[Biblemat] S>Series on the Psalms #133

[Jeff S. Smith]

Psalm 133: Running Down the Beard of Aaron
by J.S. Smith

Introduction
i. Psalm 133 is the next-to-last song of ascents and a wisdom psalm  
also in its own right. It is a good and pleasant song, even if its  
imagery is a little unusual to modern ears.
ii. [Read Psalm 133:1-3.]
iii. The whole song is about one essential idea -- that brotherly  
unity is good and pleasant.

Discussion
I. The Text
	A. Dwelling Together (1)
		1. few things in life are both good and pleasant and even when  
people choose to dwell together, it often does not remain both good  
and pleasant for long
			a. it is sadly true that familiarity breeds contempt, and before  
long college dorm roommates, military people and even spouses find it  
hard to describe their dwelling together as either good or pleasant
			b. brethren do not as often dwell together in such close quarters,  
but they travel together through life in local congregations as part  
of “the household of God, which is the church of the living God” (1  
Tim. 3:15)
		2. it is only good and pleasant when they dwell, not just together,  
but in a state of unity
		3. how sad it is to witness fleshly siblings who cannot get along  
and who are constantly at each other’s throats, but when it occurs  
among spiritual siblings, it dishonors Christ and brings the church  
under suspicion and derision among outsiders

	B. Aaron’s Oily Beard (2)
		1. I doubt that too many people here today would have equated  
Aaron’s oily beard with the ultimate in goodness and pleasantness,  
but there is a reason for such odd language
		2. this precious oil was the holy anointing oil, by which Aaron the  
priest and his successors, could come to minister before the Lord,  
and it was strongly perfumed with a scent sweetened by nature and deity
			a. the holy anointing oil was olive oil mixed with four of the  
best spices known to the Israelites (see Exod. 30:22, 25, 30)
			b. it was poured over the head of Aaron and ran down his face,  
even to the collar of his coat, as if there was no limit or  
restriction to the overflow of the blessing and grace it symbolized
		3. brotherly unity is like that when it exists in profusion rather  
than under threat, limitation and dearth

	C. The Dew of Hermon (3)
		1. moreover, brotherly unity proves fruitful in evangelism and  
stability, like the copious volume of dew which fell on Mount Hermon  
and with its life-giving draught upon Zion
		2. spiritual Zion, the church, is even better-equipped to drink in  
the blessing of unity and the objective of life forevermore for as  
many as will walk the old paths

II. Some Applications
	A. Brotherly Unity
		1. when we think of brotherly unity, there are many negative  
examples throughout the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, where  
fleshly family defines the kingdom
			a. the disunity of Cain and Abel readily illustrates the modern  
issue that arises when brethren are divided because of error, pride  
or envy (Gen. 4:1-8)
			b. Abraham and Lot were actually uncle and nephew but the strife  
in their relationship is also familiar to us when we struggle to  
remain united amidst competing agendas and ambitions (Gen. 13:5-8)
		2. the kingdom of Christ is not just a physical family like these,  
for we become brethren by rebirth rather than birth, and yet often  
our unity is threatened by many of the same designs
			a. that we should be united is beyond question (John 17:20-23)
			b. what unites us is not the same thing that unites business  
partners or teammates, but a higher, brotherly love, for “Whoever  
believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who  
loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him” (1 John 5:1).
			c. it is a matter of mutual concern and edification that defines  
our brotherhood (Eph. 4:11-16)
		3. but it is more than affection that defines unity; it is also an  
agreement about our convictions, the truth that sanctifies the  
Christian and sets him apart from unbelievers and heretics
			a. in matters of opinion and personal scruple, we are united in  
spite of differences, but in matters of the faith and divine  
direction, we must be “perfectly joined together in the same mind and  
in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10)
			b. and that doctrinal unity takes effort (Eph. 4:1-6)
		4. “let brotherly love continue,” says the Hebrew writer (13:1);  
this we do by pursing “the things which make for peace” (Rom. 14:19)  
-- “and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14)
		5. we must not stop loving our brethren and hoping for unity, even  
when it is threatened by selfishness, or worse, error (Gal. 5:13-15)

	B. Good and Pleasant
		1. few things in life are both good and pleasant, but the anointing  
oil running down the beard of Aaron was one of those things and the  
dew of Hermon and Zion was another
			a. brotherly unity and love are good for God, for they bring glory  
before him in submission to his will
			b. brotherly unity and love are good for people, who are blessed  
with peace, growth and companionship as a result
		2. how bad and unpleasant it is when brethren dwell together in  
disunity or suffer a division because of doctrine or judgment
			a. things were tense enough in Philippi that Paul had to write to  
them to discourage such disunity (Phil. 3:20-4:3)
			b. cultural differences threatened the church’s unity in Rome  
(Rom. 14:1-4)
			c. a brother named Diotrephes was single-handedly threatening the  
unity of a church (3 John 9-11)
		3. within both the assembly of the local church and its continuous  
relationship, we hope to find a sense of unity in purpose and  
affection, so that it appears to be both good and pleasant even to  
one who is yet outside of it
			a. to answer Micah’s prophecy: “Then the remnant of Jacob Shall be  
in the midst of many peoples, Like dew from the LORD, Like showers on  
the grass, That tarry for no man Nor wait for the sons of men” (5:7)
			b. our mutual love, peace and unity should make the church seem to  
be a benefit to those lacking direction

	C. Life Forevermore
		1. in the body of Christ, enjoying unity and producing fruit, God  
has commanded and reserved the ultimate blessing, which exceeds  
anything we can enjoy on Earth as but an earnest of “life forevermore”
		2. “Your God has commanded your strength; Strengthen, O God, what  
You have done for us” (Psalm 68:28).
		3. in this brotherhood, which we love (cf. 1 Peter 2:17), we strive  
together toward “the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14)
			a. here we “bear one another’s burdens” (Gal. 6:1-2), “exhort one  
another daily” (Heb. 3:13) and sharpen the countenance of our friends  
in the faith (cf. Prov. 27:17)
			b. life forevermore is the goal of every disciple and taking as  
many with us as possible is a product of unity in Christ

Conclusion
Psalm 133 is about a commodity which is under threat today by error,  
selfishness and even apathy. We ought to desire it and protect it  
like a precious oil or the dew of heaven.


JEFF S. SMITH
Evangelist, Woodmont church of Christ
Fort Worth, Texas
http://www.electronicgospel.com
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