Gideon is referred to as Jerubbaal in the Bible because that was the nickname given to him after he destroyed the altar of Baal that his father had built. The story is told in Judges 6-8.
Here is a summary of the key events:
– Gideon was from the tribe of Manasseh and lived during a time when the Israelites were being oppressed by the Midianites. God called Gideon to deliver Israel out of Midian’s hand (Judges 6:14).
– Gideon asked for signs from God to confirm his calling. One of the signs involved Gideon destroying his father’s altar to Baal and cutting down the Asherah pole beside it (Judges 6:25-27). He did this at night because he feared his family and the men of the city.
– The next morning when the men of the city saw what had happened to the altar of Baal, they asked Gideon’s father Joash to bring out his son so they could kill him. Joash replied, “Would you plead for Baal? Would you save him? Let Baal plead for himself, if he can, for it is his altar that has been broken down.” (Judges 6:31).
– Then Joash said to the crowd, “If he [Baal] is a god, let him plead for himself, because someone has broken down his altar.” Therefore on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, which means “Let Baal plead against him,” because he broke down Baal’s altar (Judges 6:32).
So in essence, the name Jerubbaal was given to Gideon as a sarcastic jab at Baal’s impotence and a reminder of Gideon’s daring act of destroying his altar. The people were accusing Gideon of dishonoring Baal, their god, by wrecking his altar. But Joash defended his son’s actions and challenged Baal to plead his own case if he really was a god.
The name Jerubbaal stuck with Gideon and he is referred to by that name several times during the rest of his story in Judges 6-8. For example:
– Judges 7:1 – “Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod.”
– Judges 8:29 – “Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house.”
– Judges 8:35 – “Neither did they show kindness to the family of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in return for all the good that he had done to Israel.”
So in summary, Gideon was called Jerubbaal as a mocking nickname after he destroyed the altar of Baal. The name means “Let Baal plead against him” and was a defiant statement that their god Baal was powerless compared to the true God that Gideon served. The name stuck and reminds readers of Gideon’s bold and faith-filled actions.
Some key lessons and themes from this story include:
– God can use the most unlikely people, like Gideon, a young man from a weak family in Israel, to fulfill His plans and lead His people.
– Gideon had to overcome his doubts and fears through signs from God and seeing God’s faithfulness.
– God wants His people to remove idolatry and false gods from their midst and worship Him alone.
– Following God sometimes means facing opposition, even from our own families and communities.
– Trusting God means stepping out in faith to follow His calling, even when it seems dangerous or risky.
– God honors those who stand up for Him against false gods and idolatry.
So in summary, Gideon’s brave actions in tearing down the altar of Baal earned him the nickname Jerubbaal, meaning “Let Baal plead against him.” This name given to him reminded Israel of his bold stand against idolatry and false gods, and has become Gideon’s regular name in the biblical story.
Moving on to other key aspects of Gideon’s story, God called him to lead Israel against the attacking Midianite army despite his hesitations. God whittled down Gideon’s forces to just 300 men so that it would be clear the victory belonged to God rather than Israel’s military might (Judges 7:2). Gideon obeyed God’s battle plan to surround the Midianite camp, blow trumpets, smash jars to reveal lit torches, and shout “For the Lord and for Gideon!” (Judges 7:16-22). This caused mass confusion amongst the Midianites who turned on each other with their swords. Over 120,000 Midianites were killed without Gideon’s tiny 300-man force even swinging a sword themselves.
After this stunning victory, the Israelites wanted to make Gideon their king but he declined, pointing them back to God’s rule instead. However, after Gideon’s death, the Israelites turned again to idolatry and oppression because they failed to remain faithful to God (Judges 8:22-35).
Gideon’s story highlights principles like God using unlikely heroes, the need to remove idolatry completely, God granting victory against overwhelming odds, the danger of pride after success, and the importance of remaining faithful after God rescues His people. Jerubbaal remains his nickname because of Gideon’s daring actions in tearing down the altar of Baal that no one else would stand up against. His obedience to God in the face of intense opposition serves as an inspiration and challenge for all believers.
