First Lesson In Fasting-Obedience

We have been talking about prayer for the past few Sundays.  This Sunday, I would like to talk about fasting.  Fasting is a subject that is not often part of the American Christian element of worship.  Some feel this is an Old testament custom and is not needed under the dispensation of Grace.  However, Jesus told us that some things would not happen unless we fast.  The Early Church's custom was to fast twice a week often on Wednesday and Friday.

When we do talk about fasting, it often concerns the ways to fast, how often to fast, and the benefits of fasting.  I want to take a different approach before I speak about the common areas of fasting; let us look at the purpose of fasting.

Today we have changed fasting to include things that are not food.  An example is that for the next week, I will not be on Facebook, or I will not use sugar for the next five days, or I am fast by not using modern technology.  I can find no reference in the Bible about fasting other than abstaining from food.  In the book of Isaiah, chapter 58, we have an example of fasting.

The people are saying, "We fast to show honor to you. Why don't you see us? We starve our bodies to show honor to you. Why don't you notice us?"
The purpose of fasting was to honor the LORD.  What they were saying was correct.  The problem was the ritual of fasting was something they thought would require God to listen to them.  The problem was it was only a ritual.

Here is how God saw their fasting.  God says, "You do things to please yourselves on those special days of fasting. And you punish your servants, not your bodies.  The root problem is people who observe spiritual disciplines for selfish reasons to gain God's blessings will always fail to reach the LORD.  What these people were doing was making a show of fasting by demanding everyone fast.  They were doing this while ignoring the hunger, poverty, homelessness, and nakedness of those in need.

The root solution is sincere devotion to God, which grows naturally out of love for God. People who love God will worship him for the sake of honoring rather than manipulating him. And if we love God, we will also love those whom God loves we are to love and provide for the household of faith.  Our love for God will be manifested by taking concrete steps to care for those in need (those who are hungry, poor, homeless, naked, or otherwise in need).  We must take care of the needs of the household of faith.  This is our family, and someone who does not take care of the family is worse than an infidel.

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Gal.6:10

"But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel." 1 Tim. 5:8

The first lesson in fasting is obedience to the LORD.

"Cry aloud, don't spare, lift your voice like a trumpet!" (so∙par') (v. 1a). If the prophet is to get the people's attention, The LORD must obtain the prophet's attention. This charge should do it! The LORD calls the prophet to shout—to "call with the throat," which means to call with full voice.

He is to lift his voice like a trumpet (so∙par'). The so∙par' is a ram's horn, an instrument that could be used rather like a bugle to call soldiers to assembly or battle. It could be used to call people to special occasions, such as the enthronement of a king. Priests used trumpets in worship (2 Chronicles 5:12; 7:6; Ezra 3:10; Nehemiah 12:35, 41). Blowing a trumpet was the best way to get people's attention

"and declare to my people their disobedience, and to the house of Jacob their sins" (v. 1b). These two phrases are an example of parallelism, a pattern that we see repeated throughout these verses. They express the same idea twice, but in different words.

The purpose of getting people's attention is to announce their rebellion—to make them aware of their sins. They genuinely don't understand the scope of their sins. They are in the dark regarding the problem, so they certainly don't have a clue as to the remedy (see also Micah 3:8).

"Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways" (v. 2a). In verse 1b, the LORD said that these people were rebels and sinners. Now the LORD says that these people "seek me daily, and delight to know my ways," a phrase that makes them sound as if they are the epitome of faithfulness. Verse 2b will resolve this apparent inconsistency.

"as a nation that did righteousness, and didn't forsake the ordinance of their God "(v. 2b). Next, the LORD adds "as" or "as if"—making it clear that the faithfulness of these people is not real. They have not been faithful. They have failed the righteousness test. They have forsaken obedience to God's laws.

This will come as a surprise to these people. They think that they have been faithful. They imagine that their fasting and Sabbath-keeping have pleased God. What they are about to learn is that God considers them to have been majoring in minors—to have been faithfully keeping the lesser parts of the law while neglecting (in Jesus' later words to the scribes and Pharisees) "the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith" (Matthew 23:23). It isn't that the lesser requirements of the law (fasting, Sabbath-keeping, tithing, etc.) are unimportant. Jesus will later tell the scribes and Pharisees that they should have observed the lesser requirements "and not to have left the other undone" (Matthew 23:23).

"they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God" (v. 2c). The irony is that these unrighteous people are asking God for "righteous judgments." They fail to understand that, if God were to render "righteous judgments," he would condemn rather than vindicate them.

