It would have been unnecessary to have noticed this article, if information concerning what it is as food had been all that was intended from it; but as the term is figuratively made use of in Scripture to describe spiritual blessings, it may be proper to notice it in a work of this kind. The Holy Ghost was graciously pleased to point out some of the precious things in the person, work, and offices of Christ under this figure. The dying Jacob, speaking to his children in allusion to the times of the gospel, describes the spiritual Judah, among other distinguishing features of character, as having "his eyes red with wine, and his teeth white as milk." (Genesis 49:12) And the church, as if giving testimony to the accomplishment of the patriarch's prophecy, compares her Beloved's eyes to "the eyes of doves, by the rivers of water, washed with milk." (Song of Song of Solomon 5:12) Perhaps both images were meant to set forth the Redeemer, in that sweetness and loveliness of character, as blending the tender affections of his heart towards his people, like the softness of milk flowing in upon the souls of his redeemed, with a fulness of pity and compassion. And as the Holy Ghost thus drew the portrait of Jesus by the figure of the milk, so the same almighty Lord, in various parts of his holy word, hath described the church, and especially the younger babes in Christ, as nourished by, "the sincere milk of the word." (1 Peter 2:2) Yea, Christ himself tells his church, that "her tips dropped as the honeycomb, and both honey and milk were under her tongue." (Song of Song of Solomon 4:11) There is a great beauty as well as tenderness in our Lord's expression. For in the eastern world, we are told by historians, that they had a certain food made of milk and honey, called by the Greeks Meligala; and it was the custom to give a portion of this to the new-married bride on entering her husband's house. As the Lord Jesus therefore is here speaking of his church, having betrothed her to himself under this character, his gracious salvation of her with these words is uncommonly beautiful and affectionate. And whenever the soul of a poor sinner is made glad in receiving the milk of the gospel, and Christ is apprehended in all his glory, suitableness, and all-sufficiency, no doubt, the droppings of the lips will be like honey and milk under the tongue, for "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak."
I must not dismiss our attention to this article until that I have first yet farther remarked, that God's promise of Canaan to his people of, old was under the same type of bringing them into a land "which is the glory of all lands, a land flowing with milk and honey." (Exodus 3:8) And both the kingdom of grace, and the kingdom of glory, comprehending all sanctified temporal mercies, with all spiritual and eternal blessings, may well be represented under those rich figures.
See Honey