THE YOKE OF FASTING-DERIVED MEEKNESS AND HUMILITY

by Craig Wm. Peters

it is good for a man that he should bear the yoke in his youth.
Lamentations 3:26 Throughout the Scriptures, the Spirit refers to fasting with a rather significant number of key wordswords which are directly related to the discipline, often in more ways than one. These key words reveal certain things that are a part of authentic fasting. And the reader will notice that these key words may further reveal what happens to and/or within the believer who learns to continually seek hwhy with prayer and fasting. In this study, readers will see just how much, and how often, the Savior taught the importance of fasting and prayer. And we learn that fasting is not an optional practice because, in every one of what are now commonly called The Beatitudes, the Messiah was speaking of nothing less than the promises of the Father for those whose lives are given to fasting and prayer. Key words in this world-famous text will show us all of these Beatitudes are actually fasting-related. Consequently, the present study features numerous contemplations surrounding the Messiahs special teachings on fasting, prayer, and alms. While the word yoke often carries negative connotations for much of the Christian world, we must not overlook the truth that, in a completely different context and subject matter, this same word has also been used in the Scriptures in a very positive manner. We will ponder more about this special, spiritually beneficial yoke at the end of the study, but for that to occur with the most edification, a considerable foundation must first be set in place. For without this ground work, the effect would never be the same. This study will show and prove the true nature of a most blessed and spiritually favorable

yokea yoke first spoken of by the prophet Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah), in the book of Lamentations. Yet this very same yoke is later mentioned in the Great Teachings set forth by our Messiah Himself. So significant is this yoke that those who fail to bear it will also fail to inherit splendor in the Millennial Kingdom. The Word of hwhy indicates that this yoke is the yoke of fasting-derived meekness and humility, and that bearing this yoke with eswhy the Messiah fulfills the Torah because we are truly bearing the Yoke of the Kingdom. If there is a Kingdom, then there is also a King; and every Kingdom has a Constitution. The Constitution of the Kingdom of hwhy is His immutable Torahthe Word which He has commanded across an immense time-span of one thousand generations.1 According to the prophecy,2 this great epoch in Earths history will not end for some 40,000 to 100,000 plus years in the far-distant future. This stunning and extensive time-span, and the many great events which will transpire within this period, add a great deal of meaning to the Scripture surrounding the Messianic Rule: Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness, from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of hwhy of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:7 To truly understand the yoke of fastingderived meekness and humility, one must first see and study many of the key words which are
Deuteronomy 7:9, Psalm 105:8, Matthew 5:17-20, Luke 16:17, 21:33; Matthew 24:35 2 Deuteronomy 7:9
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associated with fasting throughout the Scriptures. The greatest portion of this study, then, will do just that. And these key words not only reveal various aspects of fasting along with the characteristics of those who are fasting, but these key words also show us the results which surround a fast. After having visited and revisited many of these fastingrelated texts, it will then become nearly selfevident as to how this multifaceted topic relates to a believer bearing the Yoke of the Kingdom. A Final Introductory Note: Throughout this study, when fasting-related words are seen in Scripture texts, these words have been formatted to appear in bold, italicized font. These key words, as we are calling them, have been arranged and presented alphabetically, although there will be some exceptions to that order. Of course, those who study closely will soon see there is, in many cases, a considerable amount of overlap between one or more of these words/concepts.
t s r q u p e o n m l k y j x z w h d g b a

Across the years, as one makes progress in the Faith, how all of the above subjects are interrelated becomes increasingly clearer. And we pray the relationship between these great truths will also become much clearer for readers, even during the present study. Please keep these topics in mind, and ponder them as you study the Scripture texts we will visit during our many subsequent meditations on the Torah, the written Word, and the Messiah, the Living Word.
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Ashes / Dust / Sackcloth Ashes, dust, and sackcloth are all related to the affliction which comes upon those who are fasting. And none of these things have been done away with by the Messiah because He Himself spoke of people repenting in sackcloth and ashes.4 We also see the Two Witnessess will prophesy 1,260 days clothed in sackcloth as fasting and prayer are the key spiritual weapons by which they will be empowered to minister the authentic Word of hwhy. In the days of old, when a difficult time or tragedy was encountered, men would, oftentimes, immediately begin fasting, afflicting themselves in response to the difficulty. Fasting was like their natural reaction to the trials and difficulties of life: Knowing that hwhy gives favor to the humble,5 when encountering critical situations and/or extreme difficulties, these men did all they could to receive the promise of that greater favorthe favor spoken of by both Solomon and James.6 Because it is the nature of hwhy to save a humble and afflicted people,7 men of faith sought Him through self-imposed affliction affliction which often involved fasting in the dust (i.e., on the ground) with sackcloth and ashes.

=============================== PART ONE: Many of the Key Words Associated With Fasting Throughout the Scriptures =============================== This study will show that, apart from fasting-derived meekness and humility, believers will continue to lack the following: Closeness to hwhy. Power over sin and lasting spiritual growth and/or progress. A fuller understanding of the Scriptures. The horizontal unity which shows we believe and keep the Shema 3the expression of true love and Vertical Unity.

The Shema is seen in Deuteronomy 6:4-5. (Note: Many Jewish circles refer to Deuteronomy 6:4 as The Shema, while calling Deuteronomy 6:5, the Vahavta.) The Messiah simply calls these lines the Greatest Commandment. Mark 12:28-30, Matthew 22:34-38

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Luke 10:13 Proverbs 3:34 6 Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6,10 7 Psalm 18:27, Zephaniah 3:12

We know Abraham often sought Elohim with fasting and prayer because, when hwhy appeared to the patriarch by the oaks of Mamre, Abraham declared himself to be nothing but dust and ashes: And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon myself to speak to hwhy, but I am dust and ashes. Genesis 18:27 In addition to Abraham, we believe other men of faith likewise declared themselves to be dust and ashes by identifying with these things when fasting.8 And it is those who are of the faith of Abraham who are heirs according to the Promise.9 The prophet Iyob (Job) was fasting and praying over much of the time that followed his great losses: Fasting and prayer was his reaction to all of the emotional and physical infirmities which Iyob endured. We can safely say that the narrative of Iyob is set in a fasting-related context. Fasting and prayer are the backdrop for the entire book/account. And we recall what Iyob said to hwhy after the Most High appeared to correct him: 1 Then Iyob answered hwhy, and said, 2 I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be restrained. 3 Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?10 Therefore, I have uttered that which I understood not, things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. 4 Hear, I beseech you, and I will speak; I will demand of you, and you declare unto Me. 11 5 I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You. 6 Therefore, I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. Job 42:1-6 So we see that, like Abraham, Iyob knew that dust and ashes spoke of authentic humility before hwhy. Of course, Iyob had been lying in the dust and ashes before hwhy had appeared
The prophet Job openly repented in dust and ashes: Job 30:19, 42:6. See also: Psalm 119:25, Lamentations 3:16 9 Romans 4:12,16, Galatians 3:7-9 10 Iyob quotes hwhy (Job 38:1-2) 11 Iyob quotes hwhy (Job 38:3, 40:6-7)
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to him: He had prepared his heart to see hwhy. But having seen and heard the Most High, the suffering prophet was then fully ready to repent. In doing so, Iyob identified with dust and ashes. So the words of Isaiah (now part of at least one fairly popular song of worship) are actually speaking of what occurs when one emerges from a time of fasting, prayer, and affliction: He gives me beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness
(These are the words to a song based on Isaiah 61:3)

