January 16, 2010
AN INTRODUCTION TO FASTING
Joel 1-3
From the bulletin insert, you might have gathered that we are going to be talking about fasting. While it is probably not necessary to define fasting, let me just remind us that it is going without food for a time for a spiritual purpose. While there are those who fast for other reasons, that definition will fit our purposes.
The term “fast” in all its forms is found 47 times in the Old Testament and 32 times in the New Testament. That fact alone demands that we have some understanding. Compare that to the word “tithe,” which is used 25 times in the Old Testament and 7 times in the New. Is it more common to hear about tithing or fasting?
Most all of us know something of what Jesus says about fasting in Matthew 6. We will look at it later, but let me remind you for now that Jesus makes it clear that the one who fasts does it to be seen of the Lord, not of men. To call attention to yourself because you are fasting reveals impure motives. Because of that, when I have fasted, I have never made a big deal of it. I have become increasingly aware that while I have not done this intentionally, I have robbed God’s people of what His Word teaches about fasting. We have run across it from time to time in particular passages that we have been studying, but sometimes it is good to bring together what the scripture teaches on a specific subject. Please forgive me for my shortsightedness.
For at least three weeks, and probably more, we are going to take a look at what the Bible says about fasting. Of course, we can’t do that honestly with a view to simply increasing our knowledge. As one man put it, “The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge, but to change our lives.” Ultimately, our question must be this: “What does the Lord have to say to me, and to us as His people, about fasting?”
I thought I was going to call us to fast, but then it was as if the Lord said, “Not so fast.” Yes, I’m laughing with you, but after the laughter has died down, there is a dead seriousness that lingers. What if we all fasted, and the Lord hated our fasting? Do you mean to say that the Lord could hate fasting? Absolutely. He could hate fasting in the same way that He hates prayer. God hates prayer? Prov. 28:9, "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination." An abomination is something that is greatly hated, loathed. Do we think the Lord loved the prayers of the Pharisee? Never. Their prayers were an abomination, as we clearly see in Jesus’ parable about the Pharisee and the publican (see Luke 18:9-14).
But what about fasting? The first reference to fasting in the New Testament is in Matt. 4:2, where we read that Jesus fasted for forty days, but the second is very different. It is found in Matt. 6, where Jesus warns us not to fast like the hypocrites did. Please turn to Matthew 6. In verses 1-4, Jesus tells us how not to do our charitable deeds. Don’t give in order to impress men. Then in verses 5-15 Jesus deals with prayer. This time He states specifically that we are not to be like the hypocrites, whose desire is to receive the praise of men. While these hypocrites are not identified here, the rest of the gospel accounts make it clear that Jesus is referring to the religious leaders, especially the scribes and Pharisees. Now let’s come to what He has to say about fasting. Read Matt. 6:16-18…
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 17. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 18. That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
Earlier I made reference to Jesus’ little parable about the Pharisee and the publican. Let’s read it now in Luke 18:9-14…
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10. Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
The Pharisees, among other things, fasted regularly. Yes, they fasted twice a week without fail. Wow! They were certainly disciplined, were they not? Surely they had great zeal. Nevertheless, it was not the Pharisee who went home justified before God. Rather, it was the tax collector. Jesus was not at all impressed by the fasting of the Pharisees. Though the Pharisees were experts in the law and could quote long passages from God’s Word, they did not take heed to what God had told them in Isaiah 58. We will come to this passage later on, but let’s take a moment to introduce it now. Read Isaiah 58:1-5…
Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. 2. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. 3. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. 4. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. 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?
These Israelites were seeking the Lord, they delighted to know His ways, they appeared to be righteous people, they did not forsake God’s laws, they asked the Lord for justice, and they delighted in coming to God. And they emphasized their seriousness about seeking God by fasting regularly. What could be wrong with that? God found plenty wrong with it, because He tells Isaiah, “Cry aloud, do not spare them, lift up your voice like a trumpet and show my people there sins.” In spite of all these things, God saw only their sins. In the words of Prov. 28:9, their prayers, their seeking, and their fasting were an abomination to God.
Are you beginning to see why I got the message, “Not so fast”? It is not a light thing to do something that the Lord may hate. Add to that danger the fact that sin tends to come with its own set of blinders. We might be tempted to say about the people in Isaiah’s day, “They knew that God was not pleased with their fasting and other outward disciplines.” How do we know that? I remind you that the language the Lord employed through Isaiah is very strong. He didn’t say, “They seem to seek my daily and seem to delight to know my ways.” No, it is, “They seek my daily and delight to know my ways.” I believe He said it that way because their observances were so convincing, so convincing that they fooled even themselves. That’s the way it is with the Pharisees. I can’t find any evidence that they were well aware of their hypocrisy. Remember that Paul himself was a Pharisee. We never find him going back and saying, “I knew that the things I was doing were wrong, but I just wouldn’t admit it.” No, when he said that he was “more exceedingly zealous of the tradition of his fathers” (Gal. 1:13-14) than many of his fellow-Jews, that’s exactly what he meant. His heart was in what he was doing. When Paul tells us that he was a Pharisee, he says nothing that would set him apart from the rest of the Pharisees and their religious practices. Here’s the point. We could undertake fasting and think that we are doing the will of God, when in fact, God could hate what we are doing.
Now with that sparkling introduction to fasting, let me ask you some questions. Are you eager to engage in fasting? Are you ready to fast tomorrow? What about Tuesday? Or do you want to try twice a week, like the Pharisees did? Before you answer those questions, let me share some scriptures with you…
I Cor. 8:8…Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.
Col. 3:20-23…If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch" 22( referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
I Tim. 4:1-5… 1Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
Did that help any? Are you ready to begin fasting?
