God's Green Pastures

Introduction

One of the most important callings to God’s people is that as Kingdom representatives and citizens. In many cases, we have elected to see ourselves as a church, which is true, but we are more importantly commissioned by Christ to get beyond Church and grow into Kingdom.

Luke 22:29–30 KJV 1900

29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; 30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

And by seeing ourselves merely as a Church and stopping there, we have effectively stood in the frame of the door and never stepped beyond the frame and into the promises of God.

But what are the promises of God?

They can be found, first and foremost in the Book of Genesis, which clearly outlines God’s intention for man but also the plan of redemption to bring that plan to pass. We know the story of the Garden but lets look at the assignment and the promised blessings of that assignment.

Our Calling

Genesis 1:26 KJV 1900

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Of all that God made, man are the only ones that are made in his image.

What does it mean to be made in his image?

That word image comes from the Hebrew selem that is used to refer to something that is carved or hewn out, often used to describe the idols that would be carved out of a tree.

What it means is that we are made out of the very essence of God.

In much this same way it was God that took the rib of Adam to make Eve, he took part of himself to make us that we would have his very nature.

It would suggest that God wants no images or idols constructed because we are intended to be the original images of God and anything less would profane his creation.

God does not honor any other part of his creation in such a way that they would live in a way that they (more or less) carry around the essence of God as part of their being.

You are not called to be in the image of God.

You are not commanded to be in the image of God.

But you are BLESSED and BORN to be in the image of God.

But not only does he make you in this way but he does so with the intention of giving you responsibility.

Once again, no other element of creation is given such authority and yet here we see that God trusts his creation enough to give them authority.

Genesis 1:27–28 KJV 1900

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

God does just as he said he would do in making man in the image of God but outside of being his image, we also become something else in that we take on an assignment for God. We are charged with God to do the following:

Be Fruitful. What do this mean?

Parah- Produce an off-spring or harvest; implies abundance (Bear fruit)

Multiply. What do this mean?

Harbah- To be numerous or increase in quantity (multiply the fruit you bear)

Replenish. What do this mean?

Male- To Fill up or to Fulfill (Fulfill the purpose of the Earth by filling it up)

Subdue. What do this mean?

Kabas- To overcome, conquer, or control (Take control over the Earth)

And I think many would say that we have done these things… the population around the world is growing and we even manipulate nature.

But what are we doing this for? Are we doing it for the right reasons and purposes?

And I want to challenge you, that you may never have truly understood our assignment as part of the Kingdom. And now, we have ill-prepared sheep because we never investigated His Pasture.

God’s Pasture

We do scripture a disservice by never allowing it to live in the context of its writing. Psalms 23 is written by David, the young boy who would become a great King. Here he writes from a state of fearful trust because he is being pursued by King Saul and is hiding in the cave of Adullam for fear of his anger.

And in this moment, he feels the same fear of his sheep when they were stalked by the Lion and the Bear, but he has trust in God to keep him in the midst of this situation. And so, he writes Psalms 23, as a way to convey his feelings in the best way he knows how.

Psalm 23:1–2 KJV 1900

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.

Calling the Lord his shepherd does not speak so much to God’s leadership but speaks more to David’s trust of the Lord.

It is then interesting, that David’s comfort in God is felt in the green pastures that have come to represent the Garden that God had created… that man had been forced to leave.

God’s holy space and man’s assignment has always been synonymous with the ideas of a Garden because it is a garden that God himself saw as the ultimate dwelling place for his glory.

Psalm 1:1–3 KJV 1900

1 Blessed is the man That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; And in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That bringeth forth his fruit in his season; His leaf also shall not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Psalm 24:3 KJV 1900

3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place?

Isaiah 58:11 KJV 1900

11 And the Lord shall guide thee continually, And satisfy thy soul in drought, And make fat thy bones: And thou shalt be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

God’s pastures not only provide you a place of rest but also a place of refreshment as you can drink in a place of still water without fear of being swept away.

Proving to us that God’s pastures are places of rest and refreshing.

Psalm 23:3 KJV 1900

3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

God’s pastures are a place where he can restore you, from the Hebrew word swb, meaning to return or turn back.

Here he speaks to the nature of God as the chief Shepherd in that he does not only cause the sheep to turn the right way for physical blindness but in fact can turn your entire SOUL BACK due to your spiritual blindness.

God, like any shepherd can lead the sheep in the right way but he takes it further by leading the SOULS of his sheep in the right way… and does it all for his glory.

Psalm 23:4 KJV 1900

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

The rod is the tool of chastening and the staff the tool of gather and here David makes clear that to be chastened and gathered by God brings peace in the midst of death and fear.

It is not that death has no impact or is in fact not present, but death does not bring fear because the shepherd is guiding you to avoid the shadow that brings death.

Psalm 23:5 KJV 1900

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

God is shifted from the role of a shepherd to the role of a generous host… and here David is treated as a guest (a person of high honor in their society).

However, the host is not normal in that he not only plays host to David but even to David’s enemies and he blesses David IN SPITE of his enemies.

It echos of the story of Esther… who is forced to dine with her enemies.

Esther 5:5–8 KJV 1900

5 Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. 6 And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed. 7 Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is; 8 If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to morrow as the king hath said.

Esther 7:1–10 KJV 1900

1 So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen. 2 And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom. 3 Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request: 4 For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage. 5 Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so? 6 And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen. 7 And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king. 8 Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9 And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon. 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.

It also speaks to Lady Wisdom of Proverbs who prepares a meal for those ready to receive wisdom, forsaking the foolish.

Proverbs 9:1–6 KJV 1900

1 Wisdom hath builded her house, She hath hewn out her seven pillars: 2 She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; She hath also furnished her table. 3 She hath sent forth her maidens: She crieth upon the highest places of the city, 4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: As for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, 5 Come, eat of my bread, And drink of the wine which I have mingled. 6 Forsake the foolish, and live; And go in the way of understanding.

Psalm 23:6 MSG

6 Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I’m back home in the house of God for the rest of my life.

He has been restored to his place of rest, refreshing, and restoring in the Pastures of the Lord God.

Our Answer

God has called us beyond the realm of church as usual and we have a given duty to fulfill his calling for us. And his calling for us goes beyond the threshold as it will require we get beyond the door and move into the pasture of God… which is his Kingdom here on Earth.

Ephesians 5:1 AMP

1 THEREFORE BE imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father].

God has set the example of what he wants and desires for us… which is to be like him.

It has already been said to the Church at Philadelphia…

Revelation 3:7–8 KJV 1900

7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

The door is open to us… and it is waiting on us to cross over into the Lord’s Pastures.