Wormwood: ever heard of it? The King James Version mentions hemlock twice, but some modern versions translate the word inquestion as ‘Poisonous weed’ or ‘wormwood’. Wormwood sounds like a wormy-like critter that gnaws on wood. Wormwood is actually a bitter herb known to botanists as (Artemisia absinthium). Legal in many countries it is used in: alcoholic beverages such as Vermouth, in medicines to treat digestive problems, and other remedies. It was actually popularized by several famous artists; Van Gogh, Picasso, Degas, Monet, and others. Wormwood is a plant with a very bitter taste, and stands for the bitterness of God’s judgment.
Some people have thoughts that Wormwood was the destruction of Chernobyl. D.C. Comic miniseries “Kingdom Come” has a fictional character named “Wyrmwood” their Secretary General of the United Nations, that calls down a nuclear strike to rid the world of metahumans (whatever they are?). Big science fiction. There are other oddities out there, too numerous to mention. Be aware. References to Wormwood in the Bible are almost always metaphorical, e.g. Amos 5:3-5 “For the lips of an adulterous drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to earth; her steps lead straight to the grave”. Want more? Read Deuteronomy 29:17-18, Jeremiah 9:13-16, 1 Corinthians 15:46, Revelation 8:10-11.
Wormwood is mentioned several times in the Old and New Testament. It was known for its bitter, unpleasant taste. It came to symbolize sorrow, tragedy, and even cruelty. The famous writer C.S. Lewis wrote a fictional book called ‘The Screwtape Letters’. It’s about the correspondence between two devils, one of whom is named Wormwood. He has been “assigned” a human being, and his job is to poison the mind of the human assigned to him. Many think C.S. Lewis took this imagery from the book of Revelation 8:8-11, where a star named Wormwood fell from heaven and poisoned the waters on the earth. Believable, you better believe it! Jesus had John the Baptist as His precursor. Wormwood has Hollywood and its prima donnas to influence not to mention those who “wish us harm”! Be aware!
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