Hexagons, Bees, and God's Creative Word

 

There is nothing insignificant in God's universe. Everything that He has made has a meaning and a purpose. There is not a curl in a cloud, or a curve in a leaf, or a tint on a blossom, but has a reason for it, and speaks of its origin.
— H. Macmillan
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

The Connection Between Bees and God's Word

This article will show how the Hebrew words for "bee" and "word" are related because they are spelled with the same letters. Both of these will illustrate the purposeful application and animation of God's creative Word from a bee's life perspective.

A Honey Bee
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

Honey Bees

Honeybees offer us a unique visual of God's Word and how it functions. The Hebrew word for "bee", "devorah" הרובד, is rooted in the Hebrew word for "word", "davar" רָבָד. Davar is defined as a word that expresses its accompanying creative accomplishments. Isaiah 55, our foundation portion of Scripture, speaks to how God accomplishes things through His Word.

So shall My word (davar) be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please.

— Isaiah 55:11

In Hebrew, when two words are spelled the same in their root forms, one of the terms will provide the spiritual example and relevance to the other, based on things we observe or understand in the physical realm. Brad Scott of Wildbranch Ministries has named this observation Agri-Bio Linguistics. Jesus used this same method and principle in many of His parables and teachings.

. . . the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.
— Romans 1:20

The bee will give us an application for our physical and spiritual lives and will support the creative aspect of God's word, as we shall see, exhibited in a hexagonal form later in this lesson.

The Invitation to Dance

Bees are well-known for their sophisticated communication methods, work, and accomplishments. God's Word is noted for these very same features. It is further revealed in Isaiah 55 that God invites us to experience the life-giving effects of His word.

Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live.

— Isaiah 55:3

Bees use the sun as their reference point for both navigation and communication. Each of these is an essential element in sustaining a spiritually productive life.

. . . looking unto Jesus (the Son), the author and finisher of our faith.
— Hebrews 12:2

The scout bee, whose primary purpose is to search for a sustainable food source for the colony, returns to the hive and does an invitational dance for the other bees. This dance includes specific distance and directional information to navigate them to the necessary food sources. Interestingly, our foundation scripture, Isaiah 55, begins with an invitation known as the "Gospel in Isaiah."

Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters; And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine (Joy-spirit) and milk (nourishment-word)
Without money and without price.
— Isaiah 55:1

Much like the bee dance that invites others to the food source vital to the hive's sustenance, there is no other reliable reference point for sustainable spiritual life than looking unto Jesus the very Word Himself, also known as the "Light of the World" (John 8:12). There is no other, more worthy, and invitational message to proclaim to others. Jesus Himself declared the following. 

“I am the way, the truth, and the life . . . "
— John 14:6

In this case, the bee shows us that the primary purpose of the Word is to communicate the Gospel message of salvation through the Light of the World, Jesus Christ. This revelation is displayed in countless ways throughout the Scriptures and evidenced in all of His creative works. His Word, way, and truth are our only necessary guide that lights the way to eternal life.

Bees communicate with each other on the dance floor.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

The Dance Floor

This invitational dance is performed on what is called the dance floor near the entrance to the hive. An interesting note is that "davar," meaning "word," and "devorah," meaning 'bee,' both begin with the Hebrew letter "dalet," which is imaged by a door indicating an entrance, way, or path.

I (Jesus the Word of God Jn 1:14) am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture (nourishment and sustenance).
— John 10:9

The dance is most generally performed on a vertical plane, which requires a higher-level language to communicate.

My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
— Isaiah 55:8-9

 You came from heaven to earth.
To show the way.
From the earth to the cross
My debt to pay
From the cross to the grave
From the grave to the sky,
Lord, I lift Your name on high
Image by Dominicus Johannes obtained from Wikimedia Commons

The Vertical and Horizontal Cross

The method by which a bee communicates its message relative to the sun is by transposing the solar angle (vertical spiritual) into a gravitational angle (horizontal-physical realm) in its dance. This explanation illustrates what the Word of God has done for us at the Cross.

That vertical higher-level message of God's faithful love and forgiveness toward sinful man was translated horizontally via the Cross. The dance had to be done vertically in accordance with the hive structure (God's Kingdom ways).

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

— Luke 6:10

He couldn't merely excuse sin. A heavenly (vertical) transaction requiring a human (horizontal) sacrifice was what was necessary.

. . . having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

— Colossians 1:20

The Cross was where the vertical heavenly message of salvation was transposed and communicated into a horizontal gravitational angle relative to our needs and understanding.

. . . the copy and shadow of the heavenly things . . .

