Isaiah 58: Fasting and Sabbath

So, this chapter is really interesting. I decided to open up to it today on kind of a whim, but I'm really glad I did. God lays out some hardcore sarcasm right in the beginning:

"...declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God." vv. 1b-2

It almost sounds like the Israelites are doing pretty well, until you notice that God is being totally sarcastic about their "righteousness." The people are confused about why God hasn't honored their righteous requests:

"'Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?'" v. 3a

To me, this already sounds like a selfish complaint: "God we've done all this stuff! Why haven't we received anything in return?" God answers and points out the full extent of the people's selfishness:

"Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. 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." vv. 3b-4

Ouch. God point out that the people's fast was purely for their own pleasure, and they were even oppressing others during that time! The LORD, however, has more words regarding this:

"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?" v. 5

This is really interesting to me. It seems like God is still laying on the sarcasm regarding the people's fasting, but aren't the things listed here what we often view as good fasting: to humble ourselves and be broken before God and open to His leading? I think the answer to this lies not in the actions themselves, but in the people's motivation behind them. The Israelites were being totally selfish in their fast: they looked devout on the outside, but they were using the fast as a tool for their own pleasure, and they were harming others while they did it. They "humbled" themselves and bowed their heads because they wanted a reward, not because they wanted to know God better. Even if they did want to know God better, it was still for selfish purposes. Jesus faced the same problems with the people's fasting when He was on earth, and He explained how it should truly be conducted in public:

"And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." Matt. 6:16-18

The Israelites in Isaiah's day were probably "humbling" themselves and sitting in sackcloth and ashes in the sight of all, which is another reason God condemned their actions. God makes it clear in Isaiah 58 that the focus on fasting should never, ever be yourself:

"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? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him and not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. 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, if you pour out yourself for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in." vv. 6-12

Wow. So, that's a little dissertation on what God thinks about and wants with fasting. I'm sure there's more, though. I'll leave all that alone and move on to the last part of the chapter, which is about Sabbath:

"If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken." vv. 13-14

God point out here that pursuing your own desires and pleasures is to be avoided on the Sabbath. Noticing a trend in this chapter? These two practices are solely for seeking God and serving others. God actually says you should not do what you want or think you need to do during these times. If you do, your focus will be far from where it should be.

This is something I don't think I have right yet. I try to have a Sabbath rest on Saturdays, staying away from homework and just chilling in general. However, if this is going to be a true Sabbath day, I need to focus a lot more on God and not on myself anymore. Fasting is also hard, because often I want to just shut myself away from others and be by myself all day. This doesn't necessarily seem like the right way to go about it after reading Isaiah 58. Both of these practices are for God's glory and the benefit of others.

Just my thoughts.

Peace.