Ecclesiastes 12:13 says, “That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty.” With this statement, Solomon is teaching readers that true purpose, meaning, and satisfaction can only be found in God. It cannot be found anywhere else. Today, we will focus on the first command in this passage of Scripture: "Fear God." In our Bible study today, we will learn from an example in Scripture to understand just what it means to have a healthy fear of God and see how having this fear of God leads to a life of purpose and significance.
The prophet Isaiah demonstrated the fear of God in Isaiah 6. In this passage of Scripture, he recounted a vision that God had given him. In this vision, he saw the Lord "sitting on a lofty throne" (verse 1). "Attending Him," Isaiah continued, were angels, "each having six wings" (verse 2). As they attended the Lord, the angels cried out, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven's armies! The whole earth is filled with His glory!" (verse 3). Can you imagine what a grand vision this was? Isaiah, like we would have been, was overwhelmed. As he observed this scene of the angels worshiping the Lord, Isaiah cried out, "It's all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven's Armies" (verse 5). Isaiah was utterly astounded by the vision he saw. When he saw this vision, he demonstrated a healthy fear of the Lord. He observed His greatness and His holiness. He knew that he fell short in the sight of the all-powerful, perfect, and holy God. His fear led to a right view of God, perfect and all-powerful, and himself, sinful, lost, and hopeless without God. This is what it looks like to live in the fear of the Lord.
Perhaps the reason some of us feel futile and meaningless is that we do not have a healthy view of God. We have a higher view of ourselves and a lower view of God. We view our world as if it revolves around us instead of God, the one who created the world and holds it together. In reality, God is holy, powerful, and worthy, and we are not. He is the only one who can satisfy and who is worthy of our praise.
As you pray today, confess to God that He is the true source of meaning and significance. Tell Him that He is the one who brings life, joy, and fulfillment. Commit to looking to Him and Him alone to satisfy all of your deepest needs.
It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They were calling out to each other,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!
The whole earth is filled with his glory!”
4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.
5 Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”
8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”
I said, “Here I am. Send me.”
9 And he said, “Yes, go, and say to this people,
‘Listen carefully, but do not understand.
Watch closely, but learn nothing.’
10 Harden the hearts of these people.
Plug their ears and shut their eyes.
That way, they will not see with their eyes,
nor hear with their ears,
nor understand with their hearts
and turn to me for healing.”
11 Then I said, “Lord, how long will this go on?”
And he replied,
“Until their towns are empty,
their houses are deserted,
and the whole country is a wasteland;
12 until the Lord has sent everyone away,
and the entire land of Israel lies deserted.
13 If even a tenth—a remnant—survive,
it will be invaded again and burned.
But as a terebinth or oak tree leaves a stump when it is cut down,
so Israel’s stump will be a holy seed.”
