Psalm 133 Brotherly Fellowship and Unity
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of David.
“How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!
For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe.
Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion.” And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting.”
It was 1776 and in Philadelphia, representatives of the thirteen colonies were arguing over the Declaration of Independence. Finally, Benjamin Franklin, fed up with his fellow delegates told the assembly, “Gentlemen, either we must all hang together or we will all hang separately!” Faced with the reality possibility of dying at the hands of the British, delegates eventually signed, pledging “our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” Who were these individuals? What happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence? What kind of men were they? Here is the information from https://ultimateflags.com/blog/56-men-pledge-our-lives-our-fortunes-and-our-sacred-honor/
The men were lawyers, jurists, merchants, farmers, large plantation owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well what they were putting at risk. They were British subjects at the time, and knew that the penalty for treason was death by hanging.
They were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousers, but mostly soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but valued liberty more. Each one surely had more to lose from revolution than he had to gain by it. But they stood tall, and unwavering and pledged:
“For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”
Here are the fates of the signers:
Nine fought and died from wounds or hardships during the war. Five were captured by the British, charged with treason, and were tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army. Another had two sons captured. Several lost wives, sons, or entire families. One lost his 13 children. Two wives were brutally treated. All were at one time or another the victims of manhunts and driven from their homes. Seventeen lost everything they owned. Yet not one of them defected or went back on his pledged word.
Of note is the New Jersey Signer, Abraham Clark. He had two sons serving in the Revolutionary Army . They were captured and sent to the infamous British prison boat known as the hell ship “Jersey” in New York Harbor where 11,000 Americans were to die.
The sons received extra brutal treatment because of their father. One was in solitary and given no food. With the war almost over and won, no one could have blamed Abraham Clark if he had accepted the British offer of sparing his sons’ lives if he would recant and come out for the King and Parliament. Certainly, with utter despair and anguish in his heart and soul, his answer was “No.” The 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence proved by their every deed that they made no idle boast when they composed` that magnificent pledge. They ultimately gave us a free and independent America whose liberties should never be taken for granted.”
Galatians 5:22-23 tells us, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” No organization or corporation can function properly when members or workers are fighting and arguing. As soon as one faction begins speaking out, other factions will also begin complaining. Before long, petty grievances that have lain dormant for years are suddenly being aired.
The same thing can happen in families. As a physician, I must be extremely careful in the way I handle families losing a loved one. Any failure to communicate properly may result in some family members forming factions against others. I once cared for an elderly chief with a life-threatening condition who was recovering. But a struggle erupted between the traditionalists who believed the man was dying and were demanding he return to the village to die there and the educated members who realized the man might recover and who wanted him to remain in the hospital. Negotiating this situation strained every bit of my poor talents as a diplomat!
“For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe.” The anointing oil was made from very precious ingredients and its recipe guarded so closely that anybody foolish enough to duplicate the recipe could be put to death. That anointing oil carried a wonderful fragrance that penetrated every part of Aaron’s body as well as his garments. For the rest of his days, Aaron would carry that fragrance with him. When we are people of peace, we carry the fragrance of peace with us, and others will sense that peace as well.
“Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion.” Dew falls on Mount Hermon and then forms streams that flow down the mountainside and then come together to form the River Jordan. In a country where water is very precious, such dew will refresh and encourage all fortunate enough to experience it.
When we encounter people of peace, we find ourselves refreshed and relaxed. May God help us so that we ourselves will become people of peace!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to become people of peace and to seek peace and pursue it. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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