Jesus in His Nazereth manifesto echoed the prophecy of Isaiah (Isa 611,2 ) regaring the Cherecteristics of Messish. The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed (Luke 418). True worship and true fasting hinges Some are genuine and have the approval of the Deity. But in others God, through His Prophets, admonishes His people regarding the faulty aspects of fasting. Isaiah Chapter 58 describes one such fasting.
To enumerate a few Israelites fasted repenting the great loss of lives of the Benjamin tribe ( Judges 20 26 ). Prophet Samuel (1.Sam3113) and Joel (212) encouraged the people to fast for their transgressions. King David and the Israelites fasted while mourning for Saul and Jonathan (1. Sam3113). David prayed and fasted for the life of his son (2.Sam1216). King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah fasted and prayed seeking favor from God when their enemies threatened them with war(2.Chrn203). The Scribe Ezra arranged a prayer and fasting meet seeking divine favor (Esra821). Nehemiah (Neh 14) and Daniel (Daniel 93) fasted and prayed repenting for their sins as well as the sins of the Israelites. There was a great revival and people fasted and prayed during Nehemiah s period (Neh 91). Esther and the Jews fasted and prayed and got relief from Haman s plot (Esther 43,16). While celebrating this deliverance from the plot of Haman, Jews fasted. In all these instances, the motives of fasting are Repentance, Intercession, seeking God s special favor, Revival, Mourning, and even Celebration. In the Religious life of God s people, fasting was a significant aspect along with prayer and Worship.
There are some instance s where the motive of fasting were dubious. Jezebel, the wicked wife of King Ahab, asked the elders to arrange a fast and to murder Naboth during the fast(1.Kings 2112). Prophet Zachariah questions the people whether they fasted and worshiped the true God
In New Testament also there are instances of genuine Fasting like that of Anna, ( Luke 237) Cornelius ( Acts 1030), St. Paul (2 Cor. 11 27) and Elders of Antioch (Acts 133). There is one incidence of Jesus fasting, (Mathew 42) before the start of his ministry. However, it seems Jesus did not give much importance to the physical form of fasting as against the Spiritual form of worship. He says, Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth (Jn 423,24).
In the absence of Prophetic leadership, people slowly forgot the spiritual importance of the religious aspects of worship, prayer and fasting and these degenerated into mere rituals. People imagined that carrying out these rituals of worship, prayer and fating will please God. So God sent His Prophets to admonish the people and instruct them about true worship and fasting, (Isaiah 1 11 -17, Chapter 58, Zec 7 5-10). In this passage, Isaiah Chapter 58, God reveals His mind and tells them the futility of the rituals. He also tells them what sort of activities will pleas Him.
Verses 1-4 . Here we see God wants His prophet to loudly and boldly admonish God s people, point to them their sins. In true Biblical sense, a prophet not only fore tells but also forth tells . The responsibility of the prophet is to encourage people to repent for their sins. We see in the Bible, there were many false prophets, Like Hananiah (Jeremiah 28 1-10), prophesying prosperity and blessing, enriching themselves . This is a human tendency, people will be pleased with soothing prophecies and will reward these prophets. But they will hate to hear the true prophets like Jeremiah or Isaiah, telling the truth as it is received from God. This tendency is still prevalent even today, even among Christians. Many of our Prayer meets are turning to self seeking ventures. The self proclaimed prophets declare blessings and prosperity for their congregations. They seldom teach the Word of God, the important functions of it is, teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, the believers ( 2. Timothy 3 16,17). Isaiah laments these type of prophets
Israels watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark they lie around and dream, they love to sleep. They are dogs with mighty appetites they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding they all turn to their own way, each seeks his own gain. Come, each one cries, let me get wine Let us drink our fill of beer And tomorrow will be like today, or even far better. ( Isa 56 10- 12).
The true worship should be adoring God, repenting, seeking God s mind and a willingness to follow God.
