Untasted Honey
Honey, the sticky and sweet syrup-like product of nectar-gathering insects, is an important byproduct for beekeepers, who profit even more by moving their bee hives around to farmer’s fields, where they “lend the bees” to pollinate crops. Honey bees are not the only producers of honey. Some species of ants, aphids, paper wasps, and bumblebees also produce honey, but not in quantities that are commercially viable. Plus, the human palate for honey bee-produced honey is so fine-tuned that there would be little toleration for honey that did not taste like we expect it to taste.
But, there can be subtleties to the taste of honey bee-produced honey too. There are different sub-species of honey bees, each of which spin honey somewhat uniquely. More importantly, the source of pollen affects the taste of honey derived from it. Commonly, in the United States, we are most familiar with clover honey. Varieties of honey are named for the flowers that provide the nectar source: blueberry, avocado, peach, buckwheat, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, elderberry, cranberry, rosemary, dandelion, chestnut, orange blossom, tupelo, and others. Two types of honey, pineapple and durian, can only be obtained from the honey bees that spin honey in the Southeast Asian country of Malaysia.
Country Singer/songwriter Kathy Mattea composed and sang her song titled, “Untasted Honey” in 1987. Although she does not sing about honey that is produced by some undiscovered hive of bees, her song title made me wonder how the description “Untasted” on a jar of honey might tempt people to buy it, just to have the thrill of being among the first to taste it, a “Honey Gallivanter,” a wanderer who seeks the pleasure of the first taste. Perhaps the title is not on the same scale as “first astronaut,” but don’t ignore the risk. Honey bees do sting.
Untasted honey exists. The remains of 3,000-year-old honey were found in jars placed in Egyptian King Tut’s tomb. Who would have dared risk having their tongue cut out for tasting it while it was placed there? Honey is mentioned 61 times in the Bible. Web search Exodus 3:8. Read more if you want context about who was talking with whom (Exodus 3: 1-21). Moses wrote the book of Exodus. God, visibly present with Moses and the Hebrews for 40 years as they wandered after their liberation from slavery, fulfilled his promise to Abraham, to make that man’s descendents a great nation that would dwell in the land of Canaan.
Unwilling to trust God and do what he commanded, an entire generation of Hebrews were compelled by him to wander and pass away (their choice). They never tasted the honey in the land that God said was flowing with it, but their descendents did. Today, we call them the Israelites. It is a lesson to all of us, for God is with you, me, and all of us throughout our lives. He chooses not to reveal his presence. Think about that. It is us, our choice. We must seek God, have faith in him, and believe that our salvation comes through his sacrificed son, Jesus. Heaven is our promised land after our human lives pass. Will he (Jesus) know who you are, and allow you to enter heaven? Why did I say Jesus, and not God? What authority did God give to Jesus? That information is in the Christian Bible. You must read it to know.