"The Worm"
Over the years I have learned to appreciate how candid the Scriptures can be at times. Many here have been repulsed by the thought of Jesus comparing himself to a serpent John 3:13-15, if ones understanding of Jesus Christ is in error, such teaching will be confronting.The “worm” is another example.
(Job 25:4) How then can man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure?
Can anything born of a woman be pure?
The answer is confronting when we consider Jesus was born of a woman. Many reading this now are thinking this cannot be so! Stop saying such things. Dear readers, even Jesus was not "pure" or ("clean" in the AV) Gal 4:4 Heb 2:9,10 Phil 2:8-11.
"Made lower than Elohim angels" Psa 8:5.
We must answer Job with a loud resounding NO! Flesh is never clean! Even when speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ as we shall see.
(Job 25:5) Behold, even the moon is not bright, and the stars are not pure in his eyes;
(Job 25:6) how much less man, who is a maggot, and the son of man (Jesus), who is a worm!"
Confronting?
How do you feel when reading those verses? Knowing they are speaking of our beloved Jesus whom we cherish and love with all our hearts?
Maggot or "Worm" in AV. Is the Hebrew "Rimmah" which is a maggot of decay, the “corrupting” nature we bare. Jesus Christ bore this same nature which for us returns to the earth and decays Gen 3:19. However Jesus never received such corruption because he was complete in his obedience, nonetheless sharing our exact nature.
See Job 7:5 Job 17:14 Job 21:26 Job 24:20 Exo 16:24.
Interesting that the word “worm” is a different Hebrew word.
Worm is "Toleah" which is a “scarlet grub” associated with sacrifice: Scarlet Num 19:6 ; Psa 22:6.
From H3216; a maggot (as voracious); specifically (often with ellipsis of H8144) the crimson grub, but used only (in this connection) of the color from it, and cloths dyed therewith: - crimson, scarlet, worm.
The scarlet-worm, Cermes vermilio, a scale-insect which feeds upon the oak, and which is used for producing a red dye.
How is Jesus Christ our “Toleah” scarlet worm?
The Natural
The mother “scarlet worm - insect.” fixes herself to a tree and once fixed to that tree she can never leave, ever! When her offspring are born her body protects them until they can leave and defend for themselves.
However this comes at the cost to her in that she gives her life, when she dies her scarlet body is given to her young.
The Spiritual
We wonder how God Almighty can plan for such a creature that perfectly symbolises the Lord Jesus Christ and his death.
(Heb. 2:10). He shared in our nature and in doing so brought many sons to Glory! And yes we feed on his spiritual body daily, if not weekly in remembrance of him. Matt 26:26
I wonder if you can see Jesus Christ with blood stained hands and feet nailing his worm nature to a tree that you and I might have eternal life.
Knowing this marvellous natural & spiritual lesson helps us to better identify with the Master and his sufferings.
Psa 22:6 But I (Jesus) am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
Psa 22:7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
When reading these words you cannot help but feel Jesus is disparaging himself in the absence of his Father “I am a worm” A strong sense of loneliness pours through these words to convey to us his often withdrawn state of mind. It must have been a great struggle for Jesus to be in this earthly tabernacle while possessing the mind of his Father, it’s not a wonder he set his mind toward Jerusalem knowing it would take him heavenward. John 16:10 John 20:17 (Father mentioned 3x)
His reference to being one of the lowliest of God creatures, powerless one who is crushed under the feet of men, even I in the garden have at time stood on worms by accident. I feel Jesus often experienced a sense of humiliation seeing the lack of response to His Fathers Word must have been very difficult at times; this may have left him with a sense of failure.
But here in Psalm 22 Jesus is a very unique worm one when crushed produces a rich scarlet dye (pure blood). We know this insect – worm was used to produce the very dye in the making of the priestly garments in Num 19:6. And we know Jesus became the greatest of all the priests and now our true tabernacle, which God pitched and not man (Heb 8:2). What intrigues me about this scarlet dye is how it was used to cleanse the lepers and those defiled by the dead. Lev 14:4; Num 19:6; Heb 9:19.
I cannot help be feel every aspect of the scarlet worm connects with the use of the dye, the symbolic nature of his sacrifice and typifies his human nature.
But on a personal note it is the bruising of our scarlet worm which touches us deeply. He was bruised for you and I but thankfully his bruising was healed (Isa 53:3,4,5) so that we who are dead to sin (leprosy) may be presented clean and pure. Heb 9:14
Even though we "We hid our faces... we esteemed him not..."
Those who attended his death viewed a scarlet worm Psa 22:6 and serpent on a pole Num 21:9. The masses showed their bitter disappointment of him and derided him as a failure and showed no guilt for his death, like that of treading a worm under foot.
Few understood the victory of the scarlet worm. Heb 2:14 Heb 4:15 2 Cor 5:21
Speaking of God that He “might reconcile us both (Jesus and us) to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility (enmity or hatred in the flesh) Eph 2:16
Amen
