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Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
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Commentary & Explanation
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Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
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CHAPTER 58
True law of the fast, with its attendant blessings, is set
forth—Sabbath observance enjoined.
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1 CRY aloud,
aspare not, lift up thy bvoice like a
ctrumpet, and dshew my people their
etransgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
2 Yet they aseek me daily, and
delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not
the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the bordinances
of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
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3 ¶ aWherefore have we fasted,
say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our
soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your
bfast ye find cpleasure, and
dexact all your labours.
4 Behold, ye fast for astrife and
bdebate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall
not cfast as ye do this day, to make your voice to
be heard on high.
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5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?
6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen?
to loose the abands of
wickednessa, to undo the heavy
burdens, and to let the oppressed go bfree, and that ye
break every yoke?
7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the
ahungry, and that thou bring the bpoor
that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover
him; and that thou hide not thyself from cthine own
flesh?
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6a to loose the bands of
wickedness The fast of wicked Israel is to be for the forgiveness
of their sins and not unto calling down the Lord to bless them in any other
particular. We are all under the burden of sin, we all stand before the Lord
in our weakness. And the fast is ordained unto the forgiveness of such
weakness and sin, to remove that heavy burden which weighs upon and opresses
us from being free from the yoke of the natural man which separates us from
our God's presence. When properly observed with the paying of the fast
offering for the relief of the poor and afflicted, the fast is properly kept
and the benefits is to allow the Lord to bestow upon us his blessing which he
has in store for us, which includes a 'return' unto that high position of
having his presence and spirit to be with us. At least once a month the Lord
has ordained that be participate in this ordinance coupled with the paying of
the offering and the partaking of the sacrement that he might loose our burden
and come unto his high presence of his spirit to be with us.
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8 ¶ Then shall thy alight break
forth as the morning, and thine bhealth shall spring forth
speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD
shall be thy crereward.
9 Then shalt thou acall, and the
LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If
thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the
bputting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
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10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the
ahungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy
light brise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the
noonday:
11 And the LORD shall aguide thee
continually, and satisfy thy soul in bdrought, and
cmake fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered
garden, and like a dspring of water, whose waters fail
not.
12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
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13 ¶ If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath,
from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the
asabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and
shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure,
nor speaking thine own words:
14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I
will cause thee to ride upon the ahigh places of the earth,
and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the
LORD hath spoken it.
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