First, let's take a few minutes to look at the background of these words. Ever since the beginning of this second main section of the book, Chapter 40, Isaiah's messages are full of promises and encouraging words, but is also peppered with strong words of confrontation.

Listen to a few examples of the encouraging words:

"Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength." (40:31)

"I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand." (42:6)

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you." (43:2)

"I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground." (44:3)

"Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones." (49:13)

"The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary." (50:4)

"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost." (55:1)

"You have burdened me with your sins and wearied me with your offenses."(43:24)

"Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker. . . . Does the clay say to the potter, 'What are you making?'" (45:9)

"These double calamities have come upon you-- who can comfort you?-- ruin and destruction, famine and sword-- who can console you?" (51:19)

"Israel's watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep." (56:10)

"I will expose your righteousness and your works, and they will not benefit you." (57:12)

Now let's take a look at three assumptions which lie behind these words in Isaiah 58:6,7.

Assumption #1

The people of Isaiah's day had an awareness and basic understanding about fasting - the same may not be said of our present situation, as fasting is quite alien to most people of our own day.

Certainly, if fasting has anything to do with depriving ourselves of food, a casual look around us, or even a quick look in the mirror will convince us that fasting is not part of what we do. We are told that one of the fastest growing health problems in America is obesity, even among children.

The Internal Revenue Service has recognized obesity as an illness and a recent surgeon general's report warns that obesity has reached epidemic levels.

Recently, the New York Times reported on a Senate committee which held hearings on a bill designed to combat the obesity epidemic in this country, where some 60 percent of all American adults are either overweight or obese.

In response to this, the Oakland, CA schools banished soda, candy, caffeinated drinks and other products, only to find that the kids were "sneaking off to get their junk food off campus." When State Senator Deborah Ortiz proposed a bill last month for a two-cent tax on every soda, complaints flooded her office. Some were orchestrated by a conservative talk radio station, but others came from teenagers and their parents. Ms. Ortiz, says there is a strong link between heavy soft drink consumption and recent findings in a survey that 30 percent of California students are overweight, 77 percent are out of shape, and 98 percent have diets that fall short of national nutritional standards.

Nicole Talbott is a student at Fremont High, which just enacted a systemwide ban on junk food. Heading across the street to a small market, she said, "Lunch for me is chips, soda, maybe a chocolate ice cream taco. Every day, just about the same thing." When warned about an epidemic of obesity and the dangers of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and sleep apnea, she simply shrugged, "That's all I like to eat - the bad stuff."

This is not merely a problem in the US where, according to the International Obesity Task Force, 27 percent of 10-year-olds are overweight or obese. But now obesity among children is becoming a global epidemic - 22 million of the world's children under 5 are overweight or obese.

(From May 16, 2002 New York Times articles: "In Bid to Improve Nutrition, Schools Expel Soda and Chips" by Timothy Egan,; and "U.N. Warns That Many Children, Rich and Poor, Are Obese," by Elizabeth Olson; and a May 24 Editorial, titled "Junk Food Jitters")

Assumption #2

There are many fasts.

Let's be clear, fasting should not be confused with food deprivation for the sake of improving our appearance;

Fasting is not about beating up on ourselves as though to benefit the spiritual by punishing the physical;

Fasting is not a hunger strike to produce political pressure on either man or God; and furthermore;

Fasting is not designed to make an impression on others about our superior spirituality.

Yes, there are food fasts which can certainly benefit our bodies, souls and spirits, especially when accompanied by prayer and the reading of the Word.

But there are also fasts having to do with limiting involvements and activities which can easily eat away at our time which would be better spent in more healthy and productive pursuits; such things as watching TV, playing Video Games, surfing the World Wide Web, gazing at pornographic material, etc.

Assumption #3

The third assumption is quite explicit - there's one fast which is superior in God's sight.

While they have been fasting, God is not totally pleased - it's as if the Prophet is telling them that if their fast is only to deprive themselves of food, the fast ends much too soon. (Some might be quick to point out that this doesn't apply to us because we don't fast - we can't be accused of not doing it right because we don't do it at all.)

What was their problem? They thought pleasing God was a matter of following the rules of the cult. A member just shared with me an example of this where a very religious person would not even pick up their own child on the high holy sabbath, hiring someone else to do it so they would not break the sabbath law. Or like another person whose religion forbade the use of automobiles so they hired someone else to take them where they wanted to go.

We are called upon to fast, and we have the opportunity to hopefully get it right. Fasting includes the idea of feeling like doing one thing but making a decision not to do it, wanting to do something which would seem to be normal, but refrain from doing it.

So while fasting may mean refraining from doing something that is wrong, it also means not doing something that in itself is not bad - like eating.

However, when God through the Prophet defines what is the acceptable fast, He includes the cessation of four harmful activities:

1. Fast the oppression - that is, we are called upon to refuse to eat the bread of exploitation. Three times this idea is put forward: verse 3, where the word means to "tax, or harass," and verses 6+9, which call us to do away with the fetters and yokes which have been put on others.

This calls to mind the instructions Paul gives regarding employer/employee relations in Colossians 4:1, "Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven."

2. Fast your fighting - the word in verse 4 means "to wound." The shame of the church today is its apparent unwillingness to resolve differences without hurting one another. Yes, Paul and Barnabas had their disagreement, but neither attacked the character of the other.

3. Fast the seeking of your own pleasure - three times this is mentioned, once in verse 3, and twice again in verse 13. We live in a culture which is consumed with this pursuit of pleasure, and many who call themselves Christians have become infected. Even our choice of church involvements has become less of seeking God's will and more of finding a place that feels good.

4. Fast bad-mouthing - this has to do with passing judgment on others, passing on unsubstantiated information, otherwise known as gossip. (Verses 9 + 13 )

This immediately brings to mind what Jesus said about the separation of the sheep from the goats in Matthew 25:31-46. Some may be aggravated that Mother Theresa was a Roman Catholic. But I remember when she came to a city where I was ministering and where her mission was opening a home to care for victims of Aids. When a reporter asked why they were doing this, she held up her hand and counted on her fingers as she explained it was because of these five words of Jesus, "You did it to me."

Too many within Christianity are quick to divide the church into two camps, those who say salvation comes by faith, and those who attempt to earn it by works. James makes it clear that it's both, that true faith will always be evidenced by works. That's why he wrote, "True religion is to visit the orphans and widows in their affliction."

Today the trumpet has sounded, calling us to fast. While we may need to respond by actually eliminating meals in order to seek the Lord, we will also heed this word by evaluating our relationships and looking for ways to minister to those who are in need.

This is the chosen fast.