Fasting

Thinking about fasting in preparation for Steve's message this Sunday.  Ironically, this weekend (Canadian Thanksgiving) is probably the most unlikely weekend for anyone to consider fasting (well, at least until we all over-eat at the big meal).  Interestingly, it's also Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan, the start of the 8th month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar - the only month without holidays OR fasts. 

Fasting in the OT (ṣûm, ṣôm) was largely an annual event with the Day of Atonement. (Lv. 16:29, 31; 23:27–32; Nu. 29:7).  After the exile, four more fasts were added to observe and remember Jewish disasters (Zec 8:19).  Also, people fasted either individually or corporately as expressions of grief, to better position supplication or to humble themselves.  It is interesting that in all of this the spirit of fasting was always the same – to provide a more focused and sincere approach to one’s relationship with God.  Yet in the midst of that some would distort it, and claim such sincerity while actually being out of fellowship with God.  The prophets (most notably Isaiah  - see chapter 58, and Zech – see chapter 7) lashed out against such internal insincerity as God alone could see the lack of integrity.

 In the NT, (nēsteuō, nēsteia, nēstis) the story holds – again it’s really only the Day of Atonement (Acts 27:9) that is mentioned.  However, we do see others who fast much more often (Luke 2:37, 18:12).  Jesus Himself fasted during His time in the wilderness and assumed that his hearers would fast (Matt 6:16-18, note the use of the word, “when” – Gr ‘hotan’, meaning ‘whenever’, ‘soon’ or ‘while’).  And again we see that some distorted it and claimed sincerity while inwardly being completely off-base.  For this Jesus Himself had words (again see Matthew 6). 

When I studied fasting, I found that for most Biblical Jews fasting did not mean giving up something for a period of weeks (as we do for Lent), but a short (typically less than 4 day) abstaining from food (and sometimes even from water also) – to heighten the awareness of God’s presence, to focus on His Word and His will, to partake in prolonged and conscious seeking of God’s favor.  And the spirit of fasting (if I can use such a term, though I do not mean an actual spirit, but rather the idealized concept) was that of bridging the gap between the unholy (us) and the holy (God).  I’ll write more about that sometime soon.

Now over the last 25+ years of walking with Christ, I’ve met many who do fast on a regular basis and more than a few who speak of multiple 40 day fasts.  These are not ‘Biblical’ in the sense of lacking all food, but usually involve ingesting broth or juice.  Still, the ‘spirit of fasting’ (as I’ve used the term) is intact.  Those who’ve participated in such speak of powerful answers to prayer, life-altering insights and spiritual breakthroughs.

I must say that I’m intrigued by the idea of a multi-day fast.  I’ve never done more than a single day, and even that was rife with personal ambition (moreso to prove my own fortitude than focus on God’s will).  Perhaps I will find spiritual breakthroughs long sought – yet even if I do not, I will be more than content if I just understand a bit more of who God is and what He desires.