The tola worm first appears in Scripture in the Book of Genesis during the lifetime of Judah. (See Gen. 38:28) This worm was peculiar because of the unique preparation it made in order to give birth. First the tola worm would permanently attach itself to a tree. In fact, it was secured so well that no one could remove it from the tree without killing it. The tola then deposited eggs beneath its own body, then began to die, leaving its carcass to protect and feed them until the larvae matured. It’s stunning to realize that as the larvae matured, they ate of its parent’s body until mature enough to depart. Isn’t that exactly what Jesus did for us, even foretelling it one thousand years before he was actually born on earth? Didn’t he allow himself to be attached to a tree like the tola worm? Didn’t people try to get Jesus to come down from the cross but like the tola, he refused to oblige? Was it not Jesus who died in the process of giving birth to the church just as the tola died in the process of giving birth to its young?
As mentioned, the tola worm allowed its body to be consumed to feed its young. Before his death Jesus instructed his followers to use his body for their benefit as well. He gave us wine to drink in remembrance of the blood that he shed, and bread to commemorate his body which was broken for us. (See Luke 22:19) Jesus gave himself to us so that we could survive the valleys and mountains of life until he returns. Like the prophetic tola worm, Jesus gave his body for us. After the carcass of the tola worm had served its purpose, it fell off or was eventually harvested from the tree. Because the tola worm secreted blood as it died, a scarlet spot was left on the tree. Amazingly, on the third day after staining the tree, the scarlet spot turned white. This is exactly what Jesus did for us. Though our sins be as scarlet, Scripture says they shall be white as snow!
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