Leviathan versus ‘the Worm’

‘In that day the Lord with His sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent … ‘Isaiah 27:1

‘Fear not you worm Jacob, and you men of Israel, I will help you, says the Lord, and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel’ Isaiah 41:14.

 Figures of speech explain things so much more clearly and in fewer words than straight out description. To call someone a ‘donkey’ or ‘as thick as a brick’ needs no further explanation. The Bible uses figures of speech numerous times. Worm is one of them. It is used three times. Once it is applied to Humanity by Bildad in his debate with Job (Job 25:6). His characterisation of Humanity is depressing and true. How can it be justified in God sight? How can it be clean, implying moral and spiritual filth for it is a worm whose world is the dirt?

 Isaiah the prophet used the term ‘worm’ and applied it to Israel (Isaiah 41:14). According to Isaiah 27:1 this degraded Nation is mentioned alongside a creature called Leviathan. There this monster is being attacked by the Lord in defence of His people. Who or what is it? Though not an animal definitively recognized it is described as ‘the piercing serpent, the crooked serpent and dragon’. Could this be a clue which links it to the Serpent in the Garden of Eden? This creature mentioned in Genesis 3 is unmasked in Revelation 12:9. There the Serpent is also named the Devil, Satan, and Dragon. What the prophets wrote about the Last Days is clarified by the apostle John. Leviathan, alias Satan, had perpetrated numerous physical frontal assaults, spiritual perversions and moral debaucheries upon Israel over centuries. These were to prevent God’s purposes through Israel being accomplished. Whilst effective, all his attempts were thwarted by the Lord God of Hosts. Now, in Revelation, this creature rises up in one last horrific assault to destroy Israel.

Leviathan’s historical attacks caused Israel a loss of nobility, prestige and respect in their Lord’s eyes. It also undermined their witness to the rest of the World. They wanted to be like the Gentile Nations and in many ways that is what they became.  They had lost their spiritual and moral uniqueness which was its ‘backbone’ hence the term ‘you worm!’ Yet, God tells them not to fear, He will help them. His ‘battle plan’ is most surprising. Psalm 22 tells us about it and in verse 6, the person mentioned calls Himself a ‘worm.’ The Gospels reveal the identity of this ‘worm’ as Jesus, descendant of King David. The Lion of Judah as He is called became ‘the Worm.’ It would be in the weakness of His identifying with Israel and Humanity Jesus would enter the fray with Leviathan. David’s foresaw the ‘Worm’ as Israel’s substitute under God’s judgement and gladiator against Leviathan’s power. His opponents also included the ‘wild bulls of Bashan (rich and powerful) ‘dogs’ (scavengers, immoral), ravenous lions (godless royalty) and ‘unicorns’ (maybe rhinoceros, Political power).

The battleground was Golgotha (John19:17). The ‘Worm’ took God’s curse upon Israel and bore it. ‘The Worm’ also took Humanity’s Judgement and consumed it. ‘Jesus as ‘the Worm’ won the battle because, though He bore the sin of the World, no sin was found in Him. Though Leviathan still roars and ravages he is defeated and in retreat. His final moments are written in God’s word when it says ‘the Worm’ returns as the Lord of Glory and slays this monster with ‘the sword of His mouth.’

 

The Worm of God.

Pilgrim cross, Glendalough
Ireland

Worms play an important role in the story of the Judeo-Christian faith. The blood of the coccus worm gave its purple colour to various items, such as linen, in the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle is a portrait of the person, ministry and sacrifice of Christ Jesus. Therefore, the worm and its blood must have some prophetic and symbolic link with Jesus.

The first Biblical mention of the coccus worm in Job 25:5-6 is foundational for our understanding. ‘If even the moon is not bright and the stars are not pure in his (God’s) sight, how much less a mortal, who is a maggot, and a human being, who is a worm!’ This comment from Bildad might seem over the top and uncomplimentary to our self-esteem. I believe it is very insightful, if not prophetic.

Centuries later King David of Israel penned Psalm 22. The background to this awesome psalm is not clear. What is undeniable is its portrayal of a future event featuring Jesus. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” is the cry from the cross. (Read the whole passage and behold the crucifixion of Christ foretold a thousand years before the event).

What has that to do with ‘the worm’? Everything! ‘I am a worm, and not human; scorned by others, and despised by the people’ (Psalm 22:6). The events of the Passover crucifixion major on Jesus being the Lamb of God whose life and death provided our place of safety from God’s judgement. The symbolism of Jesus being ‘the worm of God’ seems a little bit tasteless. Yet, it actually deals with Bildad’s problem, and often, our unasked but perceived assessment, if not of ourselves, of others.

It is hard to imagine a creature weaker than a worm. Also, by inference, its dwelling place is in earth’s dirt. That is a fit Biblical description of the human condition morally and spiritually. When we come to grips with the symbolic and prophetic magnitude of the cross of Christ, we cannot but be stunned. Writers of the New Testament say many things about the cross.  One of the most revealing, for me, is Paul’s: ‘We proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles … For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength’ (1 Corinthians 1:23-25).

Why do you think Jesus became ‘the worm of God?’ I understand it this way. He became the weakest of the weak so that no one has an excuse by saying Christ’s offer of saving grace wouldn’t reach down to his/her depth. The Bible insists that there isn’t anyone beneath what Christ became. We are also informed that as ‘the worm’ Jesus lived in the midst of Humanity’s filth but was uncontaminated. However, He absorbed all the rottenest of this world and was crushed under its weight and judgement by God the Father. Was the weakness of ‘the worm of God’ strong enough to die so as to rise again? Was His uncontaminated life verified?  Was Bildad’s description able to be reversed? That was answered on the third day of entombment. The angel sounded the victory song ‘He is risen!’ God the Father had accepted the identity with, the substitution for, and the victory over the wrath accrued on behalf of ‘Earth’s worms.’

What does this mean for we who believe in and commit ourselves to Jesus as the risen Lord and Saviour? Many things. However, to conclude the theme of ‘the Worm of God’, recall the fact that the coccus worm gave its blood to colour the Tabernacle. When Jesus poured out His life in the shedding of his blood, it made something eternally wonderful for you and me.  It includes being redeemed, purchased, justified, sanctified, washed and at peace with God. The blood of the coccus worm stained the Tabernacle linen purple. The blood of the Lord Jesus did what Isaiah wrote about as a promise of God: ‘Come now, let us argue it out, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool’ (Isaiah 1:18).

There are many titles given to Jesus Christ such as The Lamb of God, Lion of Judah, Bridegroom, Prince of Peace and Alpha and Omega. For me there is something awesome, special and precious knowing He is also the Worm of God on my behalf.