Where is Wormwood mentioned in the Bible?
Deu 29:18 Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood;
Jer 9:15 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.
Lam 3:15 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.
Amo 5:7 Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,
Rev 8:10-11 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
Wormwood is also referred to in Jer 23:15, Lam 3:19, Prov 5:4.
What is Wormwood?
Wormwood is a herb. Its Hebrew name is la’anah and its scientific name is artemisia absinthium. It is well noted for its intense bitterness. You can smell wormwood before you see it. It has a rich and aromatic scent, which is pleasant, attractive and slightly familiar, akin to desert sage or a hint of mint. It smells like a savoury herb that you would want to rub onto meats as a spice. But be warned, while it smells delightful, it tastes really bitter. It’s like chewing raw coffee beans but with a much worse bitter taste. You can taste a hint of its rich aromatic scent on the tip of your tongue, which is light, floral and faint. But this quickly vanishes and becomes overwhelmed by a bitter flavour that lasts.
Wormwood has many uses, which can be broadly categorised into medical, fragrance and alcoholic uses.
It is used for various digestion problems, such as the loss of appetite, an upset stomach, gall bladder disease, and intestinal spasms. Wormwood is also used to treat fever, liver disease, depression, muscle pain, memory loss and worm infections. Wormwood has been applied to treat Crohn's disease and a kidney disorder called IgA nephropathy. Some people apply wormwood directly to the skin for osteoarthritis, healing wounds and insect bites. Wormwood oil can be used as a counterirritant to reduce pain. It is a fragrance component in soaps, cosmetics, perfumes and can sometimes be found in insecticide. It is a component in some alcoholic beverages like absinthe or vermouth.
The important point to take note of is that despite its many health benefits, wormwood or the chemical thujone which is found in it can be toxic in excess and lead to paralysis or even death.
Why does God use Wormwood in the Bible?
In the Old Testament passages, wormwood was used to refer to bitterness and/or poison. The bitterness typically refers to affliction, remorse or suffering that was to come or to beset the Israelites. Often, it is metaphorically used as a warning when God was upset with the Israelites’ idolatry. For example, in Jeremiah 9:13-15, God said that due to the Israelites forsaking His law and walking after the imagination of their own heart and Baalim, God will feed them with wormwood and give them water of gall to drink. In Amos 5:7, the prophet warns the people to seek the Lord or else judgement to befall them would be like wormwood (bitter).
In the New Testament, wormwood only appears in the book of Revelations in figurative writing. Revelations 8:10-11 describes how a star called Wormwood fell from heaven into the waters of earth, causing a third part of the waters to become wormwood, resulting in many men’s death because they were made bitter. This could be interpreted as an account that foretells what would happen upon God’s judgment to come: bitterness and death to man if we do not follow in his commands. It could also mean that God’s judgment may be a bitter pill for us to swallow at the end.
God using things around the people as analogies then was one way of helping them understand His message clearly. Like Jesus using parables that referenced daily life(e.g. sowing seeds or salt), God probably referenced wormwood because it was a well-known plant that everyone knew to be the most bitter food possible. This was a useful contrast to things that were sweet and tasty to them and conveyed exactly how upset or unhappy He was with their idolatry and their wicked ways. When God used it again many years later in the New Testament, it also serves as a good reminder to readers of the bitter end that would come for the unrepentant.
What can we do to not end up in wormwood waters at judgment?
We have to constantly be aware of our actions and behaviours, and discern when to draw the line if certain habits or actions become excessive and harmful to ourselves and the people around us.
We can also take cues from the people around us, and consider if we have had a positive effect on them or otherwise. This is akin to having a mirror for reflection. As James warns us in James 1:22-25, if we are only hearers of the word and not doers also, we are like a man looking into a mirror and immediately forgetting what manner of man he was when he goes away. The people around us are also mirrors to us. Where do our children learn their language, mannerisms, or habits from? Why are they shouting at each other? Could it be a reflection of our own behaviour because we raise our voices at them? Family members or close friends could also mimic your behaviour at times because of what you do. Is this reflection something you like seeing? If not, then what should you do about it?
Lastly, having a good community around you will also prevent you from ending up in bitter waters, especially if you have a community that dares to speak up and tell you exactly where you have gone wrong or why they are worried about you spiritually. Of course, we need to be open to such feedback and not be resistant or overly defensive for this communication to function effectively. We may falter at times and end up in bitter waters but as Christians, we can always climb out of it with the help of this community, which is God’s family.