fasting – The Core of the Bible

The Biblical Calendar and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement

Atonement is the method God chose to symbolize his forgiveness of past offenses; he no longer sees them once they are covered over.

Core of the Bible podcast #118 – The Biblical Calendar and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement

Over the past several months we have been reviewing some of the bigger key doctrines in the Bible. However, as I mentioned last time, for the next several weeks we will be returning to the biblical calendar as we are, at the recording of these podcasts, entering the fall season of the biblical year.

Having looked at Yom Teruah or the Day of Trumpets in our last episode, we come to the second of the fall holidays in the biblical calendar: Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. We read about this day in the narrative of Leviticus, and it is also touched on in Numbers, as well. The Leviticus passage explains the basic outline of the expectations God had for the people on this day:

Leviticus 23:26-32 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement [ha’kippurim]; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and present an offering by fire to Yahweh. You shall not do any work on this same day, for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before Yahweh your God. If there is any person who will not humble himself on this same day, he shall be cut off from his people. As for any person who does any work on this same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. You shall do no work at all. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. It is to be a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall humble your souls; on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening until evening you shall keep your sabbath.”

Now, recently on this podcast we have looked at the concept of atonement from a theological perspective over two episodes, so if you haven’t listened to both of those yet, they may also be helpful in understanding the meaning of this day. In the discussion today, I would like to cover the different aspects of the actual biblical Day of Atonement activities and the significance of meaning as object lessons for believers today.

So let’s begin with understanding the emphasis of the passage as Yahweh relates the information to Moses and the Israelites. First of all, he says because it is the Day of Atonement, they should:

humble themselves
present an offering by fire to Yahweh
do no work

In the description of this appointed time, Yahweh emphasizes how seriously he wants the Israelites to view this day by saying, “If there is any person who will not humble himself on this same day, he shall be cut off from his people. As for any person who does any work on this same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. You shall do no work at all.” Clearly God wants them to ensure that they approach the day with humility and complete rest, or they would potentially forfeit their place in the community. With this kind of fierce emphasis on these specific things, I think we should review these concepts of humility, rest, and an offering of fire before we even discuss the ritual of atonement.

Humble Yourselves

Leviticus 23:29, 32 – “If there is any person who will not humble himself on this same day, he shall be cut off from his people…you shall humble your souls…”

The word here rendered as humbling of souls is actually a Hebrew word with several meanings. Teh’uneh comes from a root word anaw, which carries the idea of bowing down or stooping low; it is a representation of humility and affliction, here listed as humbling of soul, sometimes rendered as self-denial. Most of the time it is used in the context of describing the brutality of forced humiliation and mistreatment of others; however, in one famously referenced passage, we find it is used in the context of fasting.

Isaiah 58:5 – “Will the fast I choose be like this: A day for a person to deny himself, to bow his head like a reed, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to Yahweh?

While God in this passage is mocking the Israelites’ hypocritical attitude on their special fast days, when fasting is done for a sincere reason, it represents a denial of self, a self-humiliation of sorts, and is the primary method of demonstrating a true, inner repentance. This humility before God, when sincerely offered, demonstrates one who has recognized the errors of their ways against God’s revealed instruction.

Psalm 69:10 – When I wept in my soul with fasting, It became my reproach.
Daniel 9:3 – So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.
Joel 2:12 – “Yet even now,” declares Yahweh, “Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping and mourning…”

By fasting on this day, God’s people were to symbolically demonstrate their true repentance from disobedience to God’s instruction, and recognition of the sacrifice that was to be provided for their forgiveness. It is also a rejection of worldly sustenance to demonstrate a complete yielding to the provision of God.

Yeshua also encouraged having the right heart attitude when fasting which also emphasizes the point of doing so:

Matthew 6:16-18 “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. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so 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.”

Offering by fire

Each of the biblical holidays has its own set of specific sacrifices. In the episode on the biblical holiday of Shavuot or Weeks, we looked at what each of these different types of sacrifices means from a symbolic perspective, so I will review that briefly here.

A burnt offering represents total consummation in God’s service.
A sin offering represents that which is a substitute for us due to our disobedience to God’s torah.
The trespass offering was offered for unintentional or unknown sin.
A fellowship or peace offering represents thankfulness for God’s mercy and enjoyment of his relationship.
The grain and drink offerings represent our gratitude for God’s provision as firstfruits of all he has provided us.

