Below are a few notes on fasting.
Jesus on Fasting
It
is Assumed that Christians Fast
Fasting was assumed to be done in addition to praying and
giving. Matt 6:2,5,16 say essentially, when you give, pray, fast; do it
privately, “and your Father, who sees what is done in secret will reward
you.” The Lord obviously wants us not to fast for show but also is
promising a reward of some sort. When people fasted, they usually wanted to be
heard by God.
Jesus
says to fast and pray for healing (God’s action during calamity)
In Matt 17:14-23 (and Mark 9:14-29), Jesus heals a boy with a demon. The
disciples asked him why they couldn’t drive it out. He says it’s because of
their little faith. In verse 21, Jesus also says, “But this kind does not go
out except by prayer and fasting.” According to the NIV Study Bible note, some
manuscripts do not have verse 21. This is another example of the power of
prayer combined with fasting.
Fast
to seek God when bridegroom taken away (God’s action during calamity)
In Luke 5:33-35, Jesus is questioned about fasting and says,
“when the bridegroom is taken away, then they'll fast.” This showed that fasting
is more for mourning or God-seeking. The note in the NIV Study Bible says that
Jesus’ disciples “enjoyed a freedom not known by the Pharisees. In the HCSB
version, Jesus says “Can the wedding guests be sad while the groom is with
them?” This also points toward fasting during mourning/calamity. While Jesus
rejected fasting legalistically for display, he himself fasted privately
and permitted its voluntary use for spiritual benefit.” The same passage is
found in Mark 2:18-21. The note says that John the Baptist’s disciples may have
been fasting as an expression of repentance to hasten the coming redemption
announced by John. Also, the day of atonement fast was the only one required in
Mosaic Law. However, in Jesus' time the Pharisees fasted twice a week.
Fast
with the right heart/proper motives
In Luke 18:12, Jesus points out that being humble is more important
than giving and fasting. In a parable about a Pharisee, Jesus said the Pharisee
was boasting about not being greedy, unrighteous, or a tax collector and said
that he fasts twice a week and gives a tenth of everything he gets. However,
Jesus said that the tax collector (who said, “God, turn Your wrath from me – a
sinner!”) was justified rather than the Pharisee. Jesus goes on to say,
“everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself
will be exalted.”
Old Testament Fasting
David
fasted for people when they were sick (seeking God’s action during calamity)
In Ps 35:13, David talks about some old friends who are
coming after him/slandering him. He says “Yet when they were ill, I put on
sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers went unanswered, I
went about mourning as though for my friend or brother.” David obviously combined
prayer with fasting and expected to be answered. In 2 Sam 12:16 and 22,
David fasted for his sick baby. He wanted God's mercy. “David pleaded with God
for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on
the ground.” In verse 22 he said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted
and wept, I thought, ‘who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the
child live.’” He was certainly fasting for a reason and when his son had
died, there wasn’t a reason to fast anymore.
Judah
fasted for God to stop the plague (God’s action during calamity)
In Joel 1:14, Joel foresees an invasion of locusts. He calls
for Judah to fast in order for God to stop the plague from coming. God replies
in Joel 2:12, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping. Joel
says in 2:13-14a, Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord
your God for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in
love, and he relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and have
pity and leave behind a blessing.” This shows that they were seeking God’s
action to stop the impending plague. It seems like an emphasized prayer
during times of calamity; a way to cry out to God.
The
Ninevites believed God and Sought His Mercy (God’s action before calamity)
In Jonah 3:5, the Ninevites believed God and declared a fast
to call on God for mercy. The king decreed “Let everyone call urgently on God.
Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may
relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not
perish.” God had revealed to them that what they were doing was evil. He said
to Jonah, “Should I not be concerned about that great city?”
Israelites
fasted once a year for forgiveness of sins – Day of Atonement
In Lev 16:29, 30 it is written that the Israelites were to deny
themselves (fast) and not do any work. The NIV note says that it was “a day of
rest, fasting, and sacrifices of atonement for priests and people and atonement
for the tabernacle and altar. It was done to cleanse priests and people from
their sins and purify the Holy Place.” In Heb 9:7 it says that, “the high priest
entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood.” In
Heb 10:3 is says, “those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.” But in Heb
10:19 is says that “we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood
of Jesus.” Other verses that talk about the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) are Lev
23:26-32 and Num 29:7. In Rom 3:25, Paul writes that Jesus was a sacrifice of
atonement and in 1 John 2:2, John writes that He is “the atoning sacrifice for
our sins.”
Moses
fasted for the sins of the people after they made the golden calf (God’s action
of forgiveness)
In Deut 9:18-19, Moses fasted after the people made the
golden calf. “Then once again I fell prostrate before
the Lord for forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no
water, because of all the sin you had committed, doing what was evil
in the Lord’s sight and so arousing his anger. I feared the anger and
wrath of the Lord, for he was angry enough with you to destroy you.” This
is one example where fasting seems like an emphasized prayer. Again, it
was done to seek action from God. In this case, that God would relent from
destroying the Israelites.
Daniel
fasted according to his convictions (Honoring God)
In Daniel 1:8-16, Daniel resolved not to defile himself
with the royal food and wine since the first portion of it was a sacrifice to
idols. He asked permission to just eat vegetables and water and actually looked
healthier after ten days compared to the other men. God later used Daniel in a
mighty way and gave him special revelations.
