Be Transformed – Butterfly Bride

Be Transformed – Butterfly Bride

Sin is an ugly thing. Just ask Adam and Eve. In an instant everything changed. It was just one decision; just a “taste” from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But they would soon discover the ugly truth behind the beautiful lie of the nachash – the serpent.

And the nahash was more crafty than all the beasts of the field which YAHUAH ELOHIYM had made…

Genesis 3:1

Eve embraced the serpent’s crafty counsel, and both she and her husband chose to eat from the forbidden tree. The consequences were at once both swift and devastating.

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made covering for themselves.

Genesis 3:7

As their minds relived the act, the transformation was taking hold. The glorious clothing of Light that enveloped their bodies began to fade away. They discovered they were naked; no longer transparent and now bearing the Seed of the Serpent. A frantic grabbing for the fig leaves of excuses soon followed. Imagine their horror as they scrambled to find suitable coverings for their naked bodies and for the nearest hiding place as they heard YAHUAH approaching.

Consequences were swiftly meted out and, worst of all, they were evicted from the home they had shared with YAHUAH in the Garden of Eden. Their lives were horribly impacted by a single word – death.

Death? What was that? They didn’t know, but would soon find out

The lesson for us is clear – what a person attaches to causes a transformation of either life or death.

Spiritual metamorphosis is the only way back.

The Genesis account of the Fall of Adam and Eve is very instructive. It tells the story of what was lost and points to what can be regained through a divinely ordained process of spiritual metamorphosis. It is the only way back.

In the beginning, mankind was created in the image of YAHUAH, who is light. As a result of The Fall, Adam and Eve lost their light covering. But Scripture reminds us that it is the heart’s desire of YAHUAH to restore His bride to her original glorious state – a being covered in light and made in His image.

When we read Paul’s letter to the believing Remnant at Rome it seems as if he was remembering the fall of mankind:

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of ELOHIYM.

Romans 12:2

By definition, transformation consists of being joined to something or someone as it is being formed or fashioned. That someone in our lives of course is YAHUAH. Let’s examine the Greek root(s) of the word transform:

Greek 3339 Metamorphoo – transfigure

Derived from G3326 met-ah’ – with which it is joined

Derived from G3445 morphoō – form

Derived from G3313 – portion

This lesson was of such importance to our Father that YAHUSHA himself demonstrated this miraculous transformation on the Mount of Transfiguration. The transfiguration of YAHUSHA from being encased in skin to being encased in a glorious Bright Light took place right before the disciples’ eyes. They saw a total new being, a Total New Creation – YAHUAH’s Portion.

For the YAHUAH’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.

Deuteronomy 32:9

Transformation will come in stages.

So what are the stages for a believer to be transformed and when will the ultimate transfiguration take place? We may find some clues if we examine the metamorphosis of the most beautiful butterfly of His creation, the Monarch. Let’s look at the Monarch’s life cycle.

The Monarch’s life cycle begins with the larvae stage wherein an egg, from which the caterpillar emerges, is laid on a milkweed leaf. The Monarch eats nothing but milkweed.

The technical term for milkweed is asclepius. (Greek god of medicine and healing. Surely stolen from Numbers 21:9) So the caterpillar emerges and its job is to eat, eat, eat, literally munching its way through the milkweed. The caterpillar grows at an enormous rate. Should we eat and grow at the rate of a caterpillar, we would be the size of a city bus within thirty days of birth. Oh the growth that occurs spiritually as we feast and digest in His Word.

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby.

1 Peter 2:2

Application: As believers we are to desire the sincere milk of the Word. We too, as babes, begin to eat; literally munching our way through His Word.

There is a hormone present in the caterpillar at this stage referred to as the ‘juvenile’ hormone. As long as the juvenile hormone is present it prevents the caterpillar from achieving metamorphosis. This stage we might better relate to as ‘puberty’.

As the caterpillar eats its way through the milkweed it goes through several molting stages, starting with a process called ‘apolysis’.

Apolysis is defined as: loosening, dismissal, from apolyein to loose from, release, dismiss.

When I was a babe, as a babe I was speaking, as a babe I was thinking, as a babe I was reasoning, and when I have become a man, I have made useless the things of the babe;

1 Corinthians 13:11

Application: Oh the joys of puberty! Full of energy, busting at the seams to “go and do” but are pressed against restrictive rules and limitations of living a disciplined life to avoid pitfalls.

