The Importance of Unity
Psalm 133:1-3 A Song of Ascents. Of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing-- Life forevermore.
Psalm 133 is known as the psalm of unity and it is not coincidence that the psalm has three verses, for in the number 3, we have the number of divine completeness and perfect witness. 2 Cor. 13:1 This will be the third time I am coming to you. "By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established."
Unity Defined:
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!
The unity that God wants is not uniformity, imitation or compromise of doctrinal beliefs. It is a baptism into the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor. 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
Unity Described:
It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
Like the Oil: the oil spoken of is the anointing oil which the bible gives specific ingredients and quantities to be used - myrrh, cinnamon, calamus, cassia mixed with the oil of the olive. This oil was not to be imitated nor poured upon any flesh. All these elements mixed together became one oil that was used in the anointing of people in ministry and the vessels of the sanctuary. Five speaks of Grace – the oil itself the Holy Spirit – so by grace our we saved then baptized into one body by The Holy Spirit – so IN THE SPIRIT we find true unity and power to be
Upon the Head: Aaron’s head which is typical of our great High Priest – Jesus - Ephes. 1:22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church – so we to receive the Holy Spirit through the work of Christ on the cross – He comes sent from the head - John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
Running down: the garments always speak of ministry and lifestyle – the ministry and lifestyle of Jesus should effect our ministry and lifestyle bringing us into the unity of the brethren - Ephes. 4:13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ
Like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion:
Hermon was a mountain which flourished because of the heavy dew that rested upon it, a fruitful place – the mountains of Zion tended to be barren and lifeless – so the first message this picture displays is one that unity makes the barren and lifeless place fruitful – the second message of this illustration was the prophetic inevitability of the dividing of Gods people – Hermon was located in the area later to be inhabited by the northern tribes (Israel) and Zion became the habitation of the two southern tribes, Judah and Benjamin (Judah) which occurred after the death of Solomon – a fragmentation that warns of the dangers of division.
Unity Delivers: For there the LORD commanded the blessing-- Life forevermore.
Life: the blessing of unity is life – blessing here means prosperity – prosperity of what – life – defined as alive; fresh; strong; living thing from the root Hebrew word chayah meaning also to live, and also to revive:--keep (leave, make) alive, preserve, quicken, recover, repair, restore, save be whole. So more than just existing but having prosperous life – now we know that this life is not the bios of man but the zoe of God – God life – life that only comes in Him – the vine – so again we see unity first as being in God and as we are in God being changed and transformed by Him – in the Holy Spirit then we become one in the Spirit and the evidence is we all experience life.
Strength: life is also defined as strength – so unity also bring strength to withstand – hold on – arrive at the destination God has for us Eccles. 4:12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Matthew 12:25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.
Conclusion
Do you have real life today- Do you know Jesus? John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. Life starts with Jesus John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
For the believer – is your life in disarray– is their fragmentation, division brokenness in your life have you been staying in Jesus – if there is as we now share in communion – through repentance receive the grace of God and the fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit today and find reconciliation in your circumstances - John 17:20-23 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
