Like Dew in a Dry Land: Reconciliation in the Middle East | Lausanne World Pulse Archives

Musalaha Ministries is the only faith-based reconciliation ministry in Israel that intentionally brings Arab Christians from the Palestinian territories and Gaza together with Arab Israeli Christians and Messianic Jews.

The story of humanity’s redemption, restoration and reconciliation after sin and brokenness is the meta-narrative of scripture. It is in this context that both testaments speak of the importance God places on the unity of his redeemed people. Unity is neither an abstract doctrine nor an unattainable dream; it is the standard to which God’s diverse people are both called and empowered to live.

Like a scarlet cord, the theme of unity weaves through the Bible, culminating in Paul’s revelation of the “one new man” in the letter to the Ephesians and embodied in the multi-cultural throng from every family, tribe and tongue gathered together to worship the Lamb in Revelation 7. The brokenness caused by sin is finally healed and humanity is fully reconciled to God and to one another. One of the fruits of this reconciliation is unity.

Part of sin’s pervasive legacy is humanity’s seemingly inherent tendency to separate into warring factions. The gospel message is intended to overcome the enmity of sectarianism and division while maintaining the integrity and uniqueness of multiculturalism. As individuality is retained in the redeemed individual’s relationship with God, so is the uniqueness of diverse cultures preserved (Revelation 7:9). Jesus’ prayer for the unity of his disciples in John 17:20-23 is not a cry for uniformity, but is rather a prayer that through the harmonious relationships among the disciples, paralleling the relationships within the Godhead, God’s love would become visible to the world.
 

Unity among God’s People
Psalm 133 is particularly instructive regarding the connection between unity, ministry and blessing in the framework of relationship within the people of God. Unity in this psalm is described as both ultimately good and experientially pleasant. This unity is compared to abundant moisture—dew from Mount Hermon, appearing in a normally dry place, the mountains of Zion in the Judean desert (133:3a).

Psalm 133  “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.”