"And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day..."
Genesis 3: 8
The garden theme continues throughout the Bible as a place of meeting, communion and cultivation of choice fruit.
A hands on, one on one cultivation of Covenant relationship and fruitfulness within the heart of The Beloved.
The delicious fruit and rare and valuable spices are the developing character of the bride of Christ.
The Wellspring comes forth by mutual agreement and adoration.
Wellspring is The Word flowing within the substance of Holy Spirit (Living Waters).
The Wellspring reveals and waters the garden with His (The bridegroom's) character.
"The Vineyard of the Lord Almighty is house of Israel and the men of Judah are the garden of His delight."
Isaiah 5:7
Adam & Eve fall from grace in the garden as Adam leaves his beloved bride unprotected and uncovered; vulnerable to the serpents cunning.
Jesus retreats to a garden to pray on the night of the last supper. His motive...
To re-cover His beloved, His bride.
Following the Resurection He first appears to Mary in the garden. In fact she regards Him as the gardener until He speaks her name. The very sound of His voice covers her in faith and joy.
The purpose and identity of the garden is described in Song of Songs 4.
"You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride; you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain.
Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates with choice fruits,
with henna and nard, nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon,
with every kind of incense tree, with myrrh and aloes, and all the finest spices.
You are a garden fountain, a well of flowing water streaming down from Lebanon."
Song of Songs 4:12-15
It is clear the Lord intends to meet us in the garden and this is His choice place of interaction. It is a place of retreat and provision.
"He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul"
Psalm 23: 2,3
Scripture references God's desire to meet in the garden throughout the volume of the book.
"The Lord will guide you always, He will satisfy your needs in a sun scorched land and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail."
Isaiah 58:11
It's all about developing relationship.
All of creation is relational.
The rain causes the earth to green up.
The moon affects the tides.
The lightning releases nitrates into the oceans-
which feeds the plankton bloom-
which nourishes the whole earth-
from the micro to the macro system. A relationship of nurturing.
All of this pointing to our Creator's desire for a one accord type of relationship. Not just a provider relationship but a two way fruitful partnership.
In the biblical book of Song of Songs the Prince invites the Shulamite to develop a partnership. By chapter 4 they begin meeting in the garden which He has prepared for His beloved.
Once that place of meeting and retreat is established- then, and only then, do they venture out together to attend to the vineyards.
Too many believers are trying to tend to the Lord's vineyards without first establishing their place of garden retreat.
We learn how to respond to the Lord's commission within the garden.
So let's look closely at what is provided in the garden.
Please open your Bible to S.O.S. 4: 12-15 and refer to it often.
First and foremost:
1. the Prince provides a walled garden for her protection and He alone holds the key to her gates
2. the Seal of Holy Spirit is upon her fountain
3. the sound of His voice (streams from Lebanon) fills her fountain ⛲️ with His loving and affirming words of life.
She must seek for and enter the garden, freely choosing to receive His gifts. Simply put, your place of quiet prayer, Bible meditation & listening- this is your garden.
"Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, I will go to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense. "
This process of seeking the garden and His loving response is recorded in verses 6-11 of Song of Songs 4.
He calls his beloved upward & outward in ministry with His loving voice.
Communion, encounter, romance, engagement, change, growth and expansion all proceed from the place of Song,
from the fountain,
within the secret garden.
Scripture tells us that His voice is like "The Sound of many waters".
Scripture tells us He is the "Song of Songs".
He is "The Song of Shalom."
The cultivation of this singing duet, this loving partnership proceeds as they blend their voices together in communion.
Decree,
declare,
testify,
profess,
prophecy,
sing,
charge,
confess,
articulate,
agree;
Speak forth from the well of His Court.
Sing forth in the garden.
Join your voice to His beautiful love song.
There are 7 scriptures which describe the "sound of many waters". When you review them you will understand His intent-
there is a conversation and a communion in the song, there is an interaction, an exchange going on between the bride and the Prince of Peace.
It is clearly not just speaking of His voice alone but a blending of voices which make up "the sound of many waters".
Let's review the 7:
1. The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is over many waters.
Psalm 29:3
2. When the living creatures flew, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a tumult of noise like an army; and when they stood still, they let down their wings.
Ezekiel 1:24
3. Afterwards he brought me to the gate, the gate that faces toward the east. And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory.
Ezekiel 43:1
4. His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice like the sound of many waters;
Revelation 1:15
5. For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains ⛲️ of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Revelation 7:17
6. And I heard the voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard harpists playing their harps. They sang a new song before the throne.
Revelation 14:2
7. And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thundering, saying "Allelujah, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of The Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.
Revelation 19:6
The verse in Revelation 7 does not specifically mention the 'sound' of the waters but shows His foremost desire is to lead us to these many streams.
How does the shepherd lead? By the sound of His voice!
