Crimson Worm?
But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people; Psa. 22: 6.
“This verse is a miracle
in language. How could the Lord of glory be brought to such abasement as to be
not only lower than the angels, but even lower than men. What a contrast
between ‘I am’ and ‘I am a worm’!” (Spurgeon)
Strong's
Hebrew: 8438. תּוֹלָע (tola) -- crimson, purple, wormszzz
תּוֹלָע
(tôlāʿ) embraces two related ideas in
Scripture: (1) a tiny parasitic insect whose crushed body yields a vivid
crimson dye, and (2) the crimson or scarlet thread, cloth, or color produced
from that …[i]
Psalm 22, is regarded both by early Christians and Jewish scholars as the Psalm which really speaks about the suffering Messiah. This psalm talks about the connection between the crimson worm and the scarlet color.
[Personal Testimony: I remember 10 years ago, standing at Caiaphas’s palace in Jerusalem, reading the Bible, where the passage opened was Psalm22. I saw the place where Jesus was shut, prior to crucifixion, and all his associations and friends were cut off, and heavily interrogated! This small place is not more than 5 feet long, and less than 3 feet wide. To witness the place, where Jesus was thought less than a man, is a very painful moment. The words, “But I am a worm, and no man”; is very authentic, for a believers in Christ, and it is with deep agony I witness the prophesy fulfilled.]
Tola is actually an insect and to be precise, using the technical term, it is the ‘coccus ilicus’, a grub that when it is crushed and placed in hot water produces a brilliant crimson or scarlet color. It was used as an indelible or permanent color fast dye for the tabernacle curtains, the veil and the priestly garments.[ii]
Let us look at the
life-cycle of the Mother Tola:
Crimson worm lays eggs
once in her life time. It climbs a particular type of tree to lay its eggs;
hard pressed her body, attaches herself to the tree building a hard red shell
around her; the choice made and permanent. Her children are born in her choice
she made!
The most peculiar things happens to her
eggs, and she keep them safe around her.
when baby grubs hatched/ when the children are born they fed on the mother’s
body for 3 days; and a bright crimson fluid oozes from the Mother Tola.
Remember here the words of Jesus: “I am a Tola.”
This red fluid stains the wood, and the
baby grubs are permanently stained. This speaks about the sacrificial nature of
this mother crimson worm. When the young grubs are ready to leave
after 3 days, the Mother Tola attached to the shell and The Tree
dies, giving birth to a new family!
One of the nature’s profound experience takes place on the 4th day. Mother’s tail, pulls up to her head, and its shape looks like a heart! The Dead Mother Tola is no-longer red, but- she had turned into a snow-white wax. It looked like a piece of wool on the side of the tree. Sooner, it begins to flake off, and falls to the ground like snow!
How does this relate to the Gospel?Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool; Isa. 1: 18.
Red is the color of blood, and is the blood sacrifice which atones sin of humanity. There is a hidden key and imagery of the scarlet worm. Our sins though be as scarlet, made white as snow and wool!
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Matt. 27: 46.
Strong's Hebrew: 3725. כִּפֻּרִים (kippur) -- Atonement
Kippur denotes the decisive act by which guilt is covered, removed, or purged so that the covenant relationship between the LORD and His people is preserved in holiness.[iii]
“He felt himself to be comparable to a helpless, powerless, down-trodden worm, passive while crushed, and unnoticed and despised by those who trod upon him. He selects the weakest of creatures, which is all flesh; and becomes, when trodden upon, writhing, quivering flesh, utterly devoid of any might except strength to suffer. This was a true likeness of himself when his body and soul had become a mass of misery – the very essence of agony – in the dying pangs of crucifixion.” (Spurgeon)
There is joyous announcement today for humanity. The key message is as it was for sin-laden Israel. Even though our sins are many, red, indelible as the crimson dye of this Mother Tola we have hope because of Christ’s redeeming work on the cross.
Jesus Christ has one purpose for coming
to this world: sacrifice of Himself for me and you. Justice and Mercy met at
the Cross. God’s mercy triumphed at the
cross of Calvary. This is able to forgive the sins of humanity, renew our life,
and allow us to stand faultless Robed in His righteousness before the
throne room of God. This is how we learn and see, what Love is! We are
given life and bought with such great love.
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