The Blessing of Unity
Both the Old Testament and the New Testament emphasise the importance of unity among the fellowship of believers.
David writes this short psalm, Psalm 133, to reflect on the blessing of unity that God has bestowed upon His people. David begins with a great exclamation on unity. He says that for the people of Israel to fellowship together, it is beneficial (good) to them all, and it enhances their lives (1). Then David compares this unity to the priestly anointing oil the abundantly flows down the face of the priest and fully encompasses his head (2). Unity comes from the Lord as a blessing and encompasses God’s people united in their worship of Him. David then compares unity to the rich dews that come down form Mt Hermon and water the vegetation of the surrounding lands. The unity of the people is like refreshing waters that renew and invigorate the community of believers. God commanded that the Israelites receive the blessing of unity and continued vitality in response to their obedient worship.
In the New Testament we see the unity of the church emphasised in Ephesians 4:3, where Paul commands the saints to diligently work to preserve the unity that God has produced in the church by its very nature as the Body of Christ. Unity is a blessing of God that is a result of believers being united together in Christ and gathered together into a local church. Believers must seek to preserve or guard this unity by maintaining their love for one another. It is the saints love for one another that is acts as the glue that maintains peace (Eph 4:1-3). God grants the church the blessing of peace as His people love each other and obey His will.