Fasting
needs to be combined with action
In Isa 58:3-9 God asks “Is this the kind of fast I have
chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself?” No. It is to show love to
others. “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? 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? 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. Then you will call, and
the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.” There
are three main points in these verses. 1) Only humbling oneself is not the goal
of fasting. 2) Loving/helping other people is desired. 3) God promises
to respond quickly.
Fasted
during war (God’s action during calamity)
In Judges 20, the Israelites went to battle against the
Benjamites twice and got defeated both times. Both times the Lord allowed them
to suffer losses (22,000 and 18,000 men). Then they fasted, prayed, and offered
fellowship and burnt offerings to the Lord. The Lord then told them to go
against them and said that He would deliver them into their hands.
God
refused to listen although they were fasting
In Jer. 14, the Lord was angry with the people for their
sins. In verse 12 he says “although they fast, I will not listen to their cry;
though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them.”
The sin of idolatry was so extreme that He said He will not listen to
Jeremiah’s prayers for them. What is interesting is that God talks about both
fasting and offerings in similar manner, somewhat equating the two.
Be
sincere when fasting
In Zech 7, God asked, “Was it really for me that you fasted?”
The NIV note says it was a rebuke for selfish and insincere fasting. In verse
9, God says, “Administer justice, show mercy and compassion to one another. Do
not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts
do not think evil of each other.” This suggests that obedience (or doing
what is right) is more important than an act of fasting. Obedience is an
expression of faith and so is fasting, when it is done with the right heart.
Esther
asked all the Jews to fast before she met the King (God’s action before
calamity)
In the book of Esther, the right hand man of King Xerxes,
Haman, persuaded the king to annihilate the Jews. After Esther was made queen
and at her request, the Jews fasted before she was to see the king and petition
him to not kill the Jews. She said in Esther 4:16, “Gather all the Jews who are
in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I
and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king,
even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” She was
specifically fasting to preempt a calamity. Also, the Jews fasted when
they had first heard of the decree (4:3). Again, this sounds like a way to cry
out to God before impending calamity. I believe she wanted to make sure she was
not only “covered” by prayer, but also prayer with fasting. She had
already made up her mind to go, so it doesn’t seem like she was praying and
fasting for guidance, but God’s action in the situation.
King
Ahab fasted after he heard the Lord’s rebuke through Elijah (God’s action
before calamity)
In 1 Kings 21:20-29, Elijah brings a rubuke from the Lord to
King Ahab for this reason: “because you have sold yourself to do evil in the
eyes of the Lord.” Ahab was upset that Naboth would not sell him a vineyard
that was close to his palace. His wife, Jezebel, told him “Cheer up. I’ll get
you the vineyard” and did so by having him wrongfully stoned to death. Ahab did
not instigate the death, but did go to take ownership after the vineyard after
Naboth’s death. Therefore, the Lord said He would bring disaster on him. After
hearing this, Ahab tore his clothes, wore sackcloth and fasted. “Then the word
of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled
himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring disaster in
this day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.” So the Lord
looked upon Ahab with mercy because of his fasting. It doesn’t say specifically
that he prayed (since it appears fasting is to be combined with prayer), but
obviously the Lord saw a repentant heart. Whether he prayed or not, we don’t
know, but we do know his heart was heard.
Fasting after Jesus’ Resurrection
Apostles
received direction from the Holy Spirit while worshiping and fasting (God
provided direction)
In Acts 13:2, Luke writes, “While they were worshiping the
Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for
the work to which I have called them.’ So after they had fasted and prayed,
they placed their hands on them and sent them off.” It doesn’t say that they
were seeking the Lord for this reason or why they were fasting. But usually
people fasted for a specific reason. When their fasting and prayer period was
done, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. Either way, Luke wrote
that they were fasting and worshiping, which leads me to believe that they were
fasting for some other reason, but the Lord spoke to them during this time for
this reason.
Fasted
for appointing elders to churches (God’s action for a major decision and/or direction)
In Acts 14:23, Luke writes (NIV) that while traveling from
city to city, “Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with
prayer and fasting, committed them to The Lord, in whom they had put their
trust.” The Darby Bible translation states, “And having chosen them elders in
each assembly, having prayed with fastings, they committed them to the Lord, on
whom they had believed.” The Weymouth NT says, “And in every Church, after
prayer and fasting, they selected Elders by show of hands, and commended them
to the Lord on whom their faith rested.” So, fasting may have been part of the
appointing process, the committing process, or both.
From these passages, it appears as though there are a few
themes regarding fasting. Fasting…
- Should be done routinely like prayer and giving
- Should be combined with prayer, which results in an emphasized prayer
- Should be combined with acts of love
- Is to be done secretly and sincerely, with proper motives/convictions (secretly only if an individual fast and not a church-wide fast)
- Is done during calamity for seeking action from God
- Is done when seeking God’s direction
Praying is an expression of faith. Fasting is an emphasized
prayer. Fasting is an emphasized expression of faith.
Fasting from food is not for everyone. Some people have
health conditions or other factors that limit them from participating in
activities that limit food intake. A partial fast (sometimes called a Daniel
fast) is another way to fast. Basically it’s only fruits and vegetables, no
meat, bread, or sweets (but it could be limiting just one area). Really, there
are a number of ways to fast. One of the most significant ways we could fast
today is through a media or social media fast. We take in a variety of media
every day, most of it discretionary. I believe the key is to be focusing on
God. Basically, with a fast you’re saying “this matter is so important to me, God,
that I’m dropping everything to pray about it. And I believe You will answer.”
