Have you ever looked at Scripture and been amazed as the words jumped off the page and their meaning touched you in a very special way? That’s what happened last night as I read through Psalm 133. It is a very interesting Psalm comprised of 3 verses and as David wrote them they focused on the present and the future. It is truly an amazing Psalm.
It is Good and Pleasant to Dwell in Unity (v.1)
David begins by talking about how good and pleasant it is to dwell in unity. This is a sometimes overused and underdefined term in churches across the world. I believe people feel that they will lose their identity to exhibit unity within the framework of the church. The truth is that when a person places their trust in Christ their identity changes and they become identified with Christ.
There are several types of unity we must demonstrate and experience. First is theological unity. When people, who identify with Christ, join a church it is important that they have theological unity. It is critical that they believe the same things about Scripture. Scripture, God’s Word, is an important foundation for unity. People in church need to experience this kind of unity to survive. We can be kind to others, love others, show care to others, and show Christ’s love to others, but if we fail to experience theological unity we will argue and nag each other over petty and non-spiritual matters. This is what Satan wants. He would love to destroy the church over petty preferences and selfish situations.
Second, Spiritual unity is definitely necessary. Spiritual unity. This is a desire for each of us in the church to grow in Christ. We all have the same goal to study Scripture, learn Scripture, and share Scripture so that others will have an opportunity to know Jesus as Lord in their lives as well. In reality, this is a unity of purpose. And we desperately need this.
God’s Example of Unity (v.2)
God gives us a beautiful, but interesting picture of this unity. God said it was “like the precious oil on the head running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down the collar of his robes!”
As I read this I said to myself, “What does this mean?”
But look closely. Aaron was the high priest and the oil was something given to him as an anointing. Aaron, as a high priest was the mediator between us and God. Do you know who that is today? Jesus. But the picture shows more than enough oil. So much in fact that it ran down his head, down his beard, and onto the collar of his robes. This is what is so beautiful. Here is the picture.
An interesting point to know is that when the oil ran down the breastplate it ran over the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. There is a certain holiness that accompanies those who are truly dwelling in unity.
The Coming King (v.3)
What I find most interesting about this passage is that Jesus is mentioned without being mentioned. Notice in v.3 that Mount Hermon, the highest mountain in Israel was mentioned. Mount Hermon is a place sometimes covered with snow and sometimes covered with heavy dew. In many ways, you could say that it may represent heaven and of course Zion represents Jerusalem.
We are about to get to the important part of this passage. The end of verse three says, “there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. When Jesus visited Jerusalem he did so to provide everlasting life for all who would place their trust in him. THERE IT IS!
Let’s Put it Together
Jesus came to Jerusalem and willingly gave His life as a ransom for all who would trust Him. This trust produces an amazing and miraculous unity among those who follow Him closely and they walk in holiness because of their theological and spiritual unity.
They don’t chase unspiritual things but rely on Jesus to provide all they needed. Isn’t that a beautiful picture of a unified church?
Some Questions…
- What are some things keeping you from experiencing unity with those in your church family?
- Would you say these things are theological and spiritual, or would you say they are preference oriented?
- How can you make changes in your life to ensure the kind of unity Jesus expects from those who follow him?