Isaiah 58
COMMENTARY:
: 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. (2654 “delight” [chaphets] means please, desire, pleasure, to bend down, or be willing.)
DEVOTION: Fakes are around all the time. In the plays of Greece in ancient times there were masks worn to give the idea of a change of character. This is the background for our word “hypocrite.” A hypocrite was someone who faked his actions or beliefs.
Christ called the Pharisees hypocrites because their actions in public were different from their actions in private. They expected people to follow their external actions but not their inner attitude. Their attitude toward Christ was that HE had not come from God. They thought they had a hold on proper beliefs. They had the political power to do what they wanted in the Roman kingdom.
The LORD informs Isaiah that the children of Israel were faking their worship of the LORD. They appeared to be going into the presence of the LORD daily. They sat at the feet of those who taught the Word of God and seemed to enjoy learning about the LORD. They looked righteous. They were trying to obey the ordinances of God. They enjoyed praying in public. All this was fake.
The LORD called them on their false worship. They pretended to fast and prayer to the LORD. The reason for their fasting was to impress the people around them but not to obey the LORD. They thought the LORD would be pleased by their fake fasting because they questioned the LORD as to why HE didn’t honor their fasts.
The LORD replied by stating that they were not fasting for the right reason. They were fasting for show and not to help those around them with their needs.
We face the same problem today. There are many people who look good in public but their private life is not honoring the LORD. This has to change. God is more concerned with our internal actions and reasons for our actions than our public actions. There should be a consistency in our inner life and our external life. This can only happen if we dedicate each day to the LORD.
There needs to be genuine repentance of sin and dedicated to obedience to the LORD. We will never be sinless but we can sin less. That should be our goal as we live for the LORD. There are many Christians who have been “saved” for forty years who act one year old in the LORD. Growth is essential in our walk with the LORD. No faking it.
CHALLENGE: Only internal self-examination can disclose our real relationship to the LORD. Examine yourself as we are commanded to do each time we partake of the LORD’S Supper.
: 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? will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? (6684 “fast” [tsuwm] means to cover over the mouth, at all, or the condition of voluntary abstaining from food.)
DEVOTION: There are many practices that the Bible teaches that honor the LORD. The children of Israel had a special relationship with the LORD. They were HIS chosen people. They were to be obedient to the LORD.
When they were not obedient, they were chastened of the LORD. When they repented of their sin, one of the signs that they were repentant was fasting and prayer. They would sit in sackcloth while they prayed. Many times in the Old Testament the leaders of the children of Israel called for days of fasting. This was special in the sight of the LORD.
Here we have a chapter that expresses the positive and negative aspects of fasting. Some people practiced fasting for the wrong reasons. Some didn’t understand what the purpose of fasting was in their lives or in the life of the nation. Isaiah and the LORD wanted God’s chosen people to understand the discipline of fasting.
The New Testament informs us that Jesus fasted during HIS lifetime. Paul tells married couples that when they are making major decisions they need to fast. That would mean that they would not eat or drink anything for a select time period.
The only time the children of Israel were required to fast was on the Day of Atonement. All other fasts were voluntary.
The Pharisees fasted twice a week with a purpose to show the people that they were more spiritual than the rest of those who claim to be following the LORD. The early Christians fasted twice a week. The pastors for the Methodist church were required by John Wesley to fast at least twice a week.
Christ told the Pharisees that HIS disciples were not fasting while HE was with them but that they would do it after HE was gone. What should we do? First, we have to ask ourselves whether we are doing it to honor the LORD or get more honor for ourselves. Next we have to ask whether we really know what it means to fast. Finally, we have to take the time for prayer and seeking direction from the LORD or repentance of sin.
Reread the chapter to understand the real reasons for fasting today.
The chief reason for fasting is to allow the LORD to guide us on a continual basis.
CHALLENGE: Fasting causes us to delight in the LORD. Our delight for the LORD should show in our thoughts and actions on a regular basis.
: 9 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, The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).
DEVOTION: Recently in a men’s Bible study the issue of prayer was discussed and many different solutions were suggested as to why the Lord responds and why He does not! Of course we cannot explain the reasons that God has for not answering or for miraculously bringing resolutions to circumstances. Isaiah seems to bring to the people of Israel an element that we cannot ignore in our lives and times. The social concerns that Isaiah presents is just as real in many places around the world as his time. People are struggling to live and the burdens upon parents and families are intense. It is true in Europe and the Middle East where war and strife has led to thousands of homeless and destitute families. It is also true in other places which do not receive the news coverage or attention. In America it has been documented that the homeless family problem is growing as families are living on the street. The gospel often is rejected because the base issues needed for survival is not met. Traditionally soup kitchens, shelters and government agencies filled the vacuum here in the United States but elsewhere it has been the responsibility of families or churches to assist.
