Isaiah, all those thousands of years ago, gave us advise on how to live for God. This daily devotional looks at how God wants us to completely submit to Him and not hold back.
Nuggets
- God was telling Isaiah here to not hold back.
- Self-denial is a large component of fasting, but I think we do a disservice when we strictly focus on that, though.
- God will lead us through this life – if we let Him.
Devotions in the Isaiah’s Message from Sovereign God series
When I was pulling everything to start writing this devotion, I thought it was kind of ironic. Some of the verses (that we don’t get to) talk about how God expects us to honor the Sabbath.
I just got a text saying our church is online only for the next two weeks. Hmmm. Another lesson my Ladies are going to miss.
But when I got looking into this a little closer, Isaiah was really giving us a roadmap on how to live our lives. Let’s check it out.
Don’t Hold Back
“‘Cry out loudly, don’t hold back! Raise your voice like a ram’s horn. Tell my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins. They seek me day after day and delight to know my ways, like a nation that does what is right and does not abandon the justice of their God. They ask me for righteous judgments; they delight in the nearness of God.’ ‘Why have we fasted, but you have not seen? We have denied ourselves, but you haven’t noticed!’ ‘Look, you do as you please on the day of your fast, and oppress all your workers. You fast with contention and strife to strike viciously with your fist. You cannot fast as you do today, hoping to make your voice heard on high. 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 the Lord?’” (Isa. 58: 1-5 CSB)
Ooo, baby. Do you know anyone who doesn’t like to cry in public? Maybe they don’t show much emotion at all. God didn’t want that here.
God was telling Isaiah here to not hold back. Let the Israelites see his emotion. Alexander wrote that, by doing that, Isaiah would show the importance of the message.
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Why would God be wanting Isaiah to be forceful in his message? Well, he does have to convince the hardheaded — and hard hearted — Israelites.
We have to be seen as a true believer when we witness. This is especially true when we are giving a message that is going to take faith, not sight, to believe. We can’t appear to have any doubts.
Henry put it this way. He wrote that must “not spare them, nor touch them with his reproofs as if he were afraid of hurting them, but search the wound to the bottom; lay it bare to the bone; not spare himself, or his own pains, but cry as loud as he can.”
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Elaine-speak. Those to whom we are witnessing may not like to hear that their actions are considered sin. They may think that they are a good enough person to get a pass.
Disciples can’t shrink from telling them like it is. They have to admit that they are separated from God, believe that the only way that can be rectified is ask Jesus to be their Savior and Lord, confess God as their Sovereign Lord, and demonstrate that decision by submitting to God’s authority.
No, we can’t be timid about telling that message. There are real consequences for those who do not ABCD.
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
What got me here was that it could look on the surface that the Israelites were doing it right.
• “They seek me day after day and delight to know my ways …” (Isa. 58: 2 CSB)
• “… They ask me for righteous judgments; they delight in the nearness of God” (Isa. 58: 2 CSB)
• “Why have we fasted, but you have not seen? We have denied ourselves, but you haven’t noticed!” (Isa. 58: 3 CSB)
We may think we are doing worship right, but we might not be. Jesus said, “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter” (Mt. 7: 21 NLT).
No, we can’t just do it, we have to do it right. God has expectations and requirements.
Let’s look at it this way. Verse 1 was Isaiah talking; verse 2 was the Israelites talking. We would call it talking back. They were sticking up for themselves saying they didn’t do anything wrong.
Oh, yeah. That is so us.
Henry called it hypocritical religion. Oh, yes. They are presenting a godly front.
But it is just a smokescreen. “You fast with contention and strife to strike viciously with your fist …” (Isa. 58: 4 CSB). Henry wrote that it really wasn’t a cover for their sin. Instead, it was an aggravation of it.
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Moore did a good job of explaining what the disconnect is here. We want to know the minimum we have to do to be saved. God, on the other hand, wants us to be totally like Him.
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Let’s flip it to what Isaiah is really saying — that is hinted at in Matthew 7: 21. How religious can we be and still be lost?
Henry brought up a good point — however, it might not be as relevant in today’s world. Why do people play at religion? They make it seem like they are following God, but they really aren’t.
Henry said it stemmed from “… a secret pride at being numbered among the people of God — an indefinite notion of outward prosperity as usually following on a bold religious profession.” Hmmm.
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Well, yes. People buy into the prosperity gospel. That is a thing. I am not real sure the pride is the motivation these days.
But if people are pretending to be a disciple, why aren’t they the real thing?
Part of the problem is some don’t truly seek God. We don’t read Scriptures as we should. We don’t pray as we should. We don’t ask God to guide us in our decision-making processes.
We want whatever we are willing to give to be good enough. We want our actions to bring on God’s favor — regardless if they meet His expectations or not.
