Near the top of Mount Rainier in the state of Washington, as Summer is in full swing, small black flecks can be seen on the otherwise snow-white ground. On Paradise Glacier innumerable creatures called iced worms begin to appear, snaking in between ice crystals and shimmering in the sun. The thread-like worms are only about an inch long, but they wiggle in hoards in the summer time, late in the afternoon, but so far it is not known what their purpose is in doing so. Very few studies have been done about the worms, even though they are the most abundant critters living there in the ice and snow.
“Words from Above” in the Bible speak of a curious “worm” in relation to punishment in the fires of hell. In Mark 9, Jesus speaks about our hands, our feet, or our eyes committing something offensive. He concludes that is is important to deal with these offenses, rather than to end up in hell. He says that in hell “the fire shall never be quenched, and their worm never dies”. Jesus is making reference here to the original statement on this subject by Isaiah the prophet in Isaiah 66:24, where Isaiah was speaking about people who transgressed against the Lord.
Bible scholars believe that the worm is the conscience of man, and is like a worm continually gnawing or eating on those who have violated the commandments of God. A constant reminder of these violations will haunt the conscience, bring their sins to memory, constantly accuse them of what they have done, and torment them with anguish and misery. What is most unfortunate about all of this is that it will never end.
Jewish scholars interpreted the worm as the soul of man, which God had made alive in the man He created from the dust of the ground and into whom He breathed the breath of life. They believed that on the second day of Creation, God created light and fire, and that the worm never dies from the body and the fire is never quenched from the soul.
As opposed to the ice worm, the worm that never dies lives in fire instead of ice. Jesus speaks to this point in Luke 16, when He tells the story of the rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. Both he rich man and the beggar died and were buried, and in hell the rich man looked up and saw Lazarus resting in the bosom of Abraham. Jesus said that the rich man was in torments, and asked Abraham to send Lazarus with water on the tip of his finger to cool his burning tongue.
Larry R. Steffee is pastor of the Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church on Miller Road in Smithville. Everyone is welcome to attend. For informa-tion, you may email lrsteffeetn@yahoo.com.