As we emerge from the ashes of fasting, hwhy restores our souls physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And the above Scripture speaks of that great transformation. So what is the prophetic meaning of dust and ashes? When one fasts and prays, identifying with dust and ashes is of critical importance because the believer is identifying with the judgment of the first and second death:12 The first death will turn man back to dust,13 while the second death will be the wrath of hwhy 14 which turns man to ashes in the Lake of Fire. Apart from the blood of the Messiah, all persons would have been subjected to the Second Death. During times of fasting and prayer, true humility acknowledges that, apart from hwhy, we are nothing but dust. During times of fasting and prayer, our nephesh (soul) cleaves to the dust; and in doing this, we identify with our humble origin as well as our fate: My soul cleaves to the dust: Give me life, according to Your word. Psalm 119:25
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Shaul wrote: If we judge ourselves, then we are not judged. 1Corinthians 11:31-32 Declaring oneself to be worthy of the Second Deathapart from the atonement and salvation provided to us through the blood of the Messiahis a significant expression of humility which keeps us in the love of hwhy and separated from judgment. 13 Genesis 3:17-19, Psalm 104:29 14 Matthew 3:7-10, Luke 3:7-9, Hebrews 10:26-31, 12:28-29

In cleaving to the dust, the psalmist was expressing his humility towards hwhy. Part of that humility certainly involved the ongoing acknowledgement thatapart from the life and blessings that only hwhy giveswe would immediately begin our return to the dust.15 Apart from the breath/Spirit of hwhy, we are only dust:16 We would not have life, we cannot have life, and we will not ever have life apart from Him. This is what Daniel meant when he rebuked Belshazzar, the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, for conducting such a blatantly idolatrous feast: 22 And you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this; 23 but you lifted up yourself against the Sovereign of the Heavens; and they have brought the vessels of His House before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine in them; and you have praised the elahin 17 of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, or hear, nor know; but to the Elah of your life breathit is in His hand and all your ways are of Him 18you have not given honor. Daniel 5:22-23 While we should give thanks daily for our lives, it is during times of fasting that we especially pause to acknowledge our lifebreath is in His Hand and all are ways are of Him: To walk in uprightness, we are in constant need of His life-giving Spirit and of His leading. And there is at least one other way in which the one fasting may identify with ashes: During times of fasting, the afflicted soul19 may also identify with ashes through ingesting them: For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping. Psalm 102:9
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The writer has done this after making his own ashes from tree wood in a fire pit. And science tells us that ingesting activated charcoal is a healthy practice since it is an adsorbentpulling heavy metals from the bloodstream as it passes through the intestines. In summary, apart from hwhy, we cannot have physical life: We would soon be dust once more. Dust relates to the First Death, but what about the Second Death? Apart from hwhy, we will not, we cannot have age-abiding life in the Resurrection: We would soon be turned to ashes when the wrath of hwhy is made known on sinners.20 Those who fast and pray acknowledge they are only worthy of dust and ashes; and having judged themselves in advance, they will not be judged with the world:21 Like Abraham and Iyob/Job, they will escape the Second Deaththe wrath of hwhy that will turn the disobedient to ashes. Afflict / Afflicted / Affliction Another key word frequently used to describe what occurs during times of fasting is affliction. Yom Kippurmeaning the Day of Coveringis the day upon which all Yisrael was to fast and afflict their souls: 29 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourns among you: 30 For on that day shall be made an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before hwhy. 31 It shall be a Shabbat of rest unto you, and you shall afflict your souls by a statute for ever. Leviticus 16:29-31 Yet this is far from the only time that afflict or affliction refers to fasting and prayer. hwhy not only used these words in other places to describe the fasting-derived affliction associated with Yom Kippur,22 but the Redeemer of Yisrael also mentioned the
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Psalm 104:29, Daniel 5:23 Genesis 3:17-19 17 (i.e., false deities) 18 These are the things we especially acknowledge during times of fasting and prayer. 19 See the title of Psalm 102.

Psalm 21:8-9, Malachi 4:2-3, 2Peter 3:7 1Corinthians 11:31-32 22 Leviticus 23:27,32, Numbers 29:7

afflicted soul when inquiring of Yisrael regarding what they had imagined to be an authentic fast: 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 reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to hwhy? Isaiah 58:5 Some have wrongly supposed that, with these probing words, hwhy intended to do away with fasting. Nothing could be more erroneous: The context only shows us hwhy was rebuking Yisrael for fasting with wrong motives, for fasting without having the right mind-set. Of course, He would not accept their persons in such a pitiful state: Their fast meant nothing to hwhy because they had forsaken His ordinance23 and because they were fasting for strife and contention.24 In any case, fasting is the means by which a believer may afflict the soul before hwhy, and Elohim will always honor a person in such a state, if that ones heart is truly and sincerely seeking Him.25 Finally, the Hebrew word for afflict is also used by the Heavenly Messenger to describe what Daniel had done in seeking hwhy by fasting and prayer: Then he said to me, Fear not, Daniel; for from the first day that you did set your heart to understand, and to afflict yourself before your Elohim, your words were heard: and I am come for your words sake. Daniel 10:12 Like Daniel, those who seek hwhy with all their hearts26 will surely find Him: Through fasting-derived affliction, meekness, and humility, they will acquire new, transforming light in His Presence,27 they will gain a new perspective on life and trials, and they will be

blessed with a new and fuller understanding of His Word.28 A Broken and Contrite Heart The affliction and humility associated with fasting will very often lead to/result in brokenness. When hunger and thirst set in on the one who worships hwhy with fasting and prayer, the results will be that weakness, affliction, brokenness, and humility prepare the heart to hear the voice of the Spirit. And the Word of hwhy indicates He will save an afflicted people: For You will save an afflicted people, but haughty eyes You will bring down. Tehillim/Psalms 18:27 Through fasting-derived affliction, humility, and brokenness, we enter into a Sanctuary of His Presence which cannot be otherwise known. A broken and contrite heart hwhy will not despise: He is pleased to dwell with those who walk before Him in humility. When we read that hwhy chooses to make His dwelling with those who are of a contrite and humble spirit, it must be realized that the reference is to those who have humbled themselves before Him with fasting and prayer: For thus says the High and Lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose Name is set apart: I dwell in the high and separate place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite. Isaiah 57:15 And this is what the believer who fasts and prays will experience: hwhy will especially make His dwelling place with that person. During our times of fasting and affliction, not only will hwhy make His Presence and His love known to us more fully, but we will also experience His Personal revivingHis Personal touch that imparts such indescribable love and healing. Through Isaiah, hwhy would later speak, once again, of those who humble and afflict themselves before Him with fasting and prayer. And we see just how similar is
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Isaiah 58:1,13 Isaiah 58:1,13 25 Daniel 10:12, John 6:37 26 Joel 2:12-18 27 Psalm 36:9, 2Corithians 3:17-18