"The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for Him, and the sheep listen for His voice."
John 10:3
The sheepfold is synonymous with the garden. It can be a singular garden within your inner man....
Once you have invited Jesus into your heart...
the supernatural garden begins to open and develop.
A pastor can help you find the tools to cultivate your garden but the effort, dedication and consistency is all up to you.
The garden is relational and the sound of the fountain ⛲️ is discovered in responsive singing...and declaring His Word. Simply said, just an attitude of gratitude & expression of praise...however you express it...that's your song.
We are called to develop both a personal individual garden as well as a communal garden. The greater vineyard is the church at large.
The garden goes wherever you go because it exists on a quantum, supernatural, expanding, eternal level.
The sheepfold or corporate garden can be a small group or house church but the identifying marker is this...
Are they leading you to the fountains, to the streams and to the sound of His voice?
The sheepfold or Vineyard can be in a large gathering or congregation, it can even fill streets and stadiums,
but again and always;
the confirmation, focus and outcome should always be....
how do you tune into the sound of many waters, the sound of His voice?
Jesus said, "If I be lifted up, I will draw All men unto me."
John 12:32
Does the congregational worship cause you to hear His living, loving, affirming Voice?
Does the teaching of the Word cause you to sense a responsive fountain, awakening within your own heart?
A servant shepherd will lead you to springs of Living Water. A servant shepherd will lead you to Jesus, The Good Shepherd.
⛲️
There is treasure hidden in the garden of the Lord.
You come to find the garden place by the lovely sound of His voice.
It is imperative that you learn to hear even His softest whisper.
The Wellspring is the flow and identity of Holy Spirit as in John 7:37. Jesus is the Capstone which restrains and quiets...
or bubbles up forcefully.... releasing and focusing the flow.
Spending time with Jesus in the garden will teach you both- discernment and restraint in your 'unction to function'.
The Wellspring is your generous source of "The Gift" of Holy Spirit Himself, along with the manifested 'gifts' of the Spirit for your edification and supply.
It is a walled garden which provides quiet, intimacy, protection and communion.
You will be invited to cocreate and partner in joyful responsive singing. The sound of many waters is the result of mutual adoration. The sound of many waters is your voice mingled with His voice.
The treasure is cultivated and manifested as the spices and fruit listed in Song of Solomon 4. These spices are exclusively grown in this atmosphere of total abandon, consecration and worship.
These fruits & spices represent both the fruit of the Spirit & the gifts of the Spirit which you are responsible to cultivate.
The Wellspring as well as the spices would take chapters to explain how wonderfully invaluable and profitable they are. They expressly relate to both the gifts and the fruit of the Spirit...without which we cannot mature and become overcomers.
You must experience this garden for yourself...just as you must be born again in a face to face, heart to heart encounter.
Love song fills the fragrant atmosphere of the garden wafting out upon the winds of His Spirit to other believers. This is the Lords invitation to come into His presence.
There is of great import in the prophecy from Moses to:
"Sing to the well!"
The garden is solely dedicated to His good pleasure.
It pleases Him to simply spend time alone with you. This is how much He loves and delights in you.
How it delights His heart when He becomes your core and sole focus.
"How beautiful you are my sister, my bride....You have doves eyes, my beloved"
Delight is the greatest tool for cultivating the garden.
There is no end to His supply of Living Waters. There is no limit to the spices and fruit which can be cultivated in this mysterious supernatural garden.
There is no limit to the joy ✨️ of heaven's song released into the earth.
Cultivating the garden:
Other formidable tools for cultivating your private garden are as follows;
meditating the Word,
waiting on the Lord,
prayer,
quality teaching,
prophecy,
repentance,
quiet listening,
worship music,
testimony,
journaling,
bringing your challenges and conflicts to rest at His feet,
pouring out your heart to Him,
bowing at His feet,
sitting at His table,
gazing at His beautiful face,
and so much more.
If you ask, He will reveal how to cultivate your garden. It is a partnership of joy and delight.
If you ask, seek and knock He will reveal the mystery of the well, the fruit and the spices.
If you ask He will bring you through the gate.
If you ask He will feast with you there in His love garden. He will fill your cup and anoint your head.
"The joy of the Lord is your strength". The garden is your place to find strength.
The garden is the place to develop your passion for the atmosphere of Heaven.
Jesus is the door to heaven.
Developing your garden brings heaven to earth. Joining your garden to others will fill the earth with His glory.
Be blessed 🙌.
Footnote:
All blogs with a photo of my book are single chapters/ a condensed version of "Zamiyr, Governmental Waterworks"
copyright Library of Congress 2010.
Hard copy receipts to Jonathan Cahn, Mariposa Revival Center, Glory Mt.
2017 revised edition hard copy receipts to Cross TV, Way TV, Purple Women, Aglow, Elijah Streams.
