Before you read this, and as you go along I would ask that you read through;
Isaiah 58
The Children of Israel are an interesting study at times. Because they had more power of God readily displayed to them than any other people in history. And yet they would not remain faithful to Him, or walk in His paths. In this chapter we find confusion in the hearts of Israel, they seem to be outwardly seeking to return to God but their ideas are all wrong.
We often will come to God in a similar manner as the Devil does his best to confuse us or turn us away. But let’s look today at the blessings of God that He bestows on those who worship Him truly with an acceptable fast.
A fast is, in a sense, any personal time or thing that you set aside to enable you to seek the Lord more closely.
1. Examine the Method. v.1-5
What are your motives? Some people were coming to the temple asking God to hear them when they would not give up their personal sins. We find an example in Jeremiah 7:3-10 Here the Israelites are going about all week doing their own thing, seeking selfish gain, and even worshiping idols. Then they return on the Sabbath, stand before God and say “We are delivered to do these abominations.” Of course they would not have said it in those words but that was their heart attitude. “Hey, God will forgive us so why bother going to all the trouble to live right?”
Sadly this is not only an Old Testament attitude, but was also found among the Christians at Rome Romans 6:1 ¶ What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
The Answer? V.2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
The Word of God repeatedly tells us to be seperate, be holy, live according to the righteousness which is found in faith, and so on. If we are only Sunday Christians then God is not pleased. If we get down and ask forgiveness of our sins and go out and do it again we have not repented.
There is an obvious problem that needs to be fixed.
But back in our text we find a people (v2) that delight to do God’s will, they want to know God more, they seek out His law, and delight to approach God in prayer. But there is still a problem. V3 Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge?
They cry out; “Lord, look on us. We are praying, we are fasting, we are seeking you out, we are searching our souls, why don’t you answer?
Has that ever been the case with you? When you seek the Lord in earnest prayer and it seems as if you can’t get past the ceiling, or your words fall to the floor as they leave your lips. We know God always hears prayer, but have you been at the place where God will not answer.
Even great men of God have been there. Look at David Psalm 69:10 “When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.”
He poured out his heart to God but received no answer. He was weary in prayer, and the people around him began to make fun of him because he prayed so earnestly. Later in the psalm he writes that he even became the subject of ridiculous songs of drunkards. He couldn’t understand why God would not hear, and he became discouraged.
As Isaiah spoke the Words of the Lord to these discouraged Israelites God used him to give them the answer to their plea.
First God told them what they were doing. He said you are praying one of two ways and I cannot justly answer either.
One you are praying for your own benefit. V3b Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
You come to prayer ask the Lord for what you want, what will benefit you, what you would have done for others, and then you spend the rest of the Lords day doing what you want to, or what you need to do, fulfilling whatever pleases you at the moment. At the same time you cause other people to work. You don’t mind if the boy next door mows your lawn, it needs to be done and he wouldn’t come to church anyway. You go out for coffee after church, because the shop is open anyway and you can have a nice time visiting. You stop and buy something you need for the week because you are in town already.
Has anyone caught on yet? The Lords day, that you claim to set aside to worship and honour Him becomes, one filled with pleasure and your agenda. Just because you sat in church a few hours, maybe studied your Bible a little more, maybe prayed a little more it becomes a Holy day and you can do with the rest of it what you want. Something is wrong with that picture!
Ok so that subject gets a little touchy, what was the other reason? v4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness:
These people were gathering and praying for revenge, for debate, praying to actually cause problems. That does not please God.
Have you ever heard someone pray “Dear Lord, you must show Charlie that I’m right, why can’t he see things my way.” Or “Dear Lord, that man down the street snarls every time I walk past his house, I wish he would get sick and learn a lesson.”
God said “ye shall not fast as ye do this day,” He would not answer them because He was not pleased with their attitudes of daily living, which of course would be brought into the house of God.
Next a question is asked, v.5 “Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?”
On the flip side there were those who came actually oppressing their soul with the weight of their guilt. Well that’s a good thing isn’t it? Then the Lord can lift the burden.
Not if you can’t look past your own burden to look on the blood of the Holy Lamb who brought remission of sin.