Daniel 9:3,23

this promise to that which was given in Isaiah chapter 57: For all these things has My hand made, and so all these things came to be, says hwhy: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and that trembles at My Word. Isaiah 66:2 We assert the fear and trembling spoken of here is the reverent trembling characterized by love, gratitude, and brokenness. This is the same reverence, love, gratitude, and brokenness which were seen in the woman who anointed eswhy,29 and this is the same fear, trembling, and brokenness seen in Shaul,30 who fasted often.31 Because Shaul maintained a broken and contrite heart, this explains why the emissary could say to the elders of Ephesus:32 Therefore you watch, remembering that by the space of three years I ceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears. Acts 20:31 When abiding under the contrition and humility brought on by fasting and prayer, it is impossible to read the Word, or to sing, or to pray without the heart melting into such tears of love, joy, gratitude, and brokenness. This is not something which one has to try to bring about: This is something which the Spirit of hwhy will most certainly do within us, once He has brought us to the point of humility and brokenness. This will be the experience of those who are blessed with His Presence and His love. On more than one occasion, King David wrote of those who had sought hwhy with fasting and prayer and who, as a result, were walking before Him with broken and contrite hearts:

hwhy is near to those that are of a broken heart, and saves such as are of a contrite spirit. Psalm 34:18
This is the contrition that comes during times of reverent fasting and prayer. Such humility and brokenness, we learn, is what hwhy regards to be the ultimate sacrifice in True Worship: 16 For You delight not in sacrifice, else I would give it: You have no pleasure in burnt-offering. 17 The sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, Elohim, You will not despise. Psalm 51:16-17 33 And on yet another occasion, David wrote of his heart being wounded within him as he sought hwhy with prayer and fasting: 22 For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me. 23 I am gone like the shadow when it declines: I am tossed up and down as the locust. 24 My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh fails of fatness. 25 I have also become a reproach unto them: When they see me, they shake their head. Tehillim/Psalms 119:22-25 Yet hwhy shall become the salvation of those who seek Him thusly: He will save them by His own Right Hand and by His outstretched arm; He will make His dwelling with them; He will show them His ways; He will make His Presence known through them; and He will save them. These are the believers spoken of by eswhy; these are those followers of the Messiah who are poor and needy before hwhy as they have continually humbled themselves before the Father through fasting and prayer; they remain broken before Him and ready to do His will. Of these poor and contrite ones those who have sought Him by fasting and prayer eswhy has promised:

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Luke 7:37-38,44 Acts 20:31, 1Corinthians 2:3, 2Corinthians 10:10 31 2Corinthians 6:5, 11:27 32 Acts 20:31

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That the context of this psalm is fasting-related may be readily seen by studying 2Samuel 12:1-17 and the title on Psalm 51.

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 5:3 According to this Great Promise, He is preparing for them a Kingdom, wherein He will dwell with them forever. Cleanse / Clean Does anyone contest the need for individual responsibility when it comes to bathing daily? It is not proper to do ones best to attend to personal, physical cleanliness? All our readers would agree that, with the rarest exception, matters of physical hygiene are clearly the individuals responsibility, at least when that person has attained to the age of being able to fully execute all relevant concerns surrounding being clean and presentable per common sense and reasonable societal standards. In the same way, the individual believer has a personal responsibility when it comes to the inner, physical and emotional cleansinga cleansing which one undergoes when fasting. And all readers should note (and we emphasize) what this individual responsibility does not do: This individual, spiritual responsibility for cleansing does not deny the cleansing blood of the Messiah any more than someone who regularly bathes or showers to wash away the physical dirt. Just as one undergoes physical cleansing to maintain ones health and well-being, and to prepare for the presence of others, even so, during fasting and meditation, the believer undergoes a cleansing of the heart and mind to prepare for the Presence of hwhy. And hwhy has spoken of this personal initiative for cleansing on far more than one occasion: 15 And when you spread forth your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. 16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes; cease to do evil; 17 learn to do good; seek justice, relieve

the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Isaiah 1:15-17 So the Word of hwhy indicates there was something which Yisrael had to do on their part before they could be acceptable to hwhy: They had to show hwhy there was an inner desire to live uprightly,34 and this required the initial cleansing of heart and mind which occurs through fasting and prayer! Their desire to live uprightly must also translate into deeds of justice: They would actively begin to do good, to seek justice, to relieve the widow, to stand up for the oppressed, and to relieve the fatherless. In short, this is called repentance, and true repentance is nearly always preceded by, accompanied by, and followed by fasting and prayer.35 Only when Yisrael had shown such intent would hwhy then be ready to provide the heaven-to-earth cleansing and atonement: Come now, and let us reason together, says hwhy: Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isaiah 1:18 Even then, however, hwhy still warned Yisrael not to turn again to folly.36 Since He only taught according to the Torah and the Prophets, the Messiah also taught about personal responsibility in regard to being inwardly, emotionally clean through fasting and prayer. This earth-to-heaven initiative for cleansing is something for which all men are to take personal responsibility. Just as hwhy had spoken through Isaiah, there is something we can do on our part towards having clean thoughts and upright intents. And this personal responsibility is what the Messiah taught: 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of

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2Timothy 3:12 Acts 9:3-11 36 Isaiah 1:19-20, Psalm 85:8

the cup and of the platter, but within they are full from extortion and excess. 26 You blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside thereof may become clean also! Matthew 23:25-26 With these words, the Messiah was telling these men that there was something they could dosomething they must doto initiate the cleansing process. When He spoke of cleansing the inside of the cup and of the platter, eSwhy was speaking of nothing less than fasting, prayer, and meditation on the Word. Like his Messiah, Shaul also taught there is an aspect of personal initiative which one must execute to be a cleansed vessel, fit for the Masters use; fasting and prayer is the main and central aspect of this personal meditation, cleansing, and introspection: If a man, therefore, will cleanse himself from these, he will be a vessel to honor, set apart and fit for the Masters use: prepared 37 for every good work. 2Timothy 2:21 When he spoke of a man cleansing himself, Shaul was teaching the very thing taught by our Mashiach: Having been cleansed and forgiven by the blood of the Messiah, those who believe now have the power to do something on their part 38 to be cleansed through fasting, prayer, and meditation on the Word. This text shows us that fasting and prayer are the beginning 39 of all aspects of authentic and lasting service to hwhy: Fasting and prayer prepare our hearts to do truly great things for His Kingdom. A number of other Scriptures mention cleansing in relation to fasting,40 and one
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account clearly shows us the principle of cleansing is at work, even in the physical realm, for those who fast. Recall that a person who touches a dead body is unclean for seven days: He that touches the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days. Numbers 19:11 Keeping this in mind, we now recall what occurred when certain men rescued the decapitated body of Shaul from the Philistines: And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Shaul and his three sons fallen in Mount Gilboa. 9 And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the tidings to the house of their idols, and to the people. 10 And they put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan. 11 And when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead heard concerning him, that which the Philistines had done to Shaul, 12 all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Shaul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan; and they came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. 13 And they took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisktree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days. 1Samuel 31:8-13 Having touched the dead bodies of Shaul and his sons, these men would be unclean for seven days, and so they wisely undertook fasting as part of the cleansing process. In closing, it must be said once more: Nothing we have written here denies the importance of the Messiahs Atoning Blood. Only the blood of the Lamb will cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the Living Elohim;41 only His offering can cleanse from all sin.42 However, the question in the spiritual realm always looms large upon us:
2Samuel 12:1-17 and the title on Psalm 51), James 4:810 41 Hebrews 9:14 42 1John 1:6-10

