A Look at Psalm 133

It’s great to be here this morning! I miss you all. As Michael and I have transitioned into our new roles, it’s been going well! Please continue to pray for Michael as he’s recovering this week from a surgery on his knee to repair his meniscus The surgery went well and he’s healing nicely.

Well, as you know, this month of February we have really been talking about this theme of the body of Yeshua being Unique and United. I know Micahel has been sharing about this theme here at shabbat and I have on Sunday mornings as well.

For this morning, I felt the Lord leading me to this wonderful psalm of David.

Psalm 133 “A song of ascents. Of David.

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.”

I love this poetic and moving psalm and I think as followers of Yeshua, maybe we can all somewhat understand how dynamic and impactful it really is.

How good....and pleasant it is...when God’s people live together in what? In UNITY!

When the body of Christ, the body of Yeshua comes together and lives together in unity it is good and it is pleasant!!!!

David was right! There is something so powerful and good that happens when believers are united together and here's a big word....LIVE...live together in unity.

The Hebrew word used here is Law-shev....it means to dwell or sit down with, live with, remain with, stay with.

There is a picture being painted for us here of the goodness and sweetness that happens when we dwell, sit with, abide, and remain with other followers of Yeshua in unity.

Note this emphasis on remaining...dwelling...living with. This is different than a quick visit. David isn’t talking about a one time conference or visiting a person once, but he’s encouraging us with how wonderful it is to do life with other believers. To be together in unity! God wants to us to dwell with each other. In our culture this kind of thing can be challenging. Most have our own houses and cars and jobs that we go to. We are generally speaking a very independent society. But we are called to live together...to sit with one another to be in unity with one another!

What does David say it’s like when we do? He says it’s like presious oil poured on the head running down on the beard, down on Aarons beard, down on the collar of his robe.

Oil in biblical times

What an interesting picture! Oil (paticually olive oil) was so important to people in biblical days.

Oil was special in the scriptures. It was used in everyday life to make meals and light lamps.

The process of creating oil involved the pressing or crushing of olives that blends together the individual olives into something new and unique. Unity similarly requires a crushing and pressing and transformation of the indidual in order to be part of blending with others to be used by God. It’s how we’re created to live!

Oil also signified a covering and a marking. We see through the scriptures men being anointed (or smeared) with oil. It was used to innagerate high offices in Gods kingdom kings and prophets and priests. It was a sign of God’s favor and blessing. His approval. Oil was a sign for other people to see as well

David here in Psalm 133 is referencing Exodus when Aaron was anointed with oil as high priest

Exodus 29:4–9 “Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting and wash them with water. Take the garments and dress Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod itself and the breastpiece. Fasten the ephod on him by its skillfully woven waistband. Put the turban on his head and attach the sacred emblem to the turban. Take the anointing oil and anoint him by pouring it on his head. Bring his sons and dress them in tunics and fasten caps on them. Then tie sashes on Aaron and his sons. The priesthood is theirs by a lasting ordinance. “Then you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.

David is comparing this living together dwelling together in unity to this anointing oil that was used to consecrate and set apart Aaron and his sons as priests before the Lord. This oil wasn't just a drop, it was abundant, flowing down his head to his beard even on his collar.

Anointing oil was an outward marking and setting apart of something, just like it was in setting apart the priests. Unity in the body of Yeshua is to be an outward marking of a spiritual reality! That is through what Yeshua Jesus accomplished through his life, death, and resurrection. Jew and Gentile together as one! Unity through Yeshua!

In Ephesians 2:13–14 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,”

When we live out the unity Jesus paid for, we are demonstrating to the world what only the Lord can do....bring people together an reconcile us to God.

Remember in John 17:20–23 Jesus is praying for us, those that would believe in him after the disciples time

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

When we live in unity with each other we are actually showing the world that God sent his Son and loves them enough to invite them into a saving relationship with Him! Amazing how powerful this anointing is.

Dew in Israel

David also says in Psalm 133:3 “It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.”

Mt Hermon is a tall mountain north of Israel and it has long been known for abundant moisture. Dew is an interesting substance for David to reference again and for us we may not totally get it. But think of Israel...a dry medaterraian climate. Dew forms when the temperature of the air gets cold enough for the moisture to appear on the ground and everything around it. In the summer in Jerusalem (also known in the bible as Mount Zion) it almost never rains. Moisture in all forms is very very important in Israel then and today. Dew was seen really as a miraciouls provision from God. It would in a sense, appear out of no where and cover everything. Dew is important after the spring rains especially because it provides a source of water for plants and vegetation even in very hot dry months.