While we may no longer be required to present physical sacrifices to Yahweh since Messiah fulfilled all of the Temple imagery, I believe we still honor Yahweh when we memorialize these sacrificial aspects in the spirit of these attributes.

Leviticus 23:27 – “…offer an offering made by fire unto Yahweh.”

Where the Day of Atonement is mentioned in the book of Numbers, it also mentions offerings of grain and oil:

Numbers 29:9 – “Their grain offering is to be of fine flour mixed with oil…”

Based on these aspects, we can see that the Day of Atonement encompasses an offering made by fire (or a burnt offering), an offering of grain and oil, and sin offerings within the atonement ritual itself. We learned that grain offerings represent gratitude for God’s provision. We will look at the sin offerings of this day when we review the ritual in a little bit, but for now let’s focus on the offering of fire.

The burnt offering represents a total consummation in God’s service. While other sacrifices provided food for the priests and sometimes participatory meals for the offerer (such as the peace offerings), by contrast the animal that was presented for the burnt offering was completely consumed until nothing was left. This imagery becomes self-evident as to its application for the believer: every part of those who come before Yahweh should be completely committed to him.

A Sabbath Rest

Leviticus 23:28, 30-32 – You shall not do any work on this same day… As for any person who does any work on this same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. You shall do no work at all…. It is to be a sabbath of complete rest to you… on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening until evening you shall keep your sabbath.”

The command to rest on the Day of Atonement represents the ideal of cessation from worldly toil, an intermission, to focus on the importance of this day, much like the weekly Sabbath. Rest from work to observe the appointment days demonstrates placing God as a priority over worldly concerns.

Leviticus 19:1-3, 30 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I Yahweh your God am holy. ‘Every one of you shall reverence his mother and his father, and you shall keep My sabbaths; I am Yahweh your God. … ‘You shall keep My sabbaths and revere My sanctuary; I am Yahweh.

When God speaks of keeping his Sabbaths, plural, I believe he is speaking not only about the weekly Sabbath but the annual ones, as well. Besides honoring Yahweh, I believe the annual Sabbaths contained within the biblical calendar all carry the same idea of being intermissions within the annual routine, especially the agricultural cycles, so that God’s people would remain focused on the object lessons within each season.

Here, especially on the Day of Atonement as a day of rest, a Sabbath rest additionally signifies that there is nothing for the individual to do on their own behalf; all of the work for atonement will be completed by the intermediary priest.

Yeshua also famously related that those who would come to him would find rest:

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

From these examples we can see how significantly God focuses on the heart of the believer in approaching this day. We should be sincerely humble, thanking God for his provision, delivering our whole selves to him, and understanding we are recognizing this day as an intermission, a hold or pause button in our busy schedules. If we lived in ancient Israel and we were to approach this day in this mindset and with these actions, we would be better prepared to understand the significance of what was about to take place in the courts of the Mishkan, or Tabernacle.

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Now that we have looked at the heart attitude that was expected on this day, we can now turn to the atonement ritual itself. As we have seen in our study on the Atonement, the root of the word atonement is the Hebrew word kaphar which means to cover over. Depending on the context, it could describe covering over an object with some type of coating, such as Noah’s ark:

Genesis 6:14 – “Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover [kaphar] it inside and out with pitch.”

It can also have the meaning of looking past an offense, as something that is covered, similar to Jacob trying to amend for past behavior with his brother Esau:

Genesis 32:20 – and you shall say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob also is behind us.'” For he said, “I will appease [kaphar] him [Esau] with the present that goes before me. Then afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.”

Kaphar is used most regularly in the narrative surrounding the Mishkan or the Tabernacle, and has to do with offerings and sacrifices which provide a covering over of transgression and guilt in the people’s relationship to God:

Leviticus 6:7 “…and the priest shall make atonement [kaphar] for him before Yahweh, and he will be forgiven for any one of the things which he may have done to incur guilt.”
Leviticus 10:17 “Why did you not eat the sin offering at the holy place? For it is most holy, and He gave it to you to bear away the guilt of the congregation, to make atonement [kaphar] for them before Yahweh.”
Leviticus 16:16 “He shall make atonement [kaphar] for the holy place, because of the impurities of the sons of Israel and because of their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and thus he shall do for the tent of meeting which abides with them in the midst of their impurities.”