In verse 2, God says through the Prophet that people are Hypocritical in following Him There is an apparent religiosity, apparent thirst for knowing God s ways, apparent righteousness, and an apparent love for God s presence among them. Man s out ward actions may cheat other human. But God being omniscient, He can not be cheated. He knows the inner motive of each and every action of every human, ( John 24). Hypocrisy is a great sin. Jesus was condemning the Pharisees on this count. In the early Church, Ananias and his wife had to pay with their life for this sin of Hypocrisy. Jesus cursed the fig tree, as a model parable, for being apparently fruitful while in reality is barren. Hypocrisy prevents a man from truly repenting. Repenting is a means to receive mercy from God. We see this aspect in New Testament.
In verse 3. we see , God sees the reactions of the people. They are very proud of their religious rituals. They pride themselves that they are fasting. In Jesus days also we see this. Jesus in His parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (Lk 18 10-14), describes how the Pharisee is priding as he is fasting for 2 days a week. The comment we hear from Jesus is, not the Pharisee but the publican went home justified. Spurgeon warns, Christian, beware of thy graces beware of thy virtues beware of thy experience beware of thy prayers beware of thy hope beware of thy humility. There is not one of thy graces which may not damn thee, if they are left alone to themselves. ( Sermon)
The people think that since they are fasting and humbling, they are to be rewarded immediately. They want God to notice and send rewards. We are also thinking likewise. We want quick results. Just like the fast food culture, we also want ready made solutions for our problems. We are not willing to wait for the time and plan of God. The one gross mistake we commit often is, we turn to any source other than God for the needed solutions, the frail humans or the self efforts, not ordained of God. We see the disastrous consequences of human effort, replacing God s plan and not waiting for His appointed time, in the life of Sarah. Spurgeon asserts, to wait on him only is spiritual chastity and If to wait on God be worship, to wait on the creature is idolatry if to wait on God alone be true faith, to associate an arm of the flesh with him is audacious unbelief
(6. Charles H Spurgeon, Psalm 62, The treasury of David, (Pasadena 1885) httpwww.spurgeon.orgtreasurytreasury.htm Collected works of Spurgeon 1855).
In this verse God observes another fault of the people. People fast as well as they do the work they like. The implication is that, they are not whole heartedly following God. They want to please God as well as to please themselves. If the interests of both are conflicting, they will settle down for the later, that is to please themselves. We Christians also err in this matter. Instead of seeking the perfect will of God , we often take shelter under the permissive will of God. True worship is yielding to the perfect will of God, (Rom 121,2). Another fault God finds with them in this verse is, These people exploit their workers. God hates exploitation of any kind. Our God is a God of Righteous ness. Psalmist declares, The LORD loves righteousness and justice (Ps 335). The LORD is righteous, he loves justice upright men will see his face ( Ps 117), . . the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever, . (Ps 3728). God says through Prophet Isaiah, I the LORD, love justice I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them (Isa 618).
In verse 4, God says the people are quarrelling violently among themselves. God being the loving father can not bear this. He wants a loving relationship among men. Prayer and Quarrel can not coexist. Jesus says if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother then come and offer your gift (Mathew 5 23,24). Love, Forgiveness, and reconciliation are the essential elements for good neighborliness. Often we think that our relationship with God is essential and neglect the relation ship with neighbors. As the Cross has two logs, one vertical and the other horizontal, Christian life has both the vertical relationship-with God, and the horizontal relationship - with neighbors. Jesus paraphrased the Commandments as Love of God and Love neighbor .
verse 5-9. In verse 5, God critisises the out ward exhibition of fasting. Man gives importance for the external forms of worship and fasting. In the eyes of God these are not su on love of the neighbour, helping, relesase of the oppressed - oppression in the name of race ,caste , tradition, and freeing the prisoners various type of imprisonment etc.
God s nature is Justice.So it is but naturai that his followers should fuight for justice. It is relevant in this context to mention the marvelous service rendered by the pioneer missioners in India. The caste system in India was highly oppressive and obnoxious even to mention. In the extreme southern part of India , the ruling class oppressed the so called lower communities like Nadars, otherwise known as Sanars. Thwe opressipon was such that , they are forbidden to own property, compelled to work as slaves, and denied all civic liberties. The height of the oppression could be understood by the fact, the women folk of the Nadars wewre even forbidden to cover their upper portion of their body and their legs. Seeing their plight, Marco polo ,thr traveler has recordrd that he has seen hajf naked women in Soutyh India. The early British missionaries in this part of the country fought for the restoration of all civic liberties , including the liberty to dress decently.
