Seth’s and Enoch's Revivals

Can a revival of interest in God and prayer come about spontaneously? Can we walk with God? Let's look at Seth's and Enoch's revivals in Genesis 4 and 5.

1) Seth's Revival

Did Seth lead this revival, or was it a spontaneous act from among the people? “Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.” (Genesis 4:26 NIV) People “first began to worship the Lord by name” (NLT), or “started worshiping the Lord.” (CEV) Love and faith may be indicated by such worship and prayer. God was certainly on their minds.

Revival sometimes is spontaneous and popular. Can it happen today? Be it an oppressive regime from North Africa to Asia or a spiritually apostate western democracy, popular revival can happen without central human leadership. Overnight a change of hearts can bring a prevailing revival.

What would a revival look like in your neighborhood? Would people talk more often about God? A neighborhood that has high church attendance where the Bible is actually preached, would stand a greater chance of people calling on God. Revival can begin with an elderly person, a young teenager, or ordinary working age adults. Look about you, do you know of people who worship God by name? Like in ancient times, it can happen again today. In your neighborhood, all it takes is a few to start. Your work colleagues, friends and family, do they talk about God? Neighborhood revival just needs one to start.

2) Enoch’s Revival

Enoch’s life was remarkable, walking with God. “After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters.” (Genesis 5:22 NIV) Walking with God as a friend and companion, for hundreds of years, can we imagine the conversation? “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints” (Jude 14 KJV) With God in prayer throughout our day is also walking with God. “Enoch lived 365 years, walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.” (Genesis 20:23-24 NLT) God can be our friend too, if we will let Him, and we too can walk with God in prayer throughout every day of our lives.

Walking and talking and fellowshipping with God as our dearest friend will bring continual revival to our hearts. With God as our constant companion, our lives are continually revived. God is pure love and He wants to bless us far and above what this world can offer, if we will just let Him.

What would you discuss with God? Would you share your hopes and dreams, even passing moments about small matters? You can discuss anything with God that you would discuss with any other friend, except that this particular friend loves you more than any other. Discuss your failures openly too, asking for forgiveness without fear, after all God already knows. With such a friend as God, why would anybody ignore Him? God is the best friend you will ever have, in this life and the next.

Rejoice, lovers of God, revival can be spontaneous and let's learn to always walk with God.

Abel’s Revival

Abel’s parents had failed terribly in the garden, inflicting a curse upon all humanity, but they must have taught their second son something about God. Revival in at least one member of the first family was by faith because, “By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice to God than Cain, which showed that he was righteous, since God gave approval to him for his gift. Though he died, he’s still speaking through faith.” (Hebrews 11:4 CEB) Is Cain’s attitude also a common theme throughout history, of jealousy and murder (Jude 11)? Speaking to us still, is Abel’s testimony of a believer who offered a better sacrifice by faith.

Cain probably only gave a half-hearted offering, while his brother gave his best as we can see, “Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, but he did not accept Cain and his gift.” (Genesis 4:3-5 NLT) Did he “refuse to do what is right” (Genesis 4:7 NLT), only offering “some” of his crops as a cheap religious gesture, without purity of heart? Wrong attitudes lead to wrong actions, even murder.

The leader of a revival has often been hated and sometimes even assassinated. Jealousy, pure and simple, was the motive for history’s first murder. Killed for his love of God, Abel experienced the first revival after the fall and became the first martyr for his faith.

Have churches across the world been guilty of attacking those who love God? You who scoff at Bible preaching, why do you even go to church? Killed by politics, lust for power, a desire to hear only “smooth things” (Isaiah 30:9-13) and preference for false gospels that tickle the ears, many ministries suffer opposition. Your preacher, if he preaches the Bible as best he can, is a blessing from God. Pastor, will you be faithful to the word of God, even if it means you lose your post?

Rejoice, lovers of God, though jealous people may kill you, you will live with God.