It is about now that some of you are wondering, “Ron, what on earth are you trying to do?” It isn’t my intention to be cute or crafty. On the other hand, I want to give great emphasis to the danger of fasting. Most of you figure that, since I am speaking about fasting, I must have something to say about it other than the dangers. If 90% of us were fasting on a regular basis, it would make sense to preach a sermon on the dangers of fasting. However, in our case, it’s more like giving a swimming lecture to dolphins. Why do we need to hear about the dangers of fasting?
Let me try to explain. As you have guessed, we are going to tackle what the Bible says about fasting. Enough of you were here a few months ago when we took a brief look at this in an evening service that you know there is a biblical case for fasting. But before I can talk to you about the need and the value of fasting, I must point out these dangers. Nor can I divorce my personal experience from the need to talk about these dangers. By God’s grace, we do learn from our mistakes. For more than 25 years I have fasted at times, though not regularly during all of those years. Now I must confess that God has been convicting me about fasting in recent months. The conviction began with a sense of needing to fast. More recently, the Lord has been showing me how little I really understand about fasting. I have come to realize that many times I have fasted in a way that doesn’t please the Lord. Too many times I have been guilty of what I might call “mechanical fasting.” I didn’t eat, but I can’t say that I was truly hungry for God. Perhaps I was even guilty of pride. Though I never did it to impress others, did I think that somehow I was earning God’s favor? I praise God for the truth of Ps. 130:3-4, "If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? 4. But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared."
I remind you that we have an enemy. He would like us to look at the abuses and misunderstanding of fasting and say, “I’m not going to mess with that. I don’t fast, and I’m doing just fine.” I remind you that fasting isn’t abused nearly as much as prayer, and yet we still believe it is vitally important to pray.
Now I want us to do two things. First, I want to leave you with a question to chew on, as well as a list of the scriptures that talk about fasting. You will find that list on the little stands by the doors, as you go out. Don’t just get one and take it home, but make the time to go over those scriptures. After reading those scriptures, some of you will ask a question something like this: “Certainly people in biblical times fasted, but is this something for today? Wasn’t fasting an Old Testament practice, similar to refraining from certain kinds of meat?” That is a very good question, and one of the main questions that must be answered. In other words, “Is fasting Christian? Or, is it a man-made rule that undermines the gospel of grace?” These questions must be answered by the Word of God. We could give our opinions, but what our opinions compared to the Spirit-inspired Word of our God?
The second thing I want to do is this: I want to introduce our study of fasting by reading a book of the Bible. The book is Joel, one of what we call “the minor prophets.” Don’t panic; it only has three chapters. Fasting is mentioned twice by Joel, but it is plays a vital part in the message of the book. Listen, as I read from the NKJV the book of Joel…
Conclusion
Let me mention one other thing. After Jesus fasted 40 days in the desert, what was the very first thing He said? “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). How we need to hear every word from God. Many of us need to hear His words about fasting. Some of you may need to hear the simple word of the gospel. “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15). In the days just ahead, let’s hear what our Lord has to say.
Prayer
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Fasting… (exhaustive -- all OT and NT occurrences of all forms)
Judg 20:26 "Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD."
1 Sam 7:6 "And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh."
1 Sam 31:13 "And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days."
2 Sam 1:12 "And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword."
2 Sam 12:16 "David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth."
2 Sam 12:21-23 "Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. 22. And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? 23. But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."
1 Ki 21:9 "And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:"
1 Ki 21:12 "They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people."
1 Ki 21:27 "And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly."
1 Chr 10:12 "They arose, all the valiant men, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days."
2 Chr 20:3 "And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah."
Ezra 8:21 "Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance."
Ezra 8:23 "So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was entreated of us."
Neh 1:4 "And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,"
Neh 9:1 "Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them."
Est 4:3 "And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes."
Est 4:16 "Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish."
Est 9:31 "To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry."
Ps. 35:13 "But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom."
Ps. 69:10 "When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach."
Ps. 109:24 "My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness."
Is. 58:3-6 "Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. 4. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. 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? 6. Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?"
Jer 14:12 "When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence."
Jer 36:6 "Therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of the LORD in the ears of the people in the LORD'S house upon the fasting day: and also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities."
Jer 36:9 "And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast before the LORD to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem."
Dan 6:18 "Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of music brought before him: and his sleep went from him."
Dan 9:3 "And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:"
Joel 1:14 "Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD."
Joel 2:12 "Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:"
Joel 2:15 "Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:"
Jonah 3:5 "So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them."
Zech 7:5 "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?"
Zech 8:19 "Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace."
Matt 4:2 "And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered."
Matt 6:16-18 "Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly."
Matt 9:14-15 "Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? 15. And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast."
Mark 2:18-20 "And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? 19. And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20. But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days."
Luke 5:33-35 "And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink? 34. And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? 35. But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days."
Matt 15:32 "Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way."
Mark 8:3 "And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far."
Matt 17:21 "Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."
Mark 9:29 "And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting."
Luke 2:37 "And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day."
Luke 18:12 "I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess."
Acts 10:30 "And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,"
Acts 13:2-3 "As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away."
Acts 14:23 "And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed."
Acts 27:9 "Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,"
Acts 27:33 "And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing."
1 Cor 7:5 "Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency."
2 Cor 6:5 "In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;"
2 Cor 11:27 "In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness."
Questions to ask, as you go through the scriptures before you…
1. What other things are often associated with fasting?
2. What are some of the purposes of fasting in the Bible? In other words, why did these various people fast?
3. Did God ever command fasting?
4. Is there a difference between fasting in the Old Testament and fasting in the New Testament?
5. Why is it that some examples of fasting were not pleasing to God?
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