Perhaps our prayers for security and success in the proclamation of the Gospel is not as powerful is because we are failing to do what the Lord commands us to by meeting basic human needs. How can we loose bonds of wickedness, undo heavy burdens, and break every yoke? Perhaps it begins by sharing your bread with the hungry, assist the homeless and clothe the naked! James said it this way, “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit.”
CHALLENGE: Perhaps a more vibrant prayer life will occur as we faithfully meet the needs of those we are encountering in our daily lives. After all, James concludes in 2:17 by stating clearly; “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” Could that also be why our prayers are ineffective? (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
: 11 And the LORD shall guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and make fat your bones: and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. (5117 “guide” [nuwach] means to lead, to conduct, to be in charge of, create an opportunity, or direct the movements of others implying leadership and rulership.)
DEVOTION: The LORD wants us to have inner righteousness, so that, we can help others to live a life that is pleasing to HIM. If we are willing to allow the LORD to work in our life HE will direct our plans in a way that will cause blessing to come our way and in the ways of those we are helping.
All of us want blessing from the LORD but sometimes we are not allowing HIM to guide us toward the right way. We seem to think that we know the right path without seeking HIS direction.
Fruitfulness depends on us allowing the LORD to lead us every moment of every day. HE loves us and wants us to be blessed. That is HIS promise to us for obedience. Obedience always brings blessings to those who are HIS children.
Too often we have individuals who want the blessings of the LORD without making a personal commitment to HIM. HE only blesses HIS children.
If we know someone who is struggling in this area, we need to make sure that they have made a genuine commitment to the LORD. There are many who think they know the LORD but have never made a genuine commitment to follow HIM for the rest of their life.
CHALLENGE: If we want the LORD’S guidance, we need to commit our way to HIM genuinely. This shows in our actions and words. HE wants to satisfy HIS children!
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
True and False reasons for fastingverses 1-14
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Prayerverses 2, 9
Answered prayerverse 9
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Sabbathverse 13
Holy dayverse 13
Call Sabbath a delightverse 13
Holy of the LORDverse 13
Honorable verse 13
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign)verse 2
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 5, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14
Day of the LORDverse 5
Glory of the LORDverse 8
LORD answers call of righteousverse 9
LORD will say “Here I am” to those who callverse 9
LORD shall guideverse 11
Cause believers to ride on the high placesverse 14
Feed HIS people heritage of Jacobverse 14
Mouth of the LORD has spoken itverse 14
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Afflict his soulverse 5
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Transgressionsverse 1
Sinsverse 1
Fast for strife and debateverse 4
Smite with the fist of wickednessverse 4
Wickednessverses 4, 6
Speaking vanityverse 9
Honoring the LORD in your own way verse 13
Finding your own pleasureverse 13
Speaking your own wordsverse 13
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Seek LORD dailyverse 2
Delight to know God’s waysverse 2
Righteousverses 2, 8
Obey ordinancesverse 2
Ordinances of justiceverse 2
Delight in approaching Godverse 2
Fastverse 3
Afflicted soulverse 3
Fast to make voice heard on highverse 4
Fast that is chosenverse 5
Loose the bands of wickednessverse 6
Fast to loose the bands of wickednessverse 6
Fast to undo the heavy burdensverse 6
Fast to let the oppressed to go freeverse 6
Fast to break every yokeverse 6
Help the poorverse 7
Cover the nakedverse 7
Not hide from your own fleshverse 7
Lightverse 8
Health verse 8
Rerewardverse 8
Call on the LORDverse 9
Help the hungryverse 10
Satisfy the afflicted soulverses 10, 11
Light shall rise in obscurityverse 10
Darkness shall be as the noon dayverse 10
Guidanceverse 11
Call Sabbath a delightverse 13
Honor the LORDverse 13
Delight in the LORDverse 14
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
God’s peopleverse 1
House of Jacobverse 1
Nation that did righteousnessverse 2
Forsook not the ordinances of Godverse 2
Build the old waste placesverse 12
Raise up the foundations of many generationverse 12
Called the repairer of the breachverse 12
Called the restorer of paths to dwell inverse 12
Heritage of Jacob your fatherverse 14
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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