(i.e., preparation of heart) 2Peter 1:5-11 39 (so the reference to the fear of hwhy being the beginning of wisdom also refers to fasting and prayer, Proverbs 1:7) 40 Leviticus 16:29-30, Zechariah 12:12-13:2, Psalm 51:1-2 (as mentioned previously, that the context of this psalm is fasting-related may be readily seen by studying

How badly do you want to be clean? And have you done everything on your part 43 to show hwhy a repentant heart a heart which is ready to hear and obey Him? When fasting, the believer is taking an earthto-heaven initiative for cleansing: Apart from offering ourselves in service to hwhy as a living sacrifice,44 apart from the wholehearted, gratitude-driven love which fulfills the Shema during times of regular fasting and prayer ,45 our faith will have become useless words lacking the substance of authentic action.46 And the record shows that not even sacrifice will avail salvation for those who have shown themselves to be rebellious and obstinate by walking in opposition to the ways of El Shaddai.47 And this would especially include those who have spurned the Messiahs Sacrifice.48 Concerning those who have hardened themselves in pride against hwhy, no sacrifice can cleanse them: They will have to be cleansed by fire.49 Yet unlike those who have hardened themselves against hwhy and His Word, contrite believersthose who continually humble themselves before Him through fasting and prayerkeep the way open for Him to dwell with them more and more fully as they walk in the paths of increasing light.50 Fear / Fear and Trembling Nothing cultivates the fear/reverence of hwhy more than our times of fasting and prayer. Shelemo/Solomon wrote: The fear of hwhy prolongs days Proverbs 10:27

Abraham walked in the way of hwhy, and we have seen how his life was frequently given to times of fasting and prayer. And this faithful manalong with his sons who walked in his ways51lived to be considerably older than many men who were born after the Flood: Abraham lived to be 175, while Yitschak/Isaac lived to the age of 180, and Yaacob/Jacob lived to be 147. The reverence and humility associated with true fasting are the absolute antithesis of the arrogance which was seen in the Pharisee who cited his practice of fasting in a proud and self-exalting manner.52 The deep humility which the Torah associates with fasting accentuates the sad irony in the Pharisees arrogance. And for those whose hearts are sincere towards hwhy, nothing will do more to cultivate our fear/reverence and humility before Him than those special times of prayer and fasting. This reverence for hwhy is a love response filled with the deepest gratitude and awe before the Father in light of His great love for us, even though we are unworthy. The reverent humility characterized by fear and trembling were seen in Shaul, who wrote of fasting often:53 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 1Corinthians 2:3 Shaul exhibited these things because of his fasting, contrition, and brokenness as he sought to feed the sheep of the Messiah. Because fasting-derived humility made his physical presence seem weak, the Corinthians would later comment on that very thing: For his letters, they say, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. 2Corinthians 10:10 Because Shaul maintained a broken and contrite heart as he went in and out among the

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Isaiah 1:16, Matthew 23:26, 2Timothy 2:21 Romans 12:1-2 45 Deuteronomy 6:4-5 46 James 2:14-18 47 1Samuel 3:13-14, 15:22-23 48 Hebrews 10:26-31 49 Matthew 3:11-12 50 Proverbs 4:18

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Genesis 26:4-5 Luke 18:10-12 53 2Corinthians 11:27

believers, this explains why the emissary could say to the elders of Ephesus:54 Therefore you watch, remembering that by the space of three years I ceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears. Acts 20:31 And as we realize the many fasting-related terms seen in Scripture, it also becomes clear that Shaul wrote of the great part that fastingderived reverence and humility will have in the full salvation of the authentic believer: So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling Philippians 2:12 This Scripture, once more, shows the personal responsibility that we have already mentioned: If fasting-derived fear and trembling are not part of our lives, then we are also not working out our salvation as Shaul directed: We are, in fact, neglecting so great a salvation.55 As we ponder the many fasting-related terms seen throughout Scripture, it also becomes clear that Shaul wrote to the Philippians of the great part that fasting-derived reverence and humility will have in the full salvation of the authentic believer: hwhy will save the afflicted people,56 and His Spirit/Presence will abide the most fully with those who, through fastingderived affliction, maintain poor, broken, and contrite hearts. Heaviness During times of fasting and prayer, heaviness will come upon us. This heaviness may be a heaviness of the heart and mind as we become more keenly aware of a burden we are rolling onto hwhy. This heaviness will also be a physical heavinessa heaviness which sets in as we become physically weak through fasting. Further, there will be an even greater emotional and physical heaviness upon us
54 55

when our situation is so grave that we are inclined to become vigilant and to pray through the night.57 All of these things relate to the key word heaviness as it bears upon the things which are felt by one who is fasting. And this heaviness is certainly a key factor in contributing to the humility of heart which is cultivated in the believer during times of fasting and prayer. Below are a few examples of the heaviness and weakness which the Spirit of hwhy associates with those who are seeking Him by fasting and prayer. Daniel wrote of the heaviness which, after three weeks of fasting, was so strong that he could barely stand:58 2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three whole weeks. 3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine into my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled 8 So I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me; for my freshness was turned upon me into disfigurement, and I retained no strength. Daniel 10:2-3,8 We read in this account that Daniel was strengthened by the Messenger who spoke with him.59 Then we have the Isaiah texta Scripture which shows that hwhy will not only strengthen those who incur heaviness through their times of fasting-derived humility and meekness, but that He will also rain righteousness upon those who truly seek Him,60 establishing them to do His will: To appoint to them that mourn in Tziyon, to give to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called

57 58

Acts 20:17 Hebrews 2:2-3 56 Psalm 18:27, Zephaniah 3:12

Psalm 77:2-6, Daniel 6:13-18 Daniel 10:11 59 Daniel 10:16-19, Deuteronomy 32:36. See also: Matthew 4:11/Mark 1:13 and Acts 7:53, the latter of which shows Mosheh was strengthened by messengers when fasting and praying for 80 days on Mount Sinai. 60 Hosea 10:12

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trees of righteousness, the planting of hwhy, that He may be magnified. Isaiah 61:3 We will revisit this spirit of heaviness in more depth during our contemplations on the key word Vigilance. Humble / Humbled In addition to the humility that identifies with dust and ashes, there is an additional humility that comes with having an empty stomach. With physical weakness setting in, we not only realize our complete dependence upon hwhy for life and provisions, but in doing without food, there also develops within a deep gratitude for the simplest blessings in life. Dealing with people over the years, we learn that true humility is displayed with expressions of gratitude, while those who are proud seldom display much gratefulness of heart.61 Although this is an observation often seen within horizontal, human relationships, it is really no different vertically: Yisraels ingratitude towards hwhy for the abundance of all things62 led to increasing sin and, as He had already warned,63 to eventual destruction and captivity.64 Fullness not only leads to complacency65 and forgetting hwhy,66 it leads to moral corruption, along with abject failure in tending to the needs of true, societal justice. To prove this point, we hear the Word of hwhy over the fullness of bread in Sodom and the resulting stench of arrogance and injustice which had subsequently become so rampant just before the final judgment fell upon that city: Behold, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: Pride, fullness of bread, and careless ease were in her, and in her daughters; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. Ezekiel 16:49

