{"id":919,"date":"2025-06-19T21:58:44","date_gmt":"2025-06-20T01:58:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abdicate.net\/blog\/?p=919"},"modified":"2025-06-19T21:58:45","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T01:58:45","slug":"a-worm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/abdicate.net\/blog\/?p=919","title":{"rendered":"A Worm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Psalms 22:6<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200bBut I am a worm<\/strong>, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everything<\/strong> in the Scriptures points to Jesus. As an English speaker, when I read the word \u201cworm,\u201d I tend to think of a maggot or earthworm. However, that\u2019s not the intended meaning, which is why it’s so important to go back to the original languages of Scripture with a reliable dictionary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hebrew word \u05ea\u05d5\u05dc\u05e2 <\/span>(worm \u2013 towla<\/em>\u2019 <\/em>)<\/em> appears 43 times in Scripture and means “worm, scarlet stuff, crimson.” This worm is a small creature (“coccus ilicis”), about the size of a ladybug. See the Science section below. One of these uses is found in Isaiah 1:18, where the LORD says, \u201cCome now, and let us reason together… Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like crimson<\/strong>, they shall be as wool.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Faith in Greek means to have a conviction of a belief, to be persuaded. God always said, \u201ccome now, and let us reason together\u2026\u201d that is, to be persuaded through information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Psalm 22 is a Messianic psalm. Jesus quoted its first line on the cross (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34): \u201cMy God, my God, why have you forsaken me?\u201d This was not a cry of despair, but a deliberate reference to the entire psalm, which describes a righteous sufferer enduring mockery and physical agony, images that mirror the crucifixion (Psalm 22:7\u20138, 16\u201318). Before chapter and verse numbers were added in 1227 AD, quoting the opening line was the common way to reference a whole passage. Jesus was pointing to Psalm 22 as a prophetic fulfillment of His suffering, not expressing actual abandonment, as God had promised never to forsake His own (Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The letter meanings (see below) for the word \u05ea\u05d5\u05dc\u05e2 declare:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cA covenant secured by a nail that guides through understanding.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the context of towla<\/em>\u2019 <\/em>meaning scarlet worm, this layered clarification is profound. The scarlet worm (coccus ilicis<\/em>) clings to wood, dies, staining the wood which it was attached. Scripturally, the worm symbolizes Jesus, Whose blood brings a new covenant (Exodus 24:8; Jeremiah 31:31) (Tav \u2013 \u05ea <\/span>), secured by the nails (Vav \u2013 \u05d5<\/span>), who teaches and leads (Lamed \u2013 \u05dc<\/span>), and who reveals truth and salvation to those with eyes to see (Ayin \u2013 \u05e2<\/span>)( Matthew 11:15). The conclusion: \u201cA covenant secured by a nail that guides through understanding.\u201d Fulfilling Isaiah 1:18!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The root of towla\u02bf<\/em> is the Hebrew verb yal\u02bfa<\/em> (\u05d9\u05dc\u05e2<\/span>), meaning \u201cto speak rashly, talk wildly, to swallow.\u201d It appears only once in Proverbs 20:25: \u201cIt is a snare to a man to make a rash dedication, and only later to consider his vows.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus, sent by the Father, did not make a rash vow, He fulfilled it completely. As written in Ecclesiastes 5:4\u20135, Numbers 30:2, and Deuteronomy 23:21, a vow must be honored. Jesus gave Himself willingly, shedding His blood on a tree and becoming a curse for us (Deuteronomy 21:23, Galatians 3:13), so that we who were under the curse might be free and receive blessings. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:21, \u201cHe who knew no sin became sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, it is also reflected in Psalm 57:3, \u201cHe shall send from heaven and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth His mercy and His truth,\u201d and in Jesus\u2019 words in John 6:38, \u201cFor I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, the world called Jesus crazy. Mark 3:21 says His own people thought He was \u201cout of His mind,\u201d and John 10:20 records, \u201cMany of them said, \u2018He has a demon and is mad, why do you listen to Him?\u2019\u201d Many departed from following Him after He said in John 6:53\u201356 \u201cJesus therefore said to them, \u201cMost certainly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you don\u2019t have life in yourselves. