Land Flowing with Milk and Honey

The Lord said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey." Exodus 3:7-8

Have you ever wondered what mental pictures the Israelites had when they were told the promised land was flowing with milk and honey? Children might have imagined giant cows and huge bees. An exaggerated description is called hyperbole. God sometimes uses hyperbole to set expectations. Some things are difficult for our mind's eye to visualize. The imagery of a land flowing with milk and honey was meant to instill anticipation and excitement. The Israelites were going to possess an abundant land that was greener and richer than anything they had seen. God's description of heaven is also intended to cause excitement. But describing heaven is like pouring 10 gallons of understanding into our 2 gallon minds. It just won't fit. No matter how far we stretch our imaginations the realities of heaven exceeds our capacity. Will the streets of heaven actually be paved with gold? Why don't we all agree to meet there to find out.

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