When King David got it wrong about the crucial importance of unity in Psalm 133, he knew what he was talking about, and a man who knows what he’s talking about is worth paying attention to!
David knew all about divisions in the family and in the nation. He had been through it all.
“Behold,” says the old King James translation and so does the Hebrew, “Look. It is so unusual to see! Pause, stop and look at it, when you see unity and harmony.” It is a rare sight.
David also says how good and how nice he is. Pleasant is the same Hebrew word that means harmony in music. It is used of a field of corn, and the sweetness of honey, and abiding implies abiding with the sense of continuation and continuity.
Satan fears the unity of believers, because this is a means to be defeated. He will do everything in his power to keep the disciples of Jesus Christ apart.
We have a responsibility to achieve that unity and to maintain that unity that we have. Remember, there is a God, and God will do things for us that we could never do for ourselves. And there is Satan, who will resist our meeting. In fact, he will do anything to resist any real work of the Living God.
It has done so much to obscure the reality of what happened on the Cross, and it has done so much to destroy the unity of the Body of Christ.
This is a high priority in the eyes of Jesus Christ, and in the eyes of God.
How is the unit? It’s like precious oil. Doesn’t that speak of the Holy Spirit?
The anointing oil is poured over the head and runs down the body.
The anointing oil is fragrant. Unity is fragrant in the nostrils of God. Disunity is a bad smell in the presence of God.
Unity is like a sweet perfume. Put it in a jar and let God enjoy the fragrance of it.
It is holy and different and separate and set apart, like the anointing oil of the priest.
It flows and touches everything and everyone. Even the world will take notice according to Jesus’ prayer.
It is like the dew of Hermon which is many miles away; 100 miles from Jerusalem, but falling on Zion, on Jerusalem, and it’s refreshing and cool and clear. We see ourselves as priests anointed and equipped to serve.
Such unity is still a long, long way off.
Oil and water mix and mingle and flow together.
Nowhere in the world can that happen. Only in the Church of Jesus Christ can this happen. God bestows his blessing which is even life forever.
This man has had such a powerful and powerful vision.
No wonder Satan wants to keep the disciples apart by fighting, fighting, arguing, and disagreeing.
Note where it is placed in the order of these Psalms – penultimate.
This is why Jesus prayed with such concern on His last night on earth, before facing the Cross. The last words are very important.
What is it that keeps believers apart? Is it not the carnal nature or the flesh?
What is meat? It is the nature that we inherit from our birth in sin!
We see this in I Corinthians Chapter 3 verses 1 – 4. This was a significant problem in Corinth. They were envy and strife and division, and Paul says, I had to treat them like babies.
In Corinthians we read about divisions and strife and people are named and exposed. In Chapter 5 we read about immorality, and in Chapter 6 we read about lawsuits between believers. There was abuse at the table and misuse of spiritual gifts. Paul taught correct and proper usage. In chapter 15 we read about misunderstandings or simply wrong beliefs regarding certain important fundamental Christian doctrines.
Usually these contentious issues arise out of pride!
José Cubero was a brilliant bullfighter and at 21 he was on the brink of a brilliant career, whatever you think of that career. He injured a bull so badly that he collapsed. He considered the fight over and he thrust the sword one last time. He turned to acknowledge the applause from the crowd. The bull was not dead. He got up and pounced on the unsuspecting matador. A horn pierced his back and pierced his heart and within a few hours he was dead.
Pride can stab us in the back.
George Whitfield disagreed with John Wesley on some theological issues. One day Whitfield was asked if he thought he would see John Wesley in heaven. He paused before answering. “I am not afraid. He will be so close to the eternal throne, and I will be so far away that I will hardly see him.”
In Galatians chapter 5 verse 20, God speaks of those things of our flesh that cause division. We would expel some people from the Church for some of these, but not all.
The only answer is crucifixion. The old man has to be crucified. Verse 24 refers to those who are Christ’s; to those who belong to Christ; not a denomination; neither Pentecostals nor charismatics! No label matters. Those who are of Christ is what Paul is teaching here!
We cannot achieve unity except through the Cross of Jesus Christ.
The goal is right relationships, with Jesus and with each other.
The unit starts vertically and then horizontally. Jesus’ prayer is that we be in the Father and in Him, first. The phrase “to be in Him” or “in Christ” is used some 150 times in the New Testament.
We have a security that does not depend on success. To be sure is to be in Christ. Fear is eliminated and competition is ruled out. That is a wonderful place to live!
The result and reward is that blessing that flows from unity.
sand shaw
