“We want Christ to hurry and calm the storm. He wants us to find Him in the midst of the it first.”
Beth Moore
Passage
4“Behold, you fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist. You do not fast like you do today to make your voice heard on high.
5“Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it for bowing one’s head like a reed And for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed? Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the Lord?
6“Is this not the fast which I choose, To loosen the bonds of wickedness, To undo the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free And break every yoke?
7“Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry And bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
Isaiah 58:4–7 (NASB95)
Background
Quote-first Wanda Elizabeth "Beth" Moore (born Wanda Elizabeth Green, June 16, 1957) is an American Anglican evangelist, author, and Bible teacher. She is president of Living Proof Ministries, a Christian organization she founded in 1994 to teach women to know and love Jesus through the study of Scripture. Moore is "arguably the most prominent white evangelical woman in America," speaks at arena events and has sold millions of books.
The ministry, in conjunction with LifeWay Christian Resources, conducted more than a dozen conferences, known as "Living Proof Live", around the United States annually. Moore teaches through her radio show, Living Proof with Beth Moore, and on her YouTube channel of the same name.
Moore writes books and produces video resources based on the Bible studies that she conducts at the Living Proof Live conferences.
Passage-The book of Isaiah is Narrative History, Prophetic Oracle, and even a Parable (chapter 5). The prophet Isaiah wrote it at approximately 700 B.C. (Chapters 40-66, written later in his life approx. 681 B.C.). Isaiah is the first book in the section called Major Prophets. They are called Major Prophets because of the large amount of material they wrote not because their message was more important than any other prophet’s was. Key personalities are Isaiah, his two sons, Shearjashub and Maher-shalal-jash-baz.
Isaiah contains some of the most incredible prophecies of any book. It contains foreknowledge, in incredible details about the Messiah, and the future reign of Jesus Christ. The purpose of the book of Isaiah was to call God’s nation, the nation of Judah, back to faithfulness and to declare the coming Messiah “Immanuel”. God calls and commissions His prophet to declare to Judah and Israel condemnation, conviction, and ultimately great hope.
Lesson Notes
Joys and Concerns
Pray
Opening Statement
Fasting is about giving up food, but sometimes it can be about giving up other things too. We can fast from using the internet, indulging in a favorite pastime, or going to the movies. But what happens if we look at it from the perspective of giving up things God doesn’t like too?
Ask: What is a fast?
Point: See Definitions
Ask: What is the right and the wrong of fasting as outlined briefly in verse 4 of today’s reading?
Point: Simply put it is fasting for our purposes instead of fasting for God’s purposes. Please read the following:
16“Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
17“But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face
18so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
Matthew 6:16–18 (NASB95)
Ask: Why does Jesus say that those who make sure other people know they are fasting “…have their reward in full?”
Point: This is the outside of the cup verses the inside of the cup. Those who make sure other people know they are pious “have their reward” through the praise and adoration of those here on earth. However, their heart position is what God is interested in and it is not where it should be.
Ask: How do we make sure we aren’t in the camp that has “…their reward in full?”
Point: We make sure our heart-position is centered on the right things when we fast. Please read the following:
5“Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it for bowing one’s head like a reed And for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed? Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the Lord?
Isaiah 58:5 (NASB95)
Ask: Where is a “right heart-position” in that previous scripture?
Point: Making our actions and requests more about what God wants than what we want.
Ask: So, what should be focus on so that we have a better chance of working on what God wants instead of what we want?
Point: This is a very personal answer between you and the Holy Spirit. However, God gave us direction through Isaiah. Please read the following:
6“Is this not the fast which I choose, To loosen the bonds of wickedness, To undo the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free And break every yoke?
7“Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry And bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
Isaiah 58:6–7 (NASB95)
Ask: What things do you see in that passage from Isaiah that tell us what we should do to grow closer to God’s plan for our lives?
Point: “Loosen the bonds of wickedness,” “Let the oppressed go free,” “divide your bread with the hungry,” “Bring the homeless poor into the house,” and “when you see the naked, to cover him.”
Ask: What does that last bit about not hiding yourself from your own flesh mean?
Point: Be honest within yourself about your own shortcomings, flaws, and insecurities seeking help where you need it so you do not set yourself up to fail by neglecting your own needs.
Ask: The first half of Today’s Passage focused on how I should fast while the second half focused on making sure I’m about God’s reasons to fast but what does fasting have to do with enjoying the return of calm after my storms and difficulties of life have subsided?
Point: The storm may have passed you by but someone else is still in that storm and they need help. Please read the following:
17But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?
18Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.
1 John 3:17–18 (NASB95)
Ask: What does that mean, “…let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth?”
Point: It means if we have the power to help someone else, and it doesn’t damage us, we should help that other person. Please read the following:
27Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it.
28Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,” When you have it with you.
Proverbs 3:27–28 (NASB95)
Closing Statement
This lesson talks about fasting a lot. The scripture used for Today’s Passage is all about fasting, but that’s not the point. The point isn’t about giving up food. The point is after a storm has ceased and moved on we should rejoice in the calm but also recognize the storm didn’t just vanish. It moved on to worry someone else. Someone else is now embroiled in the hardship we just endured. If we apply the lessons of how to fast to our approach to helping that someone else, we are walking the path God has for us and reflecting His love to the world around us.
Questions for the Week
Question 1 Pick one or more foods you normally eat during the week and design a dietary plan to fast from that food or foods.
Question 2 Pick something that is not food you can give up for a week and “fast” from that other thing.
Question 3 While you are giving up these things every time your mind engages with that thing or your stomach growls and you think of the food, say the Lord’s Prayer.
Question 4 Before you begin this week of fasting pray to the Lord and ask His guidance on what He would like to see you give up for six days.
Definitions
fast
fast, fahst
verb (used without object)
to abstain from all food.
to eat only sparingly or of certain kinds of food, especially as a religious observance.
verb (used with object)
to cause to abstain entirely from or limit food; put on a fast:to fast a patient for a day before surgery.
noun
an abstinence from food, or a limiting of one's food, especially when voluntary and as a religious observance; fasting.
a day or period of fasting.
Hebrew Strong’s Number: 6684 (from Isaiah 58:4)
Hebrew Word: צוּם
Transliteration: ṣûm
Phonetic Pronunciation: tsoom
Root: a primitive root
Cross Reference: TWOT - 1890
Part of Speech: v
Vine’s Words: None
Usage Notes:
English Words used in KJV:
fast 20
at all 1
[Total Count: 21]
a primitive root; to cover over (the mouth), i.e. to fast:- × at all, fast.
James Strong, “צוּם,” Strong’s Talking Greek and Hebrew Dictionary (WORDsearch, 2020).