Tend the Garden of Your Life to Be a Place for YHVH to Dwell

When the world all around you is like a toilet swirling and flushing out of control on its way down to hell (literally), and you feel powerless to do anything about it, all you can do is to tend your own garden. Try to make the world a better place where YOU are living.

Tending the garden is a fundamental principle of the Bible. In fact, it is the third command of the Torah that the Creator gave to man at the beginning(Gen 2:15). This command is one of five original key commands that Elohim gave to the first humans and are basic keys to human happiness and to fulfilling man’s godly mission on earth. Fulfilling these commands were the basic keys to maintaining the idyllic state of man’s happiness and to communing with Elohim in the pre-fall world. These five fundamental commands were:

  • Be fruitful and multiply: Sex and procreation (Gen 1:28)
  • Govern or exercise stewardship over the animals (Gen 1:28)
  • Tend and keep the garden (Gen 2:15).
  • Do not eat from the tree of knowledge (Gen 2:17).
  • Marriage and family (Gen 2:24). 

At the exact center of these five commands—between command three and four—was the example Elohim gave us of resting on the Sabbath (Gen 2:2–3). Though not a direct command, it was an implicit command in that man is to follow the Creator’s example by resting on the seventh day. It later became a direct command (Exod 16:23–30 and 20:8–11). What this seems to teach us is that the Sabbath (or Shabbat in Hebrew) is at the center of learning about how to fulfill the other five commands and learning about their higher spiritual implications. In the post-fall world after man had sinned by eating from the tree of knowledge, man corrupted the five basic commands and the Sabbath. Illicit sex, exploitation and abuse of animals, the exploitation and abuse of the earth for greedy and covetous purposes and human attempts to destroy marriage and the family was the result. Satan was then and still is on a mission to kill, steal and destroy these five areas and to get humans away from them by perverting or counterfeiting them.

When humans dedicate themselves to fulfilling these five commands as well as resting on the seventh day Sabbath, there is a basic and deep joy and fulfillment that will occur in one’s life that can be achieved in no other way.

Being in nature and tending the garden of this world is a fundamental key for man to finding Elohim, the Creator, and to discover the deep mysteries about him (Rom 1:20).

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead…

Beside tending the physical garden, the Creator gave man four other Torah-instructions or laws as revealed in Genesis chapters one and two. These five laws, along with the Sabbath, are fundamental keys to happiness, joy and blessing in this physical life. They will also bring a person to an understanding of YHVH as well. Orientating our lives around marriage, procreation, family, caring for animals, resting on the seventh day, and abstaining from the tree of knowledge [i.e. secular humanism]) are the keys to a fulfilled life on this earth.

Fulfilling these five laws in one’s life is a key to staying connected to Elohim, staying grounded spiritually and not getting sucked into the technocratic, mind-controlling and enslaving matrix that Satan and his human minions are endeavoring to impose on humanity like an invisible net as the Bible prophesied will come upon the earth in the last days (Rev 13, 17, 18).

As the world becomes more evil spinning out of control around me, all I want to do is to tend my own garden, which is YHVH’s garden—to pull out the weeds and make it a more beautiful place for him to inhabit. It starts with my own life. My life is the garden of YHVH. We are reminded of this in the Song of Solomon,

A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices: a fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon. Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits. (Song 4:12–14)

Is my life a garden that YHVH Elohim wants to inhabit? Or am I just an inflated ball of head knowledge filled with facts about him, but the garden of my life is a mess and my heart is who knows where?

Consider this. Elohim planted the first humans in a garden long ago and told them (and us) to take care of it. Our forefather and foremother walked with him in the cool of the day in perfect harmony and unity until they disobeyed him and ate from the tree of knowledge—the first sin. In their minds, they were deceived to believe that his was permissible. O how our own mental reasoning or head knowledge can leads us astray and away from him if we are not careful! 

