ASSEMBLIES OF GOD, GH. SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 3 (19.01.25)

 LESSON 3: THE CONCEPT OF BIBLICAL FASTING

Central Truth

Biblical fasting brings our physical body in subjection to the Holy Spirit for spiritual upliftment.

Memory Verse

The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. (Matthew 9:15b.)

Lesson Outline

I. OLD TESTAMENT CONCEPT OF FASTING 

 A. Fasting as a Command 

B. Fasting as a sign of Penitence. 

C. Fasting as a sign of Grief and Piety. 

D. Other fasts in the Old Testament.

II. FAITHFULNESS IN SUFFERING 

 A. Fasting as a Religious Obligation. 

B. Fasting as a means of Grief.

C. Fasting as a means of Spiritual Renewal. 

Lesson text

Leviticus 23:26-32, Luke 5:33-39 

Leviticus 23: 26. 

The LORD said to Moses, 27. “The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves and present a food offering to the LORD. 28. Do not do any work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the LORD your God. 30. Those who do not deny themselves on that day must be cut off from their people. I will destroy from among their people anyone who does any work on that day. 31. You shall do no work at all. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. 32. It is a day of sabbath rest for you, and you must deny yourselves. From the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following evening you are to observe your sabbath.” 

Luke 5: 33. 

They said to him, “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.” 34. Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? 35. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.” 36. He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. 37. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. 39. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’”

INTRODUCTION

Fasting was a widespread practice among ancient religions because they thought that by abstaining from food and drink, they would receive favour from the gods. On the other hand, adherents of cults and the occult use fasting as a means of spiritual empowerment. Muslims also have their annual fast or Ramadan when a whole month is given to fasting as their religious obligation. (Gordon P. Broadbent III, 2006). If non-Christians recognize the need to fast for spiritual renewal and strength, what challenges does it pose to us Christians? The practice of fasting as a means of spiritual discipline is essential for our spiritual upliftment. However, some believers do question its relevance for the contemporary Christian. The word concept as used in this lesson relates to the main idea behind biblical fasting. Some Christians who do embrace fasting have not come to terms with its real essence and as such fast but without significant impact. “Some have exalted religious fasting beyond all Scripture and reason, and others have utterly disregarded it.” (John Wesley). This lesson will help us come to terms with fasting as a spiritual discipline in the Bible

WHAT IS FASTING? 

INSIGHT 

The word for fasting in the Hebrew (Old Testament) is “tsum”, and it means “to cover the mouth” (Strong’s Concordance No. H6684). This word therefore implies abstinence from food. From the New Testament perspective, the Greek root word used for fasting is “nesteo” which means “not eating”, In other words, abstinence from food for a religious purpose. The word fast, from the old Anglo Saxon, meaning to “abstain” is to deliberately go without food and drink for some time beyond what is normally experienced. Three types of fasting are generally identified: Normal fasting, in which there is no intake of food for a prescribed period, though there may be an intake of liquids; partial fasting, in which food intake is limited and absolute fasting, in which there is a total abstinence from food and liquids in all forms. Biblical Fasting is therefore a voluntary act of abstinence from desires of the flesh especially food and sometimes water to wait upon the Lord or for one’s spiritual development. In medical terms, fasting is the detoxification of the body through the restriction of food (Baker Encyclopaedia of the Bible, 1988).

BIBLE EXPOSITION

I. OLD TESTAMENT CONCEPT OF FASTING (Leviticus 23:26-32) 

A. Fasting as a Command 

The Lord (Jehovah) commanded the Israelites to “deny themselves” or “afflict their souls” on the tenth day of the seventh month that is the month “Tishri” which corresponds to October-November on the Gregorian calendar and not do any work since the day was to be a Sabbath of rest. According to the command, atonement (to cover or purge) will be made on that day to cleanse them from their sins. The command for the Israelites to “deny themselves” (NIV) or “afflict their souls” (KJV), a Hebrew phrase that means “to humble or oppress,” demanded that they restrain their appetites, which are embedded in the soul. Restraint of physical appetites by fasting was associated with mourning. The phrase “deny yourselves” is an early Mosaic expression for fasting (Lev. 23:32). The word “fast” as an Old Testament term was first used during the time of the Judges (Judges. 20:26; 1 Sam. 7:6). The command to fast and sanctify the tenth day of the month “Tishri”, is repeated in Lev. 23:26-32: but in the last verse, it is called the ninth day in the evening because the Jewish day began with the evening (Clarke’s Commentary: Leviticus, 1999)

