Food for Friday
But I have said unto you, ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey; I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people. Leviticus 20:24
In the little community of West New Annan where I grew up, there was something common to all of the farms along that section of the Florida Road. Through each of those farms flowed a brook. That brook was a brawling stream in springtime, a healthy trickle in the summer, and a series of good skating patches in winter. It watered fertile meadows along its way, and provided all of those farms with a convenient and reliable place to water cattle and other livestock. Those farms were the better for that brook that flowed through them. Many people actually drank from that brook; its water, which came primarily from mountain springs, was clear, cold, and good. But it was only water. It was not as great as in Israel, where milk and honey flowed.
Of course, the brooks in Israel did not actually contain milk and honey. But no land ever was so richly endowed with promise and produce. The term ‘milk’ in our text refers to the cream and cheese, the richest portion of the milk. Honey is identified as the nectar of flowers distilled by the bees to perfect sweetness. When God would give His chosen people a land for an inheritance, He would give them nothing but the best. Can we doubt that He would do less for His chosen people today? We know He does not always give us the best of material things in this world, as He gave the Israelites. But the spiritual blessings He provides us are in relation to a better land than this.
God surely does provide for our physical needs, and we thank Him daily for doing so. Some Christians are granted comfortable circumstances, usually a reward for their diligence and enterprise. But we do not look at these as the milk and honey that we are promised. No, we look forward to a land that is flowing with so much more wonderful blessings. That land is so glorious that the gold of earth is but humble pavement there. We cannot imagine what it will be like, or what we will be like. The richest blessing – so much richer than the best cream of earth – will be the presence of our Lord and Saviour, and the sweetest delight – so much sweeter than the best honey of earth – will be to see Him in His glory. This is the land that our God has promised to us, because we are His people. He has not only promised it to us, but He desires that we enjoy the wonderful anticipation of it now.
Israel’s enjoyment of the milk and honey of Canaan was tied to their obedience to God. So is our enjoyment today of the milk and honey of our Heavenly land. -Jim MacIntosh