Flies are often seen as bothersome insects that buzz around and annoy us. In the Bible, flies are mentioned several times, and they carry symbolic meanings that are not very positive. This article will explore the various negative biblical meanings associated with flies and shed light on their significance in religious texts. Through the exploration of these meanings, we can gain a deeper understanding of the biblical context and the lessons we can learn from them.
The Symbolism of Flies in the Bible
When you think of a fly, what comes to your mind? If it’s a buzzing little creature flying around a piece of rotten fruit, you’re not alone.
Flies are some of the most annoying creatures on earth. They’re always present but when they come near us, they become pests. In fact, in the Bible, flies carry negative symbolism that is sometimes associated with sin and decay.
Biblical Meanings of Flies
As mentioned earlier, flies are associated with negative symbolism in the Bible. When the Bible speaks of flies, it carries with it a sense of decay and sin. Flies are said to be present as Demonic manifestations, and these manifestations are some of the darkest presentations in the Bible.
The Bible often describes flies to be a terrible thing. When speaking about them, it usually means disaster or sin is on the horizon. So, if you come across any texts with flies mentioned in them, think twice before deciphering any positive meanings out of it. It’s more likely than not that these flies have a negative connotation.
The Plague of Flies
One of the most famous mentions in the Bible about flies is found in Exodus 8:24 – 32.
- The Lord commanded Moses to go to Pharaoh and tell him to let his people go.
- Moses did as God commanded him but Pharaoh refused to release the people.
- He warned Moses that if he didn’t leave, God would send a plague of flies that would cover the land.
- True enough, God sent the flies and they covered the Egyptians, including Pharaoh and his officials, houses and lands.
- Pharaoh eventually gave in but after the flies were gone, he changed his mind once more.
As we can see from this story, flies symbolize God’s warning for sinners. Instead of paying heed to Moses’ warning, the Pharaoh chose to disobey and was inflicted with the plague of flies.
Other Biblical Accounts
There are other mentions of flies in the Bible. Here are several examples:
- Deuteronomy 28:20: The Lord will send upon you curses, confusion, and rebuke, in all that you set your hand to do. You will be destroyed, ill-treated because you refused to obey Him. You will find yourself being consumed, and destroyed and perish quickly on account of the evil of your doings by which you have forsaken Him intentionally and with knowledge of it.
- Psalms 105:31: He spoke, and there came swarms of flies and mosquitoes, and lice in all their borders.
- Ecclesiastes 10:1: Dead flies cause the ointment of the perfume to putrefy and send forth a vile odor; so does a little folly to him who is in reputation for wisdom and honor.
- Isaiah 7:18: And it shall be in that day that the Lord shall whistle for the fly that is in the whole extent of the River of Egypt and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.
- Matthew 23:23: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you give a tenth of your mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected and omitted the weightier (more important) matters of the Law—right judgment, mercy, and faith. These you ought [particularly] to have done, without neglecting the others.
Flies as a Sign of Decay and Corruption
In many parts of the Bible, flies are associated with decay and corruption. In Hebrew, flies are called “arob” and it means a mixture or a mixture of many things, so it is said that it refers to all the putrefying substances that can be found in the earth, that is, in the body once life leaves it, and also in the society that lives it as the enemy of the Jewish people, that is, Egypt, with all its false gods and idolatrous rituals. Thus, “arob” is an expression of everything that is contrary to life. For this reason, God told Moses to perform miracles against Pharaoh, and one of them was to make several flies appear: “I will differentiate my people, your town will be free of flies, so that you know that I am Jehovah in the midst of the earth. I will put a difference between my people and your people; tomorrow this sign will happen” (Exodus 8:22). Amidst all the chaos and death caused by other curses, the Israelites were unharmed, and they did not suffer any losses due to the plague of flies.
Flies become clear symbols if we look at them as creatures that only feed on decaying or dying materials, on everything that is filthy and dirty. According to Jewish tradition, they appear as soon as life dissipates and go to everything that is deteriorating or about to be corrupted.
Flies as a sign of decay and corruption are also part of another passage in the Bible where Solomon responds that he is more powerful than bees and flies (Ecclesiastes 10:1-3), he says: “If the vital force of the ruler comes up against you, don’t leave your office; there is a way out for everything. A terrible thing I have seen under the sun, [the kind of thing] that causes error: stupidity is played out in positions of great authority while serious errors are committed. I have seen slaves mounted on horses while princes marched on foot like slaves”
While the verses seem unrelated at first glance, they are about leadership and one’s ability to lead effectively. The Bible often refers to bees and flies to illustrate how people in power should exercise their leadership with wisdom. If a person behaves wisely and accordingly to God’s will, they will be like bees whose honey attracts a crowd. On the other hand, if someone leads without wisdom and chooses evil over good, they will be like flies that buzz around carcasses. Flies represent decay and corruption precisely because they are attracted to death and disease. The Bible uses these images to encourage proper leadership or a life lived in right standing with God.
