Written by Regenia B.
Proverbs 16:24
Pleasant or “kind” words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
We all like to hear something good, don’t we? We hear bad things from the news media, the newspaper, by word of mouth and the internet and by cell phones.
Well the gospel is the good news, full of good things.
Proverbs 4:22 says, for they are life unto those that find them and health to all their flesh.
Proverbs 15:26 tells us, the thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord: but the words of the pure are pleasant words.
Pleasant words or kind words, these are they that the heart of the wise teaches and adds learning.
Proverbs 16:23 Words of seasonable advice, instruction, and words of comforting soothing tendency, words taken from God’s Word.
God’s words when they are fitly spoken, and seasonably applied are very pleasant and delightful. The speech or words of those wise in heart expressed in prayer or in praise are pleasant to the Lord, and very grateful and acceptable to him. His words, to those that know how to relish them are pleasant like the honeycomb to the soul, which tastes in them that the Lord is gracious; nothing more grateful and agreeable to the new man than the Words of God, and those words which are borrowed from it, they are wholesome.
Psalms 119:103 - How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth.
They are like unto it for the manner of its production; it is wrought and filled by the laborious bee, which goes from flower to flower, and gathers honey, and brings it into the hive, and there disposes of it. So, the gospel feeds men with knowledge and understanding; and the doctrines of the gospel are like unto the honeycomb for the manner of communication, by dropping freely, gradually and constantly as men are able to bear, and in season and out of season: as the honey which drops from the honeycomb is the choicest honey, called “Life Honey: the truths of the gospel, they are excellent things, the most excellent. Likewise, these are as the honeycomb for the honey in it: they are like the honey out of the rock the Israelites ate of; and like the Lion Samson fed upon; and like that which Jonathan tasted, that enlightened his eyes.
The gospel flows from Christ, the Rock, and is to be found in him, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, and as slain and has an enlightening virtue in it, these pleasant words are said to be as the honeycomb for its sweetness and healthfulness.
In Palestine Honey is a staple article of food and medicinal remedy.
We must remember many things are pleasant, that are not profitable.
We need remember the laws, testimonies, statues, commandments, the fear, the judgments of the Lord are more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Psalms 19:10
But these pleasant words are health to the bones, to the inward man, because the bones are the strength of the body; and the good word of God is a meaning of spiritual strength, curing the diseases that weaken us. Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine; but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Sweet also to the soul. Sweet to the soul of him that understands them, and that has a spiritual taste of them. And they are health to the bones; they are wholesome words of our Lord Jesus; they are a means of curing the diseases of the mind; of healing wounded spirits, and broken hearts, and broken bones; they make the bones that are broken too rejoice. What heals the bones strengthens the whole man, and strengthens the inner man, causing believers to go from strength to strength, and to hold on and persevere to the end.
Proverb 24:13 says, my son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste. So, let your words be pleasant to the hearer, and sweeter than the honeycomb, that brings inward healing to the body, the bones, and the soul, in Christ Jesus!