What does "enjoy the work of their hands" reveal about God's blessings? Verse in Focus “They will not build and others inhabit; they will not plant and others eat. For like the days of a tree will be the days of My people, and My chosen ones will fully enjoy the work of their hands.” — Isaiah 65:22 Setting of the Promise • Isaiah 65 describes the future, renewed creation the Lord will establish after judging sin and restoring His people. • The chapter contrasts former troubles with the coming joy, highlighting God’s direct intervention to reverse the curse (vv. 17–25). • Within that context, verse 22 assures God’s people that their labor will no longer be frustrated. Meaning of “enjoy the work of their hands” • “Enjoy” (Hebrew yir‘û) carries the sense of fully tasting, experiencing, and delighting in something. • “Work of their hands” points to all legitimate labor—building, planting, crafting, creating, parenting, serving. • Together, the phrase pictures unbroken satisfaction: what they begin, they finish; what they grow, they harvest; what they shape, they keep. How This Phrase Reveals God’s Blessings • Reversal of Futility – Genesis 3:17–19 records toil, thorns, and sweat under the curse. – Isaiah 65:22 shows God lifting that futility so productivity is finally rewarding. • Security and Ownership – “They will not build and others inhabit” promises freedom from invasion, theft, or loss (cf. Deuteronomy 28:30). – Blessing includes being able to keep and enjoy what one rightfully earns. • Longevity and Stability – “Like the days of a tree” suggests long, fruitful lives (Psalm 92:12–14). – A stable environment allows for multi-generational enjoyment of labor. • Direct Gift from God – “My chosen ones will fully enjoy” underscores that satisfaction is granted by God, not self-manufactured (Ecclesiastes 3:13). – The blessing springs from covenant relationship: God delights to reward His people. • Foretaste of Eternal Rest – Revelation 21:4–5 depicts a similar removal of pain and toil in the new heavens and new earth. – Isaiah 65 foreshadows that ultimate Sabbath-rest. Supporting Scriptures • Ecclesiastes 5:18 – “Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat and drink and enjoy all the labor in which one toils under the sun during the few days of his life that God has given him…” • Psalm 90:17 – “May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish for us the work of our hands…” • 1 Corinthians 15:58 – “…be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” New Testament Echoes • Jesus restores dignity to work by calling His followers “workers” in God’s harvest (Matthew 9:37–38). • Colossians 3:23–24 reminds believers that work done for Christ carries eternal reward, linking present labor with future enjoyment. Practical Takeaways for Today • View daily tasks as gifts meant to be enjoyed under God’s smile, anticipating perfect fulfillment in His kingdom. • Resist discouragement in seasons where results seem meager; God promises a day when none of our righteous efforts will be wasted. • Cultivate gratitude for moments when we already taste this blessing—completing a project, harvesting a garden, seeing a child grow in faith—signposts of the coming restoration. • Labor with integrity, knowing God intends His people to enjoy honest fruit, not exploit others’ toil. Even now, God grants glimpses of Isaiah 65:22, and one day His people will fully, eternally “enjoy the work of their hands.” |
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