as I do that God will simply preserve his church and his truth alive. This he has promised he will do!

"In the midst of the years make known." Let us pray that our God will yet be pleased to make known to this generation the gospel of his grace and glory in Christ. Oh,that God would make known his greatness, his grace, and his glory in Jesus Christ! Let us give ourselves relentlessly to the business of making him known. Maybe he will be pleased to use us to that end.

"In wrath remember mercy!" There is yet a remnant of chosen, redeemed sinners who must be called. Let us plead with God, putting him in remembrance of his covenant,that he may have mercy upon some in this dark day.

In this reprobate age, all who know and trust Christ are bound to give thanks unto God (II Thess. 2:13-14). The only thing that has kept and preserved any from the free will, works religion of antichrist is the grace of God. If you believe God and walk in the truth it is because God has chosen you, redeemed you by the blood of Christ, and called you by the power of his Spirit. The tribulation of these days is so great that, were it possible, the very elect of God would be deceived. But, thank God, that is not possible! Therefore, "We are bound to give thanks alway to God!"

Don Fortner