— Hebrews 8:5, 9:23

The bee also conveys this sacrificial message, as a worker bee sacrifices its life for the hive. It lives for only about a month, and its entire life and work are spent on the colony's salvation and preservation.

For as the rain comes down, and the snow (Word) from heaven (vertical), 

And do not return there,

But water the earth (horizontal),

And make it bring forth and bud,

That it may give seed to the sower

And bread to the eater

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth.

— Isaiah 55:10-11

God's Word, Jesus, who came down from heaven and visited the hearts of humankind, has the power to make seemingly dead lives bring forth and bud. In doing this, He also gives us seed to sow into others' hearts that they may live. His Word is prolific.

This lighthouse photo was taken by Jose Ramirez Ruiz. Lighthouses can be symbols of God's light shining in a dark world, beckoning its inhabitants to come into His safe haven.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

Word, Light, and Order

The dance is most often performed inside the darkness of the hive.

. . . darkness was over the face of the deep.

And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters

And God said, “Let there be light.

— Genesis 1:2-3

God spoke light into the darkness. Calling forth light began the process of bringing order out of chaos and gave structure and productivity to a seemingly useless and empty void of space. This process is depicted in what bees do in building a highly organized and functional structure and colony, seemingly out of nothing, that supports the life and sustenance of its kingdom. The wisdom they obtain in the light and communicate in the dark illustrates the first spoken Word we read in Genesis chapter one.

An intriguing letter pictograph feature in agreement with the concept of His Word, as it concerns building, is that the second letter of the Hebrew word for "bee" and "word" is the letter "bet." "Bet" is pictured by the floor plan of a tent or home. It represents home and family, which was what Jesus, the Son of God, the Word of God, came to do—build a family.

This second letter of the Hebrew aleph-bet is also the first letter of the Hebrew words "son" and "build." In ancient Hebrew life, the son was expected to be the family builder. Jesus was a carpenter by trade.

Is this not the carpenter . . . 

— Mark 6:3

Jesus, the Son of God, the builder of the house, has made us a part of God's family. 

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.

— Ephesians 3:14

Jesus also tells us that this also applies to eternity as he goes to prepare (build) a place for us.

“Do not let your heart be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father’s house, there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?

— John 14:1-2

Ancient Jewish weddings help us visualize this with the custom of the newly engaged husband building a place for his bride at his father's house. 

Jesus, the living Word, the "light of the world," brings order out of our chaos when we are receptive to His invitation and faithfully follow Him.

“I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

— John 8:12

Christ's command coincides with the responsibility of a scout bee.

“Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light.

— Matthew 10:27

Clinging to and following the food/Word source closely is extremely important in the dark. Bees do this when seeking directions from scout bees.

. . . cling to him, and serve him with all your heart and being.

— Joshua 22:5

The Woman at the Well
Carl Bloch, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

"When you have found food for your soul, lead others to the Source." 

— Daily Bread Devotional

The Woman at the Well's Waggle Dance From "Daily Bread"

The following is an excerpt from the Daily Bread Devotional. 

The Waggle Dance: How do bees lead one another to nectar? Scientists say it’s all about the “waggle” dance. The theory was regarded with skepticism when it was first proposed by Nobel Prize-winning zoologist Karl von Frisch in the 1960s. But now, researchers in the United Kingdom have used tiny radar responders attached to worker bees to support von Frisch’s theory. They’ve confirmed that the bee orients its body toward the food source and uses the intensity of its waggle dance to signal the distance to other bees.

The woman who met Jesus at Jacob’s well also found a way to lead the rest of her community to what she had found—living water (John 4:10). They were drawn to discover why this woman with five ex-husbands and a current live-in was saying, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did” (v.29).

As the crowd was on its way, the One who on other occasions had called Himself “the bread of life” (6:48) was telling His disciples that His food was found in doing the will of God (4:32,34).

Jesus is living water and food for our souls. Joining Him to do the will of God and finish the work He has given us to do is the ultimate source of nourishment.

— Mart DeHaan

Keep your witness bright and clear,
So the world may see and hear God’s salvation far and near,
That others too may know Him.
— Hess

Scent Communication

One more form of communication that bees use that is consistent with our lesson on the Word of God as imaged by the bee is that of scent. Along with the dance, bees also pay attention to the smell gathered by scout bees, which helps them find the food source.

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one, we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other, the aroma of life leading to life.
— II Corinthians 2:14-15

A Bee Eating Honey With Its Tongue
KeyJe, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Revelation—Prescription for Physical and Spiritual Health 

A fascinating by-product of honey bees is, of course, honey. It is symbolic in Scripture of the very similar characteristics of the by-product of digesting God's Word in terms of revelation, understanding, and application. It is brought forth in abundance for all to share. 

