Isaiah 58
All of the rebuke God tells Israel in Isaiah chapter 58 verses 1 to 12, is applicable and is similar to how some Christians today can be with their relationship with God. However, all the encouraging and promising things that God tells them of how He will bless them if they change, are applicable to every Christian today.
When we read this chapter concerning fasting, it should cause us to prayerfully look at our heart and expressions of worship when fasting. We also should consider to regularly include fasting as a regular aspect in our relationship with God.
In these twelve verses, God is clearly exposing many aspects of the mind (thoughts), heart (emotions) and the actions produced by the tainted spiritual condition in Israel during the time of fasting.
1 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the house of Jacob their sins.” God begins telling the prophet Isaiah how He wants him to deliver His message to His people, loud like a trumpet, in its entirety. In this verse among the loud proclamation of God’s rebuke, we also clearly see God’s love. In spite of Israel’s sins, God still considers them His people, “my people”, He has not rejected them. If God did not love them, He would not be pointing out their sin and in verses 8,9 and 10b-12, encouraging them with words of hope and promise of redemption if they change.
2 For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them. 3a ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,’ and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’
Israel’s heart when fasting was not right before God. They were “manipulative worshipers”, their thoughts and actions were hypocritical religious actions of which God clearly saw the true state of their heart. They were fooled and so impressed by their own misguided efforts that they were surprised that God did not respond. Outward appearances and actions might impress and fool others but God always sees our hearts and knows our motives.
3b, “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. 4a Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. God continues to point out other harmful actions that happen when Israel fasted. Even though pride is not mentioned in these verses, what God was pointing out were the symptoms of a prideful heart and how the prideful heart acts out and treats others.
Reading Verses 4b and 5 from the New Living Translation helps us understand God’s point of view of Israel’s façade which was outwardly doing the right thing, but it was ritualistic and insincere. Even though wearing “burlap” and “ashes” were correct “religious” expressions of sorrow and mourning when fasting, however it did not mean anything because the people’s hearts were not right before God.
“4b This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me. 5 You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind. You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with ashes.”
In verses 6-7, we see God’s love for His people being expressed in His instruction of what He expects should happen when fasting done with humble and contrite hearts. Fasting takes our heart’s eyes off of ourselves and what we want which helps to humbly see the importance of others and see the needs of others that is followed up with actions of love. Leviticus 19:18, “…love your neighbor as yourself….” Genesis 57. “True fasting will lead to humility before God and ministry to others.”
6 “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? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter — when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Verses 8 and 9a are the 5 results of a heart that is freed from pride and its effects because of fasting. Verse 8 is what God will do in us. Verse 9a is what God will do for us.
8a, “Then your light will break forth like the dawn” – The change that will happen to the person who fasts God’s way will be noticeable by everyone.
8b, “and your healing will quickly appear”- Most of the time a prideful or self-centered person does not realize and that they need to be healed. What God tells us in verse 8b should encourage us all, that our healing is not a long-drawn-out process.
8c, “then your righteousness will go before you” – What God will do in a person who fasts will be known by many because of what it does to our character. Proverbs 13:9 The light of the righteous shines brightly. This verse beautifully ties in what 8a and 8c, which tells us that our righteousness or right standing with God is what others will see in us and experience from us. Righteousness is holy and upright living, in accordance with God’s standard or in context we can say, fasting in accordance to God’s standard.
8d, “and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.” Because of what fasting God’s way will do in one’s life and change of character who God is in us will be remembered after we are gone.
9a Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. When fasting God’s way, He promises he will always hear us and be with us. Fasting puts us in God’s close presence.
9b, “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, 10a and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
In these verses, 9b and 10a, God summarizes what must be done in the life of the person who is fasting. Note the word “if” is used twice. What is done to correct the wrong is up to the person, if they make the decision to sincerely change.
In verses 10b and 11 are the seven results that will be a reality in the life of individual with a repented heart. All seven are considered promises from God to any of God’s people who change their ways.
1) 10b, then your light will rise in the darkness, 2) and your night will become like the noonday. 3) 11 The Lord will guide you always; 4) he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land 5) and will strengthen your frame. 6) You will be like a well-watered garden, 7) like a spring whose waters never fail.
This final verse is both applicable to the individual and or a group of believers such as a church. It speaks of restoration of what was destroyed by the enemy.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
As we join our Foursquare family in our annual 21 days of prayer and fasting, ask the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts and to help us review our relationship with God as we read and prayerfully meditate on these verses.
Pastor John
