Genesis 4; Daniel 2;5;6;9
There is evidence all around us that we are living in evil days. Paul gives to wake up and carefully mind how we live: “Christ will give you light.” The church and the individual Christian have a responsibly toward God to be actively involved against the evil in society. Our culture has been eroded our family life being attacked marriage is being redefined. Do we sit back and say God will work it all out any way! Do we leave it to the politicians? Do we avoid the issues or do we take up the challenge and get active doing something about it.
We live in an evil world as Paul says in Galatians 4:6 “…who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father…” Eph. 6:13 “Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand
There is hope amidst darkness and confusion. We have a God who answers prayer. We need to call upon him for our children, our families our Churches, our politicians our leaders. This is the time to take heaven by force. It is time to ask God for courage, and power, insight and wisdom. It is time to launch missiles of prayer into enemy territory. These evil problems surfaced often in world history but intervened and saved many people and even countries from destruction. He is “the same yesterday, today and forever.” He can change events, changes times and seasons, raise up kings and kingdoms and set them down again. Do you really believe that?
Godly Men And Woman Called Upon God
4:1 “Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man child.” Adam named his wife Eve Meaning life or life giver. After they left the Garden of Eden Eve became pregnant. They had never seen a pregnancy before. The wonder of birth amazed them. They named him Cain meaning “Here he is” or “I have gotten him” thinking this child was the promised life of the One who would destroy the work of Satan and restore people to Paradise once more? She thought she bore the Deliverer. Each day was filled with anticipation and expectancy. They counted the weeks and the days until that special day the child was born, what joy what excitement what wonder, what love. They had never seen a baby before. Adam and Eve thought he was the deliverer but they did not know they held in their arms a little murderer who would stain the earth with the blood of another human being, his own brother. This is he great tragedy at the dawn of human history. The history began to be written in human blood and is being written in greater increase daily. Mankind has not got better but worse. Many babies are born each day and some parents do not know they have a little murderer in their home. Every human being born has the potential to be a murder.
Eve conceived again and brought another little boy into the world and called his name Abel. God had instructed Adam on the way and the place and time of sacrifice which would have been passed on to the boys. God received Abel’s blood sacrifice which was by faith but not Cain’s. God needed a substitute because he had to deal with sin, He had killed animals in the Garden of Eden and then clothed Adam and Eve, an innocent victim must die in order for sinners might receive pardon. God does not want us to bring something beautiful or something we think will please him e have to come his way. We are not to give him what we feel is right to give him but what he asks for. If there is no blood he is not satisfied. God is only pleased with his Sons sacrifice.
Vs 6-7 Cain became angry but the Lord kindly reasoned with him. God encouraged him not o be downcast but do the right thing and he would be accepted. He had a chance to change thing he could have gone and got a n animal to sacrifice. It is no use blaming others when you could do something about it yourself. God was saying you still have time to do right but he refused to come with the right sacrifice. God warned him sin was crouching at his door like a snake ready to strike. But he did not heed the warning.
The Way of Cain
Sin took over Cain’s life and he became the first murderer. He thought about it, it was premeditated and he knew he would take his brother out into the field and slit his throat. He sacrificed his brother. It was murder in the “first degree”. Cain replied “I do not know,” when asked were his brother was. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” It started out with jealousy then anger, then murder then lies to cover up. The pattern is the same today. That is why the science of forensics has been developed to prove guilt. Cain lies to God and so do men today. “Am I my brother’s keeper.” I have no responsibility for my brother, he’s on his own. I don’t care about him. Society turns a blind eye to evil in our streets today. People are being attacked on our streets but while the public passes on by. Evil and wrong is being committed everywhere and few are willing to speak out against it. We see it with the issue of same sex marriage people will not speak out against even Christians keep quiet. The same pattern happened with the abortion issue and millions of lives have been terminated. Where O where are the people with conviction? God is looking for “preachers of righteousness.”
The Progression of Evil and a Cruel Culture
Vs 23-24. Within five generations murder was glorified. Lamech wrote a song boasting to his two wives how he murdered a man. Society had sank low. It continues to get worse today. Jesus said things would get worse. The age was marked with sexual promiscuity, materialism, demonism and all kinds of evil sinful things. It was a tremendously sinful age “mans wickedness on earth” had become great “and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time “ (Gen. 6:5). Enoch proclaimed coming judgment “See the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones TO JUDGE EVERY ONE and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts that they have done in the ungodly way, and all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him” (Jude 14). This godly man saw the second coming of Christ. This was his hope in a crooked and perverse generation. He was not coming as a baby meek and mild but his appearance is frightening. It happened in type at the Deluge but there in more to come. Today God is showing his mercy that day he ll show his judgment. Jesus said, “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matthew 24:37).
Godly People Call Upon the Lord To save people and Protect their Own Children
When situations get serious godly people call upon god more earnestly. As population grows corruption grows. This is because you have more sin natures on the earth.
Genesis 4:26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son and he called his name Enos then began men to call upon the name of the Lord – God blessed Adam’s family line where the true worship of God was kept.
