The Monarch Butterfly—An Illustration of Transformation

Monarch Butterfly
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

The Stages of Development Reviewed

The Monarch butterfly's life cycle illustrates God's creative principles, processes, and power in the creation account and man's heart. The number four and its connection with the concepts of creation and transformation will be used throughout this study.

The first phase of the Monarch's life began with its salvation, as evidenced by its departure from the egg. This phase represents our salvation from sin.

The second stage of development represents justification. It applies to living out of an internal reality not yet realized in its visible form and depicts our justified state while living in a body of sinful flesh. This development is illustrated by the monarch caterpillar's imaginal cells that will later form all the necessary parts of a fully formed butterfly. Feasting on God's Word and prayer are essentials and enable and empower us to put on the new man Christ has made us on the inside and to cast off the "old man" of flesh, characterized by the shedding of the caterpillar's skin.

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
— Galatians 2:20

In the third stage, the Monarch develops into a new creature as it enters the tomb of a chrysalis. This phase metaphorically represents the process of sanctification through a type of death.

This fourth and final phase of development of the Monarch butterfly's life cycle illustrates the stage of our Christian life called glorification and depicts the resurrected life.

Each phase of this journey can be viewed personally and corporately.

"I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting system through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in." — George Washington Carver.

"I Can See Clearly Now ... "

A silent, motionless, and seemingly dead caterpillar is confined to the tomb of its emerald-green chrysalis. It is now time for the newly formed creature to awaken.

... it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
— Romans 13:11

At about day fourteen, just before the completion and big reveal of this transformation, the chrysalis becomes clear and transparent, revealing the new vibrant colors and substance. Its time of suffering and death has now ended, and a new life is about to begin.

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
— Romans 8:18

Watch the Door and Four

It is a privilege and an honor to behold the birthing of this new and glorious creature. This part of the process is challenging to capture because it occurs quickly.

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

— 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

It is easy to miss the event if you don't wait and watch for it. The waiting becomes a lesson of watching and waiting for the revealing and appearance of the Lord Jesus.

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”
— Mark 13:32-37

Four and the Door

The doorkeeper in the above verse corresponds to the image of the butterfly's exodus from the chrysalis. When I observed this process firsthand, I noticed a door-like flap that opened, allowing the butterfly to escape its previous confinement. Jesus, our door, was what immediately came to my mind.

The number four categorizes the processes of transformation. The fourth letter of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet is a picture of a door. In the fourth and final phase of the Monarch's life cycle, we get a visual from the creator and transformer of all things, also known as "the Door."

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture

— John 10:9

The Holy Spirit's creative excellence is to be esteemed neither less nor lower than the creation of the world or the resurrection of the dead (Heads III-IV, Art. 12) — The Canons of Dord. The Canons of Dord

Preparation For Flight

The subsequent amazement I experienced in observing the butterfly's exodus was watching it unfold. The volume of material packed into that little container is astonishing!

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

— 1 Corinthians 2:9

The newly released butterfly will spend the next four hours pumping fluid from its huge belly into its wings.

He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water ... this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive.

— John 7:38,39

The butterfly is being prepared for flight by a process that straightens, flattens, and hardens its wings in preparation for its heavenly journey.

He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
— II Corinthians 5:5
... That He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory
— Romans 9:23

New Designer Features

It is hard to believe that the worm that entered the chrysalis just fourteen days ago has been so gloriously transformed and bears no resemblance to what it once was. The salvation that occurred in the beginning is now being magnificently displayed.

I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.
— Psalm 17:15

Not only has the glorious butterfly's appearance changed from that of a lowly earthbound worm into a divinely celestial creature by this transformation, but its abilities are phenomenally better than ever could be imagined.

“Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof.” ... Mark that insect with gorgeous wings, playing in the sunbeams, sipping at the flower bells, full of happiness and life; that is the end thereof"
— Charles Spurgeon

"Beauty is a sign of the transcendent. It's purely gratuitous. We all recognize it. We just need to acknowledge what it points to," — Ann Gauge, zoologist at the "Biological Institute.

