Unity. When it all goes to hell!

As we explore the delightful sweetness of Unity, we must first explore what it is not.  This is hard, because it is not an area we like to explore.  Nevertheless, we must recognise dis-Unity, expose it, and be acutely aware when it presents itself.

Disunity is like a fire. It starts as a small flare up. Once ignited, it grows as it is fueled by anger, pride, ambition instead of being quenched by meekness and patience. It ultimately rages out of control into a roaring inferno that divides and destroys relationships.

Jesus warned us:

… “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.”
Matthew 12:25ff

Whenever division strikes an organisation, a church, a family, a relationship of any kind, its impact is felt throughout the wider community. It is a war in which the devil is the only one who wins.

And God Himself, before the creation of man, knows intimately the pain of rebellion and disunity. At that time Satan was known as Lucifer – Hillel Ben Shahar (Hebrew). The name Hillell comes from the root word, Hallel, which means, “to praise, worship, adore”. Ben Shahar means “son of the dawn”. By implication, Lucifer was the chief worship leader at the dawn of creation.

His gifts of leadership, creativity in music and his position were not enough for him. Ambition and jealousy drove Lucifer into rebellion against the authority of God. And he took a third of the angels with him.

Lucifer was cunning. He was actually able to convince angels, who were able to gaze upon the Living God and all His splendor, that they could win a war against their Creator! Think about it.  These are the same angels who watched in awe as galaxies emerged from the mouth of God as He spoke them into existence – a privileged position if ever there was one. And yet, under the leadership of Lucifer they came to believe they could somehow defeat the Almighty.

Angels were cognisant that God knew their every thought, and yet believed they could out-think Him. Somehow Lucifer, through stealth, slander and seduction was able to sow discontentment to such a point that the very pleasures of Heaven were unable to satisfy them. He lured them from the unimaginable Presence of God and convinced them that the unfathomable darkness was more suitable to their cause.

Consider for a moment the deceptive powers required by Lucifer to pull that off! We should not be surprised to see him attempt to do the same here on earth:

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8

The devil is a master at deception. He is a master at sowing discontent and disunity. We must always ask ourselves: If I were to pursue this course of action does it cause disunity, discontent? And quickly follow that answer with: Who will truly win if I proceed? Is it really worth it?

We do not know how long the deception lasted in Heaven. We know not the details of the deception spun either. The Bible gives us just a fleeting glance into that horrible rebellion. One has to wonder, was this the first great pain in the heart of God as He watched the great lie spread, infecting one angel after another, until a full third had joined into the insurrection.

Now consider, with trembling fear, that until Lucifer rebelled against God, and to our knowledge, hell did not exist. Hell only became a reality as a consequence of disunity in Heaven.

Know this my friend, division, splits and disunity are serious sins… they remind God of when hell began.