Meaning Of The Trodden Underfoot, The Down Tramplers Etymology. From the verb בוס (bus), to trample down. Related names • Via בוס (bus): Jebus. The Jebusites represent a greedy soul that has a propensity to grab the energy of whatever being it comes into contact with in an aggressive manner. The Jebusites are not particularly outgoing individuals, and they will not readily cede their sense of autonomy. It follows that those who experience such a powerful influence in their lives find it challenging to advance spiritually or even in life.
Jebusite can also be spelled as Jebusite. The Hebrew name for the city of Jerusalem is where the term “Jebusite” originates. Although both Judaism and Christianity regard the holy city of Jerusalem as a sacred location, they disagree on the spiritual significance of Jebusites.
Located in Jerusalem, the Jebusites were a Canaanite tribe. However, the origin of their name is Jebus, a Canaanite deity connected to the city. They were the main occupants of Jerusalem before David conquered it, and they were entirely routed (Joshua). One of the first two cities that King David conquered took its name from the location, which was once known as Salem, which means “peace.” In addition, the Jebusites were referenced in the Amarna Letters and at the Battle of Gibeon (about 1000 BC), where Joshua defeated them and compelled them to submit to Israel’s rule.
Meaning of Jebusites in the Bible
The word “Jebusite” means “to trod down with the feet, to trample, to put your foot on the neck.” It also means “pollution and defilement of the temple (body, soul, and spirit), or to cast down in order to destroy. Jebus is an old name for Jerusalem. This clan originally controlled Jerusalem.
The Jebusites are believed to be the descendants of Jebus, who are belonging to the lineage of Canaan, Ham’s son. They were mountain dwellers well built and built for war. The Amazing Bible Timeline with World History places them with the other nations of Ham beginning about 2300 BC.
They were people who exploited and polluted others through immoral activities. This is our enemy because our body is a temple of our lord. Matthew 5:27-28 (NIV) says “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.
The Effects of Jebusites on the Temple of Our Bodies
1. Immoral Activities
– Engaging in immoral activities that defile the body, soul, and spirit.
– Adultery, sexual immorality, and impurity that pollute the temple of our Lord.
2. Exploitation
– Exploiting others for personal gain and satisfaction.
– Using and abusing others without regard for their well-being or dignity.
3. Pollution
– Polluting the temple of our bodies with harmful substances or practices.
– Allowing impurity and defilement to enter into our lives and corrupt our relationship with God.
4. Destruction
– Seeking to destroy the temple of our bodies through sinful behavior.
– Casting down and trampling on the sanctity and holiness that should reside within us.
5. Control
– Exerting control over our minds, hearts, and actions through immoral influences.
– Allowing the Jebusites to have power over us and lead us away from God’s will.
6. Defilement of the Temple
– Defiling the temple of our bodies, which are meant to be a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit.
– Allowing impurity and unholiness to take root and grow within us, leading us further away from God.
7. Trampling and Treading Down
– Trampling down on the sanctity and purity that should reside within us.
– Putting our feet on the neck of our temple, allowing the Jebusites to exert their control and influence over us.
| Immoral Activities | Exploitation | Pollution | Destruction | Control | Defilement of the Temple | Trampling and Treading Down |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engaging in immoral activities that defile the body, soul, and spirit. | Exploiting others for personal gain and satisfaction. | Polluting the temple of our bodies with harmful substances or practices. | Seeking to destroy the temple of our bodies through sinful behavior. | Exerting control over our minds, hearts, and actions through immoral influences. | Defiling the temple of our bodies, which are meant to be a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. | Trampling down on the sanctity and purity that should reside within us. |
Spiritual Meaning of Canaanites, Hivites, Perizzites, Amorites, and Girgashites
The spiritual meaning of Jebusites can be further understood in the context of the other Canaanite tribes mentioned in the Bible – the Canaanites, Hivites, Perizzites, Amorites, and Girgashites. These tribes represent various spiritual strongholds, mindsets, and spiritual battles that believers face in their journey with God.
- Canaanites: They represent the influence of the world and its sinful nature. As believers, we are called to overcome the temptations and enticements of the world and to live according to God’s heavenly kingdom.
- Hivites: They symbolize compromise, blending in with worldly ways, and not fully surrendering to God. Overcoming the Hivites means fully surrendering to God’s will and living a life of obedience to His Word.
