Taste and See

Photo by: Naito8

One of my college roommates used to memorize odd verses of the Bible, just for fun. She even knew the references! One of them was Zechariah 5:1, Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll. I thought it was hilarious! We sometimes would have a prayer meeting where we turned out all the lights and recited verses that were special to us. She would quote this one, as well as some choice others, and we’d be holding our sides, laughing! (I realize that wasn’t very spiritual! You never knew what she would quote.)

Much later, studying my Bible, I realized how many food verses are in the Bible and how many have to do with someone actually eating the Word of God.

Read these examples:

• The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb (Psalm 19:9b-10)
• How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Psalm 119:103)
• And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness (Ezekiel 3:3).
• And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter (Revelation 10:9-10).

The Word tastes sweet, like honey!

Do you remember manna in the Old Testament, the bread that appeared daily to sustain the Israelites for forty years? Manna was the bread of life, a type of Christ Who would come as the Bread of Life (John 6:58). Is it any wonder that manna tasted like honey, too, since it pointed to the living Word? And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey (Exodus 16:31).

Jesus said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world (John 6:47-48, 49-51).

I like sweet things, especially cookies. I wonder if I enjoy my Bible in the same way as I savor a cookie. God’s Word is sweet—sweeter than honey. When I take a spiritual bite, it leaves me with a wonderfully fulfilling taste in the mouth—and in my soul. I need to become a biblical cookie monster, craving that sweetness!

Do I enjoy my relationship with my Savior like I enjoy a sweet taste in my mouth? My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD (Psalm 104:34).

I desire this kind of a relationship with the Lord and with His Word. Don’t you?

O taste and see that the LORD is good:

blessed is the man that trusteth in him (Psalm 34:8).