A Message of Locusts and Honey
“In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea…and his food was locusts and wild honey.” (Matthew 3:1, 4)
In Matthew’s account of John the Baptist’s ministry, he gives us the details of his diet, which consisted of locusts and wild honey. Why did Matthew include this strange, seemingly insignificant detail? While the Baptizer’s diet certainly was strange, it was anything but insignificant.
Matthew is trying to engage our biblical imaginations. He wants to connect the dots to the rest of scripture. He wants us to see John’s ministry and message as it stands in the wider narrative of God’s redemptive story. So where in the bible do you remember hearing about locusts and honey together? There’s only one place: the Exodus.
As the Lord brings His people out of slavery, he sends ten plagues to judge Egypt. The eighth plague is, you guessed it, locusts! And this subsequently became a common picture of divine judgement throughout the bible (see Joel 1 and Revelation 9). So Israel’s old home, Egypt, is judged with a great locust swarm. But what about their new home in Canaan? It’s described as a “land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8). So while locusts are a picture of judgement, honey is a picture of redemption. Locusts represent the divine curse, and honey the divine blessing. Locusts are a result of God’s wrath, while honey is the gift of his grace.
So, what does this mean for us? How does the diet of a wandering preacher from centuries ago have anything to do with us? It matters because the message he was given to preach is the same message we’ve been given to preach, and that message is illustrated in his (seemingly odd) culinary choices! As a new church, we need to make sure that we’re as clear as possible about what we’re proclaiming to the world. We bring both bad news and good news:
Bad news about sin…good news about salvation!
Bad news of judgement…good news of redemption!
Bad news of the wrath of God…good news of the grace of God!
Bad news of hell…good news of heaven!
Bad news of locusts…good news of honey!
So saints, as we plant Clover Hill, let’s be quick to share the bitter-sweet message of Jesus Christ and him crucified!
“I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter.” (Rev. 10:10)
News/Events:
NEW - Prayer Meetings - We will meet for prayer this upcoming Monday (July 17th) at the Fowler’s home from 6:30-7:15pm.
NEW - The fourth episode of the “Preparing to Plant” podcast is out! This podcast will walk us through how the book of 2 Timothy can help prepare us to plant Clover Hill. The third episode looks at how 2 Timothy 2:8-13 where Paul shows what the most important thing for us a church plant to do: Remember Jesus Christ! You can listen to it here on the newsletter, on YouTube here, or on most podcast platforms.
Saturday, July 22, 1:00-4:00pm at the Fowler home (2125 Angus Blvd). Ladies, if you are going to the church plant, please join us for a fun time of fellowship! Bring a snack to share and whatever you need to enjoy the pool. If you have any questions, contact Nikki Moore at kennikmoore@gmail.com.
Sign up here: https://therocc.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/1833080
ROCC 101 Weekender: On Friday 8/25 and Saturday 8/26 we’re having a ROCC 101 Weekender. If you haven’t had a chance to go through the ROCC 101 process and become a member, this is a great time to do so all in one weekend. We’ll have a sign up soon, so be on the lookout!
Prayer:
Pray for River Oaks and Clover Hill, specifically for the Lord to equip men and women to rightly divide God’s Word. Pray that He would increase the desire among His people to evangelize the lost and to disciple believers!
Resources:
Yearning for Oneness: A John 17 Meditation - Pierce Taylor Hibbs (Article)
“Our identity is not primarily about us—what we do, what we think, what we like. It’s primarily about the God who made us for himself.”
The Hiding Place (Movie)
This film adaption of the story of Corrie Ten Boom will be in theatres August 3rd and 4th.
“World War II. Darkness has fallen over Europe, and the boots of the Third Reich echo through the streets. But on a quiet city corner in the Netherlands, some choose to resist. Corrie Ten Boom and her family risk everything to hide Jewish refugees by the hundreds, and they ultimately face the consequences when they are discovered. The Hiding Place is their story—a story of faith, hope, love, and forgiveness in the face of un-thinkable evil.”
How Does the Doctrine of the Bodily Resurrection Shape the Life of the Local Church? - Mitchell L. Chase (Article)
“Biblical doctrine is not just for the head but for the heart, for daily life as a disciple of Jesus. So it is, too, with the doctrine of bodily resurrection. Thinking about the future will help us here and now. In local churches that are pursuing faithfulness to Christ, we will want to connect the importance of sound doctrine to the lives of our church members. How, then, does the doctrine of bodily resurrection shape the life of the local church? Let’s reflect on four ways.”