Once the releasing, dismissing, freeing, and destroying of the outer skin occurs, the shedding of the old skin begins and is called ‘ecdysis’, which is defined as the process of shedding the old skin, to put off, to sink out of (especially clothing).

Ecdysis: The process of shedding the old skin (in reptiles) or casting off the outer cuticle (in insects and other arthropods). Origin mid 19th century: from Greek ekdusis, from ekduein ‘put off,’ from ek- ‘out, off’ + duein ‘put.’.

G554 ap-ek-doo’-om-ahee; middle voice from G575 and G1562; to divest wholly oneself, or (for oneself) despoil:—put off, spoil

G1562 ek-doo’-o; from G1537 and the base of G1416; to cause to sink out of,

i.e. (specially as of clothing) to divest:—strip, take off from, unclothe Ecdysis is used twice in Scripture,

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off (G554) the old man [Anthropos] (G444) with his deeds.

Colossians 3:9 – (Adam and Eve learned the evils behind a lie.)

And having spoiled (G554) principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Colossians 2:15

We are learning to shed or “put off” the old man and cast off the outer cuticle of being a hard-hearted, stiff-necked adolescent. We are moving into adolescence and learning that obedience rather than rebellion can reap rewards.

What exactly are we to ‘put off’? Ephesians 4:17-32 reveals this very thing.

This I say therefore, and testify in YAHUAH, that ye henceforth walk not as the other nations walk, in the vanity of their mind, 

Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of YAHUAH through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 

Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 

But ye have not so learned MASHIACH; 

If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the Truth is in YAHUSHA: 

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

And be renewed in the ruach of your mind; 

And that ye put on the new man, which after YAH is created in righteousness and true holiness. 

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 

Neither give place to the devil. 

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that has need.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 

And grieve not the RUACH HA’QODESH of YAHUAH, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as YAHUAH for MASHIACH’S sake has forgiven you. 

EPH’SIYM (EPHESIANS) 4:17-32

Believers at this stage may also have to go through the molting process five times before moving onto maturity in their walk with YAHUAH and others.

You are not always able to see where one is in the molting process with the naked eye. Some caterpillars are very ornate with very elaborate coloration. One might look upon it and think surely with such beauty it must be near the end stages if not completely through it. Not necessarily so. Then there are some that are very plain or have nothing notable about its appearance – some are even downright ugly to look at and it would be easy to assume it must be in it’s beginnings. Again, not necessarily so. We must be careful to do as Scripture tells, “do not judge by appearance.”

To disrupt the caterpillar during this shedding process can cause serious damage and/or death. Similarly, this process in the life of the believer cannot be skipped or averted. It is an absolute necessary stage for without it, metamorphosis will not occur. If we don’t endure this process then we will be stuck in this caterpillar phase, lost in a perpetual state of immaturity.

Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James 1:4

The etymology for caterpillar is “ravager.” During this phase it just takes and takes. That’s all it does. It munches its way through everything. Gardeners want to kill it.

And yet, we don’t want to be in Abba’s garden just munching and growing fat. That would have not benefit us. This process can quickly turn into a negative experience if you remain stuck in this phase.

Think about this: the word caterpillar is sometimes translated as “locusts”, with a group of caterpillars referred to as an “army.” These creatures are sent out in judgment. They never take on a positive connotation in Scripture. ‘Caterpillar’ is mentioned six times in Scripture. (see end of article)

The caterpillar is now ready to go into the next stage as it embarks on the 5th molting. The caterpillar now attaches to a branch (we attached to The Branch) and the juvenile hormone becomes inactive. (Remember Meta – to whom it is attached)

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 

I am the Vine, ye are the Netseriym: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 

YAHUCHANON (JOHN) 15:4-5

This is referred to as the pupa stage. It starts putting off that last layer, wrapping, of flesh and in the process begins to struggle greatly. The struggle is about shedding that last layer of the old caterpillar, the flesh, revealing the chrysalis (which carries the meaning of “gold”).

In Psalm 19 YAHUAH’s word is said to be:\

More desirable than gold, than much fine gold.

I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment [light G3022], that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear [remember nakedness in the garden]; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.

Revelation 3:18

Pupa is Latin for “girl, doll.” The Hebrew word for pupa is Golem. According to Jewish folklore golem is a clay creature that has been brought to life. The meaning of golem is something incomplete or unfinished, like an embryo. It is an anthropomorphic being that is brought to life and is made (specifically of clay or mud).

