We're turning for our message
this morning to the book of Habakkuk. Our text will be taken from verse
2 of chapter 3. Habakkuk, Habakkuk chapter 3,
verse 2. Habakkuk chapter 3, verse 2.
I want to give you a few moments to find this little book. the
last part of the Old Testament, the book of Habakkuk. I'm going
to read several verses from Habakkuk, so I want you to find the place
and follow along with me. Chapter 3, verse 2. 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." Our subject this morning is, O Lord, in Wrath
Remember Mercy. Now, Habakkuk lived in a day
when true religion was in a deplorable and sad state. The nation had
departed from the living God, and God had announced judgment.
You'll read chapter 1, chapter 2 of Habakkuk. You'll find God
has announced judgment against Israel, and Habakkuk begins this
book with these words, O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou
wilt not hear? even cry unto thee out of violence,
and thou wilt not save." How long? Now, from the writings
of this man, Habakkuk, we can find out a little bit about him.
First of all, in chapter 2, verse 4, we find that in a world of
unbelief, Habakkuk was a man of faith. He was like the Simeon
of the Old Testament. He was like Joshua who cried
in the midst of departure from the living God, as for me and
my house, we'll serve the Lord. In Habakkuk chapter 2 verse 4,
Habakkuk declares, The just shall live by faith. He's a man of faith. The just
shall live by faith, not by works, not by law, not by ceremony,
by faith. And then in chapter 2, verse
20, we find that Habakkuk was a man of worship. He was a man
of devotion. He was a man who feared the Lord. In Habakkuk chapter 2, verse
20, he wrote these words, The Lord is in his holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence
before him. And then we find in chapter 3,
verse 17, that Habakkuk was a man of perseverance, a man of faith,
a man of worship, and a man of perseverance. Habakkuk knew that
the just live by faith not only in the sunshine, but in the shadow.
The just live by faith not only when things are going our way,
when we are successful, but also in failure. Habakkuk knew that
true faith is revealed in true trial, and he says something
in chapter 3, verse 17, akin to what Job said when he declared,
"'Though God slay me, yet will I trust Him.'" Listen to him
in Habakkuk 3, verse 17, "'Although the fig tree shall not blossom,
neither shall fruit be in the vines. The labor of the olive
shall fail. the fields shall yield no meat,
the flock shall be cut off from the foal, and there shall be
no herd in the stalls." Now, things are in bad shape, aren't
they? Yet, I'll rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my and he will make my feet like
hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places."
Habakkuk was a man of faith, not only in the sunshine but
in the shadow, not only in days of blessing but in days when
God was pleased to withdraw his hand and not speak. He was a man of worship, a man
of devotion, a man of perseverance. and his name, the name Habakkuk,
means to embrace. He saw the grace of God, the
promises of God, and he embraced them. He saw the mercy of God,
and though alone, he embraced the goodness of God. Our text,
verse 2 of Habakkuk 3, O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and
I 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." Now, this text divides itself
into five parts. It's been on my mind several
days. I've been looking at it carefully,
and I believe that it can be divided into five parts in order
for us to enter into it more fully. to understand it and to
receive a blessing from it. First of all, I'm going to talk
to you about what Habakkuk heard. He said, I've heard thy speech. And secondly, I want to speak
about what he felt. He said, I was afraid. And then
thirdly, I want to speak about what he prayed. What he prayed. He prayed, Lord, revive thy work. And then I want to talk for a
few minutes about what he knew. He knew something. In the midst
of the years, make known. And then last of all, we're going
to look at this division, what he needed in wrath, remember,
mercy. Now, first of all, what Habakkuk
heard. He said, O Lord, this man of
faith That's what I'd like to be in a world of unbelief, a
man of faith, wouldn't you? This man of worship, this man
who said to the people, the Lord's in his holy temple, let the earth
keep silence before him. This man of perseverance, I'd
like to be a man of perseverance, wouldn't you? In trial, in failure,
in doubt, in difficulty, to be able to say, although the pig
puts forth no figs, although there's no herd in the stall,
although there's no food in the pantry, God is my refuge and
my strength, and I'll trust Him. Well, Habakkuk heard something.
