(mount Hermon)
Psalm 133
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 How good and pleasant it is when God’s children live together in unity!
2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes.
3 It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 How good and pleasant it is when God’s children live together in unity!
2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes.
3 It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
For a thousand years, 3 times a year, the 12 tribes, priest, prophets, leaders and families of all different ages from all over Judah and Israel would make their way to Jerusalem for a time of sacrifice and worship. Additionally, those living outside of Israel would seek to join the pilgrimage at least once in the year. "Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God" (Exodus 23, 17; Exodus 34, 23; Deuteronomy 16, 16). They were held at the time of the three harvests: late spring (the Passover), midsummer (Pentecost) and early autumn (Tabernacles).
As the roadways got closer to Mount Zion and began to converge, songs would begin to rise from the throng. These ascent songs (coming up to Jerusalem) were as well known as perhaps some of our own songs such as “Amazing Grace” or “I could sing of Your Love forever”. These songs would increase with passion and intensity as the end of the journey drew near.
The emphatic emphasis of the first stanza of this song, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s children live together in unity!” is significant. Essentially the rest of the song is commentary, describing what that unity looks like, and what happens when that unity happens. God moves when His children are unified in mind and purpose. All these different peoples with different backgrounds, roles and agenda’s became a unified community by the coming together to sacrifice and worship.
I think of us, in our programs, all over Ontario, and now increasingly in different countries with our differences: functions, visions, goals, and agendas. How do we become unified so that we too experience “the LORD bestows His blessing…”? If we (individually or collectively) are to achieve anything lasting, we need His blessing upon our work and upon our lives. A powerful key to this is ‘when God’s children live in unity’.
And, I have a large responsibility to play my part in that unity. Paul says in his letter to the Romans “as far as it depends on you [me] be at peace with all people” (Rom 12:8).
The imaginary here of what that unity looks like, may appear a little strange to us. Unity is compared to precious oil being poured out on Aaron’s head and running down his beard and pouring down over his collar and clothes. I believe that it symbolizes the way in which unity is applied. With no regard to cost, it is extravagant and reckless, and dumped full force. In ancient cultures precious oils were like our RRSP’s - an investment for the future. When they were used, they were used extremely sparingly for anointing to the priesthood, a special dedication, or to anoint a person who had died as a symbol of respect, love and devotion. Remember the time in the New Testament where it created a great disturbance? The ‘sinful woman’ took one of these significant RRSP’s and cashed it in all at once, and poured the precious oil all over Jesus’ feet. This warrants another whole blog itself.
Simply, I think God desires for us to be generous, free and indulgent when it comes to seeking to live in unity with one another. Pay whatever it costs, put aside whatever differences, don’t withhold your unity – do it now like there’s no tomorrow.
The Mountain imaginary is similar. 160 miles separate these two peaks. Hermon, on the Lebanon border to the North of Mount Zion, was so high that it was snow capped. Mount Zion, to the south, was lower and drier. In God, we have no divide. It is His desire that we live so closely in unity that what one has, blesses the other. When we meet in Worship (read Roman 12:1-2 for what is considered worship) we can only meet there – in unity. Here are my closing thoughts:
As the roadways got closer to Mount Zion and began to converge, songs would begin to rise from the throng. These ascent songs (coming up to Jerusalem) were as well known as perhaps some of our own songs such as “Amazing Grace” or “I could sing of Your Love forever”. These songs would increase with passion and intensity as the end of the journey drew near.
The emphatic emphasis of the first stanza of this song, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s children live together in unity!” is significant. Essentially the rest of the song is commentary, describing what that unity looks like, and what happens when that unity happens. God moves when His children are unified in mind and purpose. All these different peoples with different backgrounds, roles and agenda’s became a unified community by the coming together to sacrifice and worship.
I think of us, in our programs, all over Ontario, and now increasingly in different countries with our differences: functions, visions, goals, and agendas. How do we become unified so that we too experience “the LORD bestows His blessing…”? If we (individually or collectively) are to achieve anything lasting, we need His blessing upon our work and upon our lives. A powerful key to this is ‘when God’s children live in unity’.
And, I have a large responsibility to play my part in that unity. Paul says in his letter to the Romans “as far as it depends on you [me] be at peace with all people” (Rom 12:8).
The imaginary here of what that unity looks like, may appear a little strange to us. Unity is compared to precious oil being poured out on Aaron’s head and running down his beard and pouring down over his collar and clothes. I believe that it symbolizes the way in which unity is applied. With no regard to cost, it is extravagant and reckless, and dumped full force. In ancient cultures precious oils were like our RRSP’s - an investment for the future. When they were used, they were used extremely sparingly for anointing to the priesthood, a special dedication, or to anoint a person who had died as a symbol of respect, love and devotion. Remember the time in the New Testament where it created a great disturbance? The ‘sinful woman’ took one of these significant RRSP’s and cashed it in all at once, and poured the precious oil all over Jesus’ feet. This warrants another whole blog itself.
Simply, I think God desires for us to be generous, free and indulgent when it comes to seeking to live in unity with one another. Pay whatever it costs, put aside whatever differences, don’t withhold your unity – do it now like there’s no tomorrow.
The Mountain imaginary is similar. 160 miles separate these two peaks. Hermon, on the Lebanon border to the North of Mount Zion, was so high that it was snow capped. Mount Zion, to the south, was lower and drier. In God, we have no divide. It is His desire that we live so closely in unity that what one has, blesses the other. When we meet in Worship (read Roman 12:1-2 for what is considered worship) we can only meet there – in unity. Here are my closing thoughts:
Philippians 2
Imitating Christ's Humility
1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make My joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had:
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage;
7 rather, He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a human being, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Anyway, I was just thinking,
Neil
Anyway, I was just thinking,
Neil
0 comments:
Post a Comment