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The Sign of the Blessing

1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!

Unity

Community

It is good when brothers dwell in unity. It is also an exceedingly rare event. Even the smallest of families have experienced how hard it is to avoid sibling rivalries. Israel, which was an extended family, had suffered from sibling rivalries from the start. These just expanded to tribal rivalries as the population grew. The festivals were an occasion for the tribes of Israel to remember their unity. Those festivals were suspended while the ark remained in Kiriath-jearim. Now, the ark was restored, the festivals re-instituted. The blessing of these long-missing reminders of unity must have been particularly sweet after such a long absence.

The Church, as a very large family, could be expected to suffer an even greater number of rivalries, and often has. It is indeed a sign of God's blessing when the Church experiences profound unity. This is not what has been called ecumenicalism. That false unity has been a denial process, a claim of unity where no unity exists. Profound unity is a rarity. It is a gem of great worth. Profound unity is the Church acting as the Church, so caught up in the pursuit of and obedience to God, that it can set aside the petty differences that are the common lot of the family.

The images of this Psalm show the goodness of community - of brothers united by common privileges and by common character. At the same time, they remind us of the rarity of that community. God has declared us such a community, a family of brothers united in Christ.

Heb 13:1 - Let love of the brethren continue.

Gal 3:26 - You are all sons of God through faith in Christ.

Ge 13:8 - Let there be no strife between you and me, nor between mine and yours, for we are brothers.

Jn 17:21 - that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me.

This is Christ's prayer for us, His prophecy regarding us, and His command to us. What we are called spiritually, we ought to be in fact and act. This is part and parcel of the obedience we have been called to, of the servanthood we have been called to. If we are obeying His will, we will be walking in unity with all our brothers who are also obeying His will. This is the sign of God's blessing, for apart from His blessing, it won't happen. The stakes are high in this. God has commanded this unity for a reason, and it's not just so He can bless us. It's so that the world may believe.

If the world does not believe, the Church is largely to blame because we have not yet learned to dwell in this profound unity. We talk of it. We practice it, so long as it's only for a few hours at a time (and preferably if we can choose which brothers to be united with). But we have not attained to profound unity, and the world suffers for it.

The Bearer of the Blessing

Oil of Anointing

Anointing oil was a relatively rare and precious thing already. Once instituted, it was reserved for the purpose of consecration, whether of man or material. In general, this anointing consisted of a sprinkling or streaking with the oil. For the priest, it was a streak of oil upon the forehead. However, for the high priest, it was different. Upon his head, the oil flowed, as we see it described here.

Ex 29:7 - You shall pour it on his head and anoint him.

Lev 8:12 - Moses poured the anointing oil on Aaron's head to consecrate him.

Lev 21:10-12 - The high priest, having been thus anointed and consecrated will neither uncover his head, nor tear his clothes, nor otherwise defile himself, because the consecration of that oil of God is upon him.

Notice that the anointing occurred after the turban and crown were on Aaron's head - after the emblem of "Holy unto the Lord" was upon his forehead. Notice that so long as that oil was upon him, he was not allowed to so much as grieve. Remember the command to happiness? (Ps 128). The oil represents God's love for His people. How can we grieve when His love is upon us?

The Holy Spirit

The oil of anointing was reserved for the consecration of not only priests, but also prophets and kings. These three offices are God-ordained offices, to whom He appoints His chosen workers to fulfill His determined purpose. Men have been anointed to one of these offices often enough, and on rare occasions to two (as was David). However, no man ever held all three offices, except Christ the Anointed One. Notice that in His prayer for the church, He was operating in all three offices simultaneously: praying, prophesying, and commanding unity for His followers.

Ac 10:38 - Jesus was anointed by God with the Holy Spirit and with power.

Jn 3:34 - The one God sent speaks His words, for He gives the Spirit without measure.

Consider: In Christ, the office of High Priest found its fulfillment. In the Holy Spirit, the anointing oil found its fulfillment. In the baptism of Jesus, God's proclamation announced that His love for mankind was fulfilled.

