Man Has Nothing To Offer God But Obedience.

Isaiah 65:18-66:4

“But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.  And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.  There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.”  (Isaiah 65:18-20)

When God restores Jerusalem and sets up the earthly kingdom, those who believe in Him will rejoice forever about what he has done, and He will rejoice as well.  Like a rebellious child who has finally gotten their act together so that the tension between him and his parents goes away.  As a result there will be no more sorrow or weeping.  There will be no more funerals for babies just a few days old, nor for older people who haven’t lived out their full lifespan.  An infant can expect to live a hundred years, but a person who continues in sin when he is old enough to know better will be cursed by God.  It is during the period known as the millennium.  After the new heaven and new earth are created there will be no more death. 

Isaiah 25:8-9 describes this period.  “He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.  And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

“And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.  They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.  They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.  And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.  The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.” (Isaiah 65:21-25)

During that thousand year period, they will live as God intended them to, enjoying the fruits of their labors without fear of losing anything, experiencing again what God promised in Joshua 1:7; “Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.”

“Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?  For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” (Isaiah 66:1-2)

In Acts 17:24-25 Paul references what God says here, saying, “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;”  there is nothing mankind can do for God that he cannot do for himself.  What he wants from mankind is for them to put away their pride and trust Him.  In Acts 17:27, Paul says, “That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:”

“He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.  I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.” (Isaiah 66:3-4)

Hebrews 10:6 declares, “In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.”  Though God specified that certain sacrifices would be acceptable and others would not, the sacrifices themselves are meaningless to Him.  What God wants is a proper attitude toward him, and mechanical or ritual offering of those sacrifices is no better than worshipping idols or offering unacceptable sacrifices.  Because they have chosen to ignore God’s commands while practicing the rituals, actively disobeying him and refusing to listen to his instructions, God will bring judgment on them.  The things they fear most will happen to them and they will find they have been deluded.