Illustrated in this way, atonement is the method God chose to symbolize his forgiveness of past offenses. In a manner of speaking, he no longer sees them once they are covered over.

Psalm 32:1-2 – How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom Yahweh does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit!
Psalm 51:9-10 – Hide Your face from my sins And blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

This concept of overlooking transgression is also a characteristic of God that he encourages us to practice with one another as we seek to conform to his image.

Proverbs 17:9 – He who conceals a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.
Proverbs 19:11 – A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, And it is his glory to overlook a transgression.

So, generally speaking, atonement has to do with a process of covering over offenses so that a vital relationship can be restored. An exchange takes place in which something of value (typically the life of an animal) has been provided as a substitute for the life of the one who offers it sincerely and with repentance. This demonstration of sincere repentance allows the opportunity for a change in the foregone outcome of disobedience to God’s torah or instruction. This act symbolically “covers over” the offense, and the relationship with Yahweh can be restored. The Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, was that process for the whole nation of Israel at once.

In Leviticus 16, an elaborate ritual is outlined in which the High Priest is to offer sacrificial animals for various types of atonement for the temple, the priests, and the people. These offerings are all about entering into God’s presence in the Holy of Holies, the center-most compartment of the Mishkan or Tabernacle, where God chose to dwell among the camp of Israel in the wilderness. This is to illustrate to the Israelites that they could not just enter his presence carelessly, as Aaron’s sons had done and were killed for it. Through these offerings, God is allowing for substitutionary sacrifices for the sins of Aaron and for the people, their sins would be covered, and the national relationship with Yahweh would be restored.

At the center of this ritual is the double-goat offering: one of the goats was to be slaughtered and one was to be released into the wilderness. The goat that was killed was to have some of its blood poured out on the lid of the ark of the covenant which was in the holiest place of the Mishkan. By contrast, the live goat was not sacrificed; it was to have the High Priest lay his hands on its head, confessing the sins of the people. This goat was then led into the wilderness, never to return.

This day was considered the most sacred of all of the appointment days throughout the year, and, as we have seen, was to be marked as a day of rest from regular work, fasting in repentance and humility.

The Symbolism

This appointment day is rich with symbols, as it is central to the overall outworking of God’s will with his people. Let’s take some time to review these different aspects in detail.

The High Priest was the representative of the people to God. Since the people’s disobedience was keeping them separate from God, only he, as their sole representative, could bear their offering of the goat’s life-blood into God’s presence within the Mishkan. But he himself also had to be sinless, which is why he had to offer a bull for himself before representing the people.

The High Priest was also the representation of God to the people. It was his faithful actions which enacted the atonement and forgiveness which God was to provide for the nation.

The two goats represent a dichotomy illustrating the enduring nature of God’s forgiveness. One goat was killed; it had given itself in totality by giving up its life as a symbolic substitute for the people and its blood was poured out on the lid of the Ark of the Covenant. The ark contained the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments. So what this represented was that the pouring out of the life-blood of the sacrifice on the ark was symbolic of a renewal of life-commitment to follow the covenant made at Sinai. This life-blood of the goat was the substitution for all of the people of Israel.

The second live goat (the ez azal, or goat of departure) symbolically carried the sins of the nation that were confessed over it into the wilderness, away from the people, never to return.

This dual aspect of the ceremony is actually revealed in the Hebrew name for this annual ritual: ha’kippuRim, or “the atonements”, plural. This duality is critical for understanding the work of Messiah in relation to this day, as we shall see in just a little bit.

Since the live goat left the congregation alive, it was considered to remain a sin-bearer for the rest of its existence (or at least until the following year’s Day of Atonement), far from the assembly of the people. This live goat was to be led out to the eretz gezerah; the land of separation, never to return. This brings to mind the famous Psalm that is used of God’s grace in providing forgiveness for those repentant souls who have sinned against him.

Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

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Fulfillment in Messiah

Now let’s pull all of this rich symbolism into a representation of how Yeshua fulfilled these many symbolic aspects of this day simultaneously.

As the sinless High Priest representing the people, he was the only one authorized to provide the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of his people, Israel. He alone could enter the true holiest place in heaven based on the ultimate offering; his own life.

Hebrews 8:1-2 – Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, Messiah, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a servant in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle [Mishkan], which Yahweh pitched, not man.

As the High Priest also representing the interests of God toward men, he became the sole authorized intermediary between God and man.