H1564 גֹּלֶם gôlem, a wrapped (and unformed mass, i.e. as the embryo): substance yet being unperfect.

This word H1564 is used one time in scripture:

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect;

H1564 and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

Psalm 139:16

[Please Note: A moth does not go into a chrysalis but builds a cocoon, and they are active at night while butterflies are active during the day. 1 Thes. 5:5 You are all Children of The Light and Children of The Day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

Application: As the believer enters the young adulthood phase of knowing Him, we start listening twice as much as speaking. We develop Set-Apart time with YAHUAH and emerge our face aglow from being in His presence. The relationship is growing stronger and stronger as it moves from prayers about ‘me’ to prayers according to His will and living a transformed Set-Apart life. We are being shaped and molded into children of the Light.

This causes a previously dormant hormone referred to as the “timed death hormone” to activate, starting a process called apoptosis.

Apoptosis occurs as a normal part of the caterpillar’s development. It allows the caterpillar to produce a chemical that literally causes it to digest most of itself.

The creature dies and most of its DNA breaks down into a gooey mass. Didn’t Paul instruct us to execute (crucify) our flesh daily?

While there has been a change (transference) of the sacrificial system, there still is to be a beast placed on that altar every day (the beast within us, the nephesh/flesh). It is the nature of that beast that Adam and Eve listened to when they ate from the tree of good and evil. So this beast needs to be executed (crucified). It has to die. And this is exactly what is happening inside the chrysalis.

Once death occurs, the DNA begins to rebuild itself using imaginal discs that are present. Imaginal discs, from the Latin word imago means image. YAHUAH is restoring us back into His image through our very DNA. Oh the glorious wonders of our creator!

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die;

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2a

The butterfly stays in the chrysalis 10-14 days. By the end of that stage the chrysalis becomes transparent. There are no more hidden agendas. There is no hiding or guile in them. [Remember Genesis (naked) and Rev. 3:18 (and the shame of thy nakedness not appear]

Transformation has taken place and the restoration of all things is well underway:

The man and his wife were both naked, but they were not ashamed.

Genesis 2:25

When they emerge from the chrysalis they are a fully transformed butterfly and wait for their newly formed wings to dry so they can fly on the wind (RUACH). They will never crawl on their bellies again like the old caterpillar, in its own strength.

But something else has changed. Now when they take from the nectar of various plants, they no longer destroy the plants in their wake. In fact, they are now prolific as they spread the pollen from one plant to the next while feeding. They’re spreading life instead of ravaging it.

The etymology for pollen is grain, or fine flour. There was a grain offering that we lifted up under that carnal system too, but we’re now in the spiritual system. We’re spreading life while going from person-to-person spreading the Word.

Because Messiah is the Word, He is the grain and we participate in spreading His life to others.

Application: Since the fall of man-kind in the Garden of Eden, we have always been aware of our nakedness before YAHUAH. But now, as we move into the last stage of our transfiguration, we will be restored to being clothed in Light and Brightness. Behold, all things have become new.

The Great Migration begins

In the Fall, Monarchs in the North gather and begin to move South. In North America there are two large population groups that follow separate migration paths. They gather in the winter in the Sierra Madres in central Mexico where they live in fir forests at high altitudes.

The fourth generation of the Monarch butterflies are the only ones that live long enough and complete the migration south. (The first three generations hardly survive beyond six weeks of emerging from the chrysalis.) The migration journey itself takes six weeks. Caution, rabbit trail ahead.

In Exodus 34 we are reminded that the sins of the fathers are visited on the children to the 3rd and 4th generations. If we don’t get rid of these generational issues we’re not going to be able to complete the migration, which is a type of the gathering of all believers. It is a picture of the completion of The Restoration of the Whole House of Yisrael (Israel).

The butterfly can’t take in enough nectar to produce the energy expended to make the migration journey. So they rely very heavily on the wind (or RUACH) to carry (soar) them toward their destination.

Along the way they will have to watch for nets (spider webs – those traps set by predators). They also have to be mindful of storms that could damage their wings thus disrupting, or worse, ending their migration.

The moving of the population is a picture of exile. Scientists have moved groups of Monarchs out of their natural place of habitation and after 2 days the migrating monarch realize that they’re headed in the wrong direction, they will use their YAH-given GPS system and auto-correct the migration pattern to get where they need to be.

