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14 Hope of Israel Ministries BIBLE Correspondence Course Lesson 35

set on returning to YEHOVAH God and drawing merely as an act of contrition and suffering to get
near to Him -- is futile. God to NOTICE YOU -- is loathsome to YEHO-
Such a fast will do you no good what- VAH God. Such insincere and self-righteous
soever! And hypocritical fasting -- fasting to be fasting is nothing more than just plain VAINTY!
seen of MEN -- is loathsome IN YEHOVAH’S 7. What kind of fasting does YEHOVAH
SIGHT. YEHOVAH will turn away from want -- what type of fast is well-pleasing in His
anyone fasting in such a selfrighteous, insincere sight? Verses 6-7.
attitude. It is NOT well-pleasing to Him! COMMENT: “To loose the bands of
4. Did ancient Israel make a PRETENCE wickedness” means to QUIT SINNING! Fasting
of seeking YEHOVAH God and His ways when to DRAW CLOSE TO YEHOVAH GOD and to
they fasted? Isaiah 58:2. purge your life of all sin -- learning to walk by
COMMENT: With some today, fasting YEHOVAH’s living laws of joy and happiness
is a hypocritical parade -- a self-righteous dis- -- is what YEHOVAH desires!
play -- a “holier than thou” approach, even as it 8. What blessings will YEHOVAH
was with ancient Israel. IT IS NOT SINCERE bestow upon those who fast and seek Him in the
REPENTANCE FROM THE HEART -- a RIGHT ATTITUDE? Verses 8-11. Isn’t this
sincere CHASTENING of the self! kind of fasting WORTHWHILE and WELL-
5. What did the people answer YEHO- PLEASING to YEHOVAH God?
VAH God in reply to His con-
demnation of their INSINCERITY in
seeking Him? Verse 3, first part. Did
YEHOVAH show them that their
ATTITUDE in fasting was entirely
wrong? Verse 3, last part and verse 4.
COMMENT: The Revised
Standard Version makes verse 4 much
clearer: “Behold, you fast only to
quarrel and to fight and to hit with
wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day
will not make your voice be heard on
high." In other words, such a fast is
futile -- VAIN!
Ritual crucifixion in the Philipines. Penance of any kind is
Their attitude for fasting was
loathsome to YEHOVAH God!
not that of earnestly seeking YEHO-
VAH’s will -- rather, the people were COMMENT: YEHOVAH wants to see
seeking their OWN LUSTFUL WILL! THEY a sincere, humble, SELF-SEARCHING fast. A
WERE GUILTY OF FASTING INSINCERE- fast during which one is striving to root out sin
LY! and is drawing CLOSE TO YEHOVAH God.
They did not desire to change their vile, 9. Will YEHOVAH hear the prayers of
sinful ways. They were merely fasting SEL- those who fast hypocritically? Isaiah 59:2 and
FISHLY to try to GET their OWN way. This is Jeremiah 14:10, 12.
not the humble and contrite, or REPENTANT, COMMENT: YEHOVAH will not hear
attitude that YEHOVAH respects and accepts. their prayers because they are NOT WILLING
6. What else did YEHOVAH say about to put sin out of their lives. They want the
such hypocritical fasting? Verse 5. blessings of YEHOVAH without putting out the
COMMENT: Fasting for PENANCE --

Why Christians Should Fast