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“For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land…a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey” (Deuteronomy 8:7-8).
In this verse we have listed some of the food that the Lord promised Israel in the land of Canaan. The kinds of food mentioned here are significant in a spiritual way. First of all, there are seven of them, for seven is God’s perfect number. Secondly, all of these foods grow above the ground. Wheat and barley grow on stalks, while figs and grapes grow on trees and vines. This is a picture of heavenly things that are not connected with this world.
Third, all of these foods require effort in order to get them. Wheat and barley must be harvested, threshed, winnowed (the chaff blown off), and then ground up, before they can be used. Fruit must be picked, and olives must be crushed to make olive oil. Honey must be carefully harvested so that we are not stung by the bees! This is a picture of how it takes effort to enjoy the things in God’s Word. We must be diligent in reading and prayer, for the Lord knows that we value something more if we must work a little to get it.
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