I am a Worm

This entry addresses a topic that is covered at length on the WEB by our friends of other denominations. However, from my own studies, I believe that something is missing . . . the Mormon view. Amid the Messianic verses contained in Psalms 22, David touched upon a rather vague concept. Concerning Christ, he wrote: "But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people" (Psalms 22:6). Although Joseph Smith revised this passage but slightly, his changes are sufficient to warrant noting. "But I, a worm, am loved of no man", Joseph wrote, a reproach of men, and despised of the people" (JST Psalms 22:6). If any part of what David wrote in this verse seems awkward, it is his reference to the Lord as a worm. Off hand, one might even consider such reference to be outright disrespectful. But when properly understood, one will admire the deep meaning that David brought to bare by using this obscure symbol . . . a worm.

The word "worm" shows up in scriptures (LDS version of Standard Works) a total of 17 times and "worms" a total of 10. Due to the fact that Nephi included in the Book of Mormon many chapters written by Isaiah, three of the occurrences of the word are duplicates. Hence, the word, in its singular or plural, is used only 24 times. Notwithstanding its infrequent use, the word, whether singular or plural, has four distinct meanings. The first is derived from the Hebrew word rim-maw', meaning a maggot or worm. It is used only 4 times in the scriptures. In context, it is used by Moses to describe the worms which bred in manna that was left till morning (see Exodus 16:20, 24). This word has several interesting primitive roots, raw-mam' and room, both of which have complementary meaning, including "to rise, exalt, get oneself up, lift up self, and to be high, haughty, lofty, promoted, or proud."

The second meaning is derived from the Hebrew sawce, meaning a moth. In context, it is used only once in the scriptures. Isaiah wrote: "For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation" (Isaiah 51:8). The third meaning of the word is derived from the Hebrew zaw-khal' meaning "to crawl, to fear, be afraid, serpent, or worm." In context, this meaning take on greater significance in relation to other concepts contained in the scriptures. Several verses showing this relationship are found in Micah:

The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf. 

They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the Lord our God, and shall fear because of thee" (Micah 7:16-17).

And in Deuteronomy, Moses likewise wrote:

They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust. (Deuteronomy 32:24).

Although more time could, and should, be spent on this particular meaning and context of the word, I will move on in the interest of staying focused.

The fourth, and final, meaning of the word "worm" is derived from the Hebrew to-law' or TOLA’ATH. It is most often used in connection with the Hebrew word shaw-nee', a word of uncertain derivation meaning crimson, or scarlet. When used together, tola`ath  shaw-nee' is frequently translated as "scarlet" and, less frequently, it is translated as "worm." When translated as scarlet, it generally has reference to the particular dye used to color the covering of the tent of the tabernacle (see Exodus 26:14). When translated as worm, it has specific reference to the female worm 'coccus Illicis', also called the crimson or scarlet worm, from which this dye of antiquity was produced. This relationship between the scarlet worm and the scarlet-colored covering of the tent of the tabernacle is going to prove important. But first . . . some details about the scarlet worm.

The Mediterranean scarlet worm is a common grub that feeds upon the Holm oak, an evergreen. The male, which is smaller than the female, passes through a complete metamorphosis and develops wings. The female is wingless and adheres to the oak by its long, sucking beak, through which it extracts the sap on which it lives.

The female produces offspring but once in her life-cycle because of the manner in which she brings forth her young. As described in his publication entitled Biblical Basis for Modern Science, author Henry Morris wrote: 

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 [usually the Holm oak], 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. (Henry Morris, Baker Book House, 1985, p. 73). 

 Afterwards associating this birthing process to the verse wherein Christ declares that he is a worm, the foregoing author afterwards noted: 

What a picture this gives of Christ, dying on the tree, shedding his precious blood that he might 'bring many sons unto glory' (Hbr 2:10)! He died for us, that we might live through him! Psa 22:6 describes such a worm and gives us this picture of Christ. (cf. Isa 1:18)" (Henry Morris, Baker Book House, 1985, p. 73). 

The associating of the scarlet worm giving birth to its posterity with Christ giving birth on the cross is made by many, including a very devote protestant friend. Using a woman in travail as a type of Christ giving birth to eternal sons and daughters, Isaiah foretold the sorrow and joy of Gethsemane: "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed" (Isaiah 53:10). Notwithstanding the sorrow a woman in travail feels "because her hour is come, as soon as she is delivered of the child," John wrote, "she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world" (John 16:21). Isaiah's confirming witness of the joy the Lord would feel as He made His soul an offering whereby He brought forth a seed expresses precisely what the apostle John likewise expressed: "He shall see of the travail of his soul (i.e., his posterity), and shall be satisfied" (Isaiah 53:11).

Although my friend of other denomination has made the important doctrinal association between nature's worm and our Savior's redeeming sacrifice, the connection that he missed is the fact that this worm, in bringing forth her young, produces a dye that was used anciently to color the covering of the tent of the tabernacle. To understand this connection and its significance, some preliminary comments regarding the tent of the tabernacle of the congregation are needed.

