Let's talk about worms! I know…YUCK! Now why would we ever want to talk about scrawny, slimy little wiggly things that are so beneath us that we don't even give it a second thought if we step on one? After all, they are about the lowest little creatures on earth! Well, there is one such worm in the Bible that God thought it significant enough to talk about.
Psalm 22:6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
The Hebrew word for "worm" is towla, and in its purest form it is translated, worm, scarlet, crimson, and maggot. The particular worm that Psalm 22:6 is referring to is the female "coccus lilcis" (latin). In ancient times this worm is where the fabric makers derived the red or crimson, or scarlet dye to make those color garments, especially in the making of priestly garments and fabrics in the temple. These colors represented wealth, power, sin, and royalty in various biblical contexts.
Exodus 26:1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with: cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.
The LXX (Greek translation of towla) is skolex, which is also used in the NT as worm found in Mark 9:44, 46, & 48, in reference to sin
Mark 9:44,46,48 44Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 46Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 48Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
The process involved crushing the worm to extract the dye, symbolizing sacrifice and transformation. Another very important fact is that when the female of this scarlet worm species was ready to give birth, she would attach her body to the trunk of a tree, fixing herself so firmly and permanently, that she would never leave again. The eggs deposited beneath her body were thus protected until the larvae were hatched and able to enter their own life cycle. After giving birth, the mother died, and the crimson fluid stained her body and the surrounding wood. The mother worm sacrificed her life in order to give birth to new life. From the dead bodies of such female scarlet worms, the commercial scarlet dyes of antiquity were extracted. The term is often used metaphorically in the Bible to denote insignificance, or lowliness, as well as to describe the color scarlet or crimson, symbolizing sin or royalty.
Isaiah 1:18, 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. Matthew 27:28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
Consider the parallels between this scarlet worm and Jesus. (In your travels through this article consider reading Isaiah 41.) What a picture this gives of Christ, sacrificing Himself, dying on the tree, shedding His precious blood that He might "bring many sons unto glory"! He died for us, that we might live through Him!
Hebrews 2:9-10 9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 10For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Psalm 22:6 is a prophecy referring to Jesus as a worm on account of the opinion that men of the world had of Him. The Jews esteemed Him as a worm and treated Him as such. He was trampled upon as one would upon worms. Christ was crucified through the weakness of flesh.
2 Corinthians 13:4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.
They dressed Him in a scarlet robe as we saw in Matthew 27:28, signifying not only the mockery of royalty, but also the bearing of sin. He was so trodden under foot, trampled on, maltreated, buffeted and spit upon, mocked and tormented, as to seem more like a worm than a man.
It's noteworthy that God chose the weakest of all creatures which is all flesh. When stepped upon it becomes quivering flesh, utterly devoid of any strength except strength to suffer. This was a true likeness of our Savior Jesus Christ when his body and soul had become a mass of misery, the very essence of agony. He totally emptied Himself of all glory and became of no reputation for our sakes.
Phillipians 2:7-8 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Sin is worthy of all reproach and contempt and for this reason Jesus, the sinbearer, was given up to be unworthily and shamefully entreated. Luke 18:31-32 31Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. 32For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: But there is coming a day when this Jesus will be exalted and His name will be above every name, and every knee shall bow to Him. Phillipians 2:9-10 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
That's right, the Scriptures declare that Jesus rose out from among the dead and will have the title of King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Revelation 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
In Luke 24 Jesus declared of His own self when He was gathered with His disciples.
Luke 24:45-52 45Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48And ye are witnesses of these things. 49And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. 50And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 51And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. 52And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: 53, And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
So whoever thought that a little creature, a slimy, boneless, scrawny little thing could mean so much to us and have so much significance to us as sons and daughters of God? Do you see the significant parallels concerning this worm God calls a scarlet worm, and Jesus? As this worm, Jesus hung on that tree. As a man in obedience to His Father God, He made up His mind to die on the tree, staining the tree with His crimson blood, hanging there until the sacrifice was completely finished. As the worm covered and protected her young, so Jesus, with His own determination, covered us with His own blood and protected us from our Adversary. As the scarlet worm was the lowest of the low, so, Jesus had to become the lowest of the low in man's eye. He was crushed as this worm was, but don't forget, this worm claimed the victory by giving new life. The scarlet worm had to willingly die in order to give new life. Jesus also had to willingly give up his life on the tree so that many sons and daughters could be saved and attain new life. You will see in the Scriptures that God has a purpose for everything He says, how He says it, where He says it, why He says it, to whom He says it, and when He says it. And as we see in this study, nothing, not even the smallest matters concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, are insignificant to God, and likewise, should not be insignificant to us. Let us thank God for the significant insignificance in the lesson of this scarlet worm. God bless you!