How sweet are Your words to my taste,

Sweeter than honey to my mouth!

— Psalm 119:103

Ezekiel was instructed to give us a visual of this.

. . . fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you.” So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness.

— Ezekiel 3:3

The production of the honey speaks to us of meditation on and in His Word and truths. Honey results from bees pre-digesting complex sugars gathered from the nectar of flowers and breaking them down into a more easily digestible product. They then regurgitate it for use and storage.

Our English word "ruminate" has an "Agri-Bio Linguistic" feature. It can mean pondering, reflecting, and meditating, or it can refer to how grazing animals masticate their cud thoroughly by chewing, regurgitating, and chewing some more. The grazing animal helps us understand how to meditate on the Word of God.

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

— Joshua 1:8

The final letter "resh" of our three-letter Hebrew root word (davar) for "bee" and "word" offers us yet another agreement that aligns with the theme of revelation. "Resh" is a picture of a man's head and represents the mind, which can also be associated with wisdom. God's creative Word is the wisdom that brought forth all things. 

He has made the earth by His power; He has established the world by His wisdom, and stretched out the heavens by His understanding.

— Jeremiah 51:15

Paul prays for believers and receivers in Ephesians in connection with both wisdom and revelation.

. . . that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him

— Ephesians 1:17

The purpose and the most beneficial by-product of His wisdom and revelation is to know Him. May we keep this purpose in mind as we study the Scriptures—May we not study to acquire knowledge but to know Him.

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.

— John 5:39

Honey has several health benefits. One is that it provides strength and boosts energy. Jonathan ate honey when he became weary in battle, as recorded in Samuel 14, giving us an example of what a revelation can do for us should we grow weary in life's struggles, as we all sometimes do.

The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

— John 6:63

Honey has healing properties; it is a natural anti-microbial.

He sent His word and healed them.

— Psalm 107:20

If appropriately stored, honey will not spoil. Pots of honey thousands of years old have been discovered in Egyptian tombs. Honey, like His truth, is eternal.

Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.

— Psalm 107:89

Along this same vein, as has already been discussed, since honey has been pre-digested, we can count on it being pure, tried, and authentic.

The words of the Lord are pure words,

Like silver tried in a furnace of earth,

Purified seven times.

— Psalm 12:6

Honey is recommended as a sleep aid.

Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise.

— I Kings 8:56

In light of all these things, the Psalmist offers the following advice concerning God's Word, expressed in six different forms with six (hexagonal number) benefits, and compares these benefits to honey.

1. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
2. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
3. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
4. The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
5. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
6. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

 

More to be desired are they than gold.

Yea, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Moreover by them Your servant is warned,

And in keeping them there is great reward.

— Psalm 19:7-11

Hexagonal Honeycomb

The honey bee's final intriguing aspect is its unique hive structure, which supports its life and colony. The hive follows a consistent six-sided honeycomb pattern congruent with the geometric patterns in the mathematical formulas discovered in God's creative Word.

The hexagonal (six-sided) pattern just so happens to be the most efficient use of space for their work, living, and storage, and it uses the least amount of wax possible. It is also a means to give the structure strength.

Strengthen me according to Your word.

— Psalm 119:28

 God's 

1. law
2. testimony
3. statutes
4. commandments
5. judgments
6. Fear of the Lord

represents the six-sided facet of God's Word and is a strong, dependable life structure, as Jesus the Word Himself taught.

. . . whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.

— Matthew 7:24

Graphene By AlexanderAlUS
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

Graphene

This understanding of the Hexagonal structure is utilized in many modern products, from cardboard boxes to aircraft. Graphene is one of the newest products being developed from graphite. Graphite is one of the most abundant resources on the planet. At its molecular level, it forms a honeycomb lattice, giving the products created from it both strength and flexibility. Virtually unbreakable, pliable electronic screens are at the top of the list of products that will roll out as soon as they figure out how to mass-produce them.

Concluding Thoughts

In conclusion, should we be surprised that God has always known the most efficient and functional ways, and could we say, like Isaiah, the highest ways illustrated for us by the honey bee?

Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You . . . You are great in counsel and mighty in work.

— Jeremiah 32:17,19 

Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,

And for His wonderful works to the children of men!

— Psalm 107:8

The book of Proverbs offers us the following parting counsel.

My son, eat honey because it is good,

And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;

So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul;

If you have found it, there is a prospect,

And your hope will not be cut off.

— Proverbs 24:13-14

 To read part 1 of this series, click on the link below.

Hexagons, Snowflakes, and God's Creative Word Part 1

© 2014 Tamarajo