Topical Bible: Honey: Loathed by Those Who are Full

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In the Scriptures, honey is often depicted as a symbol of abundance, delight, and divine provision. It is frequently mentioned in the context of the Promised Land, described as "a land flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8), signifying prosperity and God's blessings. However, there is an intriguing aspect of honey that is highlighted in the wisdom literature of the Bible, particularly in the book of Proverbs, which offers a profound insight into human nature and spiritual satisfaction.

Proverbs 27:7 states, "The soul that is full loathes honey, but to a hungry soul, any bitter thing is sweet." This verse captures a paradoxical truth about contentment and desire. When one is satiated, even the sweetest and most desirable things, such as honey, can become unappealing. This principle can be understood both in a physical and spiritual sense.

Physically, honey is a natural sweetener, rich in flavor and nutrients, often used in ancient times as a delicacy and a preservative. Its sweetness is universally appreciated, yet the proverb suggests that when a person is full, even this delightful substance can be rejected. This reflects a broader truth about human satisfaction and the diminishing returns of indulgence. When one has had their fill, the desire for more, even of something good, diminishes.

Spiritually, this proverb can be seen as a metaphor for the soul's satisfaction in God. Those who are spiritually "full" or content in their relationship with God may find that worldly pleasures and pursuits lose their appeal. The soul that is truly satisfied in the Lord finds its ultimate delight in Him, rendering even the sweetest earthly pleasures as secondary or even undesirable. Conversely, a soul that is spiritually hungry or lacking fulfillment may seek satisfaction in various worldly pursuits, finding sweetness even in things that are ultimately bitter or unsatisfying.

The concept of honey being loathed by those who are full also serves as a caution against complacency and ingratitude. In Deuteronomy 8:10-14 , the Israelites are warned not to forget the Lord when they have eaten and are full, lest they become proud and turn away from Him. This warning underscores the danger of allowing material abundance to lead to spiritual apathy.

In the New Testament, the theme of spiritual satisfaction is echoed in the teachings of Jesus. In John 6:35 , Jesus declares, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst." Here, the ultimate fulfillment and satisfaction are found in Christ Himself, surpassing any earthly sweetness or abundance.

Thus, the biblical portrayal of honey as loathed by those who are full serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining a heart that is continually seeking after God, finding true satisfaction in Him alone, and not in the fleeting pleasures of this world.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Proverbs 27:7
The full soul loathes an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Vile Ingratitude!
... were loathed, when even our person was loathed, he loved ... sin; never have anything
to do with those who think ... thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/vile ingratitude.htm

An Exhortation to Love God
... "My soul loathed them" (Zechariah ... His Word was as the dropping honey, very delicious
to the palate ... have a few sparks of love should blow up those divine sparks ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a divine cordial/an exhortation to love god.htm

Ahab and Elijah
... in the desert, feeding on locusts and wild honey, with a ... it is loved; when sin in
done, it is loathed. ... on very quietly, with no knowledge of those agonies that ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/ahab and elijah.htm

Letter cviii. To Eustochium.
... what she thought of wine, sauce, fish, honey, milk, eggs, and ... The sin of theft she
loathed as if it were ... by the deaths of her kinsfolk, especially those of her ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cviii to eustochium.htm

The Minstrel
... camp, and floated far away from the loathed presence of ... single line of Scripture
and suck the honey out of ... worldly minds, but which exactly suit those who know ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 27 1881/the minstrel.htm

Against Foolish Talking and Jesting.
... appear such, that they may be sufficiently loathed and shunned ... is the mother of grief
to those whom we ... bitter taunts and scoffs: whence this honey soon turns ...
/.../against foolish talking and jesting.htm

The Dialogue against the Luciferians.
... from the hand of one whom yesterday you loathed like an ... one thought that poison was
mingled with the honey of such ... Some of those who took part in the Synod are ...
/.../the principal works of st jerome/the dialogue against the luciferians.htm

Justification by an Imputed Righteousness;
... and love; all others looked and loathed; but blessed ... by their gay outside they deceived
those that beheld ... like painted sepulchres, within you are full of dead ...
/.../justification by an imputed righteousness.htm

The Greatness of the Soul,
... and doth ofttimes find it sweeter than honey (Psalm 19 ... suffer sensibly the pains
of hell, without those decays that ... has lost himself, and there is the full point ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the greatness of the soul.htm