Enos- means weak, feeble, frail, mortal, as opposed to the proud Lamech. Seth saw through the growing corruptions of the age, gave this name to his son.
then began men to call upon the name of the Lord; Adam and Abel, their families and and all good men, had called upon the name of the Lord, and prayed to him, or worshipped him before this time personally. But with population growth sin began to increase more and more. As well as godly people getting together in social and public worship others got together in their groups to practise sin. They began to neglect God, they became ungodly. They delved in forbidden sinful practices and some believe even with fallen angels. They revelled with more zeal and vigour; in their activities of building cities, and carrying on their civil and evil religious practices among themselves. They “then began men to call in the name of the Lord”; that is, to call upon God in the name of the Messiah, the Mediator between God and man; having now, since the birth of Seth, and especially of Enos
One of Seth’s descendants, Enoch warned his generation of judgement (Jude 14-15). Another one Noah became a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5) as he tried to turn some back from their evil ways. Hebrew 11: 5-7 “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found , because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony , that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is , and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
Prayer Can Change a Kings Heart and Unjust Laws
Dan. 2:17-18
2:17-18 Prayer was his priority. Daniel was a busy man with a hectic schedule. He would leave everything go and pray. He called a meeting with his three friends and they did not devise a plan in the political realm, he had that no! no! no! He went to prayer. He did not organise a march to change society, or influence people but they went to their knees and prayed 2:20-22. Daniel prayed and got the answer. He got insight from God in prayer. God revealed things to him. We need to get back there again we need to hear for God not just talk to him but hear from him. Pray for the hearts and minds of leaders. Pray that God would speak to them in dreams and nightmares. Pray that God would raise men and woman who will tell them the truth. Do you believe God can change David Cameron? Do you believe He could speak to the Queen and royal household?
Daniel 5 Belshazzar, Nebudchadnezzar’s son was feasting and he had the holy vessels of God brought into the feast and drank from the holy vessels in his drunken state. What did God do ? He wrote on the wall. God is writing in the wall today. We see it happening right now. We see an increase in floods, in famines, in immorality. The prosperity preachers will be found out.
The leaders of this world have the same problems today. But where are the Daniels? Where are the men and women who are hearing from God?
Daniel Called Upon the Lord and Changed a Nation and a Kings Heart
Daniel 6:1-10 Daniel Shakes a Kingdom with prayer. There were 120 princes over the provinces, the three top leaders, Daniel being the chief one, he was over all these people. The leaders were jealous of him and devised a trap to destroy him. Daniel, you can discern the times. Unafraid as he prayed for God to move the situation. Daniel was 80. He was a man up to his ears in business but he was a man who took time out to pray to God.
Vs 10 Prayer was his priority. We need to get back there again we need to hear for God not just talk to him but hear from him. Israel was backslidden, Israel had got involved in the prosperity of Babylon, Does anybody hear from God any more?
Does anybody know what is happening? Is Anybody hearing from God. The people of God need to get serious about praying for their condition, for their families, for their society. Nebudchanezzar was in trouble no one could help him. He had power, he had influence so he went on a search asking astrologers and religious leaders for answers but they were impotent. He had everything but he had no peace in his heart. The world is like that today. He saw the charlatans for what they were. He saw the money grabbing prophets. He exposed them.
Daniel Prays In The Midst of Danger And God Sends Help
He was open about his prayer life.
6:1 Darius the Mede. The entire 120 princes went against this man. They had a conspiracy. Here is one praying man against the millions. God is looking for that kind of man that kind of woman today. want their king had heard about Daniel, you can discern the times. The evil men had their king make a decree, a law. They wanted to trap Daniel. People want answers today they want their doubts dissolved. They don’t want empty promises. The king and 1000 princes or politicians were frightened. They were like many and did not want to hear about sin any more until the handwriting on the wall. “You are not humble etc” Belshazzar its all over. They rewarded him for he spoke the truth. What kind of prayer will change people? What kind of preaching will change lives.
You say I don’t have time to pray life is hectic, I am so busy. Satan tried that one on Daniel. Business can be a tool of Satan to lead you away from God. Don’t tell me you have no time I used to say that. You have plenty of time to watch TV, you have time to go on Face book or Twitter, You and they have plenty of time to watch pornography on the computer that’s what your teenagers are doing. Our children watch murder and hate videos and listen on to music and songs that tells how to commit suicide how to hate. That’s what our teens are up to. You have plenty of time to go out for a meal! Preachers have lost their power because they are doing the same thing. No wonder you don’t pray. No Plenty of time to watch a football match! Don’t fool yourself don’t tell me you have no time. Daniel was a busy man, lived in the great busy capital city, everything around him was buzzing.
I have been asking for 4 things for our church 1/ a spirit of intercession would descend upon us because we do not have it. 2/ a fresh baptism of spiritual power would engulf us 3/ a deep desire to worship God truly and 4/ an urgency to win souls 5/ a hunger for and understanding the word of God. Then we will understand the times. Does it come at you though the TV and media.
Daniel Prays Restore your People
Dan 9:1-
Dan 9:3-6 Prayer of confession and repentance.
Vs7-14 Captivity the result of sin and disobedience.
Vs 15-16 “And now O Lord our God….turn your wrath away…. listen to the prayer of thy servant
Vs 17 “FOR THY SAKE, O LORD LET THY FACE SHINE ON THY DESOLATE SANCTUARY”. You are now his sanctuary, his dwelling place. Do you need his face to shine in you again just as the sanctuary in Jerusalem.
Vs 18 We have nothing of our own to offer you, no merits but ask you that your great compassion may come upon.
Vs 19 O Lord her! O Lord forgive! O Lord listen and take action! Why “For thine own sake”. It is all for his glory.
Daniel Heard From God
Vs 20-23 Is there anybody who hears from God today? Are you listening for his voice or are you too busy sinking along with Babylon into the abyss of evil and corruption?