Lesson #46

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RETURN TO THE LIST OF LESSONS

ISAIAH 58
Lesson #46
GOD’S CHOSEN FAST AND TRUE RELIGION

• MEMORY VERSE: MATTHEW 15:8

• ISAIAH 58 BEGINS THE LAST SECTION OF THE BOOK OF ISAIAH. WE COULD CALL THIS SECTION, “THE GLORY OF GOD AND THE FUTURE OF GOD’S DELIVERED PEOPLE”. SPECIFICALLY THIS CHAPTER DEALS WITH INWARD AND OUTWARD RELIGION.

• READ ISA 58:1-7 THE CHOSEN FAST OF GOD
  • “SHOW MY PEOPLE THEIR TRANSGRESSION” (1)
    • ISAIAH WAS TOLD TO TELL THE PEOPLE THEIR SINS. THAT WAS AN UNPOPULAR MESSAGE IN ISAIAH’S DAY. IN FACT, HIS PEOPLE FINALLY KILLED HIM AND SAWED HIM IN TWO. IT IS ALSO AN UNPOPULAR MESSAGE TODAY. THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT ISAIAH HAD THE COURAGE TO TELL THE MESSAGE ANYWAY.
      • TODAY, THERE ARE MANY CHURCHES AND PASTORS WHO DO NOT TALK ABOUT SIN IN THEIR SERMONS. THEY DO NOT SHOW GOD’S PEOPLE WHAT IS SIN ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF GOD.
        • WHEN YOU HAVE SUCH A PREDOMINANT RELIGIOUS ATTITUDE IN THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY, YOU HAVE A SOCIETY LIKE WE HAVE TODAY. SIN IS RATIONALIZED AND RE-INTERPRETED. FOR EXAMPLE, HOMO-SEXUALITY IS NOT A SINFUL CHOICE BUT A BIOLOGICAL ACCIDENT.
        • IN AMERICA TODAY, WE HAVE THE FORM OF GODLINESS WITH A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE CLAIMING TO BE CHRISTIANS. HOWEVER, WE DO NOT HAVE THE LIFE-CHANGING POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AT WORK IN THE LIVES OF SUPPOSEDLY RELIGIOUS PEOPLE.
          • IN COMPARING ISAIAH’S DAY WITH JESUS’ 3 ½ YEARS ON EARTH, WHAT SIMILARITIES DO YOU SEE?

• ISAIAH USES THE TOPIC OF FASTING IN THIS CHAPTER AS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS “FORM OF GODLINESS”.
  • WHAT IS FASTING?
    • IT IS ABSTAINING FROM FOOD AND/ OR DRINK FOR AN UNDETERMINED PERIOD OF TIME.
    • IT COULD LAST FOR AS SHORT AS 1 MEAL AND AS LONG AS 40 DAYS. IT COULD BE ABSTAINING FROM DELICACIES OR FROM ALL FOOD.
    • IT COULD BE TO GAIN WISDOM FROM GOD, A SPIRITUAL BATTLE AGAINST SATAN, OR A FORM OF REPENTANCE FOR SIN.
  • WHY IS GOD UPSET WITH HIS PEOPLE FOR FASTING?
    • READ ZEC 7:5-6
      • AFTER THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY, THE JEWISH RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY ADDED DAYS OF FASTING TO THE NATIONAL CALENDAR TO MARK DISASTERS IN JEWISH HISTORY.
      • READ ZEC 8:19
  • HERE IN ISAIAH, THE PEOPLE CRITICIZED GOD FOR NOT BLESSING THEM WHEN THEY WERE DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB OF FASTING. (3)
    • READ MAL 3:13-14
      • THE BOOK OF MALACHI WAS WRITTEN AFTER THEY RETURN ED FROM THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY. THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY CURED ISRAEL’S IDOLATRY, BUT IT DID NOT CURE THEIR DETERMINATION TO GO THEIR OWN WAY. THEY DID NOT OUTWARDLY WORSHIP IDOLS, BUT NEITHER DID THEY WORSHIP GOD. THIS SAD CONDITION LASTED MORE THAN 500 YEARS. THE NEW TESTAMENT BEGINS WITH THE SAME ATTITUDE THAT CLOSES THE OLD TESTAMENT.
      • READ MAT 15:7-11