A lot of times, though, God asks us to do something really, really hard — something we really don’t want to do. For us, that is a deal breaker. We may still go through the motions, but our relationships are damaged because we won’t submit.
Hmmm. So, we are not only supposed to not hold back in our witnessing, but we are not supposed to hold back in our relationships, too.
It isn’t about works. It isn’t about what we do or don’t do.
It is about how much we have submitted to God.
The Importance of Self-Denial
“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 the Lord’s glory will be your rear guard. At that time, when you call, the Lord will answer; when you cry out, he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you get rid of the yoke among you, the finger-pointing and malicious speaking, and if you offer yourself to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted one, then your light will shine in the darkness, and your night will be like noonday” (Isa. 58: 6-10 CSB)
Isaiah started talking about fasting in the previous verses, but I saved our discussion of it for here. Fasting is more than just giving up eating food. It is doing so in order to seek God more deeply.
To read a related devotion, click the button below.
Fasting is a way to humble ourselves. It is a way to cleanse ourselves so that we will more accurately be a temple for God.
Talbot noted that there are no hard rules about fasting detailed in the laws and commandments. We are given no guidelines as to whether the abstinence from food is total or the duration. He wrote, “We are not to look upon fasting in itself as a thing that recommends us to God. But there are good ends for which fasting is appointed, and which are promoted by it, that make it acceptable to God.”
Three reasons were given for fasting.
- Conquering sin
- Preparing ourselves for prayer
- Expressing our repentance
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Alexander brought up a very good point. He reminded us that Isaiah really wasn’t talking just food here. What Isaiah was really talking about was “… acts of conscientious self denial …”
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I can see where fasting should be expanded to more than food. Alexander is right. Food may be my issue, but not yours. You may need to consciously give up something else.
God is wanting us to submit to Him. That means self-denial.
Yes, self-denial is a large component of fasting. I think we do a disservice when we strictly focus on that, though.
I think the emphasis should be more on living for God. God has asked us to become more like Him. He will tell us what changes need to be made.
Let’s look at verse 7 again. “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?” (Isa. 58: 7 CSB).
The self-denial isn’t just so we can save money on the food bill (or whatever bill we are denying ourselves). Isaiah said whatever we were giving up should be given to someone in need.
Ooo, baby. Did anyone else’s mind go to the sheep and the goats? “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me” (Mt. 25: 35-36 CSB).
Isaiah just missed the drink and prison.
What this is all about is the second greatest commandment. “The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt. 22: 39 CSB).
Verses 9 and 10 may be a little confusing. “At that time, when you call, the Lord will answer; when you cry out, he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you get rid of the yoke among you, the finger-pointing and malicious speaking, and if you offer yourself to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted one, then your light will shine in the darkness, and your night will be like noonday” (Isa. 58: 9-10 CSB).
Henry interpreted this to mean that those denying themselves of what God asks and showing charity to others will be rewarded.
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Verse 8 talks about a healthy church. We can see a church is healthy because it is meeting and performing God’s work.
Williams also told us the flip side – unhealthy characteristics that we can see.
- To focused on the ceremonial, religious aspects rather than the relationship with God.
- Not teaching the Scriptures.
- Finding fault instead of being loving.
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We want to be healthy disciples attending a healthy church.
Do you want to know what the best part of these verses are? God responds. When we follow His calling and deny ourselves what He wants us to, He rewards us.
God rewards us with His presence. He protects us.
How Does God Reward Us for Living Like Him?
“The Lord will always lead you, satisfy you in a parched land, and strengthen your bones. You will be like a watered garden and like a spring whose water never runs dry. Some of you will rebuild the ancient ruins; you will restore the foundations laid long ago; you will be called the repairer of broken walls, the restorer of streets where people live” (Isa. 58: 11-12 CSB)
God will lead us through this life – if we let Him. We can’t go thinking we can do this on our own. We’ve talked before how we should let the Holy Spirit lead.
To read a related devotion, click on the appropriate button below.
Letting God lead brings us satisfaction and strength. That means we can meet whatever comes our way.
Making the Connections
God calls us to repentance and salvation. He calls us to a better life.
Yes, that life means there will be self-denial. But overall, the benefits far outweigh the detriments.
God does expect things from us. He expects our consistent worship. He expects us to reveal Him to others. Our reward is delighting in Him.
How Do We Apply This?
Henry explained four forms of gospel service. They are:
- Daily prayer
- “A love for the preached Word
- “An open profession of Christ, and
- “An apparent earnestness in inquiring after the ways and will of God.”
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Think about it. Without a genuine profession of faith, the rest would be a moot point. Others must see that profession. We show the profession is genuine by communicating with God and listening for Him to communicate with us.
Our profession of faith in Christ is to change our character to be more like God’s. We do that through living His way.
God. We want to be like You. Help us to change our character and show others You in us. Amen.
What do you think?
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