"Behold, how good and how
pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
"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;
"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"
(Psa. 133:1-3)
The Beauty of Unity
"Behold." It is a
wonder seldom seen, therefore behold it! It may be seen, for it is the
characteristic of real saints – therefore fail not to inspect it! It is well
worthy of admiration; pause and gaze upon it! It will charm you into imitation,
therefore note it well! God looks on with approval, therefore consider it with
attention. "How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in
unity!" No one can tell the exceeding excellence of such a condition; and so
the Psalmist uses the word "how" twice – Behold how good! and how
pleasant! He does not attempt to measure either the good or the pleasure, but
invites us to behold for ourselves. The combination of the two adjectives
"good" and "pleasant," is more remarkable than the conjunction of
two stars of the first magnitude: for a thing to be "good" is good, but for it
also to be pleasant is better. All men love pleasant things, and yet it
frequently happens that the pleasure is evil; but here the condition is as good
as it is pleasant, as pleasant as it is good, for the same "how" is set
before each qualifying word.
For brethren according
to the flesh to dwell together is not always wise; for experience teaches that
they are better a little apart, and it is shameful for them to dwell together in
disunion. They had much better part in peace like Abraham and Lot, than dwell
together in envy like Joseph’s brothers. When brethren can and do dwell together
in unity, then is their communion worthy to be gazed upon and sung of in
holy psalmody. Such sights ought often to be seen among those who are near of
kin, for they are brethren, and therefore should be united in heart and aim;
they dwell together, and it is for their mutual comfort that there should be no
strife; and yet how many families are rent by fierce feuds, and exhibit a
spectacle which is neither good nor pleasant!
As to brethren in spirit, they
ought to dwell together in church fellowship, and in that fellowship one
essential matter is unity. We can dispense with uniformity if we possess unity:
oneness of life, truth, and way; oneness in Christ Jesus; oneness of object and
spirit – these we must have, or our assemblies will be synagogues of contention
rather than churches of Christ. The closer the unity the better; for the more of
the good and the pleasant there will be. Since we are imperfect beings, somewhat
of the evil and the unpleasant is sure to intrude; but this will readily be
neutralized and easily ejected by the true love of the saints, if it really
exists.
Christian unity is good in itself, good for ourselves, good for the
brethren, good for our converts, good for the outside world; and for certain it
is pleasant; for a loving heart must have pleasure and give pleasure in
associating with others of like nature. A church united for years in earnest
service of the Lord is a well of goodness and joy to all those who dwell round
about it.
The Blessings of
Unity
"It is like the precious
ointment upon the head." In order that we may the better behold brotherly
unity David gives us a resemblance, so that as in a glass we may perceive its
blessedness. It has a sweet perfume about it, comparable to that precious
ointment with which the first high priest was anointed at his
ordination.
It is a holy thing, and
so again is like the oil of consecration which was to be used only in the Lord’s
service. What a sacred thing must brotherly love be when it can be likened to an
oil which must never be poured on any man but on the Lord’s high priest
alone!
It is a diffusive
thing: being poured on his head the fragrant oil flowed down upon Aaron’s head,
and thence dropped upon his garments till the utmost hem was anointed therewith;
and even so doth brotherly love extend its benign power and bless all who are
beneath its influence. Hearty concord brings a benediction upon all concerned;
its goodness and pleasure are shared in by the lowliest members of the
household; even the servants are the better and the happier because of the
lovely unity among the members of the family.
It has a special use
about it; for as by the anointing oil Aaron was set apart for the special
service of Jehovah, even so those who dwell in love are the better fitted to
glorify God in His church.
The Lord is not likely to use for His glory those who
are devoid of love; they lack the anointing needful to make them priests unto
the Lord.
" That ran down upon the
beard, even Aaron’s beard." This is a chief point of comparison, that as the
oil did not remain confined to the place where it first fell, but flowed down
the high priest’s hair and bedewed his beard, even so brotherly love descending
from the head distils and descends, anointing as it runs, and perfuming all it
lights upon.
"That went down to the
skirts of his garments." Once set in motion it would not cease from flowing.
It might seem as if it were better not to smear his garments with oil, but the
sacred unguent could not be restrained, it flowed over his holy robes; even thus
does brotherly love not only flow over the hearts upon which it was first poured
out, and descend to those who are an inferior part of the mystical body of
Christ, but it runs where it is not sought for, asking neither leave nor license
to make its way. Christian affection knows no limits of parish, nation, sect or
age.
Is the man a believer in
Christ? Then he is in the one body, and I must yield him an abiding love!
Is he
one of the poorest, one of the least spiritual, one of the least lovable? Then
he is as the skirts of the garment, and my heart’s love must fall even upon him.
Brotherly love comes from the head, but falls to the feet. Its way is downward.
It "ran down," and it "went down": love for the brethren
condescends to men of low estate, it is not puffed up, but is lowly and meek.
This is no small part of its excellence: oil would not anoint if it did not flow
down, neither would brotherly love diffuse its blessing if it did not
descend.
The Bounty of Unity
"As the dew of Hermon, and
as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion." From the loftier
mountains the moisture appears to be wafted to the lesser hills: the dews of
Hermon fall on Zion. The Alpine Lebanon ministers to the minor elevation of the
city of David; and so does brotherly love descend from higher to the lower,
refreshing and enlivening in its course. Holy concord is as dew, mysteriously
blessed, full of life and growth for all plants of grace. It brings with it so
much benediction that it is as no common dew, but as that of Hermon which is
specially copious, and far-reaching.
O for more of this rare
virtue! Not the love which comes and goes, but that which dwells; not that
spirit which separates and secludes, but that which dwells together; not that
mind which is all for debate and difference, but that which dwells together in
unity. Never shall we know the full power of the anointing till we are of one
heart and of one spirit; never will the sacred dew of the spirit descend in all
its fulness till we are perfectly joined together in the same mind; never will
the covenanted and commanded blessing come forth from the Lord our God till once
again we shall have "one Lord, one faith, one baptism."
Lord, lead us into this
most precious spiritual unity, for Thy Son’s sake. Amen.
PEACE
6q0yvbBQ4F)fs%2CsQ~~60_57.jpg)