1 Timothy 2:5 – For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Messiah Yeshua…

The goat that gave its life and the goat that bore the sin of Israel are both combined in the person of Yeshua. Messiah was crucified and died, just like the one goat that was killed. However, Messiah also rose to life and continues to live, just like the living goat that was sent into the wilderness to keep sin away from the congregation.

As the sacrificial goat that was killed, his blood, representing his life, can be likened in a symbolic way to the blood that was carried into the heavenly holiest place as the offering for the people.

Hebrews 9:11-12, 24 But when Messiah appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, he entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle [Mishkan], not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, he entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. … For Messiah did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us…

As the living ez azal, the departing goat sent off into the wilderness, through his resurrection he continues to live.

Now, as an interesting linguistic note here, when Tyndale first translated the Bible into English, since there was no English equivalent for the goat of departure, he coined the term “scapegoat” which is short for the “goat which escapes”. In modern usage, the meaning of this term has become synonymous with the purpose of that goat on the Day of Atonement: “one who is blamed or punished for the mistakes or sins of others”. Now a person who is identified as a scapegoat is typically forced into that role unwillingly, as blame is assigned to them, usually unjustly, by others. However, Messiah willingly accepted the duty of bearing the sin of others when he submitted to the will of his Father.

There is hardly a better description of the work of Messiah than this. While his sacrifice was once for all time, whenever someone places their faith in him, their sin is borne away. In this sense, he is eternally capable of being the sin-bearer, one who voluntarily chose to be identified with the sins of an entire nation, and any others who place their faith in him.

1 Peter 2:24 and he himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by his wounds you were healed.
1 John 3:5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins; and in him there is no sin.
Galatians 4:4-5- But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
Romans 5:6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Messiah died for the ungodly.

Because the ancient Day of Atonement was a national event, the disobedience of the nation was completely resolved through dual atonements of the goat of sacrifice and the goat of departure. In Yeshua’s day, this same result was effected through his simple and profound faithfulness in submitting to the will of the Father. As Israel’s representative king, he willingly took on the sins of the entire nation at once, allowing the covenant of Sinai to be fulfilled before Yahweh, and releasing those who placed their faith in him from the effects of sin and death. All that has been required for his people is faith in the substitutionary gift of himself, just as faith in the substitutionary goats was required in the original institution.

The Balance of the Spring and Fall Holiday Cycles

As mentioned in the previous discussion surrounding Yom Teruah (Day of Trumpets), this period of the fall cycle of biblical holidays is the corroborating balance of the spring cycle. In the spring pattern, God raised up Moses as a deliverer for Israel from slavery and the worldliness of Egypt. In the fall pattern, God raised up Messiah to deliver his people from slavery to sin and the worldliness of corrupted religion. Just as the lamb at Passover provided physical deliverance from death for the firstborn of each family, the Yom Kippur ritual provided spiritual deliverance from sin for the firstborn nation of God: Israel. As Yom Kippur is six months removed from Passover, it is the counter-balance of the annual cycle, harking back to the same redemptive themes of that event. They are both about God redeeming and delivering his people from both sin and death; two witnesses to the faithful work of God.

As Israel was to be a light for the rest of the nations, the patterns established in their history still teach us in the nations about God’s faithfulness today. Since the spiritual Kingdom was established at the time of Yeshua, and it is eternally growing until it fills the earth, we can apply principles learned by their example. The principles set down in their narrative allow us to draw conclusions about how God desires to interact with all of humanity for all time.

Application for today

Yeshua’s death was primarily the culmination of Israel’s redemption under the first covenant in their narrative that was completed in the first century AD.

Hebrews 9:15 – For this reason He [Messiah] is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

However, the truth is that Yeshua’s example of giving himself for others paved the way not only for Israel, but for our deliverance from our own disobedient actions when we place our faith in him, as well.

1 Peter 2:24 – He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

The apostle Paul carries the imagery of sacrifice forward into the personal life of every believer:

Romans 6:3-7, 11 – Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Messiah Yeshua were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Messiah was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, since a person who has died is freed from sin. … So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Messiah Yeshua.

We no longer bring sacrifices of representative animals before Yahweh to demonstrate repentance before him. As believers in Messiah, we must now demonstrate our sincere and ongoing repentance through the sacrifice of our “old self” as Paul says, the self that has acted in disobedience to God’s torah, his instruction. Only then can we live the new life in Messiah that God expects of us.