Flies as Agents of Punishment
Not all references to flies in the Bible are positive. In the Book of Exodus, God sent a plague of flies to punish Pharaoh for refusing to let the Israelites leave Egypt. This plague was part of the Ten Plagues, which are recounted in the Book of Exodus and are known for inflicting great suffering on the Egyptians.
The flies sent by God were an “‘exceedingly corrupted’ breed” which tormented people and animals, and spoiled their food. This means that the plague was not just a physical discomfort, but also a cause of suffering and inconvenience. The plague of flies was so severe that Pharaoh had to summon Moses and Aaron and beg them to intercede to God. The flies left Egypt once Pharaoh agreed to let the Israelites go, but he changed his mind and chased them; he and his armies drowned in the Red Sea as a result.
This is not an isolated story. In another account in the Bible, King Hezekiah of Judah reformed the people to worship and seek God. However, his son Manasseh was one of the worst kings of Judah because he led the people to worship idols instead. As punishment, God said through the mouth of the prophets that He would send a “spirit of judgment” to ruin the country. Flies were among the elements of destruction mentioned: they would come from Egypt and consume everything within the country.
The stories above show that flies can be agents of punishment from God. They are associated with sin and idol-worship, which goes contrary to biblical teachings. As disobedience is a sin, and sin is punishable by death, such accounts help reinforce biblical teachings about righteousness as obedience to God’s will.
Flies as a Representation of Spiritual Pollution
Flies aren’t just pests, they also symbolize spiritual corruption and pollution. In the Bible, Satan often uses flies as a physical representation to spread spiritual pollution and putrefaction within the church. As a result, it can cause the church to be unclean and unhygienic. This is mentioned in Isaiah 7:18-19:
18 In that day the Lord will whistle for flies from the distant streams of Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria. 19 And they will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices in the rocks, on all the thornbushes and at all the water holes.
Notice how flies and bees are summoned from areas that are not part of the original church. They represent erroneous teachings from outsiders that lead to the corruption of doctrines or the church’s practices. It is essential to keep a vigilant eye out for these influences that can spread spiritual pollution.
Flies and the Plagues of Egypt
Flies are one of the ten plagues God sent to the pharaoh of Egypt through Moses, when the pharaoh refused to release the Israelites from slavery. God told Moses to warn the pharaoh that he would send flies to cover the faces of the people and the ground, and that they would ruin the country.
What is the significance of flies in the Bible?
The plagues were designed to strike the false gods of Egypt and demonstrate their impotence. In ancient Egypt, there were people who practiced a form of magic or sorcery that involved using flies. This is why in this context, flies were a symbol of evil and death.
One thing that is interesting, is that in ancient Egyptian literature, flies are often used as a point of comparison. They would say things like “heavy swarming of flies” or “hordes of flies”. It is possible that this was not because insects were abundant, but because they served as a metaphor for a multitude of people. So in a sense, when God announced that he would send flies upon Egypt, it was like he was saying that he would send a plague of people instead.
The Flies of Beelzebub
One biblical source of flies lays in the Old Testament and specifically 2 Kings 1:1-6. The story begins in verse two, when King Ahaziah of Israel falls from the ceiling of his upper chamber in Samaria and becomes seriously injured. Concerned for his life, he sends messengers to Ekron, the city of Philistia, to consult with Baalzebub, the god of Ekron. However, he is stopped by Elijah, and the messengers are told that they will not return to Ahaziah because of the man they went to consult.
The messengers inform Ahaziah of this, along with their description of who stopped them. Shockingly, Ahaziah immediately knew it was Elijah, but instead of addressing his messengers’ condition, he simply sends a captain and fifty men to retrieve him. As expected, Elijah condemned them all with fire from heaven before finally being told by an angel to go down to Ahaziah–which he did.
Yet, the story doesn’t end with Ahaziah. Rather, it continues in 2 Kings 1:17 and 2 Chronicles 22:1-9 with Ahaziah’s successor, King Joram. He foresaw a possible enemy attack and with the same urgency as Ahaziah, sent out three captains and fifty men to capture Elijah. They similarly were all consumed by fire before Joram finally dies and gives way to his brother Ahaziah as king over Judah.