Of course, that citys decline and fall is historic. Yet this discussion makes for an instructive introduction to what will be the opposite outcome when compared to that of Sodom and Gomorrah: While fullness all-toooften results in the pride which leads people to deny hwhy, emptiness will keep us mindful of our continual need for and dependence upon Him. Thus, the term fasting-derived humility is completely within the realm of Scripture truth. There is a humbling of the soul that is rightly associated with experiencing, firsthand, the hunger that comes during times of fasting and prayer. On the flip side, a fool is already quite the danger,67 but watch out, warns Solomon, when he gets a belly full of food.68 Without a moral compass, the sated soul becomes yet more lifted up, and that one will subsequently be the dispenser of still more pride, arrogance, and abject foolishness. Since fullness is so often associated with and/or accompanied by pride, there should, then, be no doubt as to why hwhy so often associates even equatesthe terms humble, humbled, and humility with what occurs in/through reverent times of fasting and prayer. We now ponder a few of those texts in which the Spirit has incorporated these key words in the context of fasting. In the first-cited instance, King Yoshiyahu (Josiah) responds with humility and sorrow upon learning how Yisrael had so greatly forsaken the ancient paths of the Torah: 11 And it came to pass, when the king 69 had heard the words of the book of the Torah, that he rent his clothes 2Kings 22:11 Through the prophetess, Hulda, hwhy then responded to those men whom the king had sent to inquire of Elohim about this serious matter:

61 62

Daniel 5:18-23 Deuteronomy 28:47-48 63 Deuteronomy 32:15-22 64 Jeremiah 17:19-27 65 Amos 6:1 66 Deuteronomy 32:15, Proverbs 30:9

67 68

Proverbs 17:12 Proverbs 30:21-23 69 (i.e., King Yoshiyahu/Josiah)

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18 But to the king of Yahudah,70 who sent you to inquire of hwhy, thus you shall say to him, Thus says hwhy, the Elohim of Yisrael: As concerning the words which you have heard: 19 Because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before hwhy, when you heard what I spoke against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and have rent your clothes, and wept before Me; I also have heard you, says hwhy. 2Kings 22:18-19 Because the heart of King Yoshiyahu (Josiah) was tender before hwhy and His Word, the king humbled himself with prayer and fasting and his voice71 was subsequently heard in heaven. Then we have the account of the return from exile: Ezra and his company of fellow Israelites returning from Babylon humbled themselves before hwhy; they fasted and prayed to find guidance and protection in the way. Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our Elohim, to seek of him a straight way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. Ezra 8:21 And in the Psalms, we read of those who humbled 72 the nepesh (soul) with fasting: But, as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth, I humbled my soul with fasting, but my prayer returned to my own bosom Tehillim/Psalms 35:13 eSwhy spoke of a life given to fasting and prayer, indicating that those who humbled themselves before hwhy would also be exalted in His service:

And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted. Matthew 23:12 Kepha (Peter) also spoke of fasting and prayer and humbling ourselves before hwhy, so that we might become completely effective and approved in His service: 5 Likewise, you younger, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you gird yourselves with humility to serve one another: for Elohim resists the proud, but gives favor to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of Elohim, that He may exalt you in due time; 7 casting all your cares upon Him, because He cares for you. 1Peter 5:5-7 And a Scripture that may be one of the all-time classics, in regard to fasting and prayer, is seen in the 2Chronicles 7:14 text; while this word is often quoted in our days, how many believers fully realize the reference here is to nothing less than an entire nation of people whose lives are given to fasting and prayer? if My people, upon whom My Name is called,73 will humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2Chronicles 7:14 In these days, as the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah increasingly overtake the land, now more than ever is the time to empty ourselves of fullness as we humble ourselves to seek the Face of hwhy. Hunger / Thirst The physical hunger and thirst which accompany fasting are intended to be outward, faith-expressions toward hwhy 74 of a deeper,
A reference to the Birkat Kohenim, or Priestly Blessing, Numbers 6:22-27. 74 And we emphasize toward hwhy, but not outwardly toward others. Matthew 6:16-18 Unfortunately, not knowing the Scriptures, many have erred by taking this to mean that corporate fasting among a body of
73

70 71

(i.e., King Yoshiyahu/Josiah) Isaiah 58:4, Daniel 10:2-3,12 72 The word humbled here may also be translated as afflicted.

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inner, spiritual hunger and thirst on the part of one who desires to know and live the will and ways of the Most High. The spiritual hunger and thirst which emanates from within the heart of one seeking hwhy is expressed through fasting and prayer. Faith without works is dead:75 A person can say76 he hungers and thirsts for hwhy, but fasting and prayer are the substance of such true faith. Fasting and prayer are the authentic expression of faith towards hwhy that our spiritual hunger and thirst are real and sincere. A spiritual hunger and thirst for hwhy was expressed as the psalmist endured physical hunger and thirst during his times of mourning, fasting, and prayer: As a deer longs for the water streams, so my being longs for You, O Elohim. 2 My being thirsts for Elohim, for the living El. When shall I enter in to appear before Elohim? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all day, Where is your Elohim? Psalm 42:1-3, ISRV David also thirsted after hwhy, and we should not suppose it was only because of a lack of physical water; the blessed psalmist of Yisrael hungered and thirsted for the Presence of the Most High: O Elohim, You are my El; I earnestly seek You; my being has thirsted for You; my flesh has longed for You in a dry and thirsty land without water. 2 Therefore, I have had a vision of You in the set-apart place, to see Your power and Your esteem. Psalm 63:1-2, ISRV Above all others,77 eswhy the Messiah, brought life and immortality to light through the Good News,78 and in doing so, He taught us a great deal surrounding fasting and prayer. And our Messiah, eswhy, was referring to
believers has somehow been forbidden by the Messiah. However, Acts 13:1-3 shows us otherwise. 75 James 2:17,20,26 76 James 2:18 77 Colossians 1:18 78 2Timothy 1:10, John 10:10

nothing less than fasting and prayerand to those who truly hunger and thirst for hwhy during times of fasting-derived affliction when speaking these words of promise to the multitudes: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6 hwhy delights to fill those who hunger and thirst, and He fills them with His Spirit79the gift of righteousness.80 Meek / Meekness It is through fasting and prayer that hwhy intends meekness to be sought and found. Mosheh was called by hwhy the most meek man in all the earth.81 And why was this so? Mosheh was the most meek man in all the earth because the prophet had sought and found that meekness while abiding in the Presence of hwhy during 80 days of fasting and prayer.82 So when hwhy spoke of seeking meekness and seeking righteousness, He was directing Yisrael to fast and pray: Seek hwhy, all you meek of the earth, that have kept His ordinances. Seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be you will be hidden in the day of the wrath of hwhy. Zephaniah 2:3 Yaacob/James spoke of the need to fast and pray so that there would be within the inner meekness needed to receive the implanted Word of hwhy, the Word which had already been implanted by the Seed of His Spirit: Therefore put away all filthiness and overflow of evil, and receive with meekness the implanted Word, which is able to save your lives. 22 And become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. James 1:21-22, ISRV

79 80

Isaiah 44:3 Romans 5:17, Isaiah 61:3 81 Numbers 12:3 82 Exodus 24:15-18, 34:1-2,28-29, Deuteronomy 9:8-18

