Milk and Honey and Missions
Last month, Second Reformed Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis sent Zach and Beth Smith and their family to South Sudan as missionaries with RPGM. After worshiping and sending them off together with prayer, the congregation rejoiced in fellowship over ice cream. Ice cream represents perhaps the nearest single, modern-world expression of the concept of milk and honey in biblical days; the combination of sugar and cream delights our senses.
We pray that there will be a day when South Sudan flows with milk and honey. Currently, it does not. In fact, it is one of the poorest countries in the world. As the gospel penetrates that land and material resources begin to abound, and we expect they will, we pray the church there will send out missionaries to other lands and celebrate with ice cream send-offs.
Why did God use the picture of milk and honey to describe the Promised Land to the children of Israel in their wilderness days? An abundance of milk and honey pictures the apex of a thriving economy, which exemplifies God’s blessing. They were going to be given such a rich land without having to build it from the bottom up (Exodus 3:7).
How is the economic apex of milk and honey achieved?
Milk comes from cows, goats, or sheep. Milk can only flow if green grass flourishes and pastures are managed well. Farmers must nurture their flocks and herds, guard them from predators, and keep their stock from unnecessary stresses. Caretakers must rise early and labor long for an abundant supply of dairy. The land must be at peace from war for such wealth to grow and multiply. Wise and mature local and national leaders must govern with justice and restraint. Markets must operate with equity for commodities to be exchanged freely.
Honey comes from bees harvesting nectar of fruit trees and other crops that take years and rigorous discipline of body and mind to cultivate. Weeds must be kept at bay. Institutional knowledge must be preserved for generations to maximize yields.
Milk and honey flowing in abundance were the final, highest results of complex systems that could only come into existence through a wise, disciplined, and visionary populace living under the blessing of the peace of God. Ice cream is much the same in our day. The cream, sugar, refrigeration, packaging, shipping, marketing, all come together so that we enjoy such luxurious pleasure.
It’s true that unbelievers like the people in Canaan of old can achieve many of these fruits. Yet, as we look at the history of the world, the greatest material progress has come in tandem with spiritual progress.
The “milk and honey” of ice cream and other products will flow in South Sudan as the hearts and lives of people are changed by the Lord’s grace. When the Lord changes hearts, sin is repented of, family life begins to stabilize, marriage is honored, children are reared in the fear and admonition of the Lord, businessmen of integrity rise to places of trust and influence, education assumes a prominent role, medical caregivers serve the afflicted with the tenderness of Jesus Christ, neighbors respect the ancient boundaries, scientists delight to discover afresh the realities of God’s creation, honest government employees seek the good of the nation over their own, resources and possibilities begin to expand, electricity is harnessed and delivered to make people more productive, natural resources are stewarded, and, yes, dairies are established, milk is preserved through refrigeration, sweeteners are added, ice cream is produced, distribution centers and networks flourish, the people dwell in security, and all kinds of people celebrate with things like ice cream in a land that flows with milk and honey.
We pray that as this nation is discipled and lives are transformed, the heart of God’s people will grow to desire other lands come to know and love the Lord Jesus Christ, that they will then pray that the Lord will raise up missionaries among them, they will use the resources they have been given to equip and to send. And when they send, they will do so with a bittersweetness, because sending away ones they love, even to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, will be hard, but we trust they will also celebrate with ice cream and hearts filled with gratitude over the Lord’s many blessings. So, we pray even now that the Lord will bless the nation of South Sudan and make them a blessing to many nations.