ChristStory Bestiary

FLY

Beelzebub

Flies are commonly known as carriers of disease and harbingers of evil. This was especially the case in Exodus when God sent swarms of flies to cover the people, the ground, and the houses of Egypt because Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go (Ex 8:21-24; Psa 78:45). Not only the common house fly, but cockroaches, gadflies, lice and the Egyptian beetle were sent in the plague of flies (Psa 105:31). They bit human and beast, and devoured plants and clothing. The destruction caused by these creatures was so great that the land of Egypt stank because of it (Ex 8:24). This chastisement by flies was somewhat ironic since the Egyptians had deified the various insects, especially the beetle.

Isaiah referred to the armies of Sennacherib, Esarhaddon, Pharaoh-necho, and Nebuchadnezzar as "the fly that is in the farthest part of the rivers of Egypt, and the bee that is in the land of Assyria" (Isa 7:18-19). He warned that although weak and transient in God's sight, these armies would settle upon rebellious Israel with the impudence of a swarm of flies.

Beelzebub, also known as "the ruler of demons" or the "lord of the flies" was represented by the blowfly. Jesus, when accused of casting out demons with the aid of Beelzebub replied, "How can Satan cast out Satan?" and warned His disciples, "If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!" (Mk 3:22-23; Mt 10:25; Mt 12:22-27; Lk 11:15-19). A demon in the form of a blowfly is often shown whispering into the ear of someone being tempted to do evil. Sorcery, demonism, and evil spirits generally are associated with flies.

Ecclesiastes compares flies in a perfumer's ointment to "a little folly" which is all it takes to destroy the reputation of the wise and honored elder (Eccl 10:1).

Flies symbolize sin especially those sins considered "filth" such as lewdness, lust, and sexual immorality. They also represent impudence because they land on king and commoner alike and have no scruples against settling on the bosom of a queen. Flies in pictures of the Virgin and Child remind us of the corruption from which we are being redeemed.

During the Middle Ages, flies were used to represent "the scum of the earth" which hatch and develop in dung or corruption. The antithesis of the honeybee, flies represent all that is repulsive.

Smaller flies and gnats symbolize the brevity and frailty of human life and earthly pursuits which have no lasting value.

Unless otherwise noted all scripture quotes are from the NKJV Bible.