BIBLICAL FASTING
Memory Verse: “Is not this the kind of
fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of
the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” Isaiah 58: 6 (NIV)
Bible
Passage: Isaiah 58:
1-14.
INTRODUCTION
Sometimes
the Old Testament uses the expression “afflicting the soul” or “denying
yourself” to describe “fasting”. So, the practice of fasting dates back to the
days of Moses, Lev. 16:29-31; 23: 27-32.
See also Ps. 35:13; Judges 20:26.
So then why did people fast in OT days?
a). To express deep mourning,
e.g. the men of Jabesh-Gilead who fasted seven days after they collected Saul’s
remains from the battle field and buried him, I Sam. 31: 11-13.
b). To avert Divine wrath, like
David fasting for the life of the baby he had with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, II Sam. 12:15-17.
c). To express repentance and
sorrow for sin, like the city of Nineveh did on hearing the message from
Prophet Jonah, Jonah 3: 4-9.
THE WRONG KIND OF FASTING
Fasting
is a good thing, but it is possible to take a perfectly good thing and abuse it,
thereby causing it to degenerate to a mere external form that has no anchor in
the heart.
How does the Bible describe the wrong kind of fasting?
Let’s
see Isaiah 58: 3-5.
The
Scriptures describe the wrong kind of fasting as consisting of
i). A display, or a show, for
God to see, including our keeping away from food, Isa. 58:3a, 5.
ii). An opportunity to have
something to boast about, Luke 18:
10-12.
iii). An opportunity to exploit
employees who participate in say compulsory/national fasting since there will
be no time off for food, Isa. 58: 3b.
iv). Seeing it as a basis for
compelling God to hear our prayers, Isa.
58:3a.
All
these are wrong reasons for fasting.
THE RIGHT FASTING
Correct
fasting will demonstrate itself in a life of practical daily holiness, Isa. 58: 6-10.
The
Lord describes the fasting acceptable to Him as:
“to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free and break every
yoke” (v.6)
All
these require that the one fasting should take steps to restitute where he has
gone wrong.
Furthermore
the Lord says that in our fasting, He wants to see us
give food to the hungry; make the poor welcome;
clothe the naked; and
resolve problems that are related to our “own flesh and blood”, i.e. family problems (v.7).
All
these things are signs of a penitent and contrite heart and can be summarized
in the words of James 1:27 -
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless
is this:
to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to
keep oneself from being polluted by the
world.”
Yes,
correct fasting has to demonstrate itself in a daily life of practical holiness.
JESUS AND FASTING
However
He warned against the abuse of fasting, and went on to tell us how to fast, Matt. 6:16-18.
As
far as our Lord was concerned, fasting on its own is useless unless it goes
hand in hand with prayer, pointing out that certain demons could only be cast
out by prayer and fasting, Mark 9:14-29,
but see especially v.29.
Cases
of fasting are recorded in the New Testament Church:
The
Church fasted and prayed, Acts 13:1-3;
14:23.
Their
fasting seems to have included not only prayer and abstinence from food, but
also keeping away from legitimate, normal love relationship between husband and
wife by mutual consent, I Cor. 7:5.
Fasting is good, and in fact the Lord recommends it. He simply warned us to fast secretly, praying, meditating or finding the will of God.