"3 And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the Lord of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?
4 Then came the word of the Lord of hosts unto me, saying,
5 Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?" Zechariah 7:3-5
This morning as I was studying the 7th chapter of the book of Zechariah I felt inspired to share the lesson I learned.
In the passage above, we read that some Israelites were asking if whether or not they were required to continue to 'weep and fast' as they have been doing so far and for so many years. This was a fast held on the anniversary of the temples destruction and since the temple was being rebuild they were wondering if it was necessary that they keep fasting. Instead of answering with a simple yes or no, God asks them a question which we should all as Christians ask ourselves: Did you really fast to Me, for Me?
In other words, God was asking them if they fasted for themselves or for Him. The temple had been destroyed by the Babylonians and God allowed it to be so because the people of Israel had hardened their hearts to God and rebelled against Him through their misdeeds. However, instead of mourning for their misdeeds, the Israelites fasted and mourned for their sorrows and out of feeling for their own grief. They had become captives of Babylon and then Medo-Persia and were afflicted themselves because of the consequences of their actions rather than the motives of their actions themselves. They were self-focused rather than focused on the fact that their rebellion, their actions were all for their glory rather than God's glory. Their fast wasn't focused on glorifying God through genuine repentance, sorrow for sin and for a change of heart. They were too preoccupied with feeling sorry for the consequences. God tells us in Isaiah 58:
"Is it a fast that I have chosen,
A day for a man to afflict his soul?
Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush,
And to spread out sackcloth and ashes?
Would you call this a fast,
And an acceptable day to theLord?"
Many people who fast do it miserably. Afflicting themselves and making an outward show of their affliction. However God asks here, is this acceptable?
What about us? Are we any different? How many times do we find ourselves sinning against God, committing wrong acts and once we reap the consequences of our acts, we cry unto God and mourn. However, this is not the mourning God is seeking. He is seeking for us to realize our true condition, that we are broken and in need of being free'd from slavery to sin.
Indeed, Isaiah 58 further explains what a true fast is in the sight of God:
“Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
This is the true purpose of fasting! Fasting allows our minds and bodies to rest which helps us to hear God better and helps us pray better.
Our prayers should be focused on asking God to loose the bonds of wickedness - to deliver us from the power of sin which overtakes us sometimes. It reminds us that without God, we are slaves to sin, to wrong doing. We should ask that God undoes the heavy burdens - the burdens of guilt and sorrow that weigh down on our hearts as a result of not following the right way. To let the oppressed go free and break every yoke - once again talking about spiritual oppression to the power of sin, we need to ask for forgiveness that God may make us free again.
But prayers shouldn't be offered just for ourselves, our focus should also be on our duty towards others. We must pray that God works changes in our hearts to be less selfish that we may minister to others by feeding those in need, clothing the naked and hosting those who are without homes. And this also applies in the spiritual sense. The Bible teaches us that we must not live by bread alone but by God's word. We are also told that Jesus is the bread of life. This means we are responsible for sharing God's word with the world that they may be spiritually fed as well as teaching others about Jesus. We also need to guide others to be clothed with greater clothing than the physical: we must be clothed with Christ's righteousness. Caring for others is just as important as caring for Jesus. Jesus tells us Himself: "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40).
So as you can see, there is so much more to fasting that meets the eye! God's purpose is not outward affliction that makes us miserable but rather inward reflection of our condition, where we are at and what to do to progress into righteousness. Isaiah continues by explaining what results from the true fast:
8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’
“If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, 10 If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday. 11 The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. 12 Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In."
What beautiful promises are made to those who would follow the true plan of fasting God has in store for us! Fasting should be for progression and improvement, to strengthen us spiritually and focus on the food and water that really matter: Jesus living within us.
I hope this made sense and if not don't hesitate to comment for clarifications. May God guide you as you keep studying His Word and may He bless you mightily.
A prayer to pray: Dear God, thank you for opening my eyes to your true fast. Truly, you are not satisfied with outward sacrifice but rather inward reflection. Help me to practice the true fast that you may help me change and have a character like Yours. Thank you for the guidance You provide in Your word. Help me treat others better and show them Your goodness. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Much love and smiles,
Nahisha :)
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