Bestiary: The Symbolism of The Fly

The Fly.

The annoying, buzzing, constantly defecating, highly unhygienic bug that everyone loves to hate. What does it mean?

In my estimation, it’s hated for good reason. Don’t be confused. Though it has the ability of flight, which one would think is heavenly symbolism, it actually seems to be symbolic of darkness. Let’s dive in.

Rather than spending its time ascending into the heavens, it spends its time feasting upon the filth of the earth. Its favorite snacks are your trash, decaying matter, and your dogs. . . Well. You know. Ew.

Their reproducing habits are also revealing as well. Like the Orcs of Middle Earth, they survive not above ground, but below in the darkness. Flies reproduce not in the heavens like other animals with flight, but rather in your trash, in decaying matter, and in damp and dark places. In other words, their hordes are forged in Hades. Thus, it’s true that they are not born from above, but rather from below.

Ecclesiastes 10:1 attaches this symbolism to the fly as well. The preacher associates them with things such as death, stench, and folly, writing:

“As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.” — Ecclesiastes 10:1 ESV

Like the residents of the underworld, flies are also aggravating. Satan is called Beelzebub or the Lord of the Flies for good reason. He’s aggravating. And, he commands the rest of the flies which also aggravate believers. However, this fly will one day be swatted under the mighty hand of Christ. And, the Lord of the Flies will spend the rest of his days where all flies belong — In the Lake of Fire.

Flies also possess eyes that can see forward and backward, which would seem to also symbolically point to their demonic counterparts of the unseen realm who are capable of seeing much more than we residents of the seen realm.

Yes. If you weren’t creeped out by flies before, you will be now. They truly are residents of the underworld. Happy (incoming) Halloween.