• INDIVIDUAL FASTING:
  • AT TIMES INDIVIDUALS WOULD FAST IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AS AN EXPRESSION OF A PENITENT HEART BECAUSE OF THEIR GUILT OVER SOME SPECIFIC SIN.
• GOD’S ATTITUDE TOWARD FASTING:
  • FASTING BECAME MORE IMPORTANT AT THE END OF THE OLD TESTAMENT THAN WHAT GOD ORIGINALLY INTENDED. IN FACT, GOD DID NOT SPECIFY FAST DAYS (WITH ONE EXCEPTION). INSTEAD, HE SPECIFIED FEAST DAYS TO CELEBRATE GOD’S BLESSINGS.
    • THE ONE EXCEPTION WHEN THERE WAS NATIONAL FASTING WAS THE DAY OF ATONEMENT. (LEV 23:26-32 THE PHRASE “AFFLICT THE SOUL” WAS FASTING.) THE NATION FASTED ONCE A YEAR WHEN THE HIGH PRIEST WENT INTO THE HOLY OF HOLIES TO ATONE FOR THE SINS OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL. EVEN THE DAY OF ATONEMENT WAS CALLED A FEAST DAY AND NOT A FAST.
• DID JESUS FAST? YES.
  • THE ONLY TIME RECORDED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT WHEN JESUS FASTED WAS WHEN THERE WAS NO FOOD AVAILABLE. IT WAS WHEN HE WAS BEING TEMPTED IN THE WILDERNESS BY SATAN.
• JESUS’ COMMENT ABOUT FASTING:
  • READ LUK 18:10-14
    • CONCLUSION: THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH FASTING IF THAT IS WHAT THE HOLY SPIRIT LEADS YOU TO DO. THE PROBLEM IS MOTIVE AND PURPOSE. (MAT 6:16-18)

• WHAT IS GOD’S TRUE CHOSEN FAST? (ISA 58::6-7)
  • DELIVERANCE:
    • “TO LOOSE THE BANDS OF WICKEDNESS.”
    • “TO UNDO THE HEAVY BURDENS.”
    • “TO LET THE OPPRESSED GO FREE.”
    • “TO BREAK EVERY YOKE.”
  • BENEVOLENCE:
    • TO GIVE BREAD TO THE HUNGRY.
    • TO HOUSE THE HOMELESS.
    • TO CLOTHE THE NAKED.
  • CONCLUSION:
  • GOD’S TRUE CHOSEN FAST IS TO POINT PEOPLE TO SALVATION IN JESUS CHRIST SO THEY CAN BE FREE OF THEIR SINS, THEIR BURDENS, AND THEIR BONDAGES.
  • GOD’S TRUE CHOSEN FAST IS TO BE KIND AND LOVE OTHER PEOPLE.
• APPLICATION:
  • THE POINT IS AN INWARD HEART TOWARD GOD…A HEART OF OBEDIENCE AND PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
  • MAKE SURE THAT WHAT YOU DO RELIGIOUSLY IS BASED ON YOUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND NOT LEGALISMS, CREEDS, AND ORGANIZATIONAL RITUALS.

• READ ISA 58:8-14 THE REWARDS OF THE TRUE CHOSEN FAST OF GOD
  • YOUR LIGHT WILL SHINE. (8)
  • YOUR HEALTH WILL IMPROVE (8)
  • YOU WILL LIVE A HOLY LIFE (8)
  • YOU WILL REJOICE BECAUSE GOD IS GLORIFIED. (8)
  • GOD WILL HEAR AND ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS. (9)
    • YOU HAVE TO BE OPEN TO GOD TO RECEIVE HIS BLESSINGS. YOUR RELIGION HAS TO BE REAL.
  • GOD WILL GIVE YOU CONTINUAL GUIDANCE. (11)
  • YOU WILL HAVE A SUFFICIENTLY ABUNDANT LIFE. (11)
  • GOD WILL ELEVATE YOU TO A PLACE OF HONOR. (13)
  • GOD WILL GIVE YOU VICTORY IN YOUR LIFE. (14)

HOMEWORK
ISAIAH 59 AND 60
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• APPLICATION OF ISA 58
  • WHAT PART OR PARTS OF YOUR RELIGIOUS LIFE DO YOU NEED TO MAKE
  • MORE REAL AND FROM THE HEART?

• PREPARATION FOR ISA 59 AND 60
  • READ ISA 59:1-15
    • MAKE A LIST OF THE EIGHT SINFUL PARTS OF THE BODY MENTIONED.

• READ ISA 59:16-21
  • OF WHAT PART OF THE NEW TESTAMENT DOES VERSE 17 REMIND YOU?

• WHAT WILL THE REDEEMER DO FOR ISRAEL WHEN HE COMES?

• READ ISA 60
  • WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THE COMING MILLENNIM DESCRIBED IN THIS CHAPTER THAT STRIKES YOU?

• MEMORY VERSE: ISAIAH 59:1