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And this word from Yaacob was clearly an echo of what his Messiah had said years earlier in the Sermon on the Mount: As He brought life and immortality to light through the Good News, the Messiah gave a great promise to those who follow Him by seeking and finding83 meekness during their times of fasting and prayer in the sight of hwhy: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5 Such is the Great Promise for those who seek and find84 fasting-derived meekness and humility. Those whose lives are characterized by such seeking will also become doers of the Word;85 they will be keeping His ordinances86 because they will have been transformed87 by having sought and found the Father during times of reverent fasting and prayer. Merciful / Mercy to the Poor When we are afflicted in our times of fasting, hwhy intends that we also remember others who are in affliction.88 The Torah especially teaches us that mercy/chesed is something which hwhy intends to be shown to the poor:89 And you shall not glean your vineyard, neither shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am hwhy your Elohim. Leviticus 19:10
83 84

And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleaning of your harvest: you shall leave them for the poor, and for the sojourner: I am hwhy your Elohim. Leviticus 23:22 7 If there is with you a poor man, one of your brothers, within any of your gates, in your land which hwhy your Elohim gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother; 8 but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wants. 9 Beware that there is not a base thought in your heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and your eye is evil against your poor brother, and you give him nothing; and he cries to hwhy against you, and it is sin to you. 10 You shall surely give him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him; because that for this thing hwhy your Elohim will bless you in all your work, and in all that you put your hand unto. Deuteronomy 15:7-10 While times of fasting are not the only times to bestow such mercy on the poor, through Isaiah, hwhy directs us to show mercy on the physically poor as part of the proclamation of a true fast: 6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? 7 Is it not to deal your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor that are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you hide not yourself from your own flesh?90 10 and if you draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul: then shall your light rise in darkness Isaiah 58:6-7,10 We believe this is another time when faith without works is dead: How can someone say they are afflicted apart from remembering
90

Matthew 6:33, 7:7-8 Matthew 7:7-8 85 Matthew 7:24-25, Romans 2:13, James 1:21-22, 4:11 86 Zephaniah 2:3, Matthew 5:17-20, 7:12-14, Romans 2:13, 3:31 87 2Corinthians 3:17-18 is given in the context of fasting and prayer, since Mosheh had been in fasting and prayer when shining forth with the splendor of hwhy on Mount Sinai. And it is during such times that that Spirit can have a special way in revealing to us/in us/through us the splendor of hwhy. The Spirit also revealing it is during such times that He writes His Torah on the hearts and minds of the contrite and humble. Hebrews 8:8-12 88 Isaiah 58:6-11 89 See also Psalm 41:1, 109:16, 112:19, Proverbs 14:21,31, 17:5, 19:17, 21:13, 22:9, 28:8,27, 29:7,14, 31:8-9, Daniel 4:27

(as did the priest and the Levite: Luke 10:30-32)

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others who are daily afflicted due to poverty or some other deeply trying circumstances? By identifying with and reaching out to the poor, hungry, homeless, and naked, we find still more favor with hwhy in our fasting-derived afflictions. While all this is important, so far we have only discussed the physically poor: What about the spiritual poverty of those who do not know hwhy? And then there are those who make themselves rich (spiritually) yet have nothing.91 These people also need the prayers and mercy of those who draw near to hwhy and intercede on their behalf. And what about the poverty of those sincere believers who are endeavoring to be rich towards Elohim,92 yet still desire to make greater progress in the faith? We would be amiss should we fail to remember these sincere souls. When referring to fasting and prayer, eSwhy taught us the great importance of intercession; He requires that we express mercy towards others when drawing near to the Throne of hwhy in prayer.93 The Mashiach/Messiah was emphatic that His followers must be vessels of mercy: 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. 14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:12-15 Releasing the debt which others owe us is personally liberating. As we grow in this allimportant practicespending time in prayer forgiving those who have wronged usit truly becomes one of the greatest privileges and blessings in all of life. By extending compassion to others, we become vessels of His compassion94 and we receive increasing
91 92

power to walk above sin and the world.95 As He brought life and immortality to light though the Good News, eSwhy spoke this promise over those whose lives would be so characterized by fasting and prayer that they would be continually extending such chesed/kindness to both the physically and spiritually poor of this world. And they will be extending such kindness because they know their own poverty and affliction: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7 Mourned / Mourn / Mourning After Daniel had sought hwhy with fasting and prayer, he later recounted that extended period of time by saying this: 2 In those days, I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. 3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh, nor wine, into my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. Daniel 10:2-3 Scores of other Scripture texts also equate times of fasting with mourning.96 And this mourning may relate to one or more things: It may relate to our failure to uphold His ways;97 it may relate to the lives of others who have forsaken the paths of light;98 it may relate to death which has come upon a loved one;99 it may relate to hardship or sickness which has come upon ourselves or othersDavid even spoke of deep mourning (in fasting and prayer) when sickness had come upon one of his enemies: 11 False witnesses have risen; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. 12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of
95

Proverbs 13:7, Revelation 3:16-19 Luke 12:16-21 93 Mark 11:25 94 Romans 9:23

Proverbs 11:17, James 2:12-13, 4:11 (these texts show us it is only as we exhibit mercy that are we able to become doers of the Law) 96 2Samuel 3:31-35, Esther 4:3, Job 30:27-31, Psalm 30:11, 38:4-6, Isaiah 22:12-14, 61:2-3, Jeremiah 8:219:1, Joel 2:12-18, Zechariah 12:10-14 97 Daniel 9:3-19, Joel 2:12-18, Zechariah 12:10-13:2 98 Psalm 119:136, Jeremiah 8:21-9:1, 13:17, 14:17 99 Numbers 20:29, Deuteronomy 34:8

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my soul. 13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom. 14 I behaved myself as though it was my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourns a mother. Psalm 35:11-14 That David could have such compassion on his enemies shows us more of why he was a man whose heart was in accordance with the heart of hwhy:100 David exhibited the love and compassion of the Most High. The Messiah asserted that, once He had ascended into the heavens, His followers would most certainly fast and pray often. Again, we see the key word mourn connected to these times of regular fasting101 which eSwhy asserted would characterize the lives of His followers after His ascension: 14 Then came to Him the disciples of Yochanan, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples fast not?15 And eSwhy said to them, Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then they will fast. Matthew 9:14-15 We see our Mashiach/Messiah quite readily associated mourning with fasting because this is the same association seen throughout the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings. As He brought life and immortality to light though the Good News, eSwhy spoke this promise over those whose lives would be given to such times of fasting/mourning often: Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4 Believers who seek hwhy in this manner will know/experience, and be empowered to convey, the comfort that His Spirit and Presence will bring in and around the lives of those who seek Him.
100

Peace / Peacemaker Although it may not be immediately apparent as to why, those who authentically seek hwhy by fasting and prayer are also peacemakers. We have examples of men who sought hwhy by fasting and prayer, and we see these men were actively being peacemakers during their special times of fasting-driven intercession. Mosheh fasted and prayed for Yisrael that hwhy would not destroy them; through fasting and prayer, the prophet interceded for all Yisrael and made peace between Elohim and man: 18 And I fell down before hwhy, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which you sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of hwhy, to provoke Him to anger. 19 For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith hwhy was angry against you to destroy you. But hwhy hearkened to me at that time also. Deuteronomy 9:18-19 24 You have been rebellious against hwhy from the day that I knew you. 25 Thus, I fell down before hwhy forty days and forty nights,102 as I fell down at the first; because hwhy had said He would destroy you. 26 I prayed, therefore, to hwhy, and said, Sovereign hwhy, destroy not Your people and Your inheritance, which You have redeemed through Your greatness, which You have brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand.103 27 Remember Your servants, Abraham, Yitschak, and Yaacob. Look not to the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin: 28 lest the land whence You brought us out says, Because hwhy was not able to bring them into the land which He promised them, and because He hated them, He has brought them out to slay them in the wilderness. 29 Yet they are Your people and Your inheritance, which You