In terms of Jerubbaal’s character, he was not without flaws. At first he was fearful and doubted God’s calling and power to rescue Israel. He requested multiple signs to confirm God’s will. However, he grew in faith and eventually obeyed God’s commands. Gideon exhibited courage in destroying the altar of Baal. He was a humble leader who pointed the people back to God rather than take power himself. Yet toward the end of his life he fell into sin by making an ephod that became an idol and led Israel astray. So Gideon should be commended for his earlier faith but also seen as a man who was not perfect and failed to finish well. His story offers lessons both in the positives of responding to God’s call and the danger of pride undoing earlier success.
When looking at why the Bible refers to Gideon by his nickname Jerubbaal, it fits well with the overall theme of God fighting for Israel against false gods and idolatry. This name was a bold statement of Yahweh’s supremacy over Baal and a reminder of who the one true God is. The name Jerubbaal would resonate with Israelites and remind them of the core spiritual battle behind the military clashes. So using this mock-name for Gideon is thematically appropriate for the larger biblical narrative.
There are a few additional details worth noting about Jerubbaal in the story:
– Jerubbaal’s father Joash was evidently a syncretist who built altars both to Yahweh and Baal. Gideon destroying just the Baal altar showed his exclusive commitment to Yahweh.
– The men of Ophrah sought to kill Jerubbaal for his actions, showing how entrenched Baal worship was in the land.
– No one else besides Jerubbaal was willing to stand up against the false religion, making his actions even more significant.
– The crowd’s ready acceptance of the name shows they understood its deeper meaning as an insult toward Baal.
– Jerubbaal may have chosen nighttime to preserve the element of surprise and avoid the confrontation that came the next day.
So in summary, Gideon earns the nickname Jerubbaal, meaning “Let Baal plead for himself,” because of his brave stand against idolatry in tearing down the altar of Baal. Though flawed, Gideon grew in faith to follow God’s calling to deliver Israel. The name Jerubbaal highlighted the spiritual realities behind the outward battles Israel faced. It was an ongoing reminder of his bold leadership against idolatry and points to the true God, Yahweh, as the only reliable object of worship.
The story of Gideon, also known as Jerubbaal, contains several valuable lessons for Christians today including:
1. God can use ordinary people to accomplish His will – Gideon was from a weak family yet called to lead Israel to victory.
2. Idolatry takes discernment to remove – Gideon had to destroy both the altar and the Asherah pole to uproot Baal worship.
3. Faith requires testing to strengthen – Gideon grew in faith through steps of obedience despite needing signs along the way.
4. True success comes from obeying God – Gideon’s victory came through obeying God’s battle plan, not conventional military strength.
5. Leadership requires character more than charisma – Gideon led with humility rather than seeking power and glory for himself.
6. Spiritual reform requires courage – Gideon risked his life to remove Baal worship from the land.
7. Past faithfulness must be maintained – Gideon failed to finish well as pride ruined Israel’s unity after his death.
8. God alone deserves glory for what He accomplishes through His servants. If we focus on the human agent, we miss the point.
9. Idolatry and syncretism among believers displeases God – Gideon’s father mixed Yahweh worship with Baal idols.
10. Peer pressure often opposes obedience to God – Gideon faced threats from the men of his city.
In conclusion, Gideon’s story highlights God’s power, the danger of idolatry, the need for courageous leadership, and centrality of wholehearted commitment to God – truths as relevant today as in Jerubbaal’s generation.
Here are some key bible verses that provide additional details about Jerubbaal/Gideon:
Judges 6:25-26 – “That night the Lord said to him, “Take your father’s bull, and the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of the stronghold here.”
Judges 6:32 – “Therefore on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he broke down his altar.”
Judges 7:1 – “Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod.”
Judges 8:29 – “Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house.”
Judges 8:33-34 – “As soon as Gideon died, the people of Israel turned again and whored after the Baals…And the people of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hand of all their enemies on every side.”
Hebrews 11:32 – “And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets.”
So in summary, the story of Jerubbaal/Gideon highlights the themes of God’s power and salvation, the danger of idolatry, the need for bold leadership against false religion, and the importance of finishing the Christian life well. His legacy reminds believers in every generation that following God requires forsaking other idols and demonstrating unwavering commitment to the one true God despite opposition.