1/22/11
Greetings,
Unity is truly one of the greatest strengths of mankind. When men begin to unify towards a particular goal or objective, failure rarely results. In all cases, the very least that occurs is progress. Today we are going to discuss the power of unity and its implications.
God sent a flood to destroy the earth during the days of Noah. The earth had become overrun with wickedness and we see the beginning of a pattern in scripture. Unity based upon wickedness, unrighteousness, and injustice will always come under the judgment of God. Sometimes people get confused because the Bible instructs Christians not to judge others. They think that since we are not to judge, God does not judge us either. This is false. God is the judge, and His judgments are righteous and true.
After the flood, the world began to be repopulated through the offspring of Noah’s sons. Eventually, there came a time when there was a sizable population of people on earth and there arose a valiant warrior. This warrior’s name was Nimrod and he began to seduce and organize mankind. He succeeded in bringing everyone into agreement on one agenda. This agenda was wicked and it was planned to begin at Babel.
“And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.” (Genesis 10:8-10)
A casual reading of this passage may lead the reader to believe that Nimrod was simply a mighty hunter in the eyes of God and nothing more. However, the word translated “before” actually means to turn the face from. Nimrod was a mighty hunter that had turned his face away from God and sought to turn the rest of mankind away from God as well. His plan was to build a tower that would reach to the heavens. With this tower, men could make themselves a name.
“And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:4)
It is important to understand that biblically speaking, names are very important. In those days a person’s name was a description of both character and identity. This is why God would sometimes change names, such as when he changed Abram to Abraham. God’s original intention has always been for our identity to come from Him and that’s why we were created in His image. When Nimrod organized men to build this tower, they were attempting to create their own unique identity apart from God.
“But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.” (Genesis 11:5-6)
When they began to build this tower, God came down to look at it. God is all-knowing, but in some cases there are things that God comes down to see for Himself. This was one of those instances. Upon concluding His observation, God Himself said that nothing would be withheld from the people because they had become one. Nothing at all would be impossible. The Interlinear Bible adds another dimension to verse. Anything that could enter into the imagination of men—no matter how fantastic—would enter into the realm of possibility.
“And Jehovah said, Behold, the people is one, and the lip one to all of them, and this they are beginning to do, and now all which they have imagined to do will not be restrained from them.” (Genesis 11:6)
Here is the lesson: Even regarding a wicked agenda, unity among men will unlock a force that even God acknowledges as limitless. There is something so uniquely powerful in mankind that it places us at the center of all interest across every dimension (the entire spirit realm). The war between good and evil is fought over the hearts of men. Jesus died so that by expressing His limitless love for us, He could take our hearts and ravish us in His love. Satan does everything possible to detour us from Jesus.
Why do I preach unity? If unity based upon wickedness has the power to allow for anything that can enter the imagination of men; then unity based upon the perfection, holiness, and glory of God has the power to allow for anything that can enter into the imagination of God.
“Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth. Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously: for I will work a work in your days which ye will not believe, though it be told you.” (Habakkuk 1:5)
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)
In Habakkuk, injustice was prevailing and God said the work which He was about to do was so great, it was beyond the imagination of the heathen upon which He was about to pour His judgment. In 1 Corinthians, Paul explains that there are things that God has prepared for us that are so fantastic they are beyond our imagination, and thus can only be revealed to us through His Holy Spirit. Unity is a progression. Will the whole world ever come entirely under the sway of the gospel of Jesus? Not in this age. But after Jesus returns, it will. The process will begin in this age, and when we as the bride of Christ are ready, Jesus will return to finish the job. Make no mistake, Jesus will not return until His bride has made herself ready—which includes the requirement of unity.
“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.” (Revelation 19:7)
Now that we have illustrated the power of unity, we can begin to understand the context of Jesus’ prayer for the church. Jesus prayed for unity because He understood that it would unlock limitless potential, even to the extent of manifesting the imaginations of God. He wants us as His people to be limitless in power, influence, strength, and love. He wants us to be one in the same way that the Godhead is one. Becoming one requires unifying.
“And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” (John 17:11)
Discussion
1.) Is unity in the body of Christ even possible?
2.) What circumstances could allow for unity to occur considering the innumerable divisions that we see today within the church?
3.) Why do you think that the tower of Babel was built to the heavens?
4.) What do you think will qualify the bride of Christ as “ready” in Revelation 19:7?
5.) Discuss what it might look like for Christians to actually obtain the same unity that the Godhead has.