- Perizzites: They represent spiritual complacency and mediocrity. Overcoming the Perizzites involves pursuing spiritual growth and passionately seeking after God in all areas of life.
- Amorites: They depict the sins of pride, self-reliance, and rebellion against God’s authority. Overcoming the Amorites means humbling ourselves before God, recognizing our need for Him, and submitting to His lordship.
- Girgashites: They symbolize ungodly attitudes and mindsets that hinder spiritual progress, such as fear, doubt, and negative thinking. Overcoming the Girgashites involves transforming our minds according to God’s truth and renewing our thought patterns.
While the Jebusites specifically represent strongholds related to the presence of God and experiencing His kingdom, the other Canaanite tribes add further dimensions to the spiritual battles believers face in their lives.
Jebusites Today
In a modern context, the Jebusites can be seen as spiritual strongholds and obstacles that believers still encounter in their relationship with God. Just as Jerusalem represented the dwelling place of God in the Old Testament, our hearts, minds, and lives should be transformed into a dwelling place for God’s presence through the Holy Spirit.
However, the Jebusites of today can manifest in various forms. They can be fears, addictions, worldly desires, distractions, pride, self-centeredness, or anything else that prevents us from fully surrendering to God, experiencing His kingdom, and walking in His purposes for our lives.
Overcoming the Jebusites today requires a complete surrender of our lives to God, prayer, fasting, studying His Word, and leaning on the power of the Holy Spirit. Just as King David had to conquer the Jebusites and establish Jerusalem as the city of God, we too must conquer the spiritual strongholds in our lives to fully experience the presence and blessings of God.
Spiritual Meaning of Amorites, Girgashites, and Jebusites
Spiritual Meaning of Amorites
The Amorites were another Canaanite tribe that played a significant role in the spiritual landscape of the Bible. They inhabited the land of Canaan before the Israelites, and their name means “highlanders” or “mountain dwellers.” This spiritual meaning illustrates the Amorites as representing the mountains of obstacles, challenges, and strongholds that can hinder believers from progressing in their spiritual journey with God.
Just as the Israelites had to conquer the mountains and territories of the Amorites to possess the promised land, believers today also have to conquer the spiritual mountains and obstacles that stand in the way of their spiritual breakthrough and growth. These mountains can symbolize various difficulties such as fear, doubt, pride, unbelief, addictions, and self-reliance.
The spiritual meaning of the Amorites reminds believers that they are called to overcome the mountains of opposition and rely on God’s power and guidance to reach the spiritual heights and blessings He has prepared for them. It emphasizes the importance of faith, perseverance, and trust in God’s promises to overcome every obstacle and stronghold in their lives.
Spiritual Meaning of Girgashites
The Girgashites were another Canaanite tribe mentioned in the Bible. Their name is derived from the word “grgr,” which means “to dwell in clay” or “to be molded.” This spiritual meaning portrays the Girgashites as representing the areas of our lives that need to be transformed and molded by God.
The Girgashites symbolize the impurities, flaws, and ungodly traits that reside within people and need to be surrendered to God for His cleansing and sanctification. They highlight the need for believers to allow the Holy Spirit to work in their lives, purify their hearts, and conform them into the image of Christ.
Overcoming the Girgashites involves surrendering our weaknesses, sinful tendencies, and ungodly attitudes to God. It requires humility, repentance, and a willingness to yield to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Just as clay is molded and shaped by a potter, believers must allow God to mold them into vessels of honor and instruments of His glory.
Spiritual Meaning Of Jebusites
The Jebusites were a people who lived on the land now known as Jerusalem. They were a group of people who, according to the Bible, were under God’s curse. The city of Jerusalem was originally a Jebusite city, but was taken over by the Israelites and given to King David. The Bible says that after David conquered Jerusalem, he built an altar to God in it (2 Samuel 24).
The Bible also says that King Solomon built the Temple of God in Jerusalem (1 Kings 6), which would be where sacrifices were offered up to God. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed this temple during the Babylonian Captivity, and Ezra rebuilt it.
The Jebusites were a Canaanite tribe that lived in the region of Jerusalem. The Jebusites were considered to be ‘detestable’ by the Israelites, who conquered them by Joshua’s time. The Jebusites are mentioned in the Bible as being one of the tribes that inhabited the land of Canaan before Moses, who led the Israelites out of Egypt. Their name comes from the word “Jebus,” which means ‘hill.’
