The Worthless Garden

My shepherds have become farmers, instead of gardeners.

They have become drivers of cattle, rather than those who tend and guard sheep.

Does not My word say that I am a gardener, not a farmer? (John 15:1,2)

A tender of sheep, not a driver of cattle? (Is 40:11; John 10:11)

You produce much fruit

You farm much soil

But the fruit is rotten

And the ground you work

Produces thistles and thorns

You produce much produce

But your high yield is worthless

Countless casings with no beans in them

Many blooms that wither and rot

Many beautiful trees cover the land

But they have no root

They have no water

All your striving to make the surface of the land seem bountiful

But their source of life is from man himself

So in time, the beautiful landscape of man's own doing

Will wither into kindle and be scorched

By the fiery trial ahead

The fire of my anger burns against those

Who preach from their own heart

My wrath is kindled against vanity and selfish ambition

Which has taken its seat in the hearts of those

Who preach My word for their own gain

I am not a commodity to be marketed

My word is not a source of income, but a source of life

You merchandise the Tree of Life

All your peddling aligns you with the peddler

Who by the abundance of his trade was cast out (Ezekiel 28:16-18)

To those who follow the peddlers:

You search for Me among books and teachers

When there is only one Book

And one Teacher you need

My word is sufficient

My Spirit is sufficient

But you forsake them both

Because the desires of your own heart lead you astray

Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is tended receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless, and its curse is imminent. In the end it will be burned. (Heb 6:7,8)

Zion will be redeemed with justice, her repentant ones with righteousness. But rebels and sinners will together be shattered, and those who forsake the Lord will perish. Surely you will be ashamed of the sacred oaks in which you have delighted; you will be embarrassed by the gardens that you have chosen. For you will become like an oak whose leaves are withered, like a garden without water. The strong man will become tinder and his work will be a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the flames. (Is 1:28-31)

Be sure to know the state of your flocks, and pay close attention to your herds; for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to every generation. (Prov 27:23,24)

Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain, they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah's rebellion. These men are the hidden reefs in your love feasts, shamelessly feasting with you but shepherding only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried along by the wind; fruitless trees in autumn, twice dead after being uprooted...these are discontented grumblers, following after their own lusts; their mouths spew arrogance; they flatter others for their own advantage. (Jude 1:11,12,15)