Reading Isaiah 58:3-11 was an eye
opener and a wake-up call for me. Fasting is important for a believer but not
all fasting is acceptable to Yah as I shockingly found out reading Isaiah.
Fasting must be done
in Yah’s time and a believer must do fasting for the right reasons.
Hear what is said in
Isaiah on when and for what reasons fasting is done. Doing the fasting correct
brings many blessings to a believer.
True fasting is
humbling yourself and truly dedicating your fast to Yahuah, otherwise fasting
is a day of simply going hungry.
Verse 3 They say, ‘Why
have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our beings, and You took
no note?’ “Look, in the day of your fasting you find pleasure, and drive on all
your labourers.
In
this verse the people are asking why their fast and afflicting their soul (being)
is not seen or noted by Yah! Hear Yah’s answer to the peoples question in verse 3-5?
4 “Look, you fast for
strife and contention, and to strike with the fist of wrongness. You do not
fast as you do this day, to make your voice heard on high.
5 “Is it a fast that I
have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his being? Is it to bowdown his head
like a bulrush, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Do you call this a fast,
and an acceptable day to Yahuah?
a)
Your fast
is for your own pleasure.
b)
You fast
for strife and contention (debate).
c)
You fast
to strike wrongness with a fist.
d)
Your fast
is not for Yah to hear you.
e)
You choose
your own day to fast and afflict your soul.
f)
You bow
your head, cover yourself with a sackcloth and use ashes and think this is
acceptable to Yah.
6 “Is this not the
fast that I have chosen: to loosen the tight cords of wrongness, to undo the
bands of the yoke, to exempt the oppressed, and to break off every yoke?
These
are the reasons you fast according to Yahuah.
a)
He chose a
specific day for fasting – Day of Atonement.
b)
To loosen
the cords of wrongness (wickedness).
c)
To undo
the bands of the yoke.
d)
To free
the oppressed ones.
e)
To break
off every yoke you have.
Messiah also says in Matthew 11:28-30 to take His yoke as it is
gentle and light. This was prophesied in Isaiah 61:1 for Messiah to do.
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, and cover him, and not hide yourself from your own
flesh?
On
top of doing the fasting correct and in Yah’s time, He asks the believer to
share food and clothing (shelter) with the needy and poor (Orphans and widows).
8 “Then your light
would break forth like the morning, your healing spring forth speedily. And
your righteousness shall go before you, the esteem of Yahuah would be your rear
guard.
9-10 “Then, when you
call, Yahuah would answer; when you cry, He would say,‘Here I am.’ “If you take
away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and the speaking of
unrighteousness, if you extend your being to the hungry and satisfy the
afflicted being, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness
be as noon.
11 “Then Yahuah would
guide you continually, and satisfy your being in drought, and strengthen your
bones. And you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail.
Hear
the blessings in verse 8-11
for doing the fast in Yah’s time and to look after the poor. The believer will
be blessed with speedily healing, righteousness and glory shall go before you
with Yah guarding you.
Yah will answer prays, once the yoke is gone,
no more pointing finger, stop speaking falsehood, and helping the poor.
Yah will guide you always, satisfy your soul
and make you strong. You will be blessed like a well-watered garden, fresh and
a live.
Proverbs
15:29 Yahuah is far from the wrong ones, but He
hears the prayer of the righteous.
Joel 2:12-13 “Yet even now,” declares Yahuah, “turn to Me with all your heart, and
with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”And tear your heart and not
your garments, and turn back to Yahuah your Elohim, for He shows favour and is
compassionate, patient, and of great kindness, and He shall relent concerning
the evil.
