Unity is Like Greasy Beards and Mt. Dew
[1] Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! [2] It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! [3] It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.
Psalm 133 ESV
We all know that it is good when people get along. “Dwelling together in unity” is probably not the phrase we would use, but we know what that means.
Or do we?
Getting along with each other is such a big deal, it is the point of this entire three verse psalm. What gets a little weird is that unity is compared to an oily beard and a dew covered mountain. These two images blow the lid off of “dwelling together in unity.”
Aaron’s Beard
When God set up the Levitical priesthood, He created a way for people and God to communicate with each other, share life together, and actually be together. The first part of this process was to anoint Aaron as the High Priest who would be responsible for the sacrifices, prayers, offerings, etc. Throughout the Bible, oil is a symbol of God’s anointing, God’s way of setting someone apart for a special purpose. For Aaron, that purpose was to be the mediator between God and His people.
SO, people getting along is like the inaugural event of God meeting with mankind on a large scale for the first time since Adam and Eve met with God in the garden of Eden. That’s a big deal.
Dew on Mt. Hermon
King David wasn’t a meteorologist, but knew from observation that Mt. Hermon had some serious dew. It is true. By some strange geo-atmospheric fluke, this mountain in northern Israel brings a lot of cool air down into the warmer parts of the country. It’s dew was historically heavy, and the water from Mt. Hermon flowed down and grew and eventually turned into the beginning of the Jordan river. The Jordan river was THE defining border of entry for the promised land. It ceased flowing for Joshua and the Hebrews to give them their Red Sea event; it was the pride of Israel as a source of water for crops and life.
Dew on Mt. Hermon was another starting point. It was the source for the Jordan, the symbol of salvation for all those escaping the slavery of Egypt.
Unity. Harmony. Brothers getting along with each other. It’s only the beginning.