Fast and Furious - Isaiah 58.3-9a

Here is the text for your conveniences.  Comments and questions follow.

 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,
   ‘and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
   and you have not noticed?’
   “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
   and exploit all your workers.
⁴ Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
   and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
   and expect your voice to be heard on high.
⁵ Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
   only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
   and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
   a day acceptable to the LORD?
 ⁶ “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
   and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
   and break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry
   and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
   and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
⁸ Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
   and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness^[a] will go before you,
   and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
⁹ Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
   you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I


OK, I know that Fast and Furious is the title of a movie about stealing cars, right?

But it's a great title for this passage from Isaiah where the prophet is truly put out with those who are fasting in Israel.  Although we Lutherans do not commonly encourage fasting, it is an ancient spiritual discipline intended to help focus one's thoughts and attention outside your own personal needs (hunger) and look toward God as your strength and your neighbors as folks in need.  Since I am fasting to prepare for a colonoscopy, I'll try to keep that in mind. :)

Isaiah is complaining that the folks are fasting in order to get God's attention, and positive response.  It is an act of piety - a religious ritual that marks those whose primary focus is God, and yet Isaiah rejects it.  Why?

Yet Isaiah says, 'Fasting won't erase the truth of your day-to-day life.'  The people of Israel were busy oppressing their workers, quarrelling and fighting, etc, while fasting in order to convince themselves, God and/or others that they were righteous.  v. 3-5  [Now we might compare this to writing a big check in order to convince God/ourselves/others we deserve God's grace and we are righteous.]

Isaiah makes it clear:  'You want to look righteous?  Take your bread and feed the hungry.  Open your home to the homeless.  Clothe the naked.  Reconcile with your famlies."  v6-8. 

When you participate in God's divine plan for the world; when you become a moral agent in this lifetime, well, the glory of God will follow you.  It will simply break out like light at dawn.  You will experience healing and wholeness while all the time God has your back.

Then God will hear you when you cry out.

So, let's start with some easy questions:  What about fasting?  Does fasting from food help our fasting from oppression?  Has anyone out there tried it?  Share your experience.


Isaiah claims that we are to fast oppression and feed the hungry becasue we are God's people and that is God's divine plan.  At some level, that kind of behavior will become more natural as we continue to seek God's face and live in the divine flow.  (it's not all that easy since the prophets spend a great deal of time reminding us about it).  Does this description or explanation make sense to you?  How do non-believers respond to this?

That should get us started.  More tomorrow.