In the Bible, flies are often used figuratively to convey ideas of corruption, decay, and nuisance. Their presence is typically associated with negative connotations, symbolizing the consequences of sin and the presence of evil.

One of the most notable figurative uses of flies is found in Ecclesiastes 10:1, which states, "As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor." Here, flies are used to illustrate how a small amount of foolishness can taint and overshadow wisdom and honor, much like how dead flies can ruin a batch of perfume. This imagery underscores the idea that even minor sins or indiscretions can have a disproportionately large impact on one's reputation and character.

Flies also appear in the context of the plagues of Egypt, where they serve as a symbol of divine judgment. In Exodus 8:21, God warns Pharaoh through Moses, "If you do not let My people go, I will send swarms of flies on you and your officials, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies, and even the ground where they stand." While this passage describes a literal event, the swarms of flies can also be seen as a metaphor for the pervasive and inescapable nature of God's judgment upon those who oppose His will.

In the New Testament, flies are not explicitly mentioned, but the concept of corruption and decay they represent can be seen in various teachings of Jesus and the apostles. For instance, in Matthew 23:27, Jesus criticizes the Pharisees, saying, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity." While flies are not directly mentioned, the imagery of decay and impurity aligns with the symbolic use of flies as agents of corruption.

In a broader sense, flies can be seen as representing the transient and fleeting nature of earthly concerns. Just as flies are here today and gone tomorrow, so too are the worries and troubles of this world. This perspective encourages believers to focus on eternal truths and the kingdom of God rather than being consumed by the temporary distractions and corruptions of life.

Overall, the figurative use of flies in the Bible serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of sin, the reality of divine judgment, and the importance of maintaining purity and wisdom in one's life.Isaiah 7:18
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.
Nave's Topical Index

Of the Ark and the Deluge, and that we Cannot Agree with those who ...
... but yet afterwards they themselves copulate and produce offspring, as flies; but
others ... that at all events they are far from having any figurative reference to ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 27 of the ark and.htm

Whether There was any Reasonable Cause for the Ceremonial ...
... The figurative reason for these things is that all these animals signified certain
sins ... In the eagle which flies at a great height, pride is forbidden: in the ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether there was any reasonable.htm

In the Next Place, as it is his Object to Slander Our Scriptures.. ...
... without quoting the words, which would give the hearer the impression that they
are spoken with a figurative meaning ... The web with colours, as the shuttle flies; ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter xxxviii in the next.htm

The Prophet Joel.
... an effect of divine anger."[Pg 308]On the other hand, figurative representations
of ... Egyptians appear, in a continuous description, as swarms of flies and bees ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet joel.htm

Of Uncharitable Truth.
... more quickly scent a carcass, than an envious Person does, those dead flies which
corrupt ... to a literal sense of what the Psalmist spoke in a figurative, Psa.14 ...
/.../allestree/the government of the tongue/section vi of uncharitable truth.htm

Greek Plagiarism from the Hebrews.
... situated and dwells in the state, [3122] while the man himself flies, according
to ... descent of the Lord into the flesh he also applies the figurative term sleep ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xiv greek plagiarism from the.htm

The Conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch.
... it should be considered, that the Jews, resting too much upon the figurative language
of ... to the lightning, which, in the twinkling of an eye, flies from the ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xi the conversion of.htm

Doctrinal and Moral Treatises. Index of Subjects.
... 340; His example cited, [270]408, [271]409, [272]412; actions of, figurative,
[273]470 ... sq.; in cages, [529]517; not imitated in picking food or flies, [530]518 ...
/.../on care to be had for the dead /doctrinal and moral treatises index.htm

Hymns, Festival and Occasional.
... with the more modern and less figurative". ... As the winged arrow flies Speedily the
mark to find, As the lightening from the skies Darts and leaves no trace ...
/.../brown/the story of the hymns and tunes/chapter xiii hymns festival and.htm

The Prophet Amos.
... passages also, with the right of freeing the thought from the figurative clothing ...
corn is shaken; dust and impurity fall to the ground, the chaff flies into the ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet amos.htm

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