The Worm that Never Dies

Having previously written about the worm that dies, I thought should say a little regarding the one that never does. However, reading my blog entitled "I am a Worm" prior to reading this one is important to understand what the worm is, why the worm dies, and what results when it does.

The Joseph Smith Translation of Mark 9 details a conversation between Christ and his apostle John. Therein is the Lord's first reference made to the worm that dieth not:

And if thine eye which seeth for thee, him that is appointed to watch over thee to show thee light, become a transgressor and offend thee, pluck him out.

It is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God, with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

For it is better that thyself should be saved, than to be cast into hell with thy brother, where their worm dieth not, and where the fire is not quenched. (JST Mark 9:45-48).

As noted in my previous blog regarding this concept, the female crimson worm gives birth but once in her life-cycle . . . at the cost of her life. Hence, the worm that dies has posterity; she brings forth children. But what comes of the tola'ath, or worm, that never dies? She never brings forth children. Thereafter, she is a generation whose name is cut off out of the land of the living (see Jeremiah 11:19) that she may be forgotten and never again declared among all that are living (see Isaiah 53:8). Like all maggot larva, she spends the rest of her eternal existence feeding her voracious appetite; persistently consuming and destroying all the living in her path.

Clearly, the worm that never dies is a shadow of those who apostatize from the true and living church after they have received their inheritance by consecration. Hence, their names are not enrolled with the people of God, neither is their genealogy kept, or had where it may be found on any of the records or history of the church, "neither the names of the fathers, nor the names of the children [will be] written in the book of the law of God" (D&C 85:3-5). As spoken by the prophet, Malachi, they are left with "neither root nor branch" (Malachi 4:1).

Addressing those for whom the new heavens and earth is to be made and whose seed and name shall remain, Isaiah declared that "they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh" (see Isaiah 66:22-24). In this verse, Isaiah added several elements, which few understand, to the foregoing penalty of barrenness. First, the fire spoken of, that is never quenched, is wickedness. "Wickedness burns as a fire", wrote Isaiah (see Isaiah 9:18-19). When judgment day for most will have come and gone and they will have been washed clean of their sins through faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ, "there [will be] found among those who are to remain until that great and last day, even the end, who shall remain filthy still" (see D&C 88:102, compare D&C 88:35). These "filthy still" reserved unto the fire "cannot be redeemed according to God's justice" for they shall be as though "there had been no redemption made, except it be the loosing of the bands of death" (see Alma 11:41). And, because they shall have been resurrected, "they cannot die, seeing there [shall be] no more corruption" (Alma 12:18). And because they will not be willing to enjoy that which they might have received," they "shall return again to their own place to enjoy that which they will be willing to receive" (D&C 88:32).

Second, Isaiah's reference to the carcasses of those so cursed points back to the oath of the Abrahamic covenant wherein Abraham divided the designated sacrifices . . . the heifer (peace offering), the ram (burnt offering), and the she-goat (sin and trespass offering) . . . through the midst (see Genesis 15:9-10). And when the fowls came down upon those carcasses, the following verse notes that Abram drove them away (Genesis 15:11). At some future date, I will offer significant detail regarding the Oath of the Abrahamic Covenant and all of the symbolism involved in this rather obscure chapter of Genesis 15. For the time, however, it is sufficient for me to mention that one of the penalties for breaking the oath is that "the Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth. And thy carcass shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away" (Deuteronomy 28:25-26; compare Jeremiah 34:17-20).

 

The fowls of the air and beasts of the earth are scriptural symbols of the Gentile nations. Gentiles were also called strangers, unclean, common, Egypt, a bruised reed, serpents, and "that which is forbidden" (see Ezekiel 23:42, Matthew 27:27, Acts 10:9-16, 28, 45, Acts 11:1, 4-10, 18, Jeremiah 46:1-2, 2 Kings 18:21, and Abraham 1:22-23). Partaking of those things which they seek (see Matthew 6:24-31, 32) is partaking of "forbidden fruit." During the greater part of the 6,000-year history of this world, they have been a sword in the hand of the Lord raised against His people to reprove, scatter, humble, and punish them. If the Lord's chosen race were, thereafter, to be slain by this common enemy, Jeremiah prophesied that "they shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented; neither shall they be buried; but they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth: and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their carcasses shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth" (see Jeremiah 16:4; compare Jeremiah 25:33 and Psalms 83:9-10). Such bespeaks of an inglorious resurrection.

The penalty imposed on all who break the covenant of the Holy Priesthood is that they 1) shall receive an inglorious resurrection, 2) shall have no posterity, and 3) they shall not be cleansed of their wickedness worlds without end! This, the scripture declares, "is their torment!!!" (see D&C 76:44). Who, but God, could imagine a more awful farewell.