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. 3:23).
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. 8:8). 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. 5:11-12). 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. 32:13-14). “The fat” means the richest part of an animal (and also of oil or wine). In 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. 29:2), although barley was used in a peculiar case (Num. 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. 9:13). 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. 80:8-11). 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; 13:67; Hos. 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. 9:9). 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. 11:16).
Pomegranates
Pomegranates are a fruit of a heavenly character (Ex. 28:33-34; Song of Sol. 6:11; 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. 5:22-23). 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. 3:8,17). Honey is symbolic of what is sweet in nature and was to be partaken of with discretion, lest it cause vomiting (Prov. 25:16,27). It was strictly forbidden to add honey to the offerings of the Lord by fire (Lev. 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