We started in a garden, and we are going to end up there. The garden from heaven to which we look forward is called the New Jerusalem. In the mean time, Elohim told us to tend our garden—the third command in the Torah (Gen 2:15-16). Ask yourself this: How well am I tending the garden of my life both physically and spiritually? Do we really have a clue what this means or are we so busy filling our heads with facts and satiating the lusts of the flesh and eyes, the pride of life that we forgot about holiness, righteousness, pulling up the weeds out of the soil of our lives, pruning the trees and plants, fertilizing and caring for them so that they will bear fruit for him, and so that Yeshua our Bridegroom wants to visit our garden?

Personally, I want my life to be a resting place for my Creator or a merkabah, which is the Hebrew word for a chariot-throne of Elohim’s presence. The psalmist said that Elohim is enthroned on the praises of Israel, not the head knowledge of Israel (Ps 22:3). Let us worship the King, while tending our garden! When we do this, maybe Isaiah 4:4–5:1 will be fulfilled in our lives:

When Adonai shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning. And YHVH will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain. Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill. (Isa 4:4–5:1)

When this prophecy begins to be fulfilled in the garden of our lives, it will be a glorious day for us, for  those around us and for the world!

Wheelbarrow with Gardening tools in the garden.
 

My Notes on Revelation Chapters 20–22 on the Millennium and Eternity

Revelation 20

Revelation 20:1, Bottomless pit. (See notes at Deut 32:22; 2 Pet 2:4; Rev 9:1. Also see notes at Isa 14:18–21.)

Revelation 20:4, A thousand years. This is but one of six references in the Bible to the Millennium lasting for one thousand years. The other references are found in the surrounding verses (vv. 2, 3, 5, 6, 7). Even then, some biblical students still question the idea of the Millennium and categorize it as a NT concept only and, therefore, feel they can relegate it to the realm of the allegorical. An understanding of the prophetic implications of the seventh day Sabbath should settle this question once and for all. In traditional Jewish thought, the seven days of creation picture the time man will be on this physical earth. Six days (for six days or six thousand years) man does his own work, while on the seventh day (or one thousand years) he rests and fellowships with Elohim. This is a picture of the millennial rest, which the Jewish sages have long called the Messianic Era, which is yet to come. The Millennium is not uniquely a Christian or NT concept, but is rooted in Judaism going back before the Christian era. For example, the writer of Hebrews juxtaposes the Sabbath and the Millennium in Hebrews chapter seven when he compares Joshua taking the Israelites into the Promised Land with Yeshua taking the saints into the Sabbath, millennial rest of our spiritual inheritance.

Revelation 20:5, The rest of the dead. This phrase is a parenthetical thought. Before and after this phrase, the author is discussing those who will be part of the first resurrection, which occurs at Yeshua’s second coming. Later in the same chapter, John goes on to discuss what happens to the rest of the dead (vv. 12–13).

Revelation 20:7–21:1, Events after the Millennium. The events in these verses appear to be chronological and occur after the Millennium. In Rev 20:2ff John seems to be receiving a pre-millennial flashback vision. (See my discussion on these verses.)

Revelation 20:8, The four corners. These rebels who will inhabit the millennial earth have removed themselves as far as possible from Jerusalem, which is the seat of King Yeshua’s rule and is at the center of the earth.

Revelation 20:9, Fire came down from heaven. If the New Jerusalem, the seat of Yeshua’s millennial government, is hovering over the earthly Jerusalem during the Millennium, then this is the source of the fire or Yeshua’s judgment against the rebels who dare to defy his divine governance.

Revelation 20:10, The devil…lake of fire. (See notes at Deut 32:22; 2 Pet 2:4; Rev 9:1.)

Tormented forever.The devil as a spirit either can only be contained, but not destroyed meaning Elohim is not all-powerful, or, more likely, Elohim will allow the devil to exist, though in a place of torment, as an on-going example and testimony to his sovereign greatness and power over evil.

Continue reading
 

Down to Egypt (or “Hell”) or Up to the Jerusalem (or “Heaven”)?

Genesis 39:1, Down to Egypt…down there. 

