The Bible contains numerous references to insects, often using them as symbols of divine judgment, provision, or lessons about diligence and humility. From locusts bringing plagues to ants teaching wisdom, these tiny creatures hold spiritual significance. Here are key themes in Scripture where insects play a role.
Also Read: Bible Verses About Bugs
Insects as Instruments of God’s Judgment
Throughout the Bible, insects are sometimes used as tools of divine punishment. Locusts, flies, and other pests appear in plagues and prophetic warnings, demonstrating God’s power over creation and His response to sin. These passages remind us of God’s justice and the consequences of turning away from Him.
Exodus 10:12
“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Raise your hand over the land of Egypt to bring on the locusts. Let them cover the land and devour every plant that survived the hailstorm.'”
Joel 1:4
“After the cutting locusts finished eating the crops, the swarming locusts took what was left! After them came the hopping locusts, and then the stripping locusts, too!”
Revelation 9:3
“Then locusts came from the smoke and descended on the earth, and they were given power to sting like scorpions.”
Psalm 105:34-35
“He spoke, and hordes of locusts came—young locusts beyond number. They ate up everything green in the land, destroying all the crops in their fields.”
Amos 7:1
“The Sovereign Lord showed me a vision. I saw Him preparing to send a vast swarm of locusts over the land.”
Ants as a Symbol of Diligence and Wisdom
Ants are often cited in the Bible as examples of hard work and preparation. They gather food in the summer and work together harmoniously, teaching us the importance of diligence, foresight, and cooperation in our own lives.
Proverbs 6:6
“Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise!”
Proverbs 30:25
“Ants—they aren’t strong, but they store up food all summer.”
1 Corinthians 3:9
“For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.”
2 Thessalonians 3:10
“Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: ‘Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.'”
Ecclesiastes 9:10
“Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.”
Bees as a Symbol of Productivity and Sweetness
Bees are associated with honey, which represents blessing and abundance in the Bible. Their industrious nature teaches us about diligence, and their honey symbolizes the sweetness of God’s Word and His provision.
Psalm 119:103
“How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey.”
Judges 14:8
“Later, when he returned to Timnah for the wedding, he turned off the path to look at the carcass of the lion. And he found that a swarm of bees had made some honey in the carcass.”
Deuteronomy 32:13
“He let them ride over the highlands and feast on the crops of the fields. He nourished them with honey from the rock and olive oil from the stony ground.”
Proverbs 16:24
“Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.”
Exodus 3:8
“So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey.”
Flies as a Symbol of Decay and Corruption
Flies in the Bible often represent decay, corruption, and disruption. They serve as a reminder of the fleeting nature of life and the consequences of sin when left unchecked.
Ecclesiastes 10:1
“As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink, so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor.”
Exodus 8:24
“And the Lord did just as He had said. A thick swarm of flies poured into Pharaoh’s palace and into the houses of his officials. The whole land of Egypt was thrown into chaos by the flies.”
Isaiah 7:18
“In that day the Lord will whistle for the army of southern Egypt and for the army of Assyria. They will swarm around you like flies and bees.”
Matthew 12:24
“But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, ‘No wonder He can cast out demons. He gets His power from Satan, the prince of demons.'”
Psalm 78:45
“He sent swarms of flies among them, which devoured them, and hordes of frogs, which destroyed them.”
Also Read: Bible Verses About Bees
Locusts as a Sign of Devastation and Restoration
Locusts are often used in Scripture to represent destruction and divine judgment. However, they are also associated with God’s promise of restoration when His people turn back to Him.
Joel 2:25
“The Lord says, ‘I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you.'”
Exodus 10:14
“And the locusts swarmed over the whole land of Egypt, settling in dense swarms from one end of the country to the other. It was the worst locust plague in Egyptian history, and there has never been another one like it.”
Deuteronomy 28:38
“You will plant much but harvest little, for locusts will eat your crops.”
Revelation 9:7
“The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. They had what looked like gold crowns on their heads, and their faces looked like human faces.”
1 Kings 8:37
“If there is a famine in the land or a plague or crop disease or attacks of locusts or caterpillars, or if your people’s enemies are in the land besieging their towns—whatever disaster or disease there is—”
Grasshoppers as a Symbol of Smallness and Faith
Grasshoppers in the Bible often symbolize human weakness and insignificance in comparison to God’s power. However, they also serve as a reminder that God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness.
Numbers 13:33
“We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!”
Isaiah 40:22
“God sits above the circle of the earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to him! He spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them.”
Judges 7:12
“The armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts. Their camels were like grains of sand on the seashore—too many to count!”
Job 39:20
“Did you give it the ability to leap like a locust? Its majestic snorting is terrifying!”
Psalm 109:23
“I am fading like a shadow at dusk; I am brushed off like a grasshopper.”
Insects as Food in Biblical Times
While many insects were considered unclean in the Old Testament, certain types—like locusts—were permitted for consumption. John the Baptist even survived on locusts and wild honey in the wilderness.
Leviticus 11:22
“You may eat locusts, bald locusts, crickets, and grasshoppers.”
Matthew 3:4
“John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food, he ate locusts and wild honey.”
Mark 1:6
“His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food, he ate locusts and wild honey.”
Deuteronomy 14:19
“All winged insects that walk along the ground are ceremonially unclean for you and may not be eaten.”
Ezekiel 2:6
“Son of man, do not fear them or their words. Don’t be afraid, even though their threats surround you like nettles and briers and stinging scorpions.”