Unity made possible

 

READ Ezekiel 37–40

Most know the song with these words: “Leg bone connected knee bone, Knee bone connected thighbone, Thighbone connected hipbone, Don’t you hear the word of the Lord?” Not everyone knows it is a Black spiritual based on Ezekiel 37, a vision God gave His prophet of dead people brought to life by His power. This vision depicts God’s plan for His exiled people to restore them to their own land.

Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.” (Ezekiel 37:11–14)

Not only that, He would unite Judah and Israel that they would be one nation rather than two kingdoms:

Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and bring them to their own land. And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. And one king shall be king over them all, and they shall be no longer two nations, and no longer divided into two kingdoms. They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. But I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God . . . . I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore. (37:21–28)

God united His people and set them apart for Himself. He still does that. Recently, a couple who divorced twenty years ago were separately led to the Lord. They came together as God restored their love and commitment to one another. They now help other married couples whose marriages are in trouble. A similar reunion happened with a couple in our family.

The NT tells of a larger union when God did the seemingly impossible by uniting Jews and Gentiles through Jesus Christ:

Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles . . .  were separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. (Ephesians 2:11–16)

Restored relationships begin with being brought into a faith relationship with Jesus. As sin is confessed and hearts are changed, division becomes unbearable. God’s people want to be in harmony with one another. Sometimes broken marriages are restored, or family feuds come to an end, or personal animosity ceases. God is a God of peace and when His Spirit lives in a human heart, that peace becomes a powerful motivation. We are called to live “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:2–3)

Someone posted on social media a quote that ‘once the world found love, we would have peace,’ no doubt not realizing that true love has only one source:

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. (1 John 4:7–9)

Lord, may Your Spirit fill me with Your love today. I know that apart from You, genuine love and any unity with others would be impossible.