Fasting that Honors God

Isaiah 58:1-14 

1 "Cry aloud, spare not;
Lift up your voice like a trumpet;
Tell My people their transgression,
And the house of Jacob their sins.

2 Yet they seek Me daily,
And delight to know My ways,
As a nation that did righteousness,
And did not forsake the ordinance of their God.
They ask of Me the ordinances of justice;
They take delight in approaching God.

3 'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and You have not seen?
Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?'
"In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure,
And exploit all your laborers.

4 Indeed you fast for strife and debate,
And to strike with the fist of wickedness.
You will not fast as you do this day,
To make your voice heard on high.

5 Is it a fast that I have chosen,
A day for a man to afflict his soul?
Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush,
And to spread out sackcloth and ashes?
Would you call this a fast,
And an acceptable day to the LORD?

6 "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?

7 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?

8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.'
"If you take away the yoke from your midst,
The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,

10 If you extend your soul to the hungry
And satisfy the afflicted soul,
Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,
And your darkness shall be as the noonday.

11 The LORD will guide you continually,
And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;
You shall be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

12 Those from among you
Shall build the old waste places;
You shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,
The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.

13 "If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath,
From doing your pleasure on My holy day,
And call the Sabbath a delight,
The holy day of the LORD honorable,
And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways,
Nor finding your own pleasure,
Nor speaking your own words,

14 Then you shall delight yourself in the LORD;
And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth,
And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.
The mouth of the LORD has spoken."

The fasting that honors God is not for show or to make religious points with Him by complying by rote instead of making their voice of contrition and praise heard on high.  The example of Israel is a warning to us not to ignore such sin by merely going through the motions of righteousness and keeping the letter of the law with the outward appearance of being glad to come before God in the place of worship.  If we are not sincere and honest in our worship then we will also ask Him why we fast and afflict ourselves without God responding to our efforts as these did.  Is it an acceptable day to the Lord if we worship in words only apart from action as James 1:21-22, 27 instructs us to do instead ?  True fasting serves others and not ourselves; it sets the oppressed free from sin’s bondage through meeting needs of body and soul through the words of life (Acts 5:20) and giving basic necessities when they are lacking.  It means giving food and shelter to those in real need and not to ignore giving to others when God clothes and feeds us by His lovingkindness of mercy.  God’s promises to His people, Israel and the rest of His people out of all the nations are then realized as shingles light of hope and guidance as we heal in our selfish souls and the righteousness of Christ works its way through us towards our neighbors.  His glory in such real fasting of denying ourselves for the sake of living out His love as the second greatest commandment will then guard us from sneak attacks from behind by the adversary and honor our Lord Emmanuel by doing as He did when walking among us.  Answered prayer comes from not burdening others nor pointing accusing fingers of condemning judgment at them.  By meeting the needs of others, we shine His light of gospel grace through us to the world (Matthew 5:15).  When we live this way to love God and our neighbors, then He guides us and meets our needs also, as well as uses us to water others (1 Corinthians 3:6) and strengthen our own faith.  This also brings restoration to broken people and their hope of an eternal future in Him, just as Israel was collectively used to do so to others as a nation.  It requires that we rest from our own works to work His in and through us (Hebrews 4:9-10).  We speak His words (Luke 12:11-12) as moved by the Holy Spirit for His good pleasure and not to satisfy ourselves as we delight ourselves in Christ our Lord and our God.  This is true fasting and worship in action and words that honors God.