His Bride, A beautiful Kaleidoscope

By the time the monarchs reach their destination, they all gather together in a group upon the trees in the forests of the Sierra Madres. The term given to describe this group or cluster of butterflies is ‘kaleidoscope’.

Kaleidoscope is comprised of three words:

Kalos + eidos + skopos

G2570 kalós, kal, BEAUTIFUL, good, valuable or VIRTUOUS

From Hebrew: H2896 Towb – good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well(-favoured).

G1491 eîdos appearance, fashion, shape, sight.

Derived from G1492 eídō, I’-do; to KNOW:

From Hebrew: H7200 ra’ah – to behold, Saw

G4649 skopós, (by implication) a goal:—mark – Phil. 3:14, with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of ELOHIYM in YAHUSHA HAMASHIACH.

The first place you see kalas eidos used in scripture (8x to be exact) is Genesis:

And ELOHIYM saw The Light, that it was good:

Genesis 1:4

The Apostle Paul instructs us to hit the mark or shoot for the goal. Messiah is the mark, or the goal of Torah. We are to put on Messiah because He is the goal or destination of what we should look like when we finally “arrive.” We are to be clothed in Him; clothed in light. The scene at the Transfiguration gives us a glimpse of this and what we will become.

O you afflicted one, Tossed with tempest, and not comforted, Behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems, And lay your foundations with sapphires. I will make your pinnacles of rubies, Your gates of crystal, And all your walls of precious stones.

Isaiah 54:11-12

Let us rejoice and celebrate and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.

Revelation 19:7

That sounds like a kaleidoscope to me.

Oh, and if I didn’t mention it yet. Monarch means a sovereign head of state, especially a king, queen, or emperor; sovereign, ruler, the crown, crowned head, prince, potentate. [Websters 1828]: Potentate: Exalting him not only above earthly princes and potentates, but above the highest of the celestial hierarchy. Selah

He transforms us into His image, He gathers His Bride to Himself – He sees the light and it is good! The two shall become one!

This is history repeating itself. The fall in the garden was the preview of what was going to happen to his bride at Mt. Sinai. But YAHUAH chooses to reclaim us as His bride in Covenant; the way it was supposed to be before the breach in the desert.

The root of eidos is pronounced “I do.” …. All the words which YAHUAH has said we [I] will do.

Exodus 24:3b

So He is seeing His bride who has made herself read, restored to His image and just like Adam, “bone of my bone” and “flesh of my flesh” that “bone” is the very substance where the DNA is formed. He restores our DNA so it is no longer that blood but the light and the flesh is the Word. He is the living Word, the Bread of Heaven.

What a beautiful picture He has presented for us. Selah.

Migration Application: Believers, His people Yashar’el (Israel) coalesce on YAHUAH’s seven moedim. The Fall moedim are wrapped with additional excitement as we look for our King, our Kohen HaGadol of the Melchizedek order to return for His bride and Tabernacle among us. The term given to the community of believers that have migrated and gathered is a Kingdom of Priests of the Melchizedek order, a kaleidoscope of every tribe, tongue, nation and people.

Additional reference terms and notes from the author:

Naked: H5903 עֵירֹם ʻêyrôm, nudity:

Derived from H6191 ʻâram, …to be cunning (usually in a bad sense):

—× very, beware, take crafty (counsel), be prudent, deal subtly.

Monarch: Monarch: mon·arch noun: monarch; plural noun: monarchs a sovereign head of state, especially a king, queen, or emperor. Sovereign, ruler, the crown, crowned head, prince, potentate [Websters1828: Potentate: Exalting him not only above earthly princes and potentates, but above the highest of the celestial hierarchy.]

Origin; late Middle English: from late Latin monarcha, from Greek monarkhēs,

from monos ‘alone’ + arkhein ‘to rule.’

Hear O’ Yisrael, YAHUAH is Echad – Deuteronomy 6:4

Larvae: mid 17th century (denoting a disembodied spirit or ghost): from Latin, literally ‘ghost, mask.

Caterpillar: H2625 חָסִיל châçîyl, khaw-seel’; from H2628; THE RAVAGER, i.e. a locust:—caterpillar.

H2628: חָסַל châçal, khaw-sal’; a primitive root; to eat off:—consume. A group of caterpillars is called “an army”

Many Scriptures come to mind where the word for caterpillar is used, in many instances translated as ‘locust’.