Mt 3:17 - "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Just as the oil poured down on the beard of Aaron, the anointing of the Holy Spirit has poured down on the head of Christ and flowed to cover His body. We are His body. The anointing that declared Him the Son of God in power has flowed out to us, allowing the whole of the Church to share in the blessings of the High Priest, just as all Israel shared in the blessings the High Priest imparted.

Ro 13:14 - Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh and its lusts.

Jn 1:16 - Of His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

To abuse the oil by using it for purposes other than anointing was punishable by excommunication from Israel. Like the incense of the altar, it was a substance reserved. To make light of the consecrating power of God is a sin beyond all others. In this respect it becomes all the more likely that the sin which is beyond forgiveness is indeed the blaspheming of the Holy Spirit, who carries that consecrating power of God to the Church.

In the Holy Spirit, we have been blessed with the love of God shed abroad in our hearts. We have also been given to work by the power of His presence within us. We are given gifts and talents by which to carry out the work of the ministry. We must be careful not to abuse those gifts, neither in taking them lightly, nor in using them for purposes outside His will, if such a thing be possible.

Simon the magician sought to have the gifts of the Spirit for simple gain. He was cursed for his efforts. If we are using our association with Christ for simple gain, if we are cashing in on His name, should we expect anything other than Simon received?

The Place of the Blessing

Dew of Hermon

The oil showed goodness, the dew shows pleasantness. Where rain is so scarce, the dew is indeed a most pleasant blessing. In the heat of a summer day, the dew is also a refreshing blessing. Dew is not so unusual in Israel. However, the dews found upon Mount Hermon are more extensive, as the mountain is high, often snow-capped. The rapid formation and dissipation of clouds in its peaks are notorious. When dew falls on Mount Hermon, it is in copious quantities.

By contrast, Mt. Zion is in a more arid place. What might be commonplace on the slopes of Mt. Hermon would be a stunning occurrence on Mt. Zion. Indeed, both pleasant and rare would be such a dew - just as the experience of profound unity amongst the brethren is both pleasant and rare. Thus, the dew was a fitting symbol for that unity that was found during the festivals in Jerusalem - especially the first festival after so many years.

There's another interesting characteristic of dew. Whereas the rains may come so strong and hard that they cause flooding, and then depart before the soil can know any good from them, the dew is soft and persistent, penetrating deeply into the soil. So it is with the blessings of God. They aren't like the world's pleasures which may overwhelm us for a time, and yet flee away, doing us more harm than good. God's blessings penetrate. They bring a lasting benefit to the soul.

The dew is also representative of resurrection, and as such, speaks of Christ's return.

Ps 110:3 - They will serve freely in the day of Your power. They will be a holy array in the dawn. Your youth will be to You as the dew.

Isa 26:19 - Your dead will live, their corpses arising. Those in the grave awake and rejoice for your dew is the dew of the dawn, and by it the earth gives birth to the departed spirits.

Hos 14:5 I will be like the dew to Israel; He will blossom like the lily, And he will take root like the cedars of Lebanon.

The Result of the Blessing

The Blessing is Commanded

Ps 42:8

Unity is both a sign of the blessing and a result of the blessing. It is the thing most commanded of Christ's disciples, as we have seen. It is the greatest testimony of Christ's ambassadors that they operate continually in the profound unity that can only be by His own doing.

He commands lovingkindness! He commands that we continue in love for each other. He commands. We must obey!

Mic 6:8 - He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

Does it seem hard? Look to the reward. Life forever! Is it worth the sacrifice? Count the cost, but forget not all His benefits. Though it's hard, it will assuredly be worth it.

The Blessing is Commanded in Zion

That blessing is commanded in Zion, in His kingdom, but not in the world of natural corruption. It is not available in the world, but if we fulfill our part in God's purpose, it will most assuredly be visible to the world. That's our task. That's our mission. To display unity - the evidence of blessing THAT THE WORLD MAY KNOW. And knowing, perhaps they'll seek that blessing for themselves, and be saved! Greater than the power of every evangelist, every tract, every tent meeting and arena event combined will be the power unto salvation of the Church working in profound unity - united in a common privilege, sharing a common character, and dedicated to a common purpose. And the privilege, the character, and the purpose are all One: Christ Jesus, our Prophet, Priest, and King!