Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked,
that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
(Isaiah 58:6-7)
LORD Jesus, we praise You for Your Word provides all the necessary instructions for us to grow. Forgive us, O God we pray, whenever we do things out of the wrong motive. Protect our hearts and minds against the urge to follow men’s traditions. Help us to see what it is that You want us to do. Enable us to walk in this Way so that You will receive all the glory and honor. In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen.
Let’s dig a little deeper into Isaiah 58 today. The whole chapter is about Israel’s wrong kind of fasting and God’s response to it. Also, at the end of the chapter, verses 13-14, God is giving His people clear instructions about sabbath keeping. (Find more on that in the series found at Shall We Keep the Sabbath
The Wrong Motive For Fasting
In verses 3-5 we learn that the Israelites complained to God. Why would He not acknowledge their fast? What good was all their suffering, making their voices heard, afflicting their souls, bowing down their heads, and spreading sackcloth and ashes under themselves? And in all of this, God would not listen to them? Why?
Fasting to be Seen by God
Their hearts were not right. They did all of this fasting to be seen and for God to feel sorry for them. They also fasted, trying to convince God that He would do things the way they wanted them to be done.
Fasting to be Seen by Men
In Matthew 6:16-18 Jesus warns us not to fast like the hypocrites do, with a sad countenance (16). Instead, nobody should take notice that we are fasting (17-18). If we do that kind of fasting, our heavenly Father will see and acknowledge our fast.
Purpose for Fasting
So, one kind of fasting is to abstain from food for a while. That surely is good and needed fast. We will get into that in another day’s post.
Another purpose for fasting is found in today’s verses:
Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked,
that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
(Isaiah 58:6-7)
Notice,
Who has chosen this kind of fasting?
>> God has.
What shall this kind of fast accomplish? Please take a piece of paper or a page of your diary and write down the list—the fast that God has chosen:
>> To loose the bonds of wickedness,
>> To undo the heavy burdens,
>> To let the oppressed go free,
>> To break every yoke,
>> To share bread with the hungry,
>> To bring the poor and cast out ones to your house,
>> To see the ones who are in need of clothing,
>> To get them clothing,
>> To help your own.
The Right Motive for Fasting
The purpose of fasting (both kinds: fasting to abstain from food and fasting to help people) is not for oneself to be lifted, but for us to divert our focus. When we fast the right way, we will focus on Jesus. All glory, power, and honor are His.
How can you help someone in need today?