He said, Lord, I have heard Thy speech. Now, a man doesn't have
to hear strange voices to hear God speak. I hear people say,
The Lord spoke to me last night, and I want to ask them just exactly
what kind of voice did God use? Did you hear a voice audibly? Did someone speak out of the
closet or out of the air? Did you really hear a voice? Well, I say that a man doesn't
have to hear strange voices to hear God speak. I hear God speak
every day. I can honestly, truthfully say
to you that I've already heard God speak this morning. God speaks
through the things that he's made. He speaks through nature.
Turn to Psalm 19. Have you heard God speak today?
The Scripture says here in Psalm 19 that God speaks through the
things that he's made. God speaks to his people. For
it says in Psalm 19, verse 1, The heavens declare the glory
of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth
speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no
speech nor language where there voice." Whose voice? The heavens, the firmament, the
things that God has created. There is no language. It's a
universal language, the things that God has made. There is no
language where their voice is not heard declaring the glory
of God, declaring the wisdom of God. A man has to be as dumb
as an ox not to hear God speak in the things that He's made.
Turn to Romans chapter 1. Paul wrote that to the church
at Rome. He said in verse 20 of Romans 1, the invisible things,
of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen. The invisible
things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that are made. Yes, God has already
spoken to us today in the rain, in the sunshine, in the falling
of the leaves, in the rippling brook, in the flowing stream,
in the mighty rivers, in the floating white gleaming clouds,
God speaks through nature. And then God speaks through providence. If you'll turn to the little
book of Amos, chapter 4, we have an example of this. God speaks
through providence. Everything that happens in our
lives has a and a purpose. I'm convinced of that. Everything,
whether it be affliction or comfort, whether it be success or failure,
all providences have a voice, and the only reason that we're
not learning is we're not listening. Here's an example of that in
Amos chapter 4, verse 6. God says, I have given you cleanness
of teeth, that is, hunger, in all your cities. and want of
bread in all your places, and yet you have not returned to
me." You've not listened, God said. Providence, I've been speaking
to you through this famine. He said in verse 9, I have smitten
you with blastings and mildew. Your gardens and your vineyards
and your fig trees and olive trees increased, and then the
palmy worm devoured them, and you didn't listen. God said you
didn't return to me. I've sent among you pestilence,
After the manner of Egypt, your young men have I slain with a
sword, and taken away your horses, and made the stink of your camps
to come up unto your nostrils, and yet you haven't returned
to me." Example after example he gives Israel of how he's spoken
to them in Providence. God has spoken. Habakkuk said,
Lord, I've heard your voice, I've heard your speech. I don't
think Habakkuk is talking about the Lord speaking from heaven
in an audible voice. I believe Habakkuk is talking
about God speaking in nature, and God speaking in providence,
and then God speaks to us in the Scriptures. God is speaking
this morning. This is God's Word, and God speaks
to me through His Word. and I can hold up this sacred
volume, and I can say, O Lord, I have heard thy voice, I have
heard thy speech. These things are written that
you might believe on the name of the Son of God, and believing
you might have life. This is the record I visited
with a dear lady this week and talked to her about the gospel,
and I was happy to turn over here to the book of I John and
read where John wrote, This is the record. God hath given to
us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. I said, There
it is. That's God's Word, that's God
speaking. That's not me speaking, that's
not the Baptist church speaking, that's God speaking. This is
the record. God had given to us eternal life,
and this life is in His Son. That's where it is. "'I have
heard thy speech,' Habakkuk said, and I have too, have you?' Then
God speaks to us by His Son. He that hath seen me hath seen
the Father." Christ said, "'The words that I speak, they're the
words of Him that sent me.' And then God speaks to us by His
Holy Spirit." All right, notice the second division now. Habakkuk
said, Lord, I've heard thy speak. Have you heard God speak? I don't
want to be as dumb as an ox. I don't want to be deaf as a
post. I want to hear God speak. I want, as I walk down the street,
to feel God's presence and hear God's voice in the wind. even
in the rain when it strikes me across the face, and even in
the snow that gently falls, and in all of the things that God