Everything regarding the tabernacle of the congregation has incredibly deep meaning. Understanding the colors, composition, dimensions, duties and ordinances of the tabernacle has beautiful relevance, even today. The tabernacle was 100 by 50 cubits. Within the tabernacle was a tent that was 10 by 30 cubits. It was given its obvious name, "the tent of the tabernacle." This tent represented the temple proper, the only covered part within the tabernacle. As shown here, the tent of the tabernacle was divided into two compartments by a veil (Exodus 26:33). The two rooms created by this division were called the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. The dimensions of each room was 10 by 20 cubits and 10 by 10 cubits, respectively (see LDS Bible Dictionary, Tabernacle).

Entrance into these rooms was prohibited to all except those possessing the title of High Priest. Within these rooms, the most sacred rites of temple worship were performed. The Holy Place contained spoons, forks, jugs, and jars (see Exodus 37:16) and all of the utensils used by the High Priests to "eat those things wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them" (Exodus 29:33). Within the Holy Place were also situated the seven-branched Menorah, the table upon which twelve loaves of showbread were placed (see Exodus 26:35), and the altar of incense where Aaron, the High Priest, offered prayer morning and night in connection with his duties of caring for the Menorah (see Exodus 30:7-8). In the Most Holy Place, one item, upon which the mercy seat was placed, was centered . . . the ark containing the covenants of God to his covenant people (see Exodus 26:33-34). This room was entered into by the High Priest through the veil but one day every year . . . on the Day of Atonement. I will reserve detailing the rituals of that day to another time. They are, however, clearly outlined in Leviticus 16.

The colors of the tent were blue, purple, and scarlet and of fine-twined linen (Exodus 26:1, 31, 36). And, although divided by a veil, both the Holy and Most Holy places were covered "of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers’ skins" (Exodus 26:14). In this verse, and throughout the Old Testament, badgers' skins is likely a mistranslation that should have been rendered dolphin skins, thereby giving the covering above a heavenly hue. It is significant that the scarlet-colored covering of the tent is made of rams' skins, the Proxy which God promised He would provide for a burnt, or whole, offering (see Genesis 22:8, 13).

Inasmuch as the tent of the tabernacle's covering was scarlet and that the Hebrew for both the scarlet color and the scarlet worm is TOLA’ATH, it is unmistakable that the covering of the tent of the tabernacle was to be the incarnation of the scarlet worm, Jesus Christ, who fixed himself "firmly and permanently" to a tree that His seed might be covered. It is a most compelling fact that the Hebrew for atonement, Kaphar, means "to cover, cover over with pitch, to be covered, and to cover over." No better symbol of Christ is provided in scripture depicting those who are "His seed." Beneath the scarlet-colored covering of the tent of the tabernacle of God is His seed! Christ is the tabernacle of God and those who stand in His Holy Place (see JS-Matthew 1:2, 12) are covered by Him.

Today, as seen in these pictures, the Terrestrial Room of every temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Holy Place and the Celestial Room is the Most Holy Place. These temples and the ancient tabernacle are built after the same architectural blue-print--the TRUE PATTERN shown to Moses in the Mount (see Hebrews 8:5; compare Exodus 25:40), even the LORD, JESUS CHRIST, our SAVIOR and REDEEMER, our LAW and our LIGHT, our only one TRUTH and our only sure WAY!

Abinadi, a prophet who lived in America, asked an important question of his jailors immediately prior to his martyrdom in approximately 148 B.C. Isaiah penned the very question hundreds of years earlier prior to his martyrdom. Concerning Christ and this whole matter of begetting a posterity, both asked the question, "Who shall declare his generation" (see Isaiah 53:8, compare Mosiah 15:10)? Shortly after the death of any man, the memory of him is lost to all except his children, grandchildren, and so forth. Today, I speak fondly of my grandfathers and great grandfathers and continue to declare their generation . . . that they were good men worthy of emulation. Hence, in the question posed by the ancient prophets in America and Jerusalem, the idea of posterity is implied. In response to the question, I quote at length the words of Abinadi: 

And now I say unto you, who shall declare his generation? Behold, I say unto you, that when his soul has been made an offering for sin he shall see his seed. And now what say ye? And who shall be his seed?

Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God.

For these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions. And now, are they not his seed?

Yea, and are not the prophets, every one that has opened his mouth to prophesy, that has not fallen into transgression, I mean all the holy prophets ever since the world began? I say unto you that they are his seed.

And these are they who have published peace, who have brought good tidings of good, who have published salvation; and said unto Zion: Thy God reigneth! (Mosiah 15:10-14).

To become the seed of Christ requires that 1) one obtain the Spirit of Prophecy (see D&C 76:50, 73), or the Testimony of Jesus (see Revelation 19:10) . . . the sure witness that the words of the prophets concerning Christ are true (see Alma 5:47); and 2) that he/she hearkens to their words with a firm faith in the Lord and His plan of redemption. One must leave the world and spiritually enter the Lord's terrestrial presence, partake of His gospel and goodness, and come under His protective covering. Such individuals are born again, having clean hands and a pure heart through faith on His name who did bear them. Of this, I testify, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Amen.