200112 Why Fast and Pray? (2)

There are several ways to answer the question, “Why should we fast?” In our culture fasting is probably connected with health and weight loss much more than it would be connected to prayer. In the Old Testament fasting is usually connected to repentance. For example, Joel called upon the people, “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;” (Joel 2:12). God was speaking through his prophet because of the spiritual condition of his people. God goes on to say that their outward condition did not match their spiritual condition. Since God is slow to anger and abundant in steadfast love if the people would repent perhaps God would relent and turn aside from his anger toward them.

We are not sure when Joel proclaimed God’s judgment. We do know approximately when Isaiah spoke similar words. Isaiah operated about 700 years before the birth of Jesus. Isaiah was a priest and a prophet! In chapter 58 of the written prophecy, we find this question coming from the people: “Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?” (Isaiah 58:3a) then God answered them. By the way, when we ask God for an answer to our questions and concerns we should be prepared for an honest answer. God is not in the business of making people feel comfortable.

God’s reply? “Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. ⁴ 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. ⁵ 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 58:3b-5).

They fasted all right but their heart was never right. They thought they had humbled themselves and God had ignored them. God had not ignored them. He had observed them and saw that they accompanied the fasting and praying with business as usual. The kind of fasting they were doing did not cause God to listen to them when they prayed.

Instead, God asked the question, “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6).

The fast that God wanted would feed the hungry. I assume that would be to share the meals that you’re not going to eat with someone who has no food. The fasting God would choose would provide clothing for the poor.

When that kind of fasting occurred God gives a promise! The darkness of the world would be broken and flooded with light! Healing would come to the sick and the righteousness of the people would go before them. God would guide them constantly. Their desires would be satisfied. The spiritual drought would be ended and they would become a well-watered garden.

You see, the God they served was not like the gods of the people around them. Yahweh had pointed this out to them earlier in Isaiah’s prophecy. Let’s look at chapter 44 verses 6-8: Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. ⁷ Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. ⁸ Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.”

The true King of Israel had revealed himself to Moses in the burning bush hundreds of years before. Yahweh spoke to Moses and gave him direction. In Isaiah’s day, it was important to bring the people back to recognize that there is only one God. He clearly describes himself as being the only God that exists.

Now, what does this have to do with fasting and prayer?

When we look through the Bible we find many instances of prayer being accompanied by fasting. As we saw last week, Ezra and Nehemiah engaged in fasting along with prayer. King Jehoshaphat called on the nation to fast and pray when they were confronted with overwhelming military force.

Looking at the word of God there are other examples. Jonah resisted going to Nineveh because he wanted the city to be destroyed! When he got to Nineveh his message was simple “Yet 40 days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” (Jonah 3:4b) He offered no way out. He did not call on them to repent! He simply announced God’s coming judgment on the city. This pagan city, Nineveh, was about to get what it deserved. However: “the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them. (Jonah 3:5)

And, When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. (Jonah 3:10) If any city deserved to be destroyed Nineveh would be it. When they understood the danger of their situation they humbled themselves and fasted and prayed.

We believe that God since he knows all things does not change his mind. Yet, in this situation, and a couple of others in the Bible, God appears to repent! God does not change but in many cases the people God is dealing with change. God knows they will because he knows the end from the beginning.

Each instance, where God appears to have changed his mind, is an illustration of the situation changing. If the situation changes, then, of course, God’s attitude or intention will also change.

When Jonah preached in Nineveh he was confronting an evil city! Nineveh was the center of the Assyrian Empire. The Empire was known as very brutal. Yet, when they were confronted by a true prophet they repented. God did not repent the people he was dealing with repented! Once they repented the situation changed and God responded to the changed situation. Yes, God knew the future! Yet, the future changed as the people changed. They put away their fancy clothes and wore sackcloth! They fasted as a nation and their hearts were changed.

What happens when we fast? What are the benefits of fasting? First, fasting increases our sense of humility and dependence on the Lord. Second fasting allows us to give more attention to prayer. Third fasting is a continual reminder that, just as we sacrifice some personal comfort to the Lord by not eating, or whatever we give up for communion with God, so we must continually sacrifice all of ourselves to him. Fourth, fasting is a good exercise in self-discipline, as we refrain from eating food, which we would ordinarily desire, strengthens our ability to refrain from sin. If we train ourselves to accept the small suffering of fasting we will be better able to accept other sufferings for the sake of righteousness. Fifth, fasting also heightens spiritual and mental alertness and a sense of God’s presence as we focus less on the material things of this world. Finally, fasting expresses earnestness and urgency in our prayers. Fasting says to God we are prepared to lay down our lives that the situation be changed.

 All scriptures quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English standard version. 2001. Wheaton, Ill, Standard Bible Society.