“Finally, brothers and sisters…be of one mind”
The final say on unity comes from a very short but potent Psalm. “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.” (Psalm 133)
Oil was the blessing of God reserved only for his anointed,
particularly those who where kings and priests. The image in the first part of the psalm is that unity is a sign of the blessing of God and the acknowledgement that we are both kings and priest in his kingdom. It is abundant and overflows even to the collar of the robe, to the least of the people in the kingdom of God.
The reference to Mount Hermon is even more full of imagery. Just a quick glance at wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Hermon) shows some of the significance of this mountain that enhances the image of how important unity is.
For example unity is a natural defense against false teachers and the negative influences of the world.. Mount Hermon “…is also called ‘the eyes of the nation’ in Israel because its elevation makes it Israel’s primary strategic early warning system.”
More importantly unity represents the work of Christ in our lives and a sign of his complete rule over us. “The mountain served as the northern boundary of the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 3:8) and also was the northern limit of the conquest (Joshua 11:17, 12:1, 13:5)” The same can be said of God plans for us. He has “…made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ…to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ..” (Ephesians 1 :9-10)
Interesting enough wikipedia notes that it was at Mount Hermon that “Jesus revealed to them his purpose to build his Church and to go to Jerusalem to die and be resurrected (Matthew 16:18-21). Mount Hermon is a possible site of the Transfiguration” Unity builds the church, supports us in our trials, and will transform us and change our lives in ways we can’t even understand.
But what about the references to the dew on Mount Hermon? “Because of its height it captures a great deal of precipitation in a very dry area of the world…Additionally, the runoff facilitates fertile plant life below the snow line, where vineyards and pine, oak, and poplar trees are abundant.”
A Church working in unity will bring life to a community. It is because of this “The springs, and the mountain itself, are much contested by the nations of the area for the use of the water.” What could be better for real church growth than a church united in one mind under Christ. How refreshing. People would be fighting to get in the doors!
By humbling ourselves, submitting to Christ as head of the body, and encouraging each other we are well on the way to unity. It is the complete work of Christ in our lives, and the rewards are astonishing. It is safety, refreshing, transformation, growth and revival. It is also the sign of God’s blessing on us as kings and priest in his Kingdom that if we allow him to he will make us one in mind as brothers and sisters in Christ.
God Bless,
Matt.