has made, in the still of the night, looking into the heavens,
into the starry sky, to see that beautiful full moon, God speaking. I want to hear God speak in providence. I want to hear Him speak through
His I want to hear God speak through his son, but notice the
second thing, what he felt. He said, Lord, I have heard thy
speech, and I was afraid. Now, I want you to listen to
me a moment. It is not possible that a mortal man could be thoroughly
conscious of the divine presence of God and not be afraid. I know this is contrary to present-day
preaching and present-day religion. I know this is contrary to the
attitude of the average religionist, but I am here to declare unto
you, convinced in my soul, that it is not possible for a mortal
man to be thoroughly conscious of the divine presence of God
and not be afraid. You can call it awe, you can
call it fear, you can call it reverence, you can discount it
as not being slavish fear, but reverent fear. But I'll tell
you this, since the fall, since the fall, every time that any
man has been favored, now listen to me, since the fall, any time
that a man has been favored with a special revelation of God,
he has been deeply moved with fear every single time. You go through the Bible and
find the times when God was not present, the people were kicking
up their heels and acting in a wild, uncontrollable fashion. But every time that a man had
a special revelation of God, Every time that God spoke, the
men to whom He spoke, the men who were divinely favored with
that special revelation of God, were moved with fear. Habakkuk
said, Lord, I've heard Your speech, and I was afraid. Isaiah cried,
I saw the Lord, and I said, Woe is me, I am undone. Daniel cried,
I have seen the Lord, there remained no strength in me. Ezekiel declared,
When I saw the Lord, I fell on my face. John said, On the isle
of Patmos I heard his voice, and I fell at his feet as a dead
man. Job cried, I have heard of thee
by the hearing of the ear, and now mine eye seeth thee. I hate
myself, I repent in dust and ashes." Jacob cried when he saw
the angels ascending and descending on the beautiful ladder. Oh,
how dreadful is this place! Now, you do what you want to
with that, but Habakkuk said, when I heard his speech, I was
afraid. How can we face the immaculate
holiness of God and not tremble? How can we face the awful holiness
of God and not tremble in fear, aware of our own uncleanness? Can you tell me? How can we face
the perfect law of God, the holy, immaculate, immutable, unchangeable,
perfect law of God, and not cry with the leper unclean? How can
we face God's wrath poured out on His only begotten, dearly
beloved Son, and not cry, O God, wilt thou spare me? How can a person go to and see
even the Son of God Himself who knew no sin, but who was made
sin as a representative. How can we see there the awful
judgment of God poured out on His Son, Christ drinking from
the bitter dregs of the cup of God's wrath, and not cry, Will
God spare me? How can we see the sigh of death
sweeping through the fields of this world and cutting down our
comrades one at a time and not tremble? How can you? Death is
coming. How can we face the great throne
of judgment when the scripture says the book shall be opened
and every man shall be judged according to the things that
are written? How can a man contemplate it? How can he consider it and
not be afraid? And how can we know that there
is a hell for every rebellious unbeliever, and not cry, God,
please don't let me go to hell, huh? Lord, I've heard thy speech,
and I was afraid. Now compared with Daniel and
Ezekiel and Job and Habakkuk and John and Isaiah and Paul,
I'm but a baby in swaddling and these men were afraid. I heard
God speak, and I was afraid." Notice the third division. He
said what he prayed, "'O Lord, O Lord, revive thy work in the
midst of the years.' Now Spurgeon put it this way, "'O Lord, put
new life in us.' O Lord, thy salvation began with life, but
the tendency of all things about me is to make it die. Therefore,
Lord, quicken me anew. Give me another birthday. O Lord,
restore all the force and energy and grace of my first love. Revive me, O God, help me to
begin again. Shed abroad thy deep love in
my heart. This is revival." Notice, Habakkuk said, O Lord,
revive thy work. I think this is a point that
we tend to miss. It is God's work, and only God
can revive it. Only God can give it life. Only
God can nourish it. It was God who loved us. It was
God who redeemed us. It was God who called us. It
is God who keeps us. And if this work is to be revived,
it is God's work, and it's God who's going to have to revive
it. And then I know this. Turn to
Psalms 51. I know this. When the church
is revived, when the minister is revived, when the deacons
and elders are revived, when the heat of that first love,
when the passion of that first love is restored, then sinners
will be converted to God. Where do you find that picture?
