Isaiah 58-59 Are We Doing What They Were Doing?

God was calling out the hypocrites pretending to worship Him through fasting.  At first, it sounds like they are sincere: 

“They still come every day looking for Me and want to learn My ways.  They act like a nation that does what is right, that obeys the commands of its God.  They ask Me to judge them fairly.  They want God to be near them.”  They even fasted and humbled themselves.  So what was wrong with that picture?

God said, “You do what pleases yourselves on these special days … When you fast, you argue and fight, and hit each other … You cannot do these things as you do now and believe your prayers are heard in heaven … This is not the way I want people to be sorry for what they have done … Do you think this is what the Lord wants?  I will tell you the kind of special day I want:  Share your food with the hungry and bring poor, homeless people into your own homes.  When you see someone who has no clothes, give him yours, and don’t refuse to help your own relatives.”

God then told how He would bless us for doing this:  “Your light will shine like the dawn, and Your wounds will quickly heal.  Your God will walk before you and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.  Then you will call out and the Lord will answer.  You will cry out, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’  If you stop making trouble for others, if you stop using cruel words … if you feed those who are hungry and take care of the needs of those who are troubled, then your light will shine in the darkness, and you will be bright like sunshine at noon.  The Lord will always lead you.  He will satisfy your needs in dry lands and give strength to your bones … you will be known for repairing the broken places and for rebuilding … Then you will find joy in the Lord, and I will carry you to the high places above the earth.”

God again tells us what our problem is:  “The Lord’s power is enough to save you.  He can hear you when you ask Him for help.  It is your evil that has separated you from your God.  Your sins cause Him to turn away from you, so He does not hear you.”

Since we are incapable of saving ourselves and overcoming our sin, God steps in:  “Then a Savior will come to Jerusalem and to the people of Jacob who have turned from sin … My Spirit and My words that I give you will never leave you or your children or your grandchildren, now and forever.”

That’s a very motivating reason for us to do as He says!

Father, please help me to look at my life through Your eyes.  Show me where what I do and say doesn’t conform to Your will for my life.  Call me out for anything I shouldn’t be doing, and help me to live the way You desire.  Don’t let me be a hypocrite.  Show me Your way.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford