Fasting may be the most neglected of the spiritual disciplines, but this was not always the case. Fasting was a big part of the Jewish culture in the time of Jesus and prior to his time.
The Bible is full of examples of men and women that fasted for a variety of reasons. By the time that Jesus came along the religious leaders, namely the scribes and pharisees, had made fasting very legalistic and taught that be as spiritual as them one had to fast at least twice every week.
There have even been very influential men over the years that held to a similar vein of thinking. The world-famous evangelist John Wesley would not ordain a minister unless he was in the habit of fasting at least twice a week as evidence of his devotion to seeking the will of God.
Yet a careful observation of the Bible reveals that there was only one fast that was ever commanded by God and that fast was commanded of the nation of Israel once a year on the day of atonement. Leviticus 16:29-31 says,
This shall be a permanent statute for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall humble your souls and not do any work, whether the native, or the alien who sojourns among you; for it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before the Lord. It is to be a sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your souls; it is a permanent statute.
You may have noticed within that text that the word “fast” is not there. It is there, but unrecognizable to us because it comes in the form of “you shall humble your souls.” The King James Version says it better as, “ye shall afflict your souls.” It’s better because that is what a fast is, it is a personal, physical affliction. The King James Version describes better what a fast is physically while the New American Standard describes the purpose of the fast.
It is an affliction of the body for the purpose of humbling oneself before God. Why were the ancient Hebrews ordered to observe this fast? To gain some level of perspective of how serious their sins were before a holy God and to understand the weighty significance of God forgiving those sins.
This was not the only time or reason why people fasted, but simply the only fast that God ever commanded. All other fasts were born of necessity.
When Jesus died on the cross, the annual Day of Atonement ceased to be. His sacrifice was a once for all sacrifice that put an end to the animal sacrifice system of the Old Testament.
Today, we are not commanded to fast, yet Jesus taught in Matthew 6:16, “Whenever you fast…”
While we are not commanded to fast, Jesus taught that there would be times when his followers would see the necessity to fast. What is that necessity born of? We’ll answer that and much more in the Sunday sermon!
Much love to you all, my steadfast church family!
Wes LeFlore (918) 607-8489 or huskerwes1@gmail.com
