1In that day so few men will be left that seven women will fight for each man, saying, “Let us all marry you! We will provide our own food and clothing. Only let us take your name so we won’t be mocked as old maids.”
A Promise of Restoration
2But in that day, the branch* of the LORD
will be beautiful and glorious;
the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory
of all who survive in Israel.
3All who remain in Zion
will be a holy people—
those who survive the destruction of Jerusalem
and are recorded among the living.
4The Lord will wash the filth from beautiful Zion*
and cleanse Jerusalem of its bloodstains
with the hot breath of fiery judgment.
5Then the LORD will provide shade for Mount Zion
and all who assemble there.
He will provide a canopy of cloud during the day
and smoke and flaming fire at night,
covering the glorious land.
6It will be a shelter from daytime heat
and a hiding place from storms and rain.
July 14 Reflection & Worship
Search for Significance
MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY WANT, BUT IT IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THEY HAVE.
LOOK BACK Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs—three books historically attributed to King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived. But notice how these books parallel the downward spiral of his life: Song of Songs, when Solomon early in life was full of youthful passion and fervor; Proverbs, when Solomon in his midlife had learned much about the importance of choices, good and bad; and finally, Ecclesiastes, when Solomon in later life had discovered the bitterness of empty pursuits and the high price of chasing the wind and reaping the whirlwind.
By contrast, Isaiah sets his compass on the commission he receives from the Lord and follows it with unswerving determination. For more than fifty years, spanning the administrations of four kings of Judah, Isaiah stays true to his calling: delivering a ringing indictment upon God’s disobedient people.
LOOK UP One of Satan’s most effective tools to distract, disable, and ultimately destroy God’s people is the phrase “If only . . .”
• “If only I could get a high school or college degree, then I’d be on my way.”
• “If only I could find a good job, then I’d have status and worth.”
• “If only I could get married and have a family, then I’d be truly happy.”
• “If only I could win the lottery, then I’d be set for life.”
• “If only I could write a best-selling book, then I’d be someone important.”
Take it from Solomon, the wisest, richest, most accomplished, most published, most married, most you-name-it individual in the Bible. If you are looking for significance and satisfaction in the pursuits of life, you are in for a rude disappointment. Purpose and meaning can never be found there; they are found only in the Giver of life himself. That’s why at the end of his twelve-chapter odyssey, Solomon concludes with these words: “Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). The hymn writer put it this way:
“Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”
LOOK AHEAD Take a few moments to thoughtfully complete this “Significance Survey.” It just might change the way you look at your “net worth” and accomplishments.
• 1. I have $_______ in the bank right now, but my real riches are what I have because I am in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).
• 2. I have earned a _______ degree, but I realize that all I can boast about is my relationship with God (Jeremiah 9:23-24).
• 3. I am respected in my community because of __________________, but whatever has been to my profit I consider as worthless because of what Christ has done (Philippians 3:7).
• 4. I have written _______ books and articles, but in the final analysis, all that matters is what I have done with the Book, God’s Word.
Society today is marked by an obsession with significance. It’s a pursuit as old as the days of Solomon—and just as fruitless unless God is the center and circumference of the search. Let your search end with him, and you will never be disappointed.