by Prisca | 31 July 2021 08:46 pm07
Why did God describe the land of Canaan as “a land flowing with milk and honey”? Why not use other descriptions such as gold, silver, or abundant grain?
Exodus 3:8 (ESV)
“And I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.”
When God described Canaan as “a land flowing with milk and honey,” He used figurative language to communicate the abundant provision, fertility, and pleasantness of the land not literal rivers of milk or streams of honey.
This phrase was a powerful metaphor in ancient Near Eastern culture and had deep theological implications:
In biblical times, milk symbolized agricultural blessing and stability, particularly related to livestock. Cows, goats, and sheep produce milk when they are well-fed and healthy. For that to happen, the land must be fertile, green, and rich in water resources.
Isaiah 7:22 (ESV)
“…and because of the abundance of milk that they give, he will eat curds, for everyone who is left in the land will eat curds and honey.”
Thus, a land “flowing with milk” suggests abundant pastureland and thriving herds a sign of economic stability and daily provision. It meant the Israelites would move from slavery and scarcity in Egypt to a land where God’s creation naturally produces sustenance.
Honey in ancient Israel typically referred to wild honey, produced by bees, not processed sugar. Bees need diverse flowering plants to make honey. Therefore, a land “flowing with honey” implied biological richness and ecological diversity, with plenty of trees, flowers, and fruit-bearing plants.
Proverbs 24:13 (ESV)
“My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.”
Honey is also associated in Scripture with spiritual delight, often used metaphorically to describe the sweetness of God’s Word:
Psalm 119:103 (ESV)
“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”
Thus, honey evokes both physical abundance and a foretaste of spiritual satisfaction.
God’s promise of a land flowing with milk and honey was not just about physical blessings it was a fulfillment of His covenant with Abraham:
Genesis 17:8 (ESV)
“And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”
The language pointed to rest, inheritance, and divine blessing a land where Israel could flourish under God’s rule.
When Moses sent twelve spies to explore Canaan, they came back with physical proof of the land’s richness carrying a large cluster of grapes, pomegranates, and figs.
Numbers 13:27 (ESV)
“And they told him, ‘We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.’”
This confirmed that God had spoken truthfully. Canaan was indeed a land of abundance and provision, just as He had said.
However, entry into the land of promise was conditional upon obedience. God’s blessings were always tied to covenant faithfulness.
Leviticus 18:26–28 (ESV)
“But you shall keep my statutes and my rules and do none of these abominations… lest the land vomit you out when you make it unclean, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.”
The land, though a gift, had moral conditions. If Israel lived like the nations before them defiling the land with sin the land itself would “vomit” them out.
This idea is repeated in prophetic books like Jeremiah and Ezekiel, where exile is portrayed as God removing a disobedient people from His holy inheritance.
God still desires to bring His people into a “land flowing with milk and honey” not necessarily a geographical location, but a place of spiritual rest, provision, and intimacy with Him.
For the New Testament believer, the promised land becomes a shadow of the eternal rest in Christ and the fullness of life in God’s Kingdom.
Hebrews 4:9–10 (ESV)
“So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.”
God’s spiritual “land” today is entered by faith and obedience, just as it was in the Old Covenant.
Ultimately, Canaan points forward to the heavenly inheritance promised to all God’s people:
Revelation 21:1–4 (ESV)
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth… He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”
This is the true “land” flowing with eternal joy, peace, and the presence of God.
The phrase “a land flowing with milk and honey” captures the depth of God’s provision, the richness of His creation, and the joy of living under His covenant blessing. It’s a call to trust in His promises and to live in obedience to His Word.
Numbers 14:8 (ESV)
“If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey.”
May we live in such a way that the Lord delights in us and may we enter fully into all He has prepared.
May the Lord bless you and lead you into His promised abundance.
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