Acts 13:22 101 (i.e., fasting often)

This was Moshehs time of fasting and prayer mentioned in verse 18. 103 Compare Joel 2:17-18

102

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brought out by Your mighty power and by Your stretched out arm. Deuteronomy 9:24-29 That fasting, prayer, and humility were a vital part of Moshehs peace-making intercession is absolutely indisputable. Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) fasted and prayed over Yisrael for their disobedience, and he sought the favor of hwhy to prevent the carrying away into captivity: 1 Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! 2 Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men. Jeremiah 9:1-2 17 But if you will not hear it, my soul will weep in secret places for your pride; and my eye shall weep greatly, and run down with tears, because the flock of hwhy is carried away captive. Jeremiah 13:17 17 Therefore you shall say this word to them: Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease: for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow. 18 If I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the sword! And if I enter into the city, then behold those that are sick with famine! Yes, both the prophet and the priest go about into a land that they know not. 19 Have you utterly rejected Yahudah? Has Your soul loathed Tziyon? Why have You smitten us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, and there is no good; and for the time of healing, and behold, trouble! 20 We acknowledge, hwhy, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against You. 21 Do not abhor us, for Your Names sake, do not disgrace the throne of Your splendor: remember, break not Your covenant with us. 22 Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are You not He, hwhy,

our Elohim? Therefore, we will wait upon You: for You have made all these things. Jeremiah 14:17-22 But hwhy would not be persuaded as Yirmeyahu sought to make peace between Yisrael and the Most High; the nation had been obstinately rebellious and prayer for the people would not be accepted:104 Then hwhy said to me, Though Mosheh and Shemuel stood before Me, yet My mind would not be toward this people: cast them out of My sight, and let them go forth. Jeremiah 15:1 The captivity was a certainty because the sins of the people had reached their fullness. However, through his times of fasting, prayer, and mourning,105 Yirmeyahu was also comforted by hwhy,106 and Elohim exalted the prophet to speak of Yisraels return from Babylon. Not only so, Yirmeyahus ministry played a key role in guiding Daniels steps107 in regard to those things which would be necessary to bring about the return from exile. Hence, Yirmeyahus burden for Yisraelboth before and through the captivityplayed no small part in subsequently leading the nations return from Babel (Babylon). As a peacemaker, Daniel fasted and prayed for Yisrael, that hwhy would remember His promise to bring them forth from the captivity in Babel (Babylon): 1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans, 2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years whereof the word of hwhy came to Yirmeyahu, the prophet, for the accomplishing of the desolations of Yerushalayim, even seventy years. 3 And I set my face to hwhy the Elohim, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes. 4 And I prayed to hwhy my Elohim, and made
104 105

Jeremiah 7:16-20, 11:11-14, 14:10-12 Lamentations 3:1-20, 48-50 106 Matthew 5:4, Lamentations 3:21-31 107 Compare Daniel 9:2-3 and Jeremiah 29:4-14.

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confession, and said, Sovereign, the great and dreadful Elohim, who keeps covenant and lovingkindness with those that love Him and keep His commandments, 5 we have sinned, and have dealt perversely, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even turning aside from Your precepts and from Your ordinances; 6 neither have we hearkened to Your servants the prophets, that spoke in Your Name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. 7 Sovereign, righteousness belongs to You, but to us, confusion of face, as at this day; to the men of Yahudah, and to the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, and to all Yisrael, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries where You have driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against You. 8 Sovereign, to us belongs confusion of face: To our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against You. 9 To hwhy our Elohim belong mercies and forgiveness; for we have rebelled against Him; 10 neither have we obeyed the voice of hwhy our Elohim, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets. 11 Yes, all Yisrael has transgressed Your Torah, even turning aside, that they should not obey Your voice: therefore has the curse been poured out upon us, and the oath that is written in the Torah of Mosheh the servant of Elohim; for we have sinned against Him. 12 And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil; for under the whole heaven has not been done as has been done upon Yerushalayim. 13 As it is written in the Law of Mosheh, all this evil has come upon us: yet we have not entreated the favor of hwhy our Elohim, that we should turn from our iniquities, and have discernment in Your truth. 14 Therefore, has hwhy watched over the evil, and brought it upon us; for hwhy our Elohim is righteous in all His works which He does, and we have not obeyed His voice. 15 And now, hwhy our Elohim, that has brought Your people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have gotten You renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done

wickedly. 16 Sovereign, according to all Your righteousness, let Your anger and Your wrath, I beseech You, be turned away from Your city Yerushalayim, Your qadosh mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Yerushalayim and Your people have become a reproach to all that are round about us. 17 Now therefore, our Elohim, hearken to the prayer of Your servant, and to his supplications, and cause Your face to shine upon Your sanctuary that is desolate, for the sake of hwhy. 18 My Elohim, incline Your ear, and hear; open Your eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by Your Name: for we do not present our supplications before You for our righteousness, but for Your great mercies sake. 19 Sovereign, hear; Sovereign, forgive; Sovereign, hearken and do. Defer not, for Your own sake, my Elohim, because Your city and Your people are called by Your Name. Daniel 9:1-19 As a peacemaker between Elohim and man, Daniels efforts were historic. And it all occurred in the setting of fasting, prayer, affliction, and humility. Shaul was also a peacemaker: In his following the Example of the Messiah,108 the emissary fasted often109 and continually prayed for the early New Covenant believers; his ministry efforts were all to the end of building up those in the Faith and promoting peace between them and the Father of Lights: Having, therefore, been declared righteous by faith, let us have peace towards Elohim, through our Sovereign, eSwhy the Messiah. Romans 5:1 Now then, we are ambassadors for the Messiah, as though Elohim did beseech you by us: We beseech you in the Messiahs stead: Be reconciled to Elohim. 2Corinthians 5:20

1Corinthians 4:16, 11:1, 2Thessalonians 3:7, Hebrews 13:7 109 2Corinthians 6:5, 11:27