The Jebusites had a temple called ‘The Temple of the Lord’ located on Mt. Zion, which later became known as David’s Tower and then Solomon’s Temple. When David conquered Jerusalem, he moved his capital there and made it into his capital city. He also built a palace for himself on Mt. Zion and established it as his residence until he died (2 Samuel 5:7). At this time Jerusalem was renamed “Uru-Salem” (meaning City of Peace) or Salem (Genesis 14:18).
When David died, his son Solomon took over as king and continued building projects such as building storehouses for grain, olive oil and wine (1 Kings 7:1-12), building many temples throughout Israel including one in Jerusalem where he placed
Jebusites Today
The Jebusites were a people group mentioned several times in the Old Testament. For centuries, they held an impregnable fortress city in the hill country surrounded by the Israelite tribe of Judah. The Jebusites were a remnant of the Canaanite tribes God commanded Joshua to remove when the Israelites invaded and inhabited the Promised Land. Yet those Jebusites held on through wars and conflicts, declaring that their city was impossible to conquer.
With God, however, nothing is impossible.
Where Does the Bible Mention the Jebusites?
The first time we read about the Jebusites, they are mentioned among the different tribes in the land of Canaan (Genesis 10) as a hint before Abraham is called from the city of Ur to begin the story of redemption. The Jebusites are associated with the city, Jebus, which many believe to be Salem, mentioned in the historic meeting between Abraham and Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20). Melchizedek is identified as both a king and a priest of Salem (or “peace”). Abraham tithed from his plunder and victory to Melchizedek. We have no evidence that Melchizedek was a Jebusite, but there was some association with Abraham, the city of Jebus, and the region.
A chapter later, in Genesis 15, God promises to give the land of Canaan to Abraham’s descendants. That land included the Jebusite tribe and the city of Jebus. God partly gave that land because of the locals’ deplorable religious practices, including idolatry and child sacrifice (Deuteronomy 20:18). In Numbers 13:29 and Judges 19:10–11, Jebus is one of the cities mentioned.
However, when Joshua finally led the nation of Israel through Jordan and into the land of Canaan, the Jebusites were one group of people he couldn’t remove. Joshua defeated Adonizedek, the king of the Jebusites (Joshua 10:5). When Adonizedek gathered a confederacy of other kings (leaders of Canaanite tribes and city-states) to attack Joshua, the Israelites won that battle too (Joshua 11:3). Ultimately, though, the Jebusites did hold on to their fortress city since it was in a hill country and had high ground (Joshua 15:63).
David defeats the city of Jebus and the Jebusites in 1003 BC (2 Samuel 5:6–10, 1 Chronicles 11:4) and makes Jerusalem the capital of Israel, now unified again. Araunah, a Jebusite, sold his threshing floor to David after the end of the plague sent to punish David’s pride. David saw an angel on Araunah’s property and bought the threshing floor. David then designated that site as the future site for Solomon’s Temple (2 Samuel 24:18-25).
Finally, as documented in the Old Testament book of Ezra, the Israelite exiles returned to Jerusalem. They began to intermarry with the other Gentile tribes, and the Jebusites were still living in the area. Ezra made the Israelites repent of their intermarriage with the Gentiles (Ezra 9:1).
What Ancestors Did the Jebusites Come From?
After the Great Flood, Noah and his family were the only humans left. So, just as we can all trace our heritage back to Adam, every people group connects back to Noah. Noah’s son Ham had a son, Canaan, and the Jebusites descend from Canaan (Genesis 10:6–15). Many of the major clans and tribes of what became the Promised Land came from Noah’s grandson, Canaan—including the Amorites and Hittites.
Since Abraham was only a few generations from Noah, and the ages of Noah and his sons were such that Abraham could have possibly met those men, it makes sense that Melchizedek was from the same family (and possibly a Jebusite). If Melchizedek had maintained faith in the one true God since Noah, that would explain why Abraham tithed to him as an ancient king and priest. None of those exact details are in the story of Melchizedek. Still, Melchizedek was in the region where Canaan’s descendants lived and led the city that would become known as Jerusalem.
How Were the Jebusites Connected to Jerusalem?
David was faced with a complicated mess of politics and religion while attaining the throne of Israel.
