Did God use hornets in the Bible?

By now, you've heard about those Asian giant hornets spotted recently, for the first time, in the USA. You probably know this particular species of hornets can be deadly to humans, and they wreak havoc on nature's premier pollinator - honeybees. But did you know that hornets are mentioned in the Bible?

The Hebrew word for hornet basically means "stinging." In the land of the Bible today, there are four species of hornets, which are known to attack humans in an aggressive manner. You'll find the mention of hornets in three separate passages of the Bible. Let's consider them in chronological order.

The first instance is in the book of Exodus, chapter 23. At this point in the biblical narrative, the children of Israel are encamped before Mount Sinai after being liberated only three months earlier from 400 years of cruel bondage in Egypt (Exodus 19:1). Their leader Moses is instructing them regarding the ways of the LORD, and he's preparing them for their conquest of the promised land.

It's in this section we find the famous "Ten Commandments." However, the instructions and commandments from Yahweh include a lot more than those big ten from chapter 20. For example, in chapter 21, God makes a distinction between murder and unintentional homicide, and what happens when a pregnant woman is injured if two men get in a fight. In chapter 22 we find, "Whoever has sex with an animal shall surely be put to death. He who sacrifices to any god, except to Yahweh only, shall be utterly destroyed. You shall not wrong an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt."

In chapter 23 we find, "You shall not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits. Keep far from a false charge, and don't kill the innocent and righteous; for I will not justify the wicked. You shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds those who have sight and perverts the words of the righteous." And when we come to verse 20 in this chapter, there's a change in tone.

From verse 20 to the end of the chapter, God begins to speak about Israel's conquest of the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Specifically, He speaks of His direct role in leading them into that land. It's in this section that we have the first mention of hornets in the Bible. The context is important, because a text taken out of context is a pretext. In order words, if you read a verse of Scripture without considering the surrounding verses, the text can be easily misinterpreted. So let's examine the passage in the World English Bible, Exodus 23:20-30:

"Behold, I send an angel before you, to keep you by the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Pay attention to him, and listen to his voice. Don't provoke him, for he will not pardon your disobedience, for my name is in him. But if you indeed listen to his voice, and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and an adversary to your adversaries. For my angel shall go before you, and bring you in to the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Canaanite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; and I will cut them off. You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor follow their practices, but you shall utterly overthrown them and demolish their pillars. You shall serve Yahweh your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you. No one will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will fulfill the number of your days. I will send my terror [fear] before you, and will confuse all the people to whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. I will send the hornet before you, which will drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before you. I will not drive them out before you in one year, lest the land become desolate, and the animals of the field multiply against you. Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and inherit the land."

So, is God referring to literal hornets here, or is He using figurative language, such as we see at the beginning of this section when He said, "I bore you on eagles' wings" (Ex. 19:4)? Notice in verse 20 He states first, "I send an angel before you." Then verse 23, "For my angel shall go before you." This is followed by verse 27, "I will send my terror [fear] before you." And finally, in verse 28, "I will send the hornet before you."

The fact that God uses three different terms to convoy that He is the true force who is actually driving out the inhabitants of the land He promised to Israel leads me to think "the hornet" is a figurative expression of the terror-producing power of God.

Lest I be accused of not believing in the infallible, inspired Word of God, (which I absolutely do!), let me add that I believe God CAN use hornets to do His bidding, just like He used a snake, and frogs, and lice and flies, and locusts when He delivered His people from Egypt. And I believe before it's all said and done, God will use creatures far more fierce than hornets to deal with mankind, see Revelations 9:3-10. "Is any thing too hard for the LORD?" (Genesis 18:14). Of course not! God could have used actual hornets to clear out Canaan land for His people, but I don't think that's the meaning in Exodus 23.

The next reference in the Bible to hornets in found in Deuteronomy 7. The context is basically the same as we saw in Exodus. God is discussing Israel's conquest of the promised land, and He states in verses 17-21: "If you shall say in your heart, 'These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?' You shall not be afraid of them. You shall remember well what Yahweh your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt: the great trials which your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, by which Yahweh your God brought you out. So shall Yahweh your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid. Moreover Yahweh your God will send the hornet among them, until those who are left, and hide themselves, perish from before you. You shall not be scared of them; for Yahweh your God is among you, a great and awesome God."

Here again, the emphasis of the passage is on the greatness of God and how it is He who is guiding and protecting and fighting for Israel. So again, I feel the term "the hornet" is probably used as a figurative expression of God's fearsome sting on the people of Canaan, and not literal hornets.

The third and final use of the term "hornet" in the Bible is found in Joshua 24, the last chapter of the book. God is sort of summarizing for Israel how He led them into the land of promise. So the first two references to hornets speak about what God is about to do for Israel. This last reference is speaking about what God has done for them: "You went over the Jordan, and came to Jericho. The men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, and Girgashite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; and I delivered them into your hand. I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; not with your sword, nor with your bow." ~ Joshua 24:11-12

The children of Israel didn't have to fight against the kings of the Amorites, because God's angel, God's terror, God's hornet cleared the land for them! I say again, God could have used actual hornets to chase away the enemies of his people. I have no doubt about that! But after examining these three passages, especially the first mention of hornets in Exodus 23, I'm inclined to believe the term "the hornet" in the Bible is more a figure of speech than literal wasps, but I could be wrong. I don't think it's a matter of heaven or hell. However, it is one of the many questions I intend to ask our Lord when we meet face to face.

Speaking of hornets, have you ever been stung by a bee or a yellow jacket? I have. It's a very painful experience. It's a pain that focuses your attention. In my new book, The Spiritual Awakening of America, I make the assertion that God uses pain to get our attention. If we respond properly, our current painful situation can be used by God to prepare us for revival.

Grace, Peace and Jahspeed!

Click on the book to order!