Last week we considered the uses
of fruit, fresh and dried, as well as nuts in the diets of Bible women. We’ve
also seen that grains and milk were important staples from the very earliest
times. In our own restricted time, we’ve seen that these ancient women can give
us insight into using what we have available to be creative. We’ve noticed that
God is present in and through the products that were grown and gathered. Early
people saw God in all aspects of life.
As we continue looking at the
lives of these women, we remember that they didn’t have the benefits we have, even
though we may be in self-isolation. It probably doesn’t ease the frustration
and stress of weeks of staying at home. However, we can learn to look for God,
even in our homes.
This week we look at honey. It
was an important food item, and not just because it was a natural sweetener.
Honey also has antiseptic value, and because it never goes bad, it was prized. Some cultures even believed it had sacred qualities because it didn't spoil. Some people say that using honey made by bees in your area can help with allergies. Did you know-if the honey in your cupboard crystalizes, that doesn’t mean it needs to be
thrown away. Just put the container in a cup of hot water until the honey
dissolves.
In the book A Sampler of
Bible Beauty, I use the story of Samson in Judges 13-15 to introduce honey. Samson finds a honeycomb in the carcass of a lion and uses that
to formulate a riddle for the men of Timnah when he marries one of their women.
Samson said to them, ‘Let me now put a riddle to you. If you can explain it
to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you
thirty linen garments and thirty festal garments. But if you cannot explain it
to me, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty festal
garments.’ So they said to him, ‘Ask your riddle; let us hear it.’ He said to
them, ‘Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something
sweet.’ (Judges 14:12-14)
The men of the town cheat by
getting Samson’s new bride to wheedle the answer out of him. The men of the
town said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, ‘What is sweeter
than honey? What is stronger than a lion?’ And he said to them, ‘If you had not
ploughed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle.’ (Judges
14:18)
References to honey are found
throughout the Bible. In the book of Genesis, Jacob sends honey with his sons
to appease the ruler of Egypt (not knowing it is his son Joseph). Take some of the best fruits of the land…a
little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. (Gen.
43:11). Manna is compared in taste to wafers
made with honey (Exodus 16:31 ).
Honey was known to be a good
food and to give energy. Jonathan tells the soldiers with him My father has troubled the land. Look now,
how my countenance has brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.
(1 Samuel 14:29). In the New Testament, John the Baptist was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist,
and he ate locusts and wild honey. (Matthew 3:4, Mark 1:6)
Psalm 119:103 rejoices, How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! In Ezekiel, the prophet is given a scroll by an angel who said to me, "Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you." So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness. (Ezekiel 3:3) This is similar to the “little book” the angel gives John in Revelation (10:9-10).
Honey, although tricky to harvest because bees don’t like to give up their work, was useful for sweetening dishes and the natural astringent quality was good on the face. No wonder the Psalmist compared it to God's word.
It is amazing that bees can gather the nectar from flowers and convert it into the sweet syrupy goodness that is honey. Perhaps there is a lesson there-when we share the sweet bits of our day-to-day lives with he 'hive' of our extended communities, good can multiply. Think of creative ways you might do that, even while self-isolating.
Is there a way you can bring sweetness to another person’s life? Perhaps with a phone call or a card. Sunday is Mother’s Day. What are you doing special for your mom? Maybe it’s a virtual wave or hug via Facebook. What are some of your ideas? Maybe make one of these recipes or one from an earlier post. Making granola is wonderfully simple and the end result is nutritious.
Bathshua’s Breath Freshener
1 teaspoon honey
Dusting of cinnamon
½ cup warm water
Mix together and gargle with the mixture.
Gomer’s Granola
3 cups rolled oats (whole, not instant)
1 cup toasted nuts (almonds, peanuts, walnuts, pecans)
½ cup sunflower seeds (or Toasted squash or pumpkin seeds)
¼ cup oil
½ cup honey
½--1 cup dried fruit (cranberry, raisin, apples cubes, apricots, cherries, craisins)
Stir all ingredients, except fruit, together. Spread on a big flat cookie sheet or baking pan with a rim. Bake at 300o for 1/2 hour, stirring every 10 minutes so it doesn’t clump, until golden brown. Cool slightly and stir in fruit. Stir a couple of times as it cools.
You can stir in a nut butter (peanut or almond) to make a sticky dough which can be formed into granola bars, if you prefer.
More recipes and stories of women of the Bible are found in A Sampler of
Bible Beauty by CynthiaDavis.