There are more than twenty references in the Bible to “going down to Egypt,” coming “up from Egypt” or words to this gist. Egypt can be taken as a biblical metaphor for the secular world and all that is in it that is in opposition to YHVH’s paths of righteousness. Egypt represents the low spiritual way of following the world, flesh and the devil that is evil that leads to death and separation from Elohim, while the Promised land, and specifically Jerusalem, is a metaphor for the spiritual high place of truth, righteousness and godliness that leads to eternal life. This is why the Bible speaks of “going down to Egypt” and “going up to Jerusalem.” 

Each person has only two choices in life on how they will conduct their lives. They must make a choice—they will make a choice purposely or inadvertently. They can choose the proverbial downward path or the highway to hell or the upward path or the highway to heaven. Everyone Continue reading


 

Christian Privilege: The Only Road to Salvation and Utopia

In our current American culture of educational system, mainstream media and establishment entertainment induced political correct group-think indoctrination, minority groups of every stripe and color are clamoring for special rights and privileges.

Due to the superior priority our culture is now placing on feelings over intellect, many special-rights groups are feeling marginalized and persecuted, whether based on reality or not. This persecution complex is leading to feelings of offense among many often resulting in expressions of anger and bitterness against those who hold to a traditional and majority viewpoint in the society.

This angst among the supposed offended is manifesting itself in “justifiable” verbal hate speech and, at time, even in criminal violence against the police, schools, churches, gun owners, whites in general and white men in particular, religious and social conservatives, Christians, Jews, various racial and religious minorities and the list goes on and on with more people groups being added to this hate list nearly every day. The list of those who are offended include some people of “color,” many women, some Moslems, illegal aliens, non-Christians, the LGBTQXYZ… folks, socialists, Marxists, etc., etc.

From those who feel disenfranchised and disadvantaged by the so-called majority who, it is boisterously asserted, maintain all the positions of power, wealth, authority, and influence, we hear such pejoratively employed terms as white privilege, male privilege, and, again, the list goes on—you fill in the blank. The finger pointing, blame game goes on and on until, it seems, that our society will become so fragmented into tiny special rights groups of offended people that every man’s hand will be on the throat of every one else.

The latest group to hate is Christians, and the latest term to hate term to emerge from the gunk on the bottom of the special rights, woe-is-me, swamp of vicitmization is “Christians privilege.”

Well, I for one happily embrace the term “Christian privilege.” This is because there IS an advantage to being a Bible believing follower of Yeshua the Messiah (aka Jesus Christ). This privilege includes forgiveness of sin, becoming the recipient of the Creator’s grace, a better life in this world and immortality in the next world, and the list goes on and on. Just read the Bible for a full understanding.

The wonderful thing is that this privilege is open to anyone free of charge regardless of gender, ethnic origin, socio-economic status, past religious affiliation, and past sinfulness. Anyone can get onboard this ship. All you have to do is choose it.

For all those who only want to complain and whine about everything and everyone that makes them feel uncomfortable and challenges you to grow up, I say this: GET OVER IT. Become an adult, stop blaming others for your poor decisions and take personal responsibility. Put down your teddy bears, coloring books, and turn off Mister Roger’s Neighborhood. If you can’t get over it, then too bad for you. It’s your problem, not mine. I guess the school of reality and hard knocks will have to awaken you from your feelings-based state of comatose lethargy sometime somehow.  

The article that follows explains how literally anyone can become a recipient of “Christian privilege” and experience both the supreme temporal and eternal benefits therefrom. — Natan Lawrence

Foreword 

I have a story to tell. It’s a beautiful story. It’s about you and me, and our Creator who loves us more than we can know.

First, let me confess something personal. My greatest desire in life next to spending eternity with YHVH-Yeshua my Messiah is to help to be a catalyst for spiritual revival on this earth. That is, to see the light of YHVH’s truth transformationally pierce the darkness of men’s lives causing a mighty river of life from heaven to flow on this earth bringing with it love, joy, peace and the abundant spiritual life that knowing Yeshua the Messiah and loving him by keeping his commandments. This passion burns like an unquenchable fire deep within my personal spirit and soul. I believe this a resonation of the heart of our Father in heaven. 