David said that in verse 12 of Psalm 51, the joy of thy salvation, and
uphold me with thy free spirit, then will I teach transgressors
thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto thee." God does
not bring forth His children in an ice house. He won't do
it. God brings forth His children in a hot incubator of spiritual
love and spiritual grace. That's the reason when God revives
my heart, I'm going to be a blessing to somebody else. When God revives
your heart, you're going to be a blessing to somebody else.
In a condition of doubt, in a condition of indifference, we're not going
to be a blessing to anybody. O Lord, wilt thou not revive
thy work, refresh it, shed abroad thy love, Restore unto me, Spurgeon
said, all the force and the grace and the energy of that first
love. Help me to begin again. Then
the fourth thing that I see in this text, Habakkuk said, Lord,
I've heard your speech, and I was afraid. And he prayed, Lord,
revive thy work. in the midst of the years. Now
notice this. This is something that he knew.
It's something that you and I are going to have to learn if we
don't already know it. In the midst of the years, make
known. A lot of people are under the
impression that revival is just enthusiasm worked up, zeal worked
up. But my friends, we don't want
excitement, we want endowment. It's not hard to get excitement.
You can get excitement at a ball game. You can get excitement
at a circus. We don't want excitement. We
want an endowment of the Holy Spirit. We don't want religion. Many people are persuaded that
when you have revival, then everybody's going to be more faithful to
the Sunday school and the preaching services and prayer meetings
and Bible conferences and special meetings and tithing their income. We don't want religion. We've
got enough of that. We want revelation. God to reveal
himself to the individual. We don't want ceremony. That's
not what we need. We want Christ. We don't want
form. We've got enough form. Israel
had a perfect form laid down by God himself. We want life. God must reveal himself. Habakkuk
said, O Lord, in the midst of the year, make known, make something
known. Make it known. Not in our creeds
back there in the study. Not in our catechisms tucked
away on the coffee table. We want you to make known to
the heart, make known, first of all, our sins. Make us to
know our sins. Make them so real that we can
say with David, My sins are ever before me. My sins are ever before
me, constantly before me. I never forget them. I'm always
aware of them, my sins. Oh Lord, in the midst of the
earth, make known, make it a reality. I don't want people in this church
to believe in the doctrine of total depravity. I want them
to believe that they are depraved. There's a lot of difference.
I don't want the people of this church just to believe in the
doctrine of the fall. I want us to feel the consequences
of the fall in our souls, in our hearts, in our minds. make known unto us our sins,
and then, O Lord, make known unto us thy power to save. His arm is not short that it
cannot save, his ear is not heavy that it cannot hear, he is able
to save to the uttermost them that come to God by him. I verily believe that Most people
on this earth, religious by nature, are not really convinced of God's
power to save a sinner. I think that when a person gets
so bad that everybody just figures, well, he'll never be saved. I
think the basic philosophy of most religious people is that
good folks are going to heaven and bad people are going to hell. If I were to ask this morning
for the chief of sinners to raise his hand, I doubt that I'd get
a hand raised, because most of us feel that
we're not the chief of sinners. We are fairly good folks. Now,
the chief of sinners will be found out there on Skid Row.
The chief of sinners will be found in the penitentiary. The
chief of sinners will be found out yonder in some cesspool of
iniquity. the Apostle Paul said the chief
of sinners was in the ministry. He said, I am the chief of sinners.
