The Chosen Key Word in this Chapter is “Fast” it comes from the Hebrew Word “tsom” which means “fast.”
Isaiah exposes empty religious fasting while describing the genuine fast God actually desires. Welcome to Bible Life Basics Chapter Reviews, I am Chris and this is Isaiah 58.
Isaiah is instructed to cry aloud, not spare, lift up his voice like a trumpet, and show God’s people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins, describing how they seek Him daily, and delight to know His ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and did not forsake the ordinance of their God, asking why, when they “fast,” “tsom” in Hebrew, He does not see, and afflict their soul, He does not take knowledge.
Isaiah exposes their empty ritual, that in the day of their fast they find pleasure, and exact all their labors, fasting for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness, asking whether this is the fast He has chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul, to bow down his head like a bulrush, describing the fast He has chosen instead, “to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free… to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him.”
Isaiah promises that if they do this, then shall their light break forth as the morning, and their health shall spring forth speedily, their righteousness going before them, the glory of the Lord being their rereward, promising if they draw out their soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall their light rise in obscurity, and their darkness be as the noonday, the Lord guiding them continually, and satisfying their soul in drought, making them like a watered garden, closing with instructions about honoring the sabbath, calling it a delight, that they may ride upon the high places of the earth, and be fed with the heritage of Jacob their father.
Isaiah’s sharp exposure of empty religious fasting, going through motions while exploiting workers and neglecting the poor, insists that genuine spiritual practice must connect directly to genuine practical compassion for others. His description of the fast God actually chooses, loosing bonds of wickedness and sharing bread with the hungry, redefines authentic worship as inseparable from tangible, practical justice and generosity.
Visit Us At: www.youtube.com/@BibleLifeBasics
Support Us On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BibleLifeBasics