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I in him. \u201c<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Eat My flesh” and “drink My blood”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is not about literal cannibalism, but about receiving Jesus fully, believing in Him as the true source of life. Just as food and drink sustain the body, Christ alone sustains the soul. To “eat” His flesh and “drink” His blood is to internalize His sacrifice, to accept by faith (being persuaded) that His death and resurrection are necessary for eternal life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participation in His Life and Death<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus is offering Himself as the bread of life (John 6:35). Eating His flesh means embracing the truth that His body was broken for our sins. Drinking His blood signifies accepting the new covenant made through His blood (Matthew 26:28). It’s about entering into His death so that we may also live through His resurrection. (Romans 6:4-5)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ongoing Relationship, Not a One-Time Act<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The verbs used in Greek are continuous, suggesting an ongoing, abiding relationship<\/strong>. Jesus says in John 6:56, \u201cHe that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, dwells in me, and I in him.\u201d This is about constant fellowship, sustained by continual trust and fellowship with Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To eat His flesh and drink His blood means to believe in Jesus fully, to accept His sacrifice as your own, and to live in daily dependence on Him. It is a picture of complete spiritual union, Christ in you, and you in Christ. (John 6:56)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Letter Meanings<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Word: \u05ea\u05d5\u05dc\u05e2 <\/span>(Tav, Vav, Lamed, Ayin)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. \u05ea <\/span>(Tav) Meaning: Mark, sign, covenant, seal
Symbolism: Tav is the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, often representing completion<\/em>, truth<\/em>, or a sign of the covenant<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. \u05d5 <\/span>(Vav) Meaning: Hook, connection, nail
Symbolism: Vav joins things together, often seen as a connector<\/em>, peg<\/em>, or nail<\/em>, it symbolizes binding<\/em>, continuity<\/em>, or a connection between heaven and earth<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. \u05dc <\/span>(Lamed) Meaning: Staff, goad, authority, teach
Symbolism: Lamed is associated with instruction<\/em>, leadership<\/em>, or urging forward<\/em>, like a shepherd\u2019s staff guiding sheep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. \u05e2 <\/span>(Ayin) Meaning: Eye, insight, to see
Symbolism: Ayin represents vision<\/em>, perception<\/em>, or understanding<\/em>, both physical and spiritual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Science<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The worm “coccus ilicis<\/em>” ++++  When the female of the scarlet worm species was ready to give birth to her young, 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. As the mother died, the crimson fluid stained her body and the surrounding wood. From the dead bodies of such female scarlet worms, the commercial scarlet dyes of antiquity were extracted.  What a picture this gives of Christ, dying on the tree, shedding His precious blood that He might “bring many sons unto glory.” Hebrews 2:10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(from page 73, “Biblical Basis for Modern Science”, 1985,  Baker Book House, by Henry Morris)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.azerbaijanrugs.com\/arfp-natural_dyes_insect_dyes.htm<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Spodek, Malkie & Ben-Dov, Yair. (2012). Morphology of the first-instar nymph and adult female of Kermes echinatus Balachowsky, with a comparison to K. vermilio Planchon (Hemiptera, Coccoidea, Kermesidae). ZooKeys. 246. 11-26. 10.3897\/zookeys.246.3766. https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/figure\/Kermes-echinatus-Balachowsky-first-instar-nymph-general-appearance_fig6_234012357<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Psalms 22:6 \u200bBut I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people. Everything in the Scriptures points to Jesus. As an English speaker, when I read the word \u201cworm,\u201d I tend to think … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,5],"tags":[40,44,46,45,42,43,41],"class_list":["post-919","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hebrewgems","category-victoryliving","tag-christs-death-and-resurrection","tag-crimson-worm","tag-drink-my-blood","tag-each-my-flesh","tag-new-covenant-blood","tag-spiritual-rebirth-through-jesus","tag-union-with-christ"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/abdicate.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/919","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/abdicate.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/abdicate.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abdicate.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abdicate.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=919"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/abdicate.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/919\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":922,"href":"https:\/\/abdicate.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/919\/revisions\/922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/abdicate.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=919"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abdicate.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=919"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abdicate.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=919"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}