Metaphysical meaning of Ahiman (mbd)
Ahiman, a-hl'-man (Heb.)--brother of a portion; brother of allotment; brother of a gift, i. e., liberality.
One of the three sons of Anak (Num. 13:22). Anak and his sons were giants in the land of Canaan; they were driven out by Caleb, and were finally killed by the Judahites (Josh. 15:14; Judg. 1:10) .
Meta. Anak and his sons lived in ebron. (Hebron signifies the front brain, or seat of conscious thought.) They represent certain strongly intrenched intellectual reasonings that derive their energy from the elemental life forces of the subconscious mind (Canaanites), because they have become such a deeply established part of the inherited race thought.
The person who is a great reasoner from the purely human standpoint finds it more difficult than other persons really to accept the spiritual Truth and to understand it and put it into practice. Such a one can reason away every truth that is presented to him, and can do it in a seemingly logical way. To the carnal reasoning mind the most precious truths of Spirit are foolishness. (See I Cor. 2:14.) Over and over again we fail to put into practice the spiritual inspirations that come to us from the Great Teacher within us, because the giants of established worldly reasoning take up their warfare against the ideas of Spirit.
The phase of reasoning that Ahiman symbolizes is seemingly very liberal in its views (brother of a gift, i. e., liberality). It can give apparently logical reasons why one should be guided by the established views of the world, by the understanding of highly educated men, by the decisions of ministers of the Gospel, and by tradition, instead of giving oneself over to the new, different. spiritual thoughts that appear to the natural man to be foolish fads. This line of reasoning for which Ahiman stands is very subtle, hence powerful, because there is usually a grain of Truth in it (brother of a portion), and half truths are harder to recognize and combat successfully than out-and-out falsehoods. Only by spiritual faith, enthusiasm, loyalty to Truth (Caleb), and use of praise and prayer (Judah) can this form of reasoning be overcome entirely.
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Preceding Entry: Ahimaaz
Following Entry: Ahimelech
