Metaphysical meaning of Jericho (mbd)
Jericho, jer'-i-cho (Heb.)--place of fragrance; his sweet breath; his life; his animation; his soul; his mind; his spirit; his moon renewing.
A city just over the Jordan in the land of Canaan. It was the first city that was taken and destroyed by the Israelites after their entering the Promised Land (Josh. 2:1; 6).
Meta. The definitions of Jericho express relative terms; that is, they stand in a state of dependence on the Absolute. The word expresses the elemental soul, life, mind, spirit--reflected breath and mind, the outer, intellectual--in contrast to the inner spirit. Jericho signifies the intellect, an external or reflected state of consciousness. The moon does not shine with its own light, but merely reflects the light of the sun. Before astronomy was a science men thought the moon emitted its own light. To the eye this is true today, but the scientific mind knows better. The relation of the moon to the sun is that of the intellect to Spirit. The intellect seems to express the light of understanding, but the science of Being reveals that it shines by reflected light.
Even as the moon is part of our planetary system, so the intellect has a legitimate place in consciousness. It is when intellect becomes egotistical, thinks that it originates its own light, and forms the adverse consciousness called Devil, or carnal mind, that it is out of harmony with the divine.
Luke 19:1 mentions that Jesus Christ (I AM) passed through Jericho (intellect) in His redemptive work.
Jericho is the opposite of Jerusalem. One represents the spiritual; the other, the material. We often start from Jerusalem with high spiritual resolves, but are robbed by outlaw thoughts on the way (Luke 10:30).
In II Kings 2:4, Jericho, the moon city, refers to the life center in the lower part of the abdomen. In verses 15 to 22 Jericho represents human consciousness in its relation to life. The "water" (verse 19) symbolizes the issues of life. The "land" signifies the body. When man is firmly established in his spiritual dominion, all his thoughts (men of the city) turn to the I AM (Elisha) for purification and healing. This is the explanation of Elisha's healing the waters (verses 1922). Were men pure in thought, their bodies would be perfectly healthy and harmonious; but the issues of life (waters) have become polluted by error thoughts, and so the thoughts must be cleansed, made pure and healthful.
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Preceding Entry: Jeribai
Following Entry: Jeriel