The implications of these events are enormous. The name Baalzebub is expanded into Beelzebub in the New Testament, and is associated with Satan in Matthew 12:22-29. And while the two names retain minor differences–Baalzebub translating roughly to “Lord of the Flies” in Hebrew and Beelzebub translating roughly to “Lord of the High Place” depending on whether it was translated from Greek or Hebrew–it is clear from verse 1 of 2 Kings that they are referring to the same deity;
Flies and the Sacrificial Offerings
According to the Bible, God is not pleased with the sacrifices of fools. In Ecclesiastes 5:1, it is stated that one should guard his steps when he goes to the house of God. He should not go there to offer sacrifices like a fool does. In other words, a fool offers empty sacrifices and this does not please God. Flies are associated with these empty sacrifices because they cannot be warded off from the air space surrounding the sacrifices, symbolic of the reality that these sacrifices could not please God and drive away His wrath from His people.
Flies and Impurities in Religious Practices
Many religious practices practice rituals that are against the existence of flies in their areas. Some argue that their presence breaks their focus, while others say that the flies are carriers of impurities that would contaminate their liturgical objects, therefore rendering them unusable. However, the most well-known practice was during the preparation for Passover.
Passover and Flies
During the preparation for Passover, the Jewish people were required to remove all traces of leavened bread to commemorate their flight from Egypt. As this signifies their people’s journey to freedom and breaking free from slavery, which leavened foods often symbolize, they cannot leave any leavened bread or crumbs behind. However, it is also necessary to clean and remove these crumbs without allowing them to come into contact with impurities, and flies are often considered as sources of impurities.
This is where the use of the Ten Plagues or “The Seder Plate” comes in. The Jewish people often place the required elements on a special plate. They would recite the Ten Plagues and name each element as they do so, to remind themselves of what the Egyptians had to endure so that they would be free. The Ten Plagues consist of blood, frogs, lice, wild animals, pestilence, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and the slaying of the firstborn. Although flies are not present in the original ten plagues often recited in the Haggadah, it is still associated with other plagues like lice and wild animals.
Flies and the Fall of Babylon
From flies being a nuisance for the Egyptians to flies being a symbol of doom everywhere, flies are widely associated with pestilence. The Bible also has its share of negative biblical meanings of flies, one of which is the story of the fall of Babylon.
In the book of Revelations, particularly in Revelation 18, it is predicted that Babylon will fall. An angel will come to throw a huge millstone into the sea, assuring that Babylon will not rise again. The chapter also contains verses that refer to how the city will be tormented with death, mourning, and famine and will be consumed by fire. Rulers and merchants from all nations are also mentioned to be mourning the fall of Babylon. Why? Because the city held extraordinary power and wealth.
Verse 2 that says, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.” in particular is interesting because it suggests that Babylon will not only be filled with unclean spirits but also unclean birds of prey — and most importantly — unclean insects such as flies. As we have touched upon earlier, flies are considered to be unclean in the Bible and bring nothing but pestilence. This demonstrates their negative biblical meanings.
Flies and the Call to Repentance
Like we mentioned earlier, in the Bible the majority of the time the presence of flies is said to be a form of punishment from the Lord. It is interesting as when we see flies, they can be a pesky nuisance, but we never thought of it as a symbol of God’s disappointment. As we understand more about the fly, it’s no surprise that it isn’t something the Lord would be happy about. It is not created for human consumption and has dirty habits. While we may not think much of it when it’s buzzing around in our homes, God has a different perspective on it. He does not want us to lower our standards and accept things that are impure and dirty. In our everyday lives, there are many things that are not suitable for us, whether it’s in our environment, the media, or something as simple as our habits. This is why God is calling us to be vigilant against things that are bad for us and to turn away from them. Just like the Israelites in the book of Exodus, we too should take heed of God’s warning and avoid getting punishments that are bigger than just a few flies here and there.
In conclusion, flies in the Bible carry negative symbolic meanings that are rooted in the context of the time and culture. They represent aspects such as decay, corruption, and spiritual pollution. By studying these meanings, we can gain insights into the lessons conveyed in biblical texts and apply them to our lives today. However, it is important to note that interpretations may vary, and it is always helpful to seek guidance from religious leaders and scholars for a more comprehensive understanding. Let us reflect on the significance of flies in the Bible and strive to live virtuous lives that are free from the negative meanings associated with these creatures.
