14 Unity in Worship
“As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” Ps 133:3
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Ps 133:1
We are coming to a close of the songs of degrees. We will have one more after Psalm 133. Before the mini-psalter of worship closes out, the subject of unity comes up. Unity is an important part of our worship. Our worship cannot ascend to the holy hill without unity with others of like faith.
Within the context of worship, Psalm 133 speaks of the blessing of unity. We have stated that unity is the single most powerful force that we as a collective group can bring to the work of God. And yet unity is something of our own doing. God creates the environment where unity can flourish, but we as a people must decide that we will let unity be the predominant tone between us. And unity concerns more than just our actions; unity has a spiritual dimension.
There is a special blessing that comes when brethren dwell together in unity. Quite often brethren dwell together. In fact, in Bible days the land was divided according to families. Your inheritance was in the same area as that of your brethren. And so to claim your inheritance meant to claim your place among your brethren. The same is true today. To claim your inheritance in Christ requires filling your place among the brethren.
But the blessing of unity mentioned in Psalms 133 goes beyond merely dwelling together … the blessing comes when brethren dwell together in unity. To claim your inheritance in God means to also claim your place among your brothers and sisters in Christ. Now there is a blessing that comes from choosing to dwell among your brethren. But the real blessing of unity goes beyond merely being in close proximity to your brothers and sisters. The phrase “dwelling together in unity” takes in more. It signifies the state of general concord and mutual understanding, or harmony.
Unity Requires That We Meet Together
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Ps 133:1
The blessing of unity comes when believers commit themselves to do more than merely meet at the same place to worship. There must also be a meeting of our goals, our thoughts, and our purpose. There must be a combining of these things into a common and agreed upon force.
Where is the point that we meet? Within the context of songs sung as the people of God ascended to the temple to worship, is this song about unity. This song is about unity in worship. If each believer follows the will of God for their own life, our paths will converge at the House of God. Because doing the will of God for my life means being a part of the Body of Christ and doing the work of God on earth. What is that work? - Reaching the Lost.
There are two things that every believer shares with every other believer. A call to be part of Christ’ body, the Church and a call to reach our world with the Gospel of God’s Kingdom. If I follow God’s Will for my life, each of these calls can only be fulfilled as I claim my own inheritance among my brethren in the family of God. That happens as we gather to worship. You cannot fulfill the will of God in your life without being a part of the Church of the Living God. Enough of the false division many make between their personal relationship with the Lord and their relationship with other believers. You cannot be in unity with Christ and yet in disunity with His body the Church!
How can we have unity, agreement, and harmony when we are all so vastly different from one another? The answer is that unity requires that we meet each other at a certain place. And that place is the House of God. This is also the only place that the two major calls God places on your life can be fulfilled! You cannot be a part of Christ’s body without being a part of the Church, which is flesh of His flesh and bone of His bones. You cannot reach the world with the Gospel except as a part of the worldwide, universal Church of Jesus Christ.
I am only responsible for harmonizing my own spirit with the move of God. Unity does not require me to become a spiritual enforcer and lean on anyone who is a little off key or out of time. I should focus my effort on my own spirit.
Unity Anoints and Prepares Us For Service
“It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;” Ps 133:2
The anointing spoken of here was the initial consecration of the high priest. This anointing set Aaron aside and consecrated him to the work of the priesthood. The “it” of verse 2 is the unity spoken of in verse 1. The anointing of unity is what consecrates us for service.
The precious ointment that is compared to unity was made up of several ingredients. Myrrh, cinnamon, sweet calamus, cassia, and olive oil. This ointment was used to consecrate the priesthood, the tabernacle, as well as all the furniture used in the tabernacle in the wilderness. This ointment made up of ingredients of different textures and qualities was all blended together by olive oil. The oil of the Holy Ghost causes the various individual members of the Church to blend together into one unit. And the unity that results is what consecrates everything that we do for God.
The songs of ascending would be incomplete without the subject of unity. The psalmist says that unity in like the precious ointment that consecrates for service. I must get myself in tune with the Holy Ghost so that I can be in tune with my brothers and sisters.
Now, your responsibility toward unity begins and ends with yourself. You are not responsible to make sure that someone else is in tune with the Lord and in step with the rest of the Church. Your part is to make sure YOU are in tune. Quite frankly, there will always be those who like to come and listen to the tune, but are unwilling to contribute their part toward the making of the music. It is from the general direction of this bunch that sour notes have been heard.
As a local assembly approaches a time of spiritual fruitfulness, the enemy gears up to resist. The enemy will try to distract believers from the work before them. If the enemy cannot damage unity, he will attempt to distract God’s people from the work. We must just keep climbing up the hill as we worship God.
Unity Crowns Us With God’s Blessing and Makes Us Fertile
“As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” Ps 133:3
Again, a comparative word opens verse three. Unity is “as the dew…” The unity of brethren who worship and serve God together is compared to the dew of Hermon.
Mount Hermon was the northern most peak in the Promised Land. The psalmist sees Hermon as the “head” of Zion, in much the same way as Aaron represented the ceremonial head of Israel, as high priest. The dew or moisture that descended upon Hermon and throughout Zion was the source of fertility and blessing. Rain is not a constant thing in this region and thus the land relies heavily upon the early morning dew that it might be fertile and produce crops. Crops are planted in the rainy seasons (former and latter) but require the dew to be sustained till harvest.
I love the rainy season. I love to listen to the rain come down at night while I sleep. I love to sit at my desk and work while the sounds and smells of rain come in the opened window of my office. But nothing in this world lasts forever. The rain comes and goes.
We sing several songs and choruses about rain -
- Rain on me, Holy Spirit
- I Hear the Rain
It is all about the Holy Ghost raining down on us. And it happens! God still pours out His Spirit on those that obey Him! But every day is not a rainy day. What are you going to do on a clear, hot day, without a cloud in the sky?
On dry days, we need the dew of Hermon to descend upon the mountains of Zion. There are some days that the windows of heaven are opened and you can’t stay dry if your life depended on it! There are times that the Spirit is moving in such a way that it is almost impossible for anybody in the vicinity to not walk away blessed and renewed in the Holy Ghost. But every day is not a rainy day. On days when the sky is clear and the sun is hot, we need the dew of Hermon.
The dew of Hermon actually has the same source, but it precipitates a little differently. Rather than fall out of the sky, it descends upon the mountains and then rolls into the valleys and plains. That is the way that unity works. God works to create an environment where it can happen, and we must buy into it by investing ourselves. And that sweet unity descends from the mountains and rolls into the valleys and plains, blessing everyone that it touches. The dew of Hermon sustains crops on those days that rain does not fall from heaven. But it is a blessing from God nonetheless! It just precipitates a little bit differently.
Conclusion:
“…for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” Ps 133:3
Where does the Lord “command” His blessing to reside? In the place where unity is produced. Where will God cause the blessing of fertility to rest? Upon a people that produce the heavenly dew of unity. Where does the blessing of life evermore rest? On those that allow God to led them to unity with other believers.
Your responsibility in the unity of the Church concerns yourself only. If you are willing to become a part of what God is doing in your church and in your town you will do whatever is necessary to be a part. And if you aren’t, you will probably feel left out. But I believe there are some folks that are committed to producing that heavenly dew that will sustain us. God will command His blessing on those committed to having unity within the Church.
© 2009 Nevin Bass. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced for the purpose of resale without written permission.