1 Kings8:37, and 2 Chron 6:28 ‘Famine — when it is in the land; pestilence — when it is; blasting, mildew, locust; caterpillar — when it is; when its enemy hath distressed it in the land in its gates, any plague, any sickness, … YLT

Psalm 78:46, “And giveth to the caterpillar their increase, And their labour to the locust. YLT

Isaiah 33:4, “And gathered hath been your spoil, A gathering of the caterpillar, As a running to and fro of locusts is he running on it.? YLT

Joel 1:4, “That is left of the palmer-worm, eaten hath the locust, And what is left of the locust, Eaten hath the cankerworm, And what is left of the cankerworm, Eaten hath the caterpillar.” YLT

Joel 2:25, “And I have recompensed to you the years That consume did the locust, the cankerworm, And the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, My great force that I did send against you. YLT

Apolysis: Apo·ly·sis äˈpȯlēˌsēs noun; Etymology: Late Greek, from Greek, loosening, dismissal, from apolyein to loose from, release, dismiss (from apo- + lyein to loosen, free, destroy) + -sis — more at lose.

Ecdysis: The process of shedding the old skin (in reptiles) or casting off the outer cuticle (in insects and other arthropods). Origin mid 19th century: from Greek ekdusis, from ekduein ‘put off,’ from ek- ‘out, off’ + duein ‘put.’.

G554 ἀπεκδύομαι apekdýomai, ap-ek-doo’-om-ahee; middle voice from G575 and G1562; to divest wholly oneself, or (for oneself) despoil:—put off, spoil.

G1562 ἐκδύω ekdýō, ek-doo’-o; from G1537 and the base of G1416; to cause to sink out of, i.e. (specially as of clothing) to divest:—strip, take off from, unclothe

Chrysalis: chrys·a·lis ˈkrisələs noun: chrysalis; plural noun: chrysalises; noun: chrysalid; plural noun: chrysalids

a quiescent insect pupa, especially of a butterfly or moth. (note a moth does not go into a chrysalis but a cocoon AND they are lunar while butterflies are active during the day.- 1 Thessalonians 5:5, “You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness”)

the hard outer case of this, especially after being discarded. (chaff?)

a preparatory or transitional state.

“she emerged from the chrysalis of self-conscious adolescence” (juvenile)

Origin: early 17th century: from Latin chrysal(l)is, chrysal(l)id-, from Greek khrusallis, from khrusos ‘gold’ (because of the gold color or metallic sheen of the pupae of some species).

G5485 (5484) Charis χάρις cháris, khar’-ece; from G5463; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude):—acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace(- ious), joy, liberality, pleasure, thank(-s, -worthy).

G5463 χαίρω chaírō, khah’-ee-ro; a primary verb; to be “cheer”ful, i.e. calmly happy or well-off; impersonally, especially as salutation (on meeting or parting), be well:—farewell, be glad, Elohim speed, greeting, hall, joy(- fully), rejoice.

Back to the Hebrew: H2580 חֵן chên khane; from H2603; graciousness, i.e. subjective (kindness, favor) or objective (beauty):—favour, grace(-ious), pleasant, precious, (well-) favoured.

H2603 חָנַן chânan, khaw-nan’; a primitive root (compare H2583); properly, to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow; causatively to implore (i.e. move to favor by petition):—beseech, × fair, (be, find, shew) favour(-able), be (deal, give, grant (gracious(-ly), intreat, (be) merciful, have (shew) mercy (on, upon), have pity upon, pray, make supplication, × very.

Apoptosis: ap·op·to·sis – The caspases tear through the cell’s proteins, releasing prime butterfly making material-maˌapəpˈtōsəs/ noun Physiology noun: apoptosis

This ‘timed the death of cells that occurs as a normal and controlled part of an organism’s growth or development.

Pollen: Pollen: 1760 as a botanical term for the fertilizing element of flowers (from Linnæus, 1751), earlier “fine flour” (1520s), from Latin pollen “mill dust; FINE FLOUR,” related to polenta “peeled barley,” and pulvis (genitive pulveris) “dust,” from PIE root *pel- (1) “dust; flour” (source also of Greek poltos “pap, porridge,” . (a grain offering perhaps?)

Source:

https://www.torahtothetribes.com/…/transformed…/…