B. Fasting as a Sign of Penitence (Repentance) 

The principal Hebrew term for fasting as indicated earlier in the introduction refers exclusively to abstaining from food and possibly water to humble oneself before God. Fasting in the Old Testament was sometimes commanded, sometimes voluntary, and sometimes ritualized, but the Hebrew Bible rather consistently portrays fasting in conjunction with restoration. Abstaining from food for essentially spiritual purposes was part of the fabric of ancient cultures. In the Old Testament, fasting was regarded as an act of self-renunciation designed to appease God’s wrath and move him to act graciously. (Kent Berghuis: Christian Fasting: A Theological Approach). In the Old Testament fasting was practiced during repentance of sins as a symbol of humility and as a means of seeking the mercy of the Lord. 

 C. Fasting as a sign of Grief and Piety. 

The fasting commanded by the Lord on the Day of Atonement, Israel’s highest and holiest day was the only fasting prescribed in the Law for the Israelites to observe annually to show their sorrow for their sins (Commentary on the Old Testament, 2002). Fasting and the abstention from manual labour were to give the Israelites an opportunity to recall, meditate upon, feel contrition for, and confess all their sins (Gingrich, 2003). Fasting was also associated with sincere grief and mourning, particularly during the mourning of a beloved one, a sudden calamity and the threat of death. It was therefore an expression of deep sorrow and anger. The Hebrew expression for fasting, “afflicting the soul,” well describes the idea of disfiguring the face, weeping, lying on the ground, putting ashes on the head and putting on sackcloth (Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, 2000). The Psalmist confesses that he humbled his soul with fasting (Ps 35:13) and that when he wept during fasting, he was publicly ridiculed (Ps 69:10). Fasting (along with sackcloth, weeping, etc.) was a part of such rituals calling for God’s deliverance because they symbolized one’s helpless state. 

D. Other Fasts in the Old Testament 

Several fasts were also instituted by the Jews to commemorate events of their specific history (e.g. Zechariah 7:1-7; 8:19). Fasting was also associated with the conduct of or preparation for war. The Israelites practised fasting at Mizpah in the face of the Philistine threat (1 Sam. 7:6), and Saul imposed a fast on his militia until he succeeded in gaining vengeance against the Philistines (1 Sam 14:24; cf. 2 Sam.11:11-12). Fasting was used as a means to enhance prayer, to experience the presence of God, and as an act of ceremonial public worship. In the postexilic period, fasting was used as a means of calling on God for direct assistance when the community was in great danger (Ezra 8:21- 22; Esth. 4:15-16: Dan. 9:17- 25). Tertullian (an early church father) commenting on 1Sam. 7:6 indicates that when one fast, “Heaven fights for you “and “divine defence will be granted”. (Dictionary of the Bible, 2000). The practice of fasting was sometimes abused in the Old Testament. Instead of a sincere act of self-renunciation and submission to God, fasting became an empty ritual in which the pretence of devotion was presented as a public image. Jeremiah records Yahweh as saying, “Though they fast, I will not hear their cry” (Jer. 14:12) (Encyclopaedia of the Bible, 1988).

II. NEW TESTAMENT CONCEPT OF FASTING – (Luke 5:33-39) 

A. Fasting as a Religious Obligation - vs. 33 

This verse deals with questions arising from differences in the concept of fasting between the Pharisees and Christ during His lifetime. The Pharisees questioned why  Jesus, who was a religious teacher and claimed to be the Messiah himself and His disciples were eating and drinking (feasting) when they should have been fasting at the time. By law, religious Jews fasted twice a week (Luke 18:12) on Mondays and Fridays. Their fasting had nothing to do with the need for God’s presence; it was purely a matter of ritual or tradition. On the other hand, John the Baptist who also taught his disciples to observe the Law and fast accordingly was then in prison awaiting a death sentence therefore his disciples were fasting for divine intervention. In this regard, they could not understand why Jesus and His disciples were eating when John who heralded His coming as the Messiah was in prison. Hence the question asked (The Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible, vol. 1, 2000). The concept of fasting as a religious obligation emanated from the rabbinic tradition that grew out of the period between the Testaments (The period between the Old and New Testaments). During that period the Jews made fasting the primary act of demonstrating piety. The prevailing mood of fasting at the time was that of mournful sadness, an obligatory necessity and self-imposed to produce the discipline of self-denial. The Pharisees’ interrogation of Christ for not fasting was based on this perception. 

