Metaphysical meaning of Jerubbaal (mbd)
Jerubbaal, jer-ub-ba'-al (Heb.)--with whom Baal contends; contender with Baal; Baal of strife; adverse Baal; Baal the adversary; who is to plead for Baal; let Baal defend himself.
The name that Joash gave his son Gideon when Gideon had destroyed the altar of Baal and the Asherah, and had built an altar to Jehovah and offered up burnt offerings on it. The people wanted Joash to have Gideon put to death for cutting down the altar of Baal and the Asherah, but Joash said of Baal, "If he be a god, let him contend for himself, because one hath broken down his altar. Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal contend against him" (Judg. 6:31, 32). Jerubbaal, or Gideon, defeated the Midianites, delivered Israel, and judged Israel for forty years (Judg. 7:1 to 8:32).
Meta. At this time the Israelites had so lost their consciousness of the one true God that they were worshipping Baal, or materiality. For them to be conducted out of darkness it was necessary that some capable leader be raised up. This leader was found in the person of Gideon or Jerubbaal. Jerubbaal is a family name, meaning contender with Baal. The name shows that he came from a family naturally opposed to the rule of materiality. This idea found its culmination in Gideon, which means destroyer. (See GIDEON.)
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Preceding Entry: Jeroham
Following Entry: Jerubbesheth
