Biblical Fasting | Sermon 08/07/22

Isaiah 58:1-12

God speaks through Isaiah the prophet an indictment upon the people of Israel for their transgressions. The people continue to perform religious rites and rituals as if they still seek God and desire His ways. And specifically, the people wonder why God doesn’t see their fasts. But the Lord reveals the truth, that at the heart of their fasting they seek their own desire. They fast to create strife, to boast of themselves, and participate in wickedness.

However, the Lord outlines what a true and authentic fast is. It is a day for a man to humble himself, to recognize his dependence on his Creator. It is a day to be repentant and contrite; to mourn as those with sackcloth and ashes. And what the fasting can do is loosen the bonds of sin in a person and remove the yoke of oppression. Christ has come to make our yoke easy and our burden light but when we give ourselves over to sin we get bound and chained to it. Fasting can help free oneself. Fasting is also an opportunity to take the food you would have eaten and give it to those who need it. It is an opportunity to not regard ourselves, but turn our focus to God and the afflicted.

And the promise is that in such a genuine fast, the Lord will aid you to come out of darkness and breath forth into the light. He promises He will guard our flanks so the devil doesn’t get another foothold. Isaiah demonstrates the glorious promise that if we call upon the Lord in our fast, He will answer. If we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. Jesus assumes His followers will fast and gives instruction on how to perform a fast in humility. If there are all these benefits to fasting, the question is why isn’t is practiced by Christians more?