A LESSON FROM THE LIFE OF THE CICADA

The KUMA-ZEMI or red muscle cicada (pronounced si ka da) is now singing all over Japan. The hotter it gets the louder and more spirited they will sing. These are some interesting creatures from whose skin-shedding life the Ninja technique utsusemi (cicada decoy) was created. I thought I saw one until I tried to get a picture of it and quickly realized that it was the skin of a larva that had already moulted. I was a victim of the utsusemi technique! See my picture below.

Cicada spend most of their lives (some 13 years and some 17 years) at about 1 foot underground feeding off xylem, a fluid found in the roots of plants. The larvae emerge in summer and climb the trees or plants. Some feed on tree or plant sap, shed their skins and the males do their mating calls. Once they mate, the females lay hundreds of eggs in the bark of the trees. The adults die within several weeks. The eggs eventually hatch and fall to the ground where the cycle starts all over again.

Oh, and yes, in China people do eat them deep fried, especially the females which are meatier than the males.

As usual I was looking for a message in the life of the cicada. While the cicada spends all its life under the earth and emerges to live above ground for only a few weeks, humans live all their lives above ground only for their bodies to be placed in it when they die. I know this sounds morbid.

The Apostle Paul was talking to the Corinthians about the resurrection of the dead born again believers. He used Christ as the example.

"But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept." (1 Corinthians 15:20)

The Apostle Paul went on to say that when we are born again, if we die and our bodies are placed in the earth, our bodies will be resurrected without corruption, in glory and in power.

"So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:" (1 Corinthians 15:42-43)

He said there are natural bodies like the ones we have now and there are spiritual bodies like the one that Christ has.

"It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." (1 Corinthians 15:44)

He said born again believers will put on the spiritual body.

"And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." (1 Corinthians 15:49)

This is a complete transformation.

"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." (1 Corinthians 15:52-53)

The cicada fulfils its purpose and ensures the continuation of its species on earth before it dies forever and is forgotten.

For the born again believer it is not morbid and hopeless. Born again believers are not separated from God and will see the resurrection. We have hope and we expect that God who is faithful to us through Christ Jesus, will raise the bodies of those born again believers who have died and reunite them with their eternal spirits.

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

Praises Father! Thank God for Jesus. Amen.