Unity!
1. The Bible says...
Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing - Life forevermore Psalm 133:1
2. I thought it was strange that the unity of the Church should be compared to oil poured out upon Aaron's head, running down on his beard and even down to the edge of his garments. I mean this was a mystery I just had to explore! The Holy Spirit never misses, and if He had put that in God's Word there must be something great and wonderful about it. But I could not figure it out, so I had to ask Him. Then the Holy Spirit reminded me, "What kind of oil was it?"
3. It was the holy anointing oil!
Moreover the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Also take for yourself quality spices - five hundred shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much sweet smelling cinnamon (two hundred and fifty shekels), two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet smelling cane; five hundred shekels of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil. And you shall make from these a holy anointing oil, an ointment compounded according to the art of the perfumer. It shall be a holy anointing oil. Exodus 30:22-25
And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them that they may minister to Me as priests. Exodus 30:30
4. Notice that this oil was made "according to the art of the perfumer." This "oil" was actually a perfume! I believe it represented the fragrance of Christ.
For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved, and among those who are perishing. I Corinthians 2:15
And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma. Ephesians 5:2
If we could ever learn to walk in love, and in unity with one another, we would smell good to God, to ourselves, and to "those who are perishing." That's how important unity in the church is.
5. Notice that Aaron's beard is mentioned. The beard stands for maturity. A mature man or woman of God will be a person who has God's agape love for people.
...till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; Ephesians 4;13
6. It is significant that the holy anointing oil / perfume ran down to the edge of Aaron's garments. He was probably wearing a talit (see "Garment of Glory"). The "edge" would have been the hem line where the "tsitsit" tassels were tied in the corners of the robe. In other words Aaron's whole body was covered with the holy anointing oil / perfume. So every part of his body was anointed. Every member of the body of Christ needs to be soaked in God's agape love - so that every member can do his part to serve the body of Christ.
...from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:36
7. A picture is emerging. Aaron was the High Priest of Israel. As such, he represented the entire priesthood of believers, all the people of Israel. Aaron is symbolic of the body of Christ.
For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that body, being many are one body, so also is Christ. I Corinthians 12:12
8. It's not just that every member of the body of Christ needs to be anointed - the truth is they have already been anointed - by God's love and by His Holy Spirit. Every member has a gift or gifts (of the Holy Spirit), and a significant part to play.
9. We need to catch a vision of unity. Paul had such a vision. He recorded it in the book of Ephesians. The purpose and theme of that whole book is UNITY. Hear what Paul had to say...
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called, one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Ephesians 4:1-6
note: It takes lowliness, gentleness, and longsuffering to walk in love - keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
10. Jesus' Himself prayed that His Church would be one.
I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, - that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. John 17:20-21
11. The normal condition of human beings is contention. They can hardly ever agree on anything - even when they want to with all their hearts! Jesus knew that - so He prayed that His Church would be one - so that the world would believe that Jesus was sent from God.
12. Did you ever think of the unity of the body of Christ as EVANGELISM? Or as Jesus said, "that the world may believe that You sent Me." Psalm 133 continues with these words concerning unity...
It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing - LIFE forevermore. Psalm 133:3
Again it's a mystery! How could the dew of Hermon descend upon the mountains of Zion in Jerusalem? Mt. Hermon is over a hundred miles away - to the north. But just ask the question, "What took place on Mt. Hermon?"
Now after six days, Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up to a high mountain by themselves, and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Matthew 17:1-3
Dew is symbolic of God's grace and favor. (Hosea 14:4-7) It is also symbolic of God's word (the revelation of Christ, and God's redemptive plan) - pure and holy (Deuteronomy 32:2) Mt. Zion has always represented the Church. Again a picture is emerging. The unity of the Church will cause a revelation of Christ for Who He really is! That the world may believe that God sent His Son.
13. Psalm 133 sums up and concludes with these words: "For there the Lord commanded the blessing - LIFE forevermore!"
And this is the testimony; that God has given eternal life, and this life is in His Son. I John 5:11
Oh that we could catch a vision and have a heart for unity! Perhaps then the world would see Jesus for who He really is!
note: No one knows where the transfiguration took place, but my vote is for Mt. Hermon. Jesus and His disciples had been in Caesarea Philippi, at the base of Mt. Hermon, just before the transfiguration took place. And, Matthew says that Jesus took the disciples to a high mountain. Mt. Hermon is the highest mountain in Palestine.