NOVEMBER 28, 2024
“The full soul loatheth the honeycomb; but to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.” (Prov. 27:7)
It is a great blessing when food and appetite meet together. Some have appetite, but no food. Others have food, but no appetite. Both are to be pitied. One has not food for his stomach; the other has not stomach for his food. Surely, when we have both, it is cause for thanksgiving.
Commentators seem to be in agreement with Mr. Poole, that “this proverb is intended to show the inconvenience that at times comes with plenty.” As Matthew Henry puts it: “Those who fare sumptuously every day nauseate food, as the Israelites did the quail.” It has happened that folks have been so luxuriously fed that appetite has departed from them altogether. “A full soul loatheth the honeycomb.” Was it not so with the Israelites in the wilderness respecting the bread from heaven? Even of that provision, which is referred to as angel’s food, the children of Israel came to say, “our souls loathe this light bread.”
There is a segment of our society for whom only the finest will do. They crave the pungent sauces and signature flavorings from the top chefs who cater to them. There is a true proverb, which say, “the best sauce for meat is hunger.” While the confectioners labor to produce their dainty dishes, nature teaches us what it is that best whets the appetite, namely, not to eat it until we want it, because “a full (stomach) loatheth the honeycomb.”
There is, however, a deeper meaning to this proverb, which is also (I believe) the primary understanding. The rules that apply to the bodily appetite hold equally true with the spiritual. Are not souls capable of falling into the same conditions respecting the true Bread from heaven, as the Israelites did respecting the manna? “Our souls loathe this light bread,” they said. Perhaps it would not be so expressed, but do not professing Christians sometimes sit at a table spread with the rarest delights yet “The full soul loathes the honeycomb?” David said, “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth.” (Psa. 119:103) He found them to be “sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.” (Psa. 19:10) It is a great tragedy for a soul to become full, so that it loatheth the honeycomb.
To the hungry soul God’s Word is a true delight. Jeremiah found it to be so: “Thy words were found and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart.” (Jer. 15:16) But, there is a fullness of soul that causes the Word of God to be loathsome. Worldly riches and pleasures make one to loathe the holy precepts of the Scriptures. Even as it sees death on the marrow, it continues to eat, drink and be merry. (Luke 12:19) Thus, the spiritually wise man will say “give me neither…riches…lest I be full and deny thee.” (Prov. 30:8, 9) Jesus pronounced as blessed all who have a hunger and thirst after righteousness.
There is an imbibing of worldly wisdom that makes men loathe the counsel of God. Secularism is so full of itself that it loathes the Bible. It says with Pharaoh of old, “Who is the Lord that I should obey him?”Preaching is sparsely attended, and Bibles gather dust because full souls loathe the honeycomb.
With many professing Christians it is clear that something has taken the edge off their appetite for the Word of God. That which fills them may be known simply by observing why they forsake the assembly. We must realize that one sure proof of spiritual life is an appetite for the Word of God. Let us remember that Christ Himself is the true Sweetness which the soul that is full of the world will despise. May we all be able to say in truth, “All that thrills my soul is Jesus.”
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