“Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. 2 Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God. 3 ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord?”
– Isaiah 58:1-5, ESV
The 58th chapter of Isaiah deals with fasting. It reveals to us the kind of fast God has chosen for us, and in these opening verses God reveals to us what not to do when we are fasting.
Religious vs. Spiritual
Yesterday we looked at Jesus’ teaching about not fasting hypocritically for the benefit of our fellow man. Here in Isaiah we learn that we can fast hypocritically toward God as well.
The people of Israel were very religious. They made it a point to fast before God on a regular basis, and outwardly they appeared to be very pious. However, God called on the prophet Isaiah to show them that they had transgressed the Law and sinned in their hearts.
While they came to the Temple and appeared to want to draw near to God, outside of the church they did whatever they wanted to. They sought their own pleasures, they were cruel to their employees, and they argued and even fought with one another.
Pride vs. Humility
The root of their problem was spiritual pride. In fact, they were so proud of their efforts at fasting that they criticized God when their fasting didn’t work out the way they thought it should! As if God was their problem, they said, “Why don’t you see our fasting? Why don’t you take pleasure in it?”
But He wasn’t impressed with them, and He called upon the people to humble themselves. God told them through His prophet that their prideful attitude would short-circuit what they were trying to do, and block them from receiving the benefits of fasting.
We need to learn from this example. Let’s make sure we don’t repeat their mistakes when we’re fasting. Don’t let fasting become a source of spiritual pride, either toward your fellow believers or toward God.
About the Author
Michael Dorsey is a credentialed minister in the Church of God and very actively involved in ministry at Riverside Community Church. He is a graduate of Rhema Bible Training Center.
Michael and his wife, Katherine, live in Aberdeen, MD with their two children, Robbie and Kirsten. He views the internet as a method to reach people on a massive scale, a tool for outreach to the true seeker, a way to build up and strengthen new believers, and a resource to train Christians for effective service.
You can read more articles by Michael on his website, Threads Unraveled.