Verse 7 deals with poverty alleviation. The ecomonic disparity of the human society is not of the makinf g of God but it is the invention of the wicked human mind. God has deep concerns for the poor. Jesus Procalims in Nazereth manifesto , The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor .
Similar concept id expresses by the prophet , He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 68 ).
Jesus want his followers to have his mind towards the poor. He emphasizes this fact in his parable on last judgement, For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me (Mathew 25 35,36).
Spurgeon asserts, The social action carried by Mother Therasa of Missionaries of Charity, Calcutta is exemplary and ideal for emulation.Verse 8 and 9 indicates the reward for the faithful, who is doing according to the will of God as expressed in verses 6 and 7. Lord promises, His Glory will guard the faithful, help, heal, provide and protect. Verses 10 tio 12 are all promisses of God. Verse 10 promises your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday ., Vs11, You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail . Vs 12 , you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings . These are all Spiritual blessingsfficient. Jesus admonishes, But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you (Math 617).
In verse 6,. He explains what are the aspects he has chosen as that of true fasting, say, to loose the chains of injustice, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke, to share your food with the hungry, to provide the poor wanderer with shelter, to clothe the naked, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood. Here God reveals his mind - his expectation from his people. The same point of view is expressed by our Lord Jesus in His parable of last Judgment, ( Mathew 2531-46).
Elizabeth Sweet asserts, In fact, these acts of compassionate justice are true worship. Sitting in the temple solemnly fasting is not worship when it is accomplished at the expense of, or with disregard for, the needs of others. The worship the Lord requires is the active incarnation of God s justice in the world. DO first, then pray, is the prophet s mandate. DOING is the worship God demands.
Jesus in His Nazareth manifesto echoed the prophecy of Isaiah (Isa 611,2 ) regarding the Characteristics of Messiah. The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed (Luke 418). True worship and true fasting hinges on love of the neighbor, helping, release of the oppressed - oppression in the name of race, caste, tradition, and freeing the prisoners various type of imprisonment etc.
God s nature is Justice. So it is b. God will use these people in restoring the Society to His ideals. The reward need not be understood d in a temperorary meanindg. Bible has got an Eschatological wiew point. The rewards are to be enjoyed in eternity.
In this context it is to be remenmbered the rewards will not earn Salvation. Salvation is absolutely free as Jesus has paid the penality of man s sins. Who ever reposes faith in the Son of God , receives the Salvation free. But the benovelent actions to the poor and oppressed, will be rewarded. Putting it in another way , thes e actions will eardn friends in Eternal home. Jesus says, I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings ( Luke a69).
We may summarise this. God is not much impressed by the external fasting.. He is interested in the motive behind fasting. God lays a radical demand upon humanity which requires total obedience from he heard to God s will of love for the neighbour 9Introduction to Christian Theology, Page 263. Nygren, in his book Agape and eros asserts, The fundamental theme of Christian faith and life is, agape , God s love for humanity in Christ, and inresponse humanit s love for their neighbours. True fasting is showing this agape ( as cited by Introduction to Christian Theology, P 265).
Muslim Fasting In Islam , fasting ( Saum ro Roza ) is one of the five pillers , other four breein, Sdhadhdat ( confession of the faith), Namaz(prayer), Zakat(alms giving ) and Haj(pilgrimage to Meca). While Fasting they are required to absyain from food, drink, perfumes , tobacco and sex during day time. After sun set they cah break the fast and the meal is called Iftar .Fasting is compulsory for all able bodied adults. The rigidity of fasis shch that, the fast becomes null and void, even if a drop of water enters the throat even during brushing the teeth, if a food psrticle larger than a grain of corn remains in the cavity of tooth after the meals, or the food taken is vomited . The Fasting is highly ritualistic.
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