The same problem continues today. Most (perhaps all) who think themselves righteous is utterly self-righteous—i.e., have pronounced themselves righteous when, in fact, they are not. We think of fundamentalists as being guilty of this sin of self-righteousness—of majoring in minors—of fulfilling the lesser Christian duties while ignoring the weightier responsibilities. However, while making that sort of judgment, we assume a stance of moral superiority and, in the process, become self-righteousness ourselves. If we find we lack the spiritual purpose of honoring God, we would be better to acknowledge that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)—and that, like Paul, we are foremost among sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). Then we will appeal to God, not for "righteous judgments," but for mercy.

 You are hungry, but not for food. You are hungry for arguing and fighting, not for bread. You are hungry to hit people with your evil hands. This is not the way to fast if you want your prayers to be heard in heaven!  Do you think I want to see people punish their bodies on those days of fasting? Do you think I want people to look sad and bow their heads like dead plants? Do you think I want people to wear mourning clothes and sit in ashes to show their sadness? That is what you do on your days of fasting. Do you think that is what the Lord wants?

 Moreover, when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, and They have their reward.   But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head and wash thy face;   That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Matt. 6:16-18

"'Why have we fasted,' say they, 'and you don't see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and you take no knowledge?'" (v. 3a). This is the people's complaint. They have fasted (abstained from food to demonstrate their repentance and to honor God), but God has failed to reward their devotion. In their minds, it should be a quid pro quo proposition (a situation in which they can give something to receive something). If they comply with their obligation to fast, then God should return the favor by conferring blessings on them.

In other words, they believe that fasting establishes an obligation that God is duty-bound to meet. If that is true, it puts them in a position where they can pull strings and obligate God to jump. Concerning power, that would reverse the positions of the creator and the one who was created.

However, their assumption is wrong on at least two points. First, God is God, and they are God's creation. God has the right as creator to impose obligations on them, but they have no power as the creation to impose requirements on God. Second, their fasting is but a tiny part of their religious obligation (Jewish law, after all, requires fasting only on the Day of Atonement), and faithfulness in fasting counts for little if they fail to observe the rest of their religious obligations—which, is the case.

Quid pro quo theology continues to afflict us today. Preachers are tempted to tell people that God will bless them financially if they tithe, and people are tempted to hope that God will honor that promise. Many prayers follow the model, "If you do this, God, I will do that." We would do better to pray, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner" (Luke 18:13).

"Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure" (v. 3b). The people have stated their complaint—God has ignored their fasting. Now God says his complaint—as an act of repentance or devotion, their fasting is fatally flawed. They have not fasted to honor God, but have instead fasted for selfish reasons. They have assumed that God would reward their fasting, so they fasted to earn the reward. Their purpose was not to give devotion to God but to gain a blessing from God. Their fasting, therefore, was precisely the opposite of genuine fasting. Rather than an act of self-denial, it was a self-centered grasping for a reward. Their fasting was not an act of humility but pride. There is no virtue in that kind of selfishness, and they cannot expect a reward.

—FURTHERMORE, these people have practiced their flawed religious devotions WHILE AT THE SAME TIME OPPRESSING THEIR WORKERS! Haven't they understood ANYTHING!

Jewish law is replete with expressions of God's concern for widows, orphans, and others in need. It requires the Jewish people to provide for people in need (Exodus 22:22-24; Leviticus 25:35-43; Deuteronomy 10:18; 15:7-18; 16:11-14; 24:17-21; 27:19). The law even forbids some oppression of aliens dwelling in their midst (Exodus 22:21, 23:9, 12; Leviticus 19:33-34). How, then, can these people imagine that they can obtain a reward for fasting (a minor observance) while at the same time oppressing their workers (a major transgression)?

"Behold, you fast for strife and contention, and to strike with the fist of wickedness" (v. 4a). The meaning of these words is uncertain, but perhaps they were vying for top honors in fasting and their competition led to fisticuffs. "The fasting of the hypocrites does not prepare their mind for prayer to God but produces contention and strife. Instead of the heart looking to God, the fasters became irritable and upset" (Young 418).

While it seems hard to imagine that an act of devotion would lead to violence, it happens.  Violence inspired by religious intolerance is easier described than defined. It spans intimidation, harassment, and internment to terrorism and outright warfare. Usually, it arises when the core beliefs that define a group's identity are fundamentally challenged.

"you don't fast this day to make your voice to be heard on high" (v. 4b). God will not honor their flawed fasting.

The first lesson in fasting is obedience to the LORD.  We should first examine our spiritual life in light of our purpose.  Why are we fasting?  To carry out a ritual or to honor the LORD and draw closer to Him?  Next Sunday, I will talk about the ways to fast and the benefits of fasting.