Isaiah 56 - 61

Fast For Others

Isaiah 58 contains a beautiful and wonderful lesson on fasting.  First, the Lord rebukes those who come to the temple in self-righteousness and false piety, pretending to enjoy the Word of the Lord.  They ask for the blessings of God but their heart is far from the obedience the Lord wants.  I  verse 3 we read, "We have fasted before you!...Why aren't you impressed?" The sheer bravado of a person to ask God this question shows the insincerity of their heart.

The Lord explains in verse 3 to 5 that they are fasting only for themselves. They fast but continue to oppress others.  They fast but continue to quarrel and fight.  They are only going through the motions of penance, thinking that the outward show will somehow get God's attention.  It is true that they have His attention but not for their piety but for their sin!

In verse 6 and 7, the Lord explains the type of fast He desires.  One that causes the person fasting to "free those who are wrongly imprisoned and lightens the burden of those who work for you."  He wants them to share their food with the hungry, give shelter to the homeless, and clothes to those in need.  In other words, to let their fasting be for others.

The Lord is not interested in how we can demonstrate to Him how holy and righteous we are.  When we attempt this we only fool ourselves.  We may fool others, but in the long run our folly and hypocrisy are made manifest.  The Lord wants us not to demonstrate our Christianity, but to allow Christ to live in us and demonstrate Jesus to the world.  By fasting for the correct motive, we get ourselves out of the way and give the Holy Spirit full reign in our lives.