The Day of Atonement captures all of this symbolism within its elaborate ritual. When we approach Yahweh on this day in a true spirit of humility, represented by fasting, and when we offer ourselves as burnt offerings (that is, wholly committed to him), and when we honor him by putting a pause on our busy lives and resting, we can then be in the right frame of mind to appreciate the forgiveness he has provided to his people. Because Yahweh forgave his people by covering over their offenses through the representative sacrifices offered on that day, we, too, can be forgiven of our sin when we place our faith in his representative Messiah, the King of his people. This High Priest is the eternal intermediary between God and man. Through faith in his symbolically sacrificial death, our sin is carried away “as far as the east is from the west.” And as we follow Yeshua’s selfless example, we can lay down the lives of our old selves before God as we are now freed to live for him in the new and everlasting covenant in Messiah Yeshua.

Well, I hope these studies on the fall festivals of the biblical calendar are bringing you some concepts and ideas to meditate on and to study out further on your own. But remember, if you have thoughts or comments that you would like to explore further with me, feel free to email me at coreofthebible@gmail.com.

The simplicity of compassion

God is not seeking our religiosity, but our practical, personal sacrifices on behalf of others.

Matthew 5:7 – “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Yeshua encourages believers to demonstrate compassion to others, to assist those who do not have the ability to help themselves. In so doing, he affirms, a universal principle of recompense is enacted and put into play. In the process of being helpful to others by sacrificing of your own time and resources, the blessing of Yahweh becomes evident in your life.

One of my favorite passages that is meant to illustrate the true meaning of something that had been reduced to a religious rite is contained in the prophecy of Isaiah. The Israelites had become so enamored with their own traditions that they had lost sight of the bigger picture of God’s purpose. They had adopted various forms and repetitions of fasting in order to appear penitent before God when in fact, they had merely been demonstrating a hypocritical display of false piety.

Isaiah, therefore, speaking for Yahweh, calls them out for it and in the process demonstrates the real types of sacrifice that Yahweh is looking for to be exhibited among his people.

Isaiah 58:5-8 – “Will the fast I choose be like this: A day for a person to deny himself, to bow his head like a reed, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to Yahweh? Isn’t this the fast I choose: To break the chains of wickedness, to untie the ropes of the yoke, to set the oppressed free, and to tear off every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your house, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to ignore your own flesh and blood? Then your light will appear like the dawn, and your recovery will come quickly. Your righteousness will go before you, and Yahweh’s glory will be your rear guard.”

We see in this passage two primary objectives: to show the Israelites the true type of sacrificial mercy that God desires, and the resulting blessing that stems from actions that are sincerely based on the welfare of others.

Yeshua boiled all of this down to the simple admonition: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” When we enact his simple counsel, we live out God’s purpose and are then privileged to live within his blessing.

If you enjoy these daily articles, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive on our Podcast Page, at Core of the Bible on Simplecast, or your favorite podcast streaming service.

Now also on YouTube, find us at: Core of the Bible on YouTube.

Questions or comments? Feel free to email me at coreofthebible@gmail.com.

Compassionate actions for the right reasons

True righteousness acts for the good of others whether or not one can be seen to help.

While it is true that God desires his people to be people of compassion, Yeshua clarifies the distaste that God has for the selfish motives behind the corrupted practices of the Pharisees and religious leaders of his day.

Matthew 6:1 – “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward with your Father in heaven.”

The ancient Hebraic idea of righteousness was a concept that included more than just the giving of alms or financial assistance that it is typically equated with in this passage. Clearly, the whole context of this teaching by Yeshua is on the avoidance of hypocrisy; one should not do righteous actions just to be seen of others.

These righteous actions that Yeshua is focused on were the typical practices that the Pharisees and religious leaders strove for in their public observance of their religion; giving of alms, prayer, and fasting. So instead of Yeshua’s admonition applying only to the practice of almsgiving, we can view his statement of practicing righteousness as a heading for all three of these categories, in this fashion:

Matthew 6:1 – “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward with your Father in heaven.”
- 6:2 – So whenever you give to the poor, don’t sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do…
- 6:5 – Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites…
- 6:16 – Whenever you fast, don’t be gloomy like the hypocrites.

