After they were redeemed out of Egypt, the children of Israel had to pass through the wilderness on their way to Canaan. God provided for them food from heaven which fell on the dew each morning — a food which they called “manna.” However, they tired of the manna and desired what they had eaten in Egypt. In Numbers 11 we are told that the children of Israel in the wilderness lusted for six things which they had fed upon in Egypt — “fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic.” All of these foods were found in or on the earth, and they had two characteristics — they were relatively easy to obtain, and they were easily contaminated and made unfit to eat.
The Christian today can fall into the same snare, seeking to feed his soul on the things of this world. The food of this world is found in its media and many forms of entertainment, and it is used by Satan to lure the unsaved to their doom. If we feed on these things, they will rob us of our appetite for the true food for the believer — Christ as the bread that came down from heaven (the manna) and Christ as the man who ascended into heaven (the old corn of the land).
Some years ago, a former editor of this periodical wrote these faithful warnings concerning the literature allowed in our homes:
“There is much in the way of current literature which might not be called infidelity, but which certainly has no place in our homes. Perhaps we would do well to ask ourselves the question which the prophet put to King Hezekiah: “What have they seen in thine house?” Is our home encumbered with such literature that we would hasten to remove it if we were to have a visit from, say, the Apostle Paul, or some other devoted Christian? Has our appetite for the imperishable Word been dulled by feeding on the leeks, onions and garlic of Egypt? For us, Egypt is a type of the world. It had its own characteristic food, while the redeemed Israel fed on the heavenly manna in the wilderness and on food indigenous to the land of Canaan when they reached that land. The manna is a type of Christ who came down from heaven to be the food of His people; the “old corn” of the land of Canaan is a type of Christ in heavenly glory. Even the most harmless and innocuous of worldly literature can become a real snare to Christians and do unmeasured harm by robbing us of the little time we have for reading the Word with quiet meditation or reading profitable written ministry.
“We need to take heed what we read, as well as what we hear. The eyes and ears are avenues to our souls, and what enters by these will give color to our whole Christian life and testimony. The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, ‘Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. . . . Meditate upon these things’ (1 Tim. 4:13,15).”
The radio, television, video and the Internet are more advanced forms of serving up the food of Egypt to our souls and minds. These forms of media make it possible to take in much in a short time and can have an insidious influence on our lives. They dull our spiritual appetite, for “the full soul loatheth an honeycomb.” They tend to develop an appetite in us for the food of Egypt — “to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.” Let us set our minds “on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Col. 3:2323And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; (Colossians 3:23)).
The Food of Canaan
The land of Canaan drank water of the rain of heaven and produced seven things that were gathered without stooping — wheat, barley, vines, fig trees, pomegranates, oil olive and honey (Deut. 8:88A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; (Deuteronomy 8:8)). Also, this food required more effort to obtain. It grew above the ground, but also needed more energy to harvest, process and enjoy.
After the children of Israel crossed the river Jordan, they no longer needed the manna. We are told that they fed upon the old corn of the land — a picture of the risen Christ (Josh. 5:11-1211And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. 12And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year. (Joshua 5:11‑12)). In the same way, the true food for the Christian is in the heavenly country. Passing through the wilderness we need Christ as the manna, but as a heavenly people we feed upon Christ as “the old corn of the land.” We need to feed upon all the glories and perfections of Christ in the place where He is, for what we feed upon forms us. To feed upon Christ in His earthly path of humiliation will win our affections, but to feed upon Christ in His glories will change our characters. “With open [unveiled] face beholding . . . the glory of the Lord, [we] are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18).
Wheat and Barley
Wheat in Scripture is looked at as a very precious grain. Barley comes in typically in a lower place. We read, “He [the Lord] made him [Jacob, His people] suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock . . . with the fat of kidneys [inner part] of wheat” (Deut. 32:13-1413He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; 14Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape. (Deuteronomy 32:13‑14)). “The fat” means the richest part of an animal (and also of oil or wine). In Psalm 81:1616He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee. (Psalm 81:16) we read that He “fed them . . . with the finest [margin, fat] of the wheat.” We find, too, that wheat harvest was a special time of joy and connected with blessing. “Ornan was threshing wheat” when David came to him to build an altar to the Lord. “Wheaten flour” was used for the meat offering (Ex. 29:22And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them. (Exodus 29:2)), although barley was used in a peculiar case (Num. 5:1515Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance. (Numbers 5:15)), where a lower class of meat offering was brought.