Sight and Smell

As a caterpillar, the Monarch had six pairs of simple eyes that saw poorly and were only capable of discerning light and darkness.

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.

— 1 Corinthians 13:12

The butterfly now has a four-color vision system consisting of two compound eyes, each composed of thousands of hexagonal units of photoreceptor cells. Their new eyes allow them to see all colors of the visible and invisible light spectrum. They can see 180 degrees, which makes them hard to sneak up on. These new features will help navigate the butterfly to its heavenly destination.

... though I was blind, now I see.
— John 9:25

The caterpillar's sense of smell was limited to its two tiny antennae. The newly formed butterfly has been outfitted with a higher-functioning olfactory system, with receptors on its legs, palps (mouth appendages), and other body parts.

... the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things.
— 1 Corinthians 2:14-15

Taste

Food sources have now changed in the Monarch. As a caterpillar, it ate bitter milkweed—the butterfly now feasts on the sweet nectar of flowers, a more heavenly and palatable substance.

For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come.

— Song of Solomon 2:11-12

The butterfly no longer tastes with its mouth but with its feet. Could we view our feet in this metaphor as symbols of our walk in terms of what we do? Jesus told His disciples that His food was to do God's will. (John 4:34)

To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life ... Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life.
— Revelation 2:7, 22:14

The Monarch caterpillar had a dull sense of hearing.

... the hearts of these people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing.
— Matthew 13:15

The adult butterfly now hears through its wings.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says ...
— Revelation 2:7

Finally, the butterfly's sense of touch has become significantly more sensitive, as it now has sensory hairs throughout its body.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us.
— I John 1:1-2

Form and Function

A few final observations and lessons gleaned from the Monarch's new appearance and functions: The first has to do with its colors. Three colors decorate the butterfly—the predominant being orange. Orange is a secondary color made up of red and yellow. Red in the Bible symbolizes the salvation purchased for us through the blood of Christ.

... you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ.

— I Peter 1:18-19

Yellow symbolizes glory and awakening like a rising sun.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The Lord will give grace and glory.

— Psalm 84:11

In combination, we have orange representing the glory of God's salvation in grand array.

The Polka Dots

White and black are two other monarch colors significant to this lesson. The white dots symbolize the purity purchased for us through such a great salvation, as we trusted and leaned entirely on Jesus for it.

“These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

— Revelation 7:14

Our final color, black, provides the backdrop and contrast to make these white dots shine like stars against a night sky.

... become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life.
— Phillipians 2:14-16

The color Black forms the borders of the Monarch's wings and the geometrical patterns on them. In the Bible, black symbolizes darkness. The butterfly displays how God has not only delivered us from this darkness but will use it as a backdrop to more gloriously frame His glory. God, the master recycler, has used all things for our good and His glory.

... all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

— Romans 8:28

A Resurrected Life

This part of the process symbolizes the resurrected life that began with an empty tomb.

Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

— John 20:20

Wings

Our final observation concerns its physical function, which concerns its wings. The caterpillar was earthbound, and its territory was limited. The butterfly now has wings and is a celestial creature. And the sky is the limit.

... those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles.

— Isaiah 40:31

This lesson leads us to the last event of the life of a Monarch.

The Home Stretch

Once Monarchs are ready to fly, they launch on a more than 3,000-mile trek from Canada and the northern United States, heading south to hang in the trees of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt Pine-Oak Forests in central Mexico, sometimes referred to as "the kingdom of Monarchs." Here, they will spend the next four months in a state of semi-hibernation. The area in which they settle is about 10,000 feet in elevation. The height of this area speaks to us of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Is not God in the height of heaven?
— Job 22:12

A Micro-Climate

The Monarchs fly to what is known as a microclimate. A microclimate is a small area that differs significantly from the surrounding areas in terms of climate. It is a 56,000 (4 x 14,000) Hector biosphere. A microclimate can depict the differing atmospheres of earth and heaven, as described in John's vision of the new heavens and earth, when he was carried away by the Spirit to a great and high mountain.

