Just as the mother crimson worm goes to the oak tree voluntarily to give her life for her children, so Jesus offered himself on the tree of the cross for your sins, according to the will of God (Gal. 1:4). Just as the crimson worm bleeds out a scarlet dye in the death she endures for her children, so Jesus poured out his blood in dying for you and all of those whom the Father gave unto him (John 17:9). 

The Bible’s first book tells us God saw everything he created, and behold, it was very good. You probably first think of big and exciting creations like the spectacular sun, majestic mountains, loud lions, or the mighty Mississippi River when you hear about creation. God uses all his creatures to direct us to his power and glory. But even tiny things that can go unnoticed are very good creations as well. Some living things, even ones we consider insignificant, can point us to the person and work of Jesus in surprising and amazing ways.

The crimson worm is one of these lowly but unique creations. It’s a bit different than the worms you find in your own backyard because it’s actually an insect with a shell and six little legs. About seven millimeters long, the crimson worm is barely longer than the width of a pencil eraser. You might call it minimal, minor, miniature, or minuscule. Maybe even gross. But God created the crimson worm to live in a specific area, the land of Israel, and have a life cycle that points us to one event: Jesus’ saving death on the cross.

When a mother crimson worm is ready to lay her eggs, she finds her way toward a specific type of oak tree. She then makes the difficult ascent up the side of that tree, knowing that she will never come back down again. She’s come there to give life to her children and then give up her own. Once she reaches her spot and secures herself against the wood, her shell turns into a hard, crimson shelter. It’s under this covering where her eggs hatch. For three days, she provides protection for her children. She also provides life for three days as the babies feed on her body until she dies. Once the mother dies, she produces a crimson dye that stains the tree and the children underneath her.

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