I find the meaning of this name interesting as Baalzebub, in the Hebrew is shown as “lord of the fly”, or this name is also shown as Beelzebub in the NT , which is given as similitude of the Devil.
The name seems to come from an Old Testament Philistine diety shown as בַּעַל זְבוּב Baʻal Zᵉbûwb, bah'-al zeb-oob'; from H1168 and H2070; Baal of (the) Fly; Baal-Zebub, a special deity of the Ekronites:—Baal-zebub.”
But it is also spoken of here in the NT as the prince of the devils, Jesus then comparing Satan to the same in Matthew below.
Matthew 12:24-28 “But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.[SUP]25 [/SUP]And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:[SUP]26 [/SUP]And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
[SUP]27 [/SUP]And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.[SUP]28 [/SUP]But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.”
Why I thought this name was interesting was because of this verse in Ecclesiastes 10:1 “Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.”
Now here is the similitude I am seeing in all of this, Satan is like the lord of the evil spirits and the ointment of the apothecary is like the sweet smelling ointment of God, which is meant to perfume and bring forth a sweet smelling savour in His sacrifices. And the flies are like evil spirits and doctrines of devils sent forth to try to cause the Lords sweet smelling ointment to stink by injecting worldly wisdom into God’s words, which the wisdom of this world is shown as foolishness,(1 Corinthians 3:19) which foolishness is the same definition as the word folly shown above in Ecclesiastes 10:1.
Also notice the word flies above means a stinging fly as shown here….זְבוּב zᵉbûwb, zeb-oob'; from an unused root (meaning to flit); a fly (especially one of a stinging nature):—fly.
Compare to the sting of death which is sin in (1 Corinthians 15:56) in connection with the sting of the devils that come out of the bottomless pit in Revelation 9:10.
Now to the connection to the ointment of the apothecary, which is a similitude of the holy anointing oil, which is given to symbolize the Holy Spirit. This similitude is shown here in Exodus 30:25 “And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil.
This holy oil was meant anoint and perfume the tabernacle, the ark of the testimony, all the vessels of the tabernacle for ministry, and also the sons of Aaron were also to be anointed with a sweet smelling savour and offer up sacrifices perfumed before the Lord as shown in the OT.
But is it also shown in the spiritual sense in the NT.
2 Corinthians 2:15-16 “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:[SUP] 16 [/SUP]To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
Ephesians 5:2 “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.”
Philippians 4:18 “But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God.”
So Satan by mingling in his leaven of flies, and by a mingling in of a perverse spirit into the sacrifices, he has also caused what was meant to be a perfumed by God’s Spirit a sweet smelling sacrifice, the sacrifices have been made to stink. And so as he has caused many of the offerings to stink , these stinking offerings and sacrifices shall be refused by the Lord.
Those who have been given ears to hear, let them hear what the Spirit is saying.
Isaiah 3:24 “And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.”
The name seems to come from an Old Testament Philistine diety shown as בַּעַל זְבוּב Baʻal Zᵉbûwb, bah'-al zeb-oob'; from H1168 and H2070; Baal of (the) Fly; Baal-Zebub, a special deity of the Ekronites:—Baal-zebub.”
But it is also spoken of here in the NT as the prince of the devils, Jesus then comparing Satan to the same in Matthew below.
Matthew 12:24-28 “But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.[SUP]25 [/SUP]And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:[SUP]26 [/SUP]And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
[SUP]27 [/SUP]And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.[SUP]28 [/SUP]But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.”
Why I thought this name was interesting was because of this verse in Ecclesiastes 10:1 “Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.”
Now here is the similitude I am seeing in all of this, Satan is like the lord of the evil spirits and the ointment of the apothecary is like the sweet smelling ointment of God, which is meant to perfume and bring forth a sweet smelling savour in His sacrifices. And the flies are like evil spirits and doctrines of devils sent forth to try to cause the Lords sweet smelling ointment to stink by injecting worldly wisdom into God’s words, which the wisdom of this world is shown as foolishness,(1 Corinthians 3:19) which foolishness is the same definition as the word folly shown above in Ecclesiastes 10:1.
Also notice the word flies above means a stinging fly as shown here….זְבוּב zᵉbûwb, zeb-oob'; from an unused root (meaning to flit); a fly (especially one of a stinging nature):—fly.
Compare to the sting of death which is sin in (1 Corinthians 15:56) in connection with the sting of the devils that come out of the bottomless pit in Revelation 9:10.
Now to the connection to the ointment of the apothecary, which is a similitude of the holy anointing oil, which is given to symbolize the Holy Spirit. This similitude is shown here in Exodus 30:25 “And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil.
This holy oil was meant anoint and perfume the tabernacle, the ark of the testimony, all the vessels of the tabernacle for ministry, and also the sons of Aaron were also to be anointed with a sweet smelling savour and offer up sacrifices perfumed before the Lord as shown in the OT.
But is it also shown in the spiritual sense in the NT.
2 Corinthians 2:15-16 “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:[SUP] 16 [/SUP]To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
Ephesians 5:2 “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.”
Philippians 4:18 “But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God.”
So Satan by mingling in his leaven of flies, and by a mingling in of a perverse spirit into the sacrifices, he has also caused what was meant to be a perfumed by God’s Spirit a sweet smelling sacrifice, the sacrifices have been made to stink. And so as he has caused many of the offerings to stink , these stinking offerings and sacrifices shall be refused by the Lord.
Those who have been given ears to hear, let them hear what the Spirit is saying.
Isaiah 3:24 “And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.”