It seems that barley in Scripture has to do with man as in responsibility in the old-Adam family, whether converted or not, while wheat is typically used of Christ and the responsibility as in Him. In the feeding of the five thousand, we have “barley loaves”; the scene is typical of grace acting towards man, who is still in Adam responsibility. In the feeding of the four thousand, we have typified the heavenly and divine One feeding us according to God’s thoughts in our new place — in contrast with the famine come on the earth. Wheat harvest followed barley harvest — there is grace, and then the abundance of grace.
The Vine
The vine is that which cheers God and man (Judg. 9:1313And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? (Judges 9:13)). It speaks of fruitfulness. The land of Canaan was known to have large and plentiful grapes. One cluster from Eshcol was borne of the spies as a witness of the good land. Also we read that God had a vine, which He had brought out of Egypt — that vine was Israel (Psa. 80:8-118Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. 9Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. 10The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. 11She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river. (Psalm 80:8‑11)). A vine which is unfruitful is useless. The Lord then in John 15 teaches His disciples that He is the true vine, thus fruitfulness could only be produced as they abode in Him.
The Fig Tree
Figs are known for their sweetness. The trees abound in Palestine and give lots of fruit. Figs were made into cakes by being pressed together. The trees bear figs at different times, thus the expressions “first-ripe figs” and “untimely figs.” The tree is unique in that the fruit is produced before the leaves. When the Lord sought fruit and found leaves only, He cursed the tree, for it should have had fruit before the leaves. The tree represents Israel nationally (Luke 21:29; 13:6729And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; (Luke 21:29); Hos. 9:1010I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baal-peor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved. (Hosea 9:10)) and speaks of profession. Israel made a profession of being God’s people but did not render fruit.
The Olive Tree
The olive represents fatness, wherewith the trees honor God and man (Judg. 9:99But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? (Judges 9:9)). This was the principal source of oil in the East. Israel occupied the special place of privilege and testimony before God, but according to Romans 11, they were broken off. Other branches have been grafted in, so that today the Gentiles occupy that place of privilege and testimony. These branches partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree (Rom. 11; Judg. 9:89; Jer. 11:1616The Lord called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken. (Jeremiah 11:16)).
Pomegranates
Pomegranates are a fruit of a heavenly character (Ex. 28:33-3433And beneath upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about: 34A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about. (Exodus 28:33‑34); Song of Sol. 6:11; 8:211I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded. (Song of Solomon 6:11)
2I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate. (Song of Solomon 8:2)). This fruit was not found in Egypt. We may look upon it as a symbol of those who are saved —fruit for heaven. Some have said it has nine sections corresponding to the nine parts of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-2322But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22‑23)). Bells and pomegranates were placed alternately on the high priest’s robe and hung low near the ground. As the priest walked, the bells sounded with melody as they touched the pomegranates — melody connected with rich fruit. What a contrast this was from the murmuring and complaining often heard in the camp of Israel!
Honey
Honey was plentiful in Palestine, for it was called a land “flowing with milk and honey” (Ex. 3:8,178And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. (Exodus 3:8)
17And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. (Exodus 3:17)). Honey is symbolic of what is sweet in nature and was to be partaken of with discretion, lest it cause vomiting (Prov. 25:16,2716Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it. (Proverbs 25:16)
27It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory. (Proverbs 25:27)). It was strictly forbidden to add honey to the offerings of the Lord by fire (Lev. 2:1111No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the Lord, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the Lord made by fire. (Leviticus 2:11)). The things of nature, though they may be sweet to us, can have no place in what is offered to God. The Lord had no honey during His life on earth, but He did partake of a honeycomb when He was risen, to prove His bodily resurrection.
These seven foods of Canaan present to us the picture of what the Christian is to feed on for spiritual growth.
From various sources