The challenge for the Messiah believer is that we are equally commanded to make our giving private and sincere, while at the same time ensuring our light is not hidden under a basket.

Matthew 5:15-16 – “No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

Albert Barnes highlights it is not the public nature of the act which is problematic, but the motive behind the act:

“Our Lord does not require us never to give alms before people, but only forbids our doing it “to be seen of them,” for the purposes of ostentation and to seek their praise. To a person who is disposed to do good from a right motive, it matters little whether it be in public or in private. The only thing that renders it even desirable that our good deeds should be seen is that God may be glorified.”

In a similar way, Charles Ellicott focuses on this dichotomy that the believer faces between the two extremes of private sincerity and public actions of compassion:

“It is the motive, and not the fact of publicity, that vitiates the action. The high ideal of the disciple of Christ is to let his light shine “before men” (the self-same words are used in Matthew 5:16 as here), and yet to be indifferent to their praise or even their opinion. In most religious men there is probably a mingling of the two motives, and we dare not say at what precise stage the presence of the lower overpowers the higher. It is enough to remember that it is the little speck which may taint the whole character till it loses all its life.”

For the believer today, it is probably best to remember that God desires us to help others from the heart, not for the purpose of being seen as generous or from a strict sense of unwilling duty. As new creations in Messiah, our renewed nature should naturally gravitate towards generosity and self-sacrifice on behalf of others. We should be extending the compassion of God to those who need it most regardless if we are recognized, but also never shying away from doing what is right when others may not be willing to do so. By keeping our focus on the needs of those we are helping and not how we are being perceived, we can rise above the shallowness of hypocrisy that is offensive to God.

If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive on our Podcast Page, at Core of the Bible on Simplecast, or your favorite podcast streaming service.

Now also on YouTube, find us at: Core of the Bible on YouTube.

Questions or comments? Feel free to email me directly at coreofthebible@gmail.com.

Fasting and prayer: devotion in the service of others

Fasting is a practice of holiness, or setting apart, which can create an intimate time of seeking to commune with God. But as we will see, it is also a strong metaphor for the concept of whole-hearted devotion to serving others.

Core of the Bible podcast #19 – Fasting and prayer: devotion in the service of others

In this episode we will be exploring the topic of Holiness, and the role of fasting and prayer. This is a practice of holiness, or setting apart, which can create an intimate time of seeking to commune with God. But as we will see, it is also a strong metaphor for the concept of whole-hearted devotion to serving others.

Yeshua stated it this way:

Moreover when you fast, do not be as the hypocrites, of a sad appearance; for they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face, that you do not appear unto men to fast, but unto your Father which is in secret: and your Father, who sees in secret, shall reward you openly. Matthew 6:16-18

Now the primary purpose of this teaching by Yeshua was to address the issue of public pride that the Jewish leaders would practice to make a show of their obedience openly. He instead focuses on the private and sincere relationship that believers should have with God. Yeshua does not dissuade the practice of fasting, just the manner in which the Jews were using it to make themselves look better in the eyes of others.

Fasting is a practice of believers mentioned throughout the Bible, typically coupled with intense, focused prayer.

Daniel 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes…

Mark 9:29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, except by prayer and fasting.

Acts 14:23 And when they had ordained themselves elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

1 Corinthians 7:5 Do not deprive one another, except it be with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan not tempt you for your lack of self control.

Of course the admonition of Yeshua is that fasting and prayer should not in any way become a source of pride and vanity, as if you are doing something special that God should suddenly sit up and take notice of. He encourages fasting in the context of the daily routine, without any indication to others that you might be separating yourself apart. This “secret” aspect of fasting and prayer indicates the personal nature of this type of communion with God.

By reviewing how fasting and prayer have been used in the Bible, we can come to a better practical understanding of how God intends us to use this practice in ways that honor him. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but highlights some insights into this misunderstood practice.

Fasting and prayer as an act of repentance

Fasting is related to a humbling of oneself before God. In many English versions, this is typically translated as affliction or humbling; to “afflict one’s soul” was an act of humility before Yahweh. This was specifically listed as a commanded practice on the Day of Atonement each year, a day of seeking God and petitioning him for forgiveness.

And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger who sojourns among you: … It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and you shall afflict your souls by a statute forever. Leviticus 16:29, 31

This corporate fasting was to be for a national representative humbling before God, that the community would always remain obedient to God’s ways and that his acceptance would be evident throughout their land for the coming year. Fasting, therefore, is a manner of self-denial in the service of a larger objective.

