“One Lord” is fundamental to Christian unity. From the beginning, leadership has been a key to unity. In Genesis, when God’s leadership was respected, the Garden of Eden enjoyed fellowship and harmony. That unity ended when the human couple rejected God’s leadership by listening to a different voice (Genesis 3). As in all of life, virtually every success and failure in the Bible relates to leadership.
- Who was the first earthly king? In the biblical record, that honor went to the hunter Nimrod whose kingdom originated in Babel, also called Babylon (Genesis 10:8-10; 1 Chronicles 1:10). The unified effort to build the Tower of Babel surely related to his influence (Genesis 10-11).
- Who did God use to turn slaves—despite their protests—into the mighty nation, Israel? God used Moses “as both ruler and redeemer” (Acts 7:35). Although Moses foresaw kings for Israel (Deuteronomy 17:15), he treated God as Israel’s true King (Deuteronomy 15:5-6; 33:5).
- Who did God use to bring Israel into the Promised Land? God used Joshua for military, societal and spiritual unity. “Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua” (Joshua 24:31).
- Why did the next generations fall apart spiritually? “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25).
- When was Israel strongest? During the reigns of Israel’s first three kings: Saul, David and Solomon. When Israelites demanded a king like the other nations, the prophet Samuel objected that God was their King (1 Samuel 8:7; 10:19). Nevertheless, God permitted kings through whom He would continue His rule (1 Samuel 10:25; 12:14-15). When Saul failed, God replaced him with David, “a man after His own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14; 15:28). The nation eventually united under David’s reign, laying the foundation for Israel’s greatest prosperity under David’s son, Solomon (1 Kings 4:20-21).
King David became God’s standard and example for future kings in his family line. David tasted both the sweetness of unity and the bitterness of division. God gave to David, as a young leader, victories that inspired Saul’s army. That success turned King Saul against David. For years, David was the target of betrayers and assassins. Many of David’s Psalms reflected this confusing period. Civil war followed Saul’s death as David became king, recognized by the tribe of Judah, but opposed by Saul’s heirs. Eventually, all Israel accepted David as their divinely appointed king. What a blessing to be united again!
“What a blessing to be united again!”
Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore (Psalm 133:1-3).