My next greatest life ambition is to see as many lukewarm modern-day Laodiceans disciples of Yeshua awake from their spiritual slumber and to fall in love with Yeshua the Messiah and to love and serve him for the rest of their lives. Spiritual revival and awakening begins at home—deep in your heart and mind, and it spreads from there outward to touch a dark, sick and dying world. 

My prayer is that the message that follows, by YHVH’s grace, will help to bring spiritual revival and awakening in someone’s life this day.

Made in Elohim’s Image to Experience Pleasure in a Paradise

The Bible reveals that humans were made in the image of Elohim—both male and female. He put the first humans in a garden to walk and to commune with him in a sin-free paradise called Eden. Few know what the word eden actually means. It is a Hebrew word that literally means “pleasure, delight, luxury, dainty and finery.” The seventh day Sabbath is a weekly memorial of this paradise lost, and both the Sabbath and the annual biblical festival called the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot are both prophetic pictures of the Eden that is to come at the end this age called the New Jerusalem, which will be a heaven-like paradise on earth.

In the mean time, the human desire for pleasure, delight, luxury and for communion with Elohim that Eden afforded is an indigenous and integral part of our spiritual DNA. Think about it. What human doesn’t desire this greatly and works hard to achieve this state of existence? Many humans work nearly a lifetime, so they can retire to their “golden years” and live off their investments and whatever pension they’ve managed to acquire. To many, it is considered heaven on earth to spend their retirement years on earth playing golf, traveling the world, partying with friends, working in their garden or just waking up late and Continue reading


 

From My Bible Commentary on Revelation 20, 21 and 22

Shalom everyone!

In my as yet unpublished commentary on the whole Bible, I have about a thousand pages long commentary on the NT or Testimony of Yeshua alone. Parts and pieces of this I share from time to time on this blog.

For fun and, hopefully, to bless a few readers, I decided to share my commentary notes on Revelation chapters 20 to 22. These notes are unpublished and not formally edited, so if you find any typos, kindly let me know.

I hope this is a blessing to someone and will get you thinking a little! This ought to keep some of you going for awhile! 😉

Natan

Revelation 20

Revelation 20:1, Bottomless pit. (See notes at Deut 32:22; 2 Pet 2:4; Rev 9:1. Also see notes at Isa 14:18–21.)

Revelation 20:4, A thousand years. This is but one of six references in the Bible to the Millennium lasting for one thousand years. The other references are found in the surrounding verses (vv. 2, 3, 5, 6, 7). These are more than enough references to meet the biblical criteria of establishing a truth in the mouth of two or more witnesses. Even then, some biblical students still question the idea of the Millennium and categorize it as a NT concept only and, therefore, feel they can disregard it. This is a shame and shows naive ignorance with regard to the Word of Elohim. An understanding of the prophetic implications of the seventh day Sabbath should settle this discussion once for all. In Hebraic thought, the seven days of creation picture the time man will be on this physical earth. Six days (for six days or six thousand years) man does his own work, while on the seventh day (or one thousand years) he rests and fellowships with Elohim. This is a picture of the millennial rest, which the Jewish sages have long called the Messianic Era, which is to come. The Millennium is not uniquely a Christian or NT concept, but is rooted in Judaism going back before the Christian era. The writer of Hebrews makes reference to this in Heb 7 when he compares Joshua taking the Israelites into the Promised Land with Yeshua taking the saints into the Sabbath, millennial rest of our spiritual inheritance.

Revelation 20:5, The rest of the dead. This phrase is a parenthetical thought. Before and after this phrase, the author is discussing those who will be part of the first resurrection, which occurs at Yeshua’s second coming. Later in the same chapter, John goes on to discuss what happens to the rest of the dead (vv. 12–13).

Revelation 20:7–21:1, Events after the Millennium. The events in these verses appear to be chronological and occur after the Millennium. In Rev 20:2ff John seems to be receiving a f pre-millennial flashback vision. (See my discussion on these verses.)

Revelation 20:8, The four corners. These rebels who will inhabit the millennial earth have removed themselves as far as possible from Jerusalem, which is the seat of King Yeshua’s rule and the at the center of the earth.

Revelation 20:9, Fire came down from heaven. If the New Jerusalem, the seat of Continue reading