Hope for unity in Old Testament divisiveness
Christ came to reconcile us to God and to one another. The New Testament has much to say about unity and love for one another. But what about the Old Testament?
For many, the Old Testament seems divisive. It's a completely honest book and shows the divisiveness that is rooted deeply in human hearts. Even Israel, itself, had many internal conflicts and eventually divided into two nations. Yet, even in the disunity, God pointed to the coming oneness in Christ. Here are some examples (from the NKJ translation):
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" --Psalm 133:1
"And I will give them one heart." --Jeremiah 32:39
"And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me forever, for the good of them, and of their children after them." -Jeremiah 32:39
"Also the hand of God was upon Judah to give them one heart." 2 Chronicles 30:12
"And I will give them one heart." --Ezekiel 11:19
"You shall love your neighbor as yourself." --Leviticus 19:18
"But the stranger that dwells with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt." --Leviticus 19:34
"Love you therefore the stranger: for you were strangers in the land of Egypt." --Deuteronomy 10:19
"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them." --Isaiah 11:6
"The wolf and the lamb shall feed together." --Isaiah 65:25