After King Saul and his son, Jonathan, were killed in battle with the Philistines, David was crowned king of the tribe of Judah but not of the whole nation of Israel. One of Saul’s other sons, Ishbosheth, ruled the other ten tribes and the two factions were at war for years. Ishbosheth was killed, and David was made king over all twelve tribes of Israel.
Despite the political unification, we can easily imagine the resentments between tribes after years of violence. David’s army leader, Joab, murders Saul’s old general, Abner, over the death of Joab’s brother. David can’t punish Joab too harshly, or he might alienate those loyal to him. Amid these complications, David must decide on a capital. He can’t use Saul’s capital, or he’d insult the Judeans. On the other hand, he can’t put the capital in a Judean city like Hebron and show favoritism.
His solution? Conquer a city that belongs to neither. A city that Joshua, the Judges, Samuel, and King Saul couldn’t overcome. A city whose history goes back to Melchizedek and Abraham. Jerusalem.
The Sumero-Akkadian name was “uru-salim,” meaning “a foundation of or by the god Shalim.” In Hebrew, Jerusalem implied “to find and lay a cornerstone.” The Jebusites were so confident in their hill fortress that they claimed that even the blind and the lame could defend the city. David sent Joab and his troops to attack the city, possibly through the heavily defended water system. He conquered the city of Jebus/Jerusalem, making the city his capital, also calling it the City of David (2 Samuel 5:6–10, 1 Chronicles 11:4).
In this genius political move, David now possessed a capital that all twelve tribes could feel ownership in. He continued to confirm by bringing the Ark of the Covenant to the city (2 Samuel 6), throwing a tent up for the Ark, and worshipping there. Furthermore, Daniel proved his military prowess by achieving the impossible. He wasn’t a king anyone wanted to challenge.
David, a man after God’s own heart, did the impossible. Much like raising from the dead.
What Can We Learn from the Jebusites Today?
There are numerous points of symbolism here for us as Christians. Jesus was the Son of David, the Messiah, king and priest. On the cross, Jesus did the impossible. He conquered the absolute barrier of death, the curse and the punishment for sin. Jesus was the literal presence of God (the purpose and function of the Ark of the Covenant) and submitted himself unto death outside of Jerusalem, rising again on the third day.
All humanity is under sin, and therefore, every human being is subject to death as a final end. Death is a unifying problem and issue for all people, whether Jews or Gentile).
Corruption in the Fall put the world under the power of Satan. Humans couldn’t change the situation; there was no hope, no way forward. With the Resurrection, Jesus defeated death. By extension, the resurrection wasn’t for Jews alone but for anyone who would receive Christ, ending the hostility between people groups (Ephesians 2:16). Now, living in the Messiah, where is the sting or victory of death (1 Corinthians 15)? It’s gone, Jesus.
The Son of God defeated death, the grave, and the Devil, mocking all spiritual accusers and enemies (Colossians 2:15). Jesus proved himself God, victorious, and his message true through his death and resurrection.
Jesus also established a New Jerusalem, what Paul calls the Jerusalem from above, the kingdom of God, contrasted with the one below (Galatians 4:26). The Jerusalem above is free, not of slavery.
Like David, Jesus defeated a long-standing enemy that the law couldn’t conquer (our sin nature, the world, death, the Devil). Like David, Jesus established full access to a new home for all people, no matter our background, to live together and worship the presence of God: the kingdom of heaven.
The history of the Jebusites is central to the establishment of the Davidic rule and lineage through which God used to declare the Messianic work of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. God’s love long had this plan in place and revealed his heart for the future even during the amazing stories of Abraham, David, and others.
Overcoming the Jebusite Spirit
What does the name “Jebusite” mean? Jebusite means “thresher.” Now this is commonly understood in the agriculture world. There was a thing called a threshing floor where the freshly picked grain would be put on a floor and animals such as oxen were used to tread on the husk to push out the grain. Now this would seem like a positive process and in the natural sense it is and, on some level, in the spirit sense it is. But God clearly told the children of Israel to overthrow and cast out the Jebusites out of the Promised land so we are looking at a negative meaning to the word threshing.
The spirit of the Jebusite represents a spirit that puts people down, humiliates them or makes them feel small. One of the horrible characteristics of the Jebusite is racism. They are enforcers of social castes.