Fasting and prayer was for seeking God’s involvement and favor

These are some additional examples of corporate fasting and prayer that was used to seek God’s will and a hopeful outcome of events.

Ezra 8:21, 23 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Aha’va, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him an upright way for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. … So we fasted and besought our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

Esther 4:16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.”

It is interesting to note that these examples of corporate fasting were for the benefit of others, or for better understanding God’s purpose and will for their lives.

Fasting and prayer for the sake of enemies

We typically see fasting and prayer as a way of declaring our sincerity before God for our personal requests, yet the Psalmist carries a clear directive of how he was moved to fast and pray for even his enemies.

Psalm 35:11-14 False witnesses stepped forward and questioned me concerning things about which I knew nothing. They paid me back evil for good; my soul mourns. But when they were sick, I wore sackcloth, humbled myself with fasting, and prayed from my heart repeatedly. I paced about as for my friend or my brother, and fell down mourning as one weeps for one’s mother.

This, of course, echoes the later teaching of Yeshua.

Matthew 5:43-45 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Fasting accompanied great times of testing, but also of revelation.

We see that Yeshua fasted during this pivotal time of testing at the outset of his public ministry.

Luke 4:1-2 Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.

Likewise, Moses had fasted on Sinai during his time of communion with Yahweh which resulted in the provision of the Ten Commandments.

Exodus 34:28 And he [Moses] was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

Both of these men had fasted in the service of others which resulted in bold empowerment in their public ministries.

Fasting and prayer with the wrong attitude

Isaiah is very bold in denouncing the corrupt religiosity of his day when he confronts Israel with a hypothetical conversation between the Israelites and God.

Isaiah 58:3-5 ‘We have fasted before you!’ they say. ‘Why aren’t you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don’t even notice it!’ “I will tell you why!” I respond. “It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers. What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me. You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind. You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the LORD?

Fasting is not a cure-all for the deficiencies of the heart; if our heart is not right, we will not be praying right, fasting or not.

Through all of these passages, we are learning that fasting is significant, but only if it is done with a right and sincere attitude, and primarily in the service of others, not for our own selfish ambitions.

In teaching of the fulfillment of this kingdom, Yeshua continues this idea of being set apart through fasting. He encourages this practice among believers but cautions them not to make a show of it with others, otherwise their “humbling” would itself become a form of hypocrisy. Fasting and prayer was not to be something for personal benefit or gain, but for the service of others. Yeshua specifies that true fasting and prayer is “unto your Father,” as a means of private intimacy in communication with him.

“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. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so 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

When we fast, we should take measures to be certain it is not obvious to others. Our private works of humility and worship in the service of, and communion with, the one true God should remain private. If we are sincere in preparing our hearts and bodies to be receptive to the leading of God, we must maintain that intimacy.

When our inner convictions become just an outward show, we have denied ourselves and create a mockery of God. Self-adulation and false humility demonstrate a shallow understanding of our spiritual condition for the simple purpose of bettering ourselves in the eyes of others.

Ultimately, fasting reminds us who our Provider is, both physically and spiritually

Deuteronomy 8:2-3 And you shall remember all the ways which the LORD your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, and to prove you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you, and suffered you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you did not know, neither did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD does man live.

In the wilderness, the Israelites were forced to fast as a way of recognizing their dependence on God. Their lack of food provided the example that God would also supply their needs through the manna. They were set apart in the wilderness, a people called to a unique way of life that was to exemplify the kingdom of God on the earth. In this wilderness experience, they were to be humbled, proven. God wanted to find out what was in their hearts. He taught them dependence on him for their physical and spiritual needs.

This whole narrative is an appropriate allegory for us today, as this world system we live in can appear to be a vast wilderness devoid of any life-giving support. God uses this world system to humble and prove us, searching for what is in our hearts. He wants us to recognize him and depend on him for our spiritual and physical needs. This way, the kingdom community can grow and thrive.

The right kind of fasting

Going back to Isaiah, he provides us the clearest insight into God’s view of fasting and prayer:

Isaiah 58:6-11 – “No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help. “Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the LORD will protect you from behind. Then when you call, the LORD will answer. ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply. “Remove the heavy yoke of oppression. Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors! Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. The LORD will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.