Jude 1:20-21 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
For although they were to build themselves up, and to pray in the Holy Ghost, and keep themselves in the love of God, yet this building, praying, and keeping, cannot merit heaven; for, after all their diligence, earnestness, self-denial, watching, obedience, they must look for the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ, to bring them to Eternal Life.
2. Learn God’s way. v.6-7
God’s way is then demonstrated in the next two verses.
In Verse 6 God explains that prayer is not to restrain you but to free you from every yoke of sin, from every burden of guilt, and free from temptations to seek harm on others.
Verse 7 the Lord also states that it is not to seek your own wealth but to ask to be led where you might be a blessing to others. Help them in need, strengthen them in faith, and point them to Christ.
This is an acceptable fast in the sight of the Lord.
3. Reap Results. v.8-10
Well what if I follow the pattern, is there anything in it for me? We are a selfish people aren’t we?
But the wonderful thing is God does promise blessings on those who follow the guidelines He has laid out in His word.
V8 Promises that the light of your life will break forth as the morning, the darkness will be pushed aside. And the Heavenly joy that fills your life will bring a thrill like nothing else.
Job 11:17 And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.
All of your life that is lived for the glory of God will be clear and shining out the blessings of serving Him in a right spirit of truth. Thy righteousness shall go before thee. The testimony that you walk with God will be visible to others
“the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.” What is ‘rereward’ you might ask. Well it is not a spelling mistake. The Hebrew word means to gather for a purpose, to assemble all together. This simply means that the very glory of the Lord will be part of your life, and through you God’s name will also be glorified.
When you seek the Lord in an acceptable fast, putting away the things of self in every form, v9 gives the promise that God will answer your prayers, you will cry out to God and He will make His power visible in your life. If you put away that self oppression, that accusation of others, and uplifting of yourself.
And a third promise in v10 tells us if we seek to help others by meeting what earthly needs we can in grace, and pointing men to the Lord to satisfy the affliction of their souls, then shall thy light rise from obscurity. That doesn’t mean you’ll be some famous celebrity. It just means God can use you in a mighty way to fulfill His purpose. (which is far greater by the way)
Jonathan Goforth was an undereducated Canadian farm boy. He felt the call of God to preach and went to a bible College in Toronto. Because he was a country bumpkin he was shunned by the other students. But Goforth didn’t mind, he went to the lowest slums and preached Jesus Christ, and helped all those he could with their physical needs. God used him greatly to bring people from the darkness of their sins right across the world, because he sought the righteousness of the Lord.
Robert Sheffey, though he had name and money he lost both when he accepted Christ. He had education but was told he would never amount to a public speaker. But God showed him there was a need in the backwoods of the Appalachian Mountains and blessed his work because He was willing to serve where ever God led him.
These were not perfect men but their fast, what they gave God out of their lives and of themselves, was an acceptable offering and God blessed.
4. Blessings to pass on. v.11-12
In v.11 I find a precious promise, when we seek Him out the Lord will guide us continually! He will provide our needs, even if there is a great economic crash. Your life will be blessed and filled with blessings like a well that never runs dry because He will plant in you Springs of Living Water.
V.12 God can use such men and women to build old waste places! To restore their nations to God. To lay a foundation that their children and grand children and many generations may have the privilege of knowing the Lord! And you will be called “the restorer of paths to dwell in” All the great preachers and both men and women missionaries that we look back on who did mighty works for God were such people. And God is not slack concerning any of His promises. Five generations from now if the Lord tarries you can be remembered that way to.
How?
5. Honour God and He will honour you. v.13-14
In our day it is ingrained in us to do our own thing. And sometimes it’s hard to get out of that rut on Sunday. But we set apart Sunday to be the Lord’s Day in which we ought to seek to worship Him in all we do.
That’s the starting point. Even to straighten out your priorities there is an order. All through the Scripture by command, precept, promise, and example we are taught that when we honour the Lord God He will honour you.
How can we be sure? You have God’s word on it, and God cannot lie!
Just to stress the importance of the message the chapter ends with “The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” That particular statement is only made five times in the Bible.
