The God Who Divides
Political observers these days are telling us what we
already know: our nation is as partisan as ever and divided as never
before. Their argument is that division is an impediment to
progress. Such a thesis might hold water in some cases. But in
others, division is often the prelude to progress.
It is said that ideological persuasions are the
problem, and that setting these aside in the name of progress is an
absolute must for the breaking of gridlock. Personally, I relish
gridlock when it represents a roadblock to the intrusion of
government into the private lives of its citizens. Moreover, any
individual who claims ideological neutrality is self-deceived…for it
is impossible for one to be something if he or she believes nothing!
Questions: Isn’t ascertaining the cause of division
the critical issue? If the cause is just, does this not serve as
validation for the division? And if the cause is a just one, isn’t
the fact that division exists of little consequence? The student of
scripture will discover that God himself has been the prime cause
behind many a division!
The creation activity of Genesis 1 teaches us that
God has been in the division business from the beginning. He divided
the light from the darkness (1:4). He divided the waters and put a
firmament between them (1:6-7). He divided the day from the night
with two great lights “to rule over the day and over the night,
and to divide the light from the darkness” (1:14-18). The
initial activity of the Creator set the tone for the next several
millennia in that the juxtaposition of light and darkness would
always be a fundamental redemptive theme!
During the confrontation between Pharaoh and Moses,
the Lord sounded the division theme with these words: “And I will
put a division between my people and thy people” (Exodus
8:20-24). The sign of division would be a great swarm of flies
that would plague the Egyptians and avoid Goshen. The swarm came and
the division was demonstrated. It signified that (1) God’s people
are his unique possession, and (2) the Lord has a paternal and
perennial desire to protect them and deliver them from the bondage
this world would impose.
The desires of God and man regarding division are
often in conflict. Consider the post-exodus pause at the Red Sea.
The Lord instructed Moses to stretch his rod over the sea in order
to divide it as preparation for Israel to cross over on dry ground
(14:16). But Pharaoh said: “I will pursue, I will overtake, I
will divide the spoil…” (Exodus 15:9). God and Pharaoh had
conflicting ideas about what would be divided. We all know who won
that conflict! The OT writers would often remind Israel of this
event. Likewise you and I should never forget nor take for granted
the great dividing of spiritual waters that brought us out of
darkness into the marvelous light of the Lord Jesus!
The guidance given by the Lord to Moses concerning
the tabernacle contained this instruction: “And thou shalt hang
up the veil…and the veil shall divide unto you between the holy
place and the most holy” (Exodus 26:33). The one piece of
furniture in the most holy place was the Ark of the Covenant where
the high priest, who alone was allowed to enter, sprinkled the blood
of sacrifice upon the mercy seat. The division established by the
veil reinforced the truth of God’s holiness in contradistinction to
the sinfulness of man. Oh wonder of wonders that the veil of
division was torn in two when the blood of Christ was shed for our
sins (Luke 23:45), enabling every believer since that hour to enter
with boldness into the holiest (Hebrews 10:19). The same God that
ordained the veil division abolished it in the fulness of time.
Human logic might conclude that God robed in human
flesh would be able to navigate the intricacies of human affairs
without causing the first instance of strife or division. But that
logic would be wrong! Jesus often caused divisions by words he spoke
and miracles he performed (John 7:43, 9:16, 10:19). Righteousness
personified was constantly causing rifts and catching flack. Jesus
stated the essence of his earthly ministry in these unambiguous
terms: “Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell
you, Nay; but rather division (Luke 12:51). He further predicted
the potential division of households: fathers against sons, mothers
against daughters, mothers in law against daughters in law. Jesus
was no troublemaker! His divine and sinless life was one that
exemplified the inevitable tension that is fomented when the forces
of light and darkness collide.
At the Last Supper, Jesus
took the cup, gave thanks, and said to his disciples: “Take this,
and divide it among yourselves” (Luke 22:17-18). The fruit of
the vine symbolized his precious blood, which he would shed for the
remission of sins. By this act, Jesus was extending the very essence
of his life to each disciple. And at this hour, the exalted Christ
is still in the business of dividing a measure of the power of his atoning blood
unto every sinner who comes unto God by him! For this and the
aforementioned causes he shall ever be the God who divides!
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