Isaiah 58 (v6-8)

Chapters 58-66 comprise the last of the 3 sections of Isa. 40-66.  Each includes similar themes such as a strong call to repentance, Messianic prophecies and promises of Israel’s restoration that often go beyond the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles.  This last section begins with a call to repentance.

Do you ever feel that God in some way “owes” you something?  That is the case of God’s people in the days of Isaiah.  This chapter describes the religion of Israel in ways we might think are proper. Read v2: their religion was daily, filled with delight, and seemingly serious.  They wanted to know God’s righteous ways as people who enjoyed being at the temple, engaged in worship.  It seems that they were keeping all the religious obligations, including the times of fasting.  

But then the true nature of their hearts became clear.  “Why have we fasted … and you have not seen?  Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice” (v3)?  Being engaged in religious activity gave them a sense of entitlement.  They were doing their part; God owed them something and He was not coming through.  This attitude must be confronted because it reveals a heart of unbelief under the religious externals.

God confronts them by asking: “Is it a fast that I have chosen” (v5)?  They have not loved the Lord their God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength!  While delightfully engaged in religion they are exploiting those who work for them (v3) and pridefully at war with those around them (v4).  The fasting God desires is one that involves kindness and mercy to those around them (v6-7).  All their hypocrisy may have revolved around the Sabbath (v13).  Contrary to the Law (e.g. Ex. 20:8-11), while they gave every appearance of keeping the Sabbath, they were requiring their workers to violate the Sabbath.

If their hearts were in sync with their religion, then they would experience God’s protection (v8); God’s response to their prayers (v9); God’s satisfaction for their souls (v10-11); and God’s blessing on the land (v12).

You may remember that Jesus had the same issue with the religious people of His day.  They had all kinds of regulations to supposedly keep the Sabbath holy, and yet He was constantly pointing out their inconsistencies (e.g. Luke 6:1-11).

True worship will always bring us humbly before the Lord our God.  It will never be with an attitude that God must so delight in us and our religious works that He will do what we want Him to do.  In fact, true worship brings us to the place where we are so in awe of God and His works that we will desire only what He wants to do.  True prayer and fasting will bring us to the center of God’s will. 

Consider this:  “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things” (Rom. 8:32)?  God has given us everything.  He owes us nothing.