I have always loved this passage in Isaiah because it highlights the fallacy of fasting as a sort of magic charm that can be used to get God’s attention for personal desires. Instead, Isaiah says what really gets God’s attention is denying ourselves (i.e., fasting) through the service of others. The provision of justice and mercy is what true fasting is all about. What makes us holy or set apart from others should be our sincere and tireless efforts in outreach to those in need. Most people in the world are existing for their own wants and desires; God’s people should demonstrate a different mindset, one that seeks to focus on others, even to the point of denying oneself so that others can be benefited.

The apostle Paul writes:

Philippians 2:3-4 – Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

In summary of all I’ve discussed here today, denying body and soul is a personal discipline that is meant to take our eyes off of ourselves and our own needs. Making a display of it contradicts everything it is intended to accomplish.

However, maintaining a vital and dynamic intimacy with God through our heart understanding working in concert with our actions towards others provides great personal reward. Fasting with prayer is a spiritual practice that, done for the right reasons and in the correct, sincere manner, will provide a deep level of personal connection with God in the service of others. This practice provides us an opportunity to continually set ourselves apart in seeking God’s purpose within his kingdom. This is an unseen way in which we are strengthened to visibly serve others effectively in his name.

Well, once again, I hope I’ve been able to provide you some ideas and concepts to meditate on further. We need to keep in mind that fasting and prayer is not a personal discipline for our own selfish desires, but a means of humbling ourselves before God in the service of the needs of others.

If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive here. Questions or comments? Feel free to email me directly at coreofthebible@gmail.com.

Intimacy with God by setting ourselves apart through fasting and prayer

Fasting is a spiritual practice that, done for the right reasons and in the correct, dignified manner, will provide a deep level of personal connection with God.

And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes…
Daniel 9:3

Fasting is a practice of believers mentioned throughout the Bible, typically coupled with intense, focused prayer.

Mark 9:29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, except by prayer and fasting.
Acts 14:23 And when they had ordained themselves elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
1 Corinthians 7:5 Do not deprive one another, except it be with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan not tempt you for your lack of self control.

Fasting is also related to a humbling of oneself before God. In many English versions, this is typically translated as affliction or humbling; to “afflict one’s soul” was an act of humility before Yahweh. This was specifically listed as a commanded practice on the Day of Atonement each year, a day of seeking God and petitioning him for forgiveness.

And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger who sojourns among you: … It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and you shall afflict your souls by a statute forever.
Leviticus 16:29, 31

In the wilderness, the Israelites were forced to fast as a way of understanding that God would also supply their needs through the manna.

And you shall remember all the ways which the LORD your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, and to prove you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you, and suffered you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you did not know, neither did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD does man live.
Deuteronomy 8:2-3

They were set apart in the wilderness, a people called to a unique way of life that was to exemplify the kingdom of God on the earth.

In teaching of the fulfillment of this kingdom, Yeshua continues this idea of being set apart through fasting. He encourages this practice with believers but cautions then not to make a show of it with others, otherwise their “humbling” would become a form of hypocrisy.

Moreover when you fast, do not be as the hypocrites, of a sad appearance; for they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face, that you do not appear unto men to fast, but unto your Father which is in secret: and your Father, who sees in secret, shall reward you openly.
Matthew 6:16-18

Yeshua specifies that true fasting is “unto your Father,” as a means of private intimacy in communication with him. Fasting is a spiritual practice that, done for the right reasons and in the correct, dignified manner, will provide a deep level of personal connection with him. This practice provides us an opportunity to continually set ourselves apart in seeking God’s purpose within his kingdom.

If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive here. Questions or comments? Feel free to email me directly at coreofthebible@gmail.

Intimacy with God

When our inner convictions become just an outward show, we have denied ourselves and create a mockery of God.

“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. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so 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

When you fast, take measures to be certain it is not obvious to others.

Our private works of humility and worship in the service of, and communion with, the one true God should remain private. If we are sincere in preparing our hearts and bodies to be receptive to the leading of God, we must maintain that intimacy.

Denying body and soul is a personal discipline that is meant to take our eyes off of ourselves and our own needs. Making a display of it contradicts everything it is intended to accomplish.

However, maintaining a vital and dynamic intimacy with God through our heart understanding working in concert with our actions provides great personal reward. This is an unseen way in which we are strengthened to visibly serve others effectively in his name.