B. Fasting as a Means of Grief - vs. 34-35 

The Lord answered in effect that there was no reason for His disciples to fast while He was still with them. However, when He is taken away from them that is, by death, they would fast as an expression of their grief. Jesus by this answer associates fasting with sorrow and mourning (Believer’s Bible Commentary, 1997). In this regard, Jesus confirmed fasting as a means of grief as indicated earlier by the Old Testament concept. Jesus’ answer also implies that His presence brought joy and vitality to life and not a ritual as a ceremonial demand. However, His death will bring sorrow to those who matter (The Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible, vol. 1, 2000). It is therefore clear that Jesus expected His followers to fast after He was gone. We are now living in the time of the “bridegroom’s absence” and look forward to the Lord’s return therefore, fasting and prayer are essential as a sign of sorrow and supplication for the sin and spiritual decay of the world (Fire Bible, 2009). 

C. Fasting as a means of Spiritual renewal - vs. 36-39 

The two brief parables of the old garment and old wineskins illustrate the incompatibility of the old system of Jewish law and the new wine (new life) of the gospel of Christ (Believer’s Study Bible, 1997). Jesus therefore reminded the Pharisees that they should not continue the old traditions of the Jewish religion which He illustrated by the parable. The Pharisees, because of their additions to the law and ritualistic human traditions, had turned the discipline of fasting into a ritual which God never intended and sought to use as a means of pleasing Him. Jesus therefore confronted their misconception by indicating that He came with a mission of a new life and a new spiritual movement. Therefore, as illustrated by the parable, He is not a new patch being sown to an old garment, in other words, He is not out to reform an old religion or an old life but to transform. As we allow the Gospel message to infuse our lives, it gives us a fresh, new shape, chosen by God’s Spirit, in which the new wine of God’s work within us matures towards beauty and holiness” (The Bible Reader’s Companion 1991). The teachings of Jesus and the traditions of the Pharisees, even though related to the Old Testament, cannot be mixed without significantly damaging the new entity. In addition, the two approaches do not go together. Jesus indicates a new approach to God (Nolland, 1989). It is a new period and a new dispensation. Jesus is the real point of difference (Baker Exegetical Commentary on New Testament, 1994). The New Testament concept of fasting must be linked to the new life in Christ. Therefore, anyone who goes into fasting without a true knowledge of its purpose and essence and has not committed himself to the new way of life in Christ may not experience its benefits.

LIFE APPLICATION 

The early church knew not only the power of fasting but also the true essence and purpose of fasting. In the New Testament, prayer and fasting were made by the church for the setting aside of men called to be missionaries (Acts 13:2; 13:26). They practised fasting regularly. The Bible shows that proper biblical fasting is a legitimate form of spiritual devotion. Both the Old and New Testaments speak favourably of fasting and provide numerous instances of each of the saints fasting. While the Prophets and Jesus both denounce pretentious and unrighteous fasting, proper fasting that comes from a right heart backed up with a righteous life and a right attitude, is affirmed and accepted by God. However, it must not be done to seek to gain favour with God or to manipulate God to act in your favour. Fasting must not be done out of legalistic tradition, or when maintaining ungodly relationships with others. John Wesley, the renowned Christian theologian who lived in the 18th century believed that a man should not be ordained to ministry if he could not fast, reasoning that anyone who cannot discipline his appetite cannot discipline the Church of God. Francis of Assisi was a man who fasted often. Jonathan Edwards fasted so frequently that he had to hold on to his pulpit on Sundays. Charles Finney often fasted three days in succession. These were men of spiritual power.