Living Together
May 2, 2008
Psalms 133:1-3 KJV
(1)(1) [A Song of degrees of David.] Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
(2) It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
(3) As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
Notice the word degrees in the first part of verse one. It is a set of instructions as to what the scripture is. I looked it up. Degrees is from the Hebrew mahalaw and the concordance I use says: the act (literally a journey to a higher place, figuratively a thought arising), or (concretely) the condition (literally a step or grade mark, figuratively a superiority of station); specifically a climactic progression (in certain Psalms):
Now I have read those verses many times and thought 'what a nice thought, that we could all live together in unity and how great it is.' Looking at that translation of the word gave me a much greater thought. If we want to move up to a higher place, one of being closer to God, we have to learn to live together. And it is not to live together in peace (which I somehow read in those verses). It is to live in unity,yachid , which means united. How can we as a people who are so different live united? And does unity mean that I am not me anymore, like a 1984 type of society?
I do not believe that we will ever reach true unity here on earth, but I think that we can have the progression that the scripture talks about if we take it one step at a time. We will never all agree on everything at any time. One thing that my years of Christianity have taught me is that we major too much on the minors. Let us worship together with our brothers and sisters on what we can agree on and not force one belief on the other.
And that goes for daily life as well. All whom we interact with, family, co-workers, etc., we should find a way to unite with them as well. Do not give up your beliefs but focus on the good things in them.
Read through the Bible in one year in Historical order
Today
Psalms 133:1-3
Tomorrow
Psalms 106:1-48, Psalms 107:1-43
http://tinyurl.com/24beby for a daily reading tool