The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

— Revelation 21:22

Monarchs are well known for their stable, soaring flight, yet their trip is not without conflict or hazard.

“We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”
— Acts 14:22

Four Generations

Monarchs follow an annual four-generation route to Canada, the northern United States, and back. The generational process begins with an egg on the underside of a milkweed plant in the southern United States in the spring of the year. The egg comes from a butterfly returning from its four-month hibernation in the Mexican mountains.

The butterflies produced from these first eggs will live, on average, only about 4 weeks, as will the succeeding two generations as they move further north and lay another population of eggs. The fourth generation arrives in Canada and the northern United States by fall. This batch will be the generation that lives for up to eight months and journeys to Mexico and back to the US. This generational journey demonstrates how Christ-followers are interdependent. Just as in a relay race, we pass the baton of the good news of Jesus Christ to the next generation. The "National Audubon Society Field Guide" on the Monarch discusses this phenomenon.

"No single individual makes the entire round-trip journey."

While in Canada, the fourth and final generation of butterflies feasts on nectar in preparation for their approximately 3,000-mile journey to the mountains of Mexico. Around the end of August, when the sun's rays angle at 52 degrees (13 x 4), they begin their flight back to their ancestral origin.

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God.
— Revelation 19:17

The sun governs the Monarch's flight direction and signals the time of their migration. Before heading into their day's journey in the morning, they fly east to warm themselves in the sun's light.

My voice, You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.

— Psalm 5:3

It is also believed that butterflies are guided by magnetic signals.

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
— John 6:44

"Christ on the throne is really the heart of the church, and every regeneration is a pulse beat of that heart in souls begotten from above through the Holy Spirit" ~ A.J. Gordon, "The Ministry of the Spirit."

King of Kings

The Monarch is widely known as the king of butterflies, taking its name from an English word meaning sovereign. No one knows for sure why. Perhaps it was labeled as such under divine inspiration, considering how this majestically beautiful creature so profoundly exhibits the King of Kings' creative transforming power and sovereignty.

He (Jesus) who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

— I Timothy 6:15-16

Not only does the title of this creature give glory to the one who created it, but it also testifies to what He has done for us in this transformation process, making us co-heirs in His Kingdom.

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

— Romans 8:16-17

And as co-heirs with Him, we rule and reign as His original plan dictated from the beginning.

Now, when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

— Revelation 5:8-10

I summarize with the number four, coming full circle from where this series began, with an observation by Charles Spurgeon concerning the four pillars of our faith.

It is

1. Christ that died, yea rather, that
2. is risen again, who is even
3. at the right hand of God,
4. who also makes intercession for us."

—Romans 8:34

Concluding Thoughts

This concludes the fourth and final part of this series, and we end with this wonder: the Greek word for butterfly is psyche, meaning soul or life, referring to that which animates the body's life. How miraculously has the butterfly animated for us the processes and transformation of our creation and spiritual life.

Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory

— Isaiah 6:3

I hope you have enjoyed this series showcasing our All-Wise, All-Powerful, All-Present God, Creator of all. This is the series that never ends, as I keep discovering more things. I will continue to expand, expound, and revise the articles and revelations as they continue to roll out. I published with the fear that if I waited until I had everything, it would never be published. Considering that God is infinite in knowledge, I have concluded that I will never reach the end of it. So feel free to check back occasionally and see if He has revealed more.

"I Sing The Mighty Power Of God"

I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad and built the lofty skies.

I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at His command, and all the stars obey.

I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,
Who formed the creatures through the Word, and then pronounced them good.

Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, wherever I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread or gaze upon the sky.

There’s not a plant or flower below, but makes Thy glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from

Thy throne; While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care; And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God, art present there.

— Isaac Watts

Sources

1 "Metamorphosis" by Illustra Media http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/butterfly/allabout/Senses.shtml

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The Monarch Butterfly—An Illustration of Transformation—The Spiritual Application