Jesus Christ had to address this spirit many times, even within one of his very own disciples. Since we are talking about casting this spirit out of the believer, let us stick with the church because obviously it is a spirit of the world, and unless they submit to the Lordship of Christ, they will stay in that condition. But let’s look at the church. Yes, the church of Jesus Christ has people who possess the Jebusite spirit and one of the places it is very evident is in leadership. Now that I point out leadership, it is evident even within those under their care and we will address both. First, let’s start with leadership.
Much of what man has made of “church hierarchy” has produced Jebusite leaders. These leaders are high and lifted up (amorite spirit) and they look to be served instead of served. They talk down to the people even to a point of calling them “dumb sheep” which is an insult to God Himself because sheep are very smart and the one attribute they have that we in the church need to change to is being a follower of our Father’s voice! So if a leader calls you a dumb sheep, leave because sheep know and follow the shepherd’s voice and faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
People under their care revere their leader to the point of believing they are the access point to God but also that they are the only one’s who can hear from God. These leaders perpetrate this culture and it keeps the people in bondage. I will raise it to another level. Those who focus on the gifts have given into this spirit because they have made the gift their identity and seek to be lifted by the title above those who have not come into their own operation of the gift. Let us look at a Scripture to show.
Luke 11:43: Woe unto you Pharisees! For ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
Luke 11:46: And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! For ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.
There are many leaders that have these traits within the Body of Christ that God is revealing because they do not carry His heart or love for His people. Unfortunately, many of the people following these leaders have been a part of “that climate,” and now it is a stronghold until the true heart of God is revealed and the people can see and hear with His eyes and ears. One of the more disturbing trends in the church today that pushes the spirit of the Jebusite is when those in leadership are “financially flourishing” and yet those under their care are burdened and struggling. In these cases, these leaders consistently push for people to continually give to them but not once do they look back and realize how they, the leaders, should be giving to the people to help them out. Yes, of course, you don’t want to get “burned” by someone being fraudulent but with discernment and the heart of God, leaders should know the conditions of those under their care and help where needed. The strong should bear the infirmities of the weak.
People who carry the spirit of the Jebusite love to humiliate and put down others. Christ never tolerates any form of humiliation of a son. Never should one take something that was spoken in confidence and brought before the people over the pulpit. There are protocols within the Body of Christ to handle disputes that are neither demeaning nor humiliating to a person. We lose more people “in Christ” to humiliation and abuse than in any other situation. Making someone feel less than who God created them to be is not the spirit of Christ nor can it operate in the ministry of reconciliation and maturity. Leaders who truly love their sons are always seeking to encourage and lift them up. Yes, with our love we will bring correction, but the correction is founded in love and our approach can be received in love. This is more evident when the culture of the church is family. It is very hard for this to happen in the culture of denominationalism and institutionalism. The reason why is because it leads itself to its governing rules instead of the doctrine of Christ and the culture of the House of God established by Christ. We tend to make things up to suit how we want to handle them when Christ has shown us “the way.”.
Finally, how do we overcome this spirit? First, we must know who we are in Christ. When we know we are sons and need to be received as a son. Nothing less will do! You are a son of God; that is who God created you to be from the beginning. You are an eternal being in time operating from heaven because you are seated in Christ in “heavenly places”. If we are sons, then those who have been given to us to watch for our souls should carry the spirit and character of the Father. They should be spiritual fathers. This is the new wineskin, the Father/Son order. In this relationship, love is the foundation and maturity that require not only correction but, most of all, encouragement to lift one up to be all the Father has created them to be. Let me leave you with this reality that utterly destroys the spirit of a Jebusite.
Galatians 3:26-29: For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek (race), there is neither bond nor free (social status), there is neither male nor female (gender): for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.
1 Thessalonians 5:11-14: Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonishyou; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
1 Peter 5:1-3: The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
Perizzites Spiritual Meaning
The Perizzites were ancient inhabitants of Canaan (Gen. 13:7). They lived in the hill country (Josh. 11:3). Judah and Simeon defeated them (Judg. 1:3, 4), and Solomon made the remainder of them bond servants (I Kings 9:20, 21).
Meta. The Perizzites, like the Canaanites, refer to the elemental life forces in the organism, only elevated to a more exalted plane by the outer, personal man, and more strongly intrenched in the sense consciousness of the individual. (The Perizzites lived in the hill country; they are named with the Canaanites. Adoni-bezek was a king of the Perizzites and the Canaanites. See ADONI–BEZEK.)