Just like dew, unity for the follower of Yeshua is a miracouls provision from God. It covers and waters us through dry seasons. Has anyone ever gone though a barren hard and hot season where it felt like the sun was beating down on you in the dessert? To be united with God’s people, our brothers and sisters will help us to prevail and weather the storm until we see a harvest.

Unique and United was God’s idea from the beginning

Where we are united as one in Yeshua, God bestows his blessing! He loves when we come together with our uniqueness in unity. Our uniqueness and Unity with God, unity with each other, and even unity with ourselves is God plan and desire since the beginning.

From the beginning God desired unity. Unity takes intentionality.

We battle misunderstandings and independence not interdependence. But in reality, we actually need one another, we are wired for connection with others.

In the beginning God made Adam and Eve. Who’s the head of them? God.

He says to be fruitful and multiple. He wants a big family. Man and woman are unique and different from each other but he desires more and more people. For his family to grow.

Unfortunately ,Mankind disobeys sins against God and rejects Him as the head of the house. Wanting to be the head ourselves. To make our own way. So we get what we ask for and it Doesn’t go well.

Down the road, God chooses a man again, Abraham and he choses him to be set apart. God promises to bless and multiply His descendants .ABAHAM ISSAC AND JACOB OR ISRAEL. Then Jacob or Israels sons are The 12 tribes right?

Interestedly each of Jacobs sons the 12 tribes were Designed to be unique and different. As we know then they cast out Joseph. They aren’t united. There a famine and then they get reunited because of what God did though Joseph (what was Yeshua’s step dads name again?) oh yeah Joseph as well. Not a confidence.

Ok so this tribe of people, this family increases, these guys all marry. Who did they marry? Well we know Judah marred a canninite woman and Joseph marries probably an Egyptian woman. Anyway this branch gets bigger and bigger in Egypt.

But after a while the new pharaoh decides it’s enough and begins persecuting these people known as the Israelites. God again raises up a deliverer in Moses. The Israelites are delivered out of slavery and into the wilderness on the way to the promised land.

But, although they have physically left Egypt still was in the hearts of many. Disobedience again consequences again. Then they finally enter the promised land.

Fast forward to the time of Yeshua. The 12 tribes had not maintained unity. They split off into different kingdoms (Israel and Judah). Then Yeshua calls how many disciples? 12, all very different unique but to be united.

Interesting here that they were chosen on their tribal genology but on their hearts toward Yeshua. God was bringing about unity and oneness through this new covenant based on thier hearts more than genealogy.

We see Yeshua as the head of the household of faith without body that began with the 12 disciples and expands out to the nations to be fruitful and multiply. Now not just to one group of people but all who would believe and confess Yeshua get to be grafted into the same covenant God made with Abraham Issac and Jacob.

The true body with one head Yeshua. We know that the natural branches are still called and important. Israel and the Jewish people read Romans 9-11. But God has made a new spiritual family Jew and gentile one broke down the wall of hostility no more court of the gentiles court of the Jews and holy of hollies in a temple. The veil is torn though Yeshua we are now all one.

One body with many parts. Revelation 5:9 “And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.” This is that life forevermore that is mentioned in Ps 133

One body incredibly unique that is ultimately going to gathered back again with the Lord in paradise forever. In revelation we read about the new heaven and new earth and really the restoration of Eden.

The goal fulfilled, uniqueness and unity. This is the narrative, the story. God loves people. He wants to be with us.

We must keep this story in mind. We need to remember unity isn't just an add on, it’s a central part of displaying God’s heart and desire for humanity.

This is why we must work toward unity with God, with one another, and with ourselves.

Today what area of that needs attention? Ministry team come up...

Where do we need to repent? Where do we need to see a breakthrough with God, with people, with ourselves? Disunity destroys and mares God’s design and intention for us.

There are 44,000 Christian denominations and that number is growing....Does that sound like unity to you?

Lord help us!

Why unity in the body is like oil? It’s a covering an outward demonstration to the world the prophecies about who Yeshua is! John 17 that they may see

A covering Oil good and symbolized blessing. Lack of oil bad…lack of oil ex Micah oil press10 virgins We don’t want to live without oil. Where there is division there is no oil. In unity God bestows blessingWhen did david write ps 133 Belgian draft horses ighteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.”‭‭Romans‬ ‭9‬:‭30‬-‭32‬ ‭NIV‬‬ https://bible.com/bible/111/rom.9.30-32.NIV “and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’”‭‭Genesis‬ ‭48‬:‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬ Olives and Olive press make oil.