Metaphysical meaning of Avith (mbd)
Avith, a'-vlth (Heb.)--ruins; overthrown- overturned - perverted; perverse. A city of Hadad, an Edomitish king (Gen. 36:35).
Meta. The perverted, corruptible, and destructive character (ruins, overthrown, overturned, perverted, perverse) of a line of thought that helps to make up and rule the body consciousness in man before man's natural religious tendencies founded in Spirit, come into any appreciable degree of influence or dominion within him ("before there reigned any king over the children of Israel.")
Edom refers to the body and to the external conditions of life. The rule of the outer or sense man is opposed to Spirit and to the real good of the individual; it brings about a ruinous situation in the body, eventually even its disintegration, unless a higher impulse sets into action the power of Spirit to redeem and preserve the whole man.
Since in thought man wandered away from God, he has seemed always to be conscious first of the body, the outer formed phase of himself. He has to grow into consciousness of the spiritual. "That is not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural- then that which is spiritual" (I Cor. 15:46). This .seems to be true of man now, but it was not so in the beginning, since the inner spiritual man made in God's image and likeness was created first, and the outer consciousness and body came into existence later.
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Preceding Entry: Aven
Following Entry: Avva
