The Blessings of Unity

April 17, 2021

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.” - Psalm 133:1-3

The Lord longs to bless his people! Some of his greatest blessings come through the unity of his people. Christ came to unite us to the Father and to each other. The love of God was clearly demonstrated as Christ gave up his life on the cross so that we could be in relationship to the Father. The heart of the Father demonstrated in the Son was that God’s people live in unity with the triune God and with each other.

Where the love of God unites his people, sin divides people from each other. That division is enhanced as people become entrenched in their opinions, rights, and ideas. Sin hardens hearts. Instead of seeing one’s shortcomings and being willing to listen to others with love and tenderness, sin keeps one focused on self and being right. This was never God’s intent for his people.

David sang this psalm as a reminder of what God’s people were to be and how joyful it was to be in unity with one another. Later this psalm would be sung in the journey to Jerusalem for feast days. It was a psalm of ascent. The nation of Israel was called to ascend their thinking, to overcome the hardness of their hearts, and to choose to live in unity with one another.

David would go on to write that as they chose this unity, there would be great abundance from the Lord. He used two images: the precious oil running down the beard of Aaron and the dew of Hermon which would fall upon the mountains of Zion.

The oil was used to anoint the priests of the Lord. It was poured out upon the head of the priest then used to anoint the robes. Oil that was so abundant that it would flow all the way down from the head through the beard would be quite an image. It would far surpass the typical amount of oil used to anoint a priest. Dew that would run from Mt. Hermon to the mountains of Zion would also convey a sense of awe among the people. Mt. Hermon and Mt. Zion were over two hundred miles from one another. It would require an abundance of dew to travel such a great distance!

God’s people were called into that overflowing abundance. It was abundant grace to be called his children, to be chosen from all the nations of the world, and to experience his favor. When fully understood and expressed, that abundant love and grace would lead God’s people to a beautiful unity. This unity of God’s people would result in great blessings from the Lord. He would truly be known and glorified in his people. They would enjoy a loving relationship with him and then with each other. That is what we are created for – fellowship.

How are you doing with this fellowship? Is your fellowship with God impacting your fellowship with God’s people? God longs to restore your fellowship vertically and horizontally. Will you cry out to him today admitting your sin and hard-heartedness so that he can come and heal? That healing can lead to the greatest fellowship and blessing.

Reflection:
Where can you allow God to soften your heart to lead you into deeper fellowship with himself and with your brothers and sisters in Christ?