Do we really know the power of God to lift the fallen, the power
of God to cleanse the guilty, the power of God to change the
hardest heart? Make known, O God, thy power
to save. and make known the person and
sacrifice of thy son." Turn over with me to 2 Corinthians 5. 2
Corinthians 5, verse 21. How do you read this Scripture?
Is it a reality to you? Has God really made it known
to you? For He, 2 Corinthians 5, 21,
He, that is the Father, hath made Him, Jesus Christ our Lord,
to be sin for us." The Father made Christ to be
sin. Oh, that's the worst thing He
could have done to Christ. That's the farthest thing from
His holy nature, sin. But God made Him sin for us.
He knew no sin. And he did it that we might be
made the righteousness of God in him. That's the gospel. That's
why he did it. What did God do? He made Christ
sin. Who did he make sin? The one
who knew no sin. Why did he make him to be sin?
That we might be made righteous. The sinless became sinful, that
the sinful might become sinless. That's why. It was substitution. It was representation. It was
Christ taking what I had and giving me what he has. He took
my filth and guilt and gave me his holiness and his heaven.
Now you think about that. God made that known to you. And then, Father, in the midst
of the years, make known thyself as the prodigal's father. I have
to keep reminding myself of this. The father welcomes home the
wanderer. Glad you're back. The prodigal son comes home from
the pig pen and running out to meet him is a loving, forgiving
father, full of grace and mercy. Welcome home, my son. Make known. And then last of all, and I close,
what the prophet needed. He said, Lord, I've heard your
speech and I was afraid. Revive thy work in the midst
of the years, and make it a revival of revelation. Make known unto
us our guilt. Make known thy power to save.
Make known the substitutionary sacrifice of thy Son. Make known
thy grace and mercy. In wrath, remember mercy." Now,
this is the plea that suits me. I don't know about you. And if
I didn't believe it, I wouldn't say it. This is the plea that
meets my need. Mercy, mercy, mercy. Lord, you might well smite both
the shepherd and the sheep, but, Lord, remember mercy. Lord, you
might well remove my candlestick, but, Lord, remember mercy. Lord,
you might well spew me out of your mouth, you've got every
reason to, you've got just cause to do so, but I ask you in wrath,
please remember mercy. Lord, you might well charge me
with sin and damn my soul, but I ask you to remember mercy. Lord, you might well cast me
away from you forever, but I ask you to remember I don't want justice. I'm just
a babe in swaddling clothes standing beside a great man called Habakkuk. But Habakkuk says, Lord, remember
mercy. That's what I want, mercy, mercy,
mercy. And this little child standing
beside him, infinitely more sinful, infinitely more guilty, infinitely
more weak, I say, that's me too. Remember mercy. Remember thy
mercy, O Lord, in the covenant of grace when you chose your
people. Remember thy mercy that lifted
Noah from the waters. Remember thy mercy that took
Israel through the seas. Remember thy mercy that delivered
Lot out of perverse Sodom. Remember thy mercy, O God, that
gave thy son to die Remember thy mercy that prayed from that
awful tree. Father, forgive them. They don't
know what they do. Remember thy mercy, for it is
an attribute of thy grace. The hymn writers put it this
way, I'll praise him while he lends me breath, and when my
voice is lost in death, praise shall employ my nobler powers. My days of praise shall never
be past while life and thought and being last, or while immortality
endures. O Lord, remember mercy. Our Father in Heaven, by Thy
power and by Thy grace, in wrath remember mercy. Thou mightest smite the shepherd
and the sheep, but, Lord, remember mercy. Thou mightest, O God,
charge us with foolishness and with guilt and with rebellion,
but, O Lord, remember mercy. Thou mightest forever cut us
off and cast us from Thy holy presence, but we pray through
Christ our Redeemer and his merit alone, we pray for mercy. Whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. And Lord,
in guilt and sin and repentance and in faith, we call for mercy. In wrath, remember mercy. For
Christ's sake. Amen.