After creating man and Eden, Yahweh places the man in the garden so that he might cultivate and keep it, just as the priests would later do for the tabernacle and temple. And within this restful place of work, Yahweh declares his provision, yet also states that the man must not eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—if he does, he will die. Thus we see Yahweh placing man within His midst with purpose (Gen 1:16-18) and boundaries. Obedience leads to life in Yahweh's presence; disobedience leads to death outside of Yahweh's presence.

Mike McCoy steps into the pulpit this week to preach on Psalm 127 and God's plan for kingdom growth. Just as Solomon built a house for Yahweh and for himself, so he claims that all labor is vain unless Yahweh does the building. Indeed, unless Yahweh builds the house and blesses it with children, they labor in vain who attempt to build their own houses—they who try to build their own kingdoms outside of Yahweh's promises and blessing.

This week pastor Zach begins walking through the first chapter of Jonah where we see Jonah refuse Yahweh's command, go down to Joppa, and go down into a ship, fleeing Yahweh's very presence. In this irony-filled book, we begin to see how all things obey Yahweh, save his own prophet.