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More Isaiah commentaries
Isaiah 55:1-13
Blessings of the Nations
Isaiah 56:1-12
Inclusion of the Gentiles
Isaiah 57:1-13
Condemnation of Idolaters
Isaiah 57:14-21
Compassion of the Repentant
Isaiah 58:1-14
Restoration of True Worship
Isaiah 59:1-15
Confession of Israel
Isaiah 59:16-21
God Rescuing the Nation
Isaiah 60:1-14
Rescuing the Nation
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Restoration of True Worship
Isaiah 58:1–14
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
A brand new lawyer in his brand new office on his first day in practice sees a prospective client walk in the door. He decides he should look busy, so he picks up the phone and starts talking: “Look, Harry, about that amalgamation deal. I think I better run down to the … More
In Isaiah’s day Israel had become perplexed by God’s indifference toward them. They had prayed and even fasted and yet God seemed to ignore them (v. 1). They even appeared eager to know God and His ways. They attended worship services faithfully (v. 2a).They participated in worship activities (v. 2b).They had a concern about the direction of society (v. 2c). They fasted and prayed (v. 3). However all of this was hypocrisy on their part! While they apparently had all the spiritual practices evident, their personal lives indicated that their concept of spirituality was simply to get from God what they wanted rather than do for God what He wanted! And God wasn’t responding although they went through all the right exercises as far as man was concerned (v. 5)! The appearance of deep religious faith was deceptive! On the day of their fasting they would fight with each other, including fist fights (v. 4)! God isn’t interested in the appearance of spirituality, He wants the real thing!
God elaborates on His concept of a proper fast (vv. 6-14)! It Includes giving practical help to the poor and oppressed. (v. 6), sharing God’s blessings with others, (v. 7a) giving shelter to the homeless (v. 7b), clothing the naked. (v. 7c), and ministry to your own family that is in need! (v. 7d). Our prayer and fasting is only as good as our compassion for others! They ignored those around them, and so God had ignored them. He cannot respond favorably to the hard heart. God challenges them to discover just how fast He will respond if they begin to address not only what they want, but what others need (vv. 8-14).
Application
More important than correct worship the Lord wants me to have compassion for the oppressed.
Isaiah 58:1-14 (English Standard Version)
"Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God. 'Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?' Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the LORD? "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.' If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. "If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
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