Worms

Any gardener will tell you that worms are a valuable asset in soil. We don't give worms much thought, but they work diligently eating and digesting the decaying organic matter in the dirt, their castings enriching the soil and benefitting plants. Worms by their activity, also aerate the soil, breaking up the hardened dirt, increasing its oxygen content. Both soil, and the thriving plants that grow in it, are helped by the presence of worms.
God has a use for spiritual worms as well. Like the natural worm, these spiritual worms consume decaying organic matter. They feed on the carnal, or fleshly activities of man. We will see the details of that later on. First, we can look at an interesting account in Jonah:
In the fourth chapter of Jonah, the prophet has become very angry and exceedingly displeased. The LORD had compelled him to go to the city of Nineveh to warn of God's impending judgment for their wickedness. It turned out that the king and citizens of Nineveh listened to and believed the prophet, and sincerely repented of their wickedness before God. Therefore, "God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it." (Jonah 3:10). Jonah was so angry that God did not carry out the judgment of which he had prophesied, that he even wished for death. He said it was better for him to die than to live. As Jonah sat on a hill to see what God would do with Nineveh, God caused a plant, or a gourd, to grow over Jonah to give him shade, and deliver him from his misery. Jonah was thankful for that miraculous plant. However, God prepared (appointed, ordained) a worm that so damaged the plant that it withered and died. As the plant died, and the sun and wind beat upon Jonah's head, Jonah again wished that he might die. God asked Jonah if it was right for Jonah to be angry about the plant, and Jonah answered, "It is right for me to be angry, even to death!" (Jonah 4:9). God declared to him that even as Jonah was able to pity the loss of a plant that he had not labored to grow, shouldn't God pity Nineveh with its many people, even for its lowly animals?
The word "worm" in Jonah's account has a Hebrew root ("towla/yala") meaning of "to speak rashly, talk wildly, to blurt or utter inconsiderately, devour". This particular "worm" appointed by God is connected to dangerously careless speech. Jonah's reckless words came from the anger in his heart towards God, because Jonah's prophetic warning to Nineveh did not come to pass. Jonah's spiritual pride was wounded, and it generated extreme anger and bitterness. This is all carnal thought, words and behavior. The Word says:
"The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, but the righteous will come through trouble."  Prov. 12:13
This worm, with its roots in reckless speech, is the same Hebrew word used for the worm that Isaiah speaks of when he prophesies, "And they shall go forth and look upon the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, and their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh."  (Isa. 66:24). Jesus also referred to the worms of this prophecy of Isaiah in Mark 9:44-48 when describing hell. Natural worms feed upon decaying organic matter. Spiritual worms feed upon decaying matter of fleshly words and attitudes.
There is another kind of worm appointed by God. An example is used in Isa. 14, as the prophet describes what will happen to the oppressive king of Babylon, but even more so, to his spiritual counterpart, Lucifer himself:
"Hell from beneath is excited about you, to meet you at your coming; it stirs up the dead for you...They all shall speak and say to you: "Have you also become as weak as we? Have you become like us?" Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, and the sound of your stringed instruments (sound made by empty skin-bag used to hold liquids); The worm* is spread under you, and worms** cover you. How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!"  Isa. 14:9-12
The second mention of "worms"**, in the above verses from Isaiah, that will be under this king in hell, refer to the same worms that were mentioned in Jonah-the worms ("towla/yala") connected to rash and dangerously careless speech. The first "worm"** mentioned above, that will cover this king in hell, is a different kind of worm in Hebrew ("rimmah/ramam"). This worm is bred from the putrification of self-exaltation, self-magnification. We can see why this second worm was appointed as this king/Lucifer declared in his heart, "I will ascend into heaven...I will exalt my throne above...I will sit on the mount...I will ascend above the heights...I will be like the Most High" (v. 13-14). We can see how God has appointed this worm to devour the rotting flesh of gross pride, and arrogant, destructive spiritual ambition. Hannah, in her warning to the so-called mighty, prayed:
"Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth. for the LORD is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed."  1 Sam. 2:3
The third different Hebrew word for "worm" is found in Isa. 51:7-8, as the LORD says to the righteous:
"...Do not fear the reproach of men, nor be afraid of their insults. For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool; But My righteousness will be forever, and My salvation from generation to generation."
The worm mentioned in these verses, is appointed by God to devour decaying temporary things that the world relies upon and puts faith in as a covering. This is a warning to those who hold the opinions of men higher than the thoughts of God. Doing so, they trust in coverings that will be consumed into dust, rather than the everlasting nature of the covering of the salvation of God. This worm, by its meaning in Hebrew ("cac/cuc"), swallows up what it has been appointed to devour in the same manner that a leaping horse joyfully swallows up great distances over the ground. The root meaning for this worm also represents a chariot horse, or an outer appearance of great military strength, upon which man falsely relies:
"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."  Ps. 118:8
These different worms that we have looked at have been appointed by God to devour the dead and decaying, the works of those who have chosen the carnal and the dying over the eternal things of God. Even God's people, like the prophet Jonah, can be impacted by the spiritual worms of God's garden. The worms in His garden reveal our flesh to us, the flesh upon which we have foolishly relied, correcting us and helping us to grow in the things of the Spirit instead. By the work of the worms, we can easily see the end result of flesh and carnality. We are meant to walk not after the ways of the decaying flesh, but by the life quickening Spirit of God, and the work of God's spiritual worms helps us in these things. As we do walk in the Spirit, we are the sons of God:
"He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace...For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God..."  Rom. 8:3-5, 13-14 (Gal. 6:8, Phil. 2:15, 3:3)

Our Father has prepared worms to benefit His beautiful garden of life and peace.