108

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Many, many texts may be found which show Shauls ultimate aim was that of seeking to work peace/shalom amongst the believers, horizontally,110 as well as working peace between the believers and their Elohim.111 All of this from a man who described his life with the phrase: in fastings often.112 We have seen how men of faith sought hwhy to the end of making peace between Yisrael and Elohim, between man and His Maker. And it should now be evident that, as He brought life and immortality to light though the Good News, eSwhy spoke this promise over those whose lives would be given to such times of frequent fasting and prayer in their seeking to make peacepeace between Elohim and man, and peace between man and man: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of Elohim. Matthew 5:9 Poor and Needy 113 The physically poor may be in need of food, or clothing, or shelter, and perhaps even all of these necessities. Such persons are keenly, even painfully aware of their constant need. The physically poor, not only have such great lack, but they also feel it deeply and continually: They abide under truly humbling circumstances. Part of showing true humility during times of fasting involves extending kindness to others who are in such povertyderived afflictions. But the physically poor are not the only ones in affliction: What about those who know their spiritual poverty? For these, too, are keenly aware of their constant need before hwhy; they are completely dependent upon the Spirit and favor of hwhy
1Corinthians 3:1-5,18-23, 2Corinthians 12:20, Galatians 5:20, Ephesians 4:31-32, Colossians 3:8. As peacemakers, Kepha/Peter, Yaacob/James, and Yochanan/John wrote in like manner: James 1:19, 3:1418, 4:1-12, 1Peter 2:1-2, John 2:9-11, 3:10-18, 4:7-11, 19-21, 5:1-2 111 Romans 5:1, 2Corinthians 5:20, 1John 1:1 - 2:3, plus many others. 112 2Corinthians 11:27 113 This is closely related to the section on A Broken and Contrite Heart.
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for obtaining help, strength, wisdom, blessings, and even life itself. And such help they are given! These believers have internalized the words of their Messiah: It is the Spirit that gives life: the flesh profits nothing. John 6:63 Being completely dependent upon hwhy, we know that, apart from His life-giving Spirit, apart from His love and Presence we would cease to exist. Those who seek hwhy by fasting and prayer will soon learn, acknowledge, and internalize that He is our only Source for everything: Apart from Him, we have nothing; apart from Him, we are nothing; and apart from Him, we can do nothing.114 When abiding in Him, those things which are impossible will then become possible.115 And it is looking to hwhy for everythingby looking to Him to become our All in all116 that truly makes Him our King and our Elohim.117 Fasting is one of the ultimate expressions of this love-and-faith sentiment. We do not fast and pray to exalt ourselves,118 we fast and pray to acknowledge how poor and needy we are before hwhy: 22 For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.119 23 I am gone like the shadow when it declines: I am tossed up and down as the locust. 24 My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh fails of fatness. 25 I have also become a reproach unto them: When they see me, they shake their head. Psalm 109:22-25 This Scripture shows us what it means to be poor and needy before hwhy, and because He has no regard for the proud,120 hwhy will only
John 15:4-5 Matthew 19:26, Mark 10:27, Luke 18:27 116 Exodus 20:2-3, Psalm 81:10 117 Contrast 1Samuel 8:4-7,19-20; 10:17-19. 118 Contrast Luke 18:10-14. 119 (a broken and contrite heart) 120 The reluctance of many believers to fast and pray prevents the Spirit from peeling away so many layers of
115 114

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look to and acknowledge those who are humble and contrite before Him: For all these things has My hand made, and so all these things came to be, says hwhy: but to this one will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and that trembles at My Word. Isaiah 66:2121 The Messiah spoke of those who, through fasting prayer, would convey/express their poverty and need before hwhy. As He taught us the importance of cultivating such spiritual povertyand the humility which is commensurate with being poor and needy the Messiah was teaching nothing less than a life given to fasting and prayer before the Throne of hwhy: Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 5:3 Apart from fasting-derived humility, man cannot know the level of poverty which we must feel, embrace, and practice to offer hearts to him filled with reverence and awe. It is through such fasting-derived humility that we offer lives of acceptable service to the Most High through eswhy His Son. Pour Out My Soul / Empty (Self) Perhaps it is self-evident, but one simply cannot pour something out of a vessel while also attempting to pour something in to that same vessel. Thus, we may only pour ourselves out before hwhy, as drink offerings, during times of fasting and prayer. In her bitterness of soul, Channah found herself unable to eat: She was deeply troubled and abiding under the burden of the deepest emotional pain. We can say that Channahs fastinglike that of Darius122was emotionally induced. And to what, or where,

did all of this affliction and humility lead? It led Channah to the Presence of hwhy:123 7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the House of hwhy, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. 8 And Elkanah her husband said to her, Channah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am not I better to you than ten sons? 9 So Channah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest was sitting upon his seat by the door-post of the Palace of hwhy. 10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to hwhy, and wept greatly. 11 And she vowed a vow, and said, hwhy of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your handmaid, and remember me, and not forget Your handmaid, but will give to Your handmaid a man-child, then I will give him to hwhy all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. 12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before hwhy, that Eli marked her mouth. 13 Now Channah, she spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she was drunk. 14 And Eli said to her, How long wilt you be drunken? Put away your wine from you. 15 And Channah answered and said, No, my sovereign, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before hwhy. 1Samuel 1:7-15 In her affliction, Channah sought the Face of hwhy. The psalmist also was abiding under the affliction of hunger and thirst when he wept and poured out his nepesh (soul) before hwhy: As the deer pants upon the water brooks, so pants my soul after You, Elohim. 2 My soul thirsts for Elohim, for the Living El: When shall I come and appear before Elohim? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, Where is your Elohim? 4 These things I remember,

pride and filth which have accumulated in their lives either before (Jeremiah 16:19) or after they came into the Faith. 121 Compare Proverbs 3:34. 122 Daniel 6:18

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Psalm 61:1-2

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and pour out my soul within me Tehillim/Psalm 42:1-4 With the writer thirsting after Elohim, the context here is obviously one of fasting and prayer. And Iyob/Job was also in the midst of fasting, prayer, and affliction when he spoke of his nepesh being poured out within him: And now my soul is poured out within me; days of affliction have taken hold upon me. Job 30:16 Thus, it is through times of fasting, weeping, and affliction that we may truly pour out our souls in prayer over the burdens of our hearts. Shaul continually fasted and prayed for the spiritual betterment of the New Covenant believers who he served for their edification in the Faith. And he could only write the following because of his times of fastingderived affliction as he poured out his soul124 before hwhy on their behalf: In fact, even if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the offering and service of your belief, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Philippians 2:17, ISRV Finally, we close by giving preeminence to our Messiah: It was prophesied in the psalms that His life would be poured out unto death: I have been poured out like water, and all My bones have been spread apart; My heart has become like wax; it has melted in the midst of My inward parts. Psalm 22:14 Isaiah also predicted the Messiah would pour out His soul unto death: Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He poured out His soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:13
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eswhy had fasted and prayed through the night of His betrayal: In the deepest of emotional tribulations, the Author of Life was made to face the inevitability of death; He was abandoned by His friends; although He without sin, the Messiah was made to face the company of false witnesses and mockers spurred onward by spiritual Israeli leaders who had long since been filled with murderous hatred against Him;125 He endured mocking and scourging at the hands of Gentiles who were rulers and soldiers of the then-ruling world power; and then He walked alone to the dust of death. As He suffered the beatings, the mocking, and the pain and affliction, He was eating no food. Fasting, prayer, affliction and humility are the spiritual weapons of those who are trusting in the salvation/deliverance of hwhy, and these things make us mighty before Elohim to the casting down of strongholds:126 Out of all these weaknesses, persecutions, and needy circumstances, the Messiah would soon be made strong beyond measure.127 Then, as He was nailed to the Tree, and as His life was poured out for all mankind, He was still fasting and praying. Through the Eternal Spirit, eswhy offered Himself without blemish to Elohim. And eswhy calls us to follow Him: Through fasting and prayer, we die to ourselves128 and pour out our lives in intercession for others; it is the road to the Tree which the Messiah walked, and He calls us all of His followers to daily bear that burden of love for fellow believers and for our fellow man.129 Pure / Purify We have already seen how fastingwhen joined with prayer and meditationis a key factor in cleansing the heart and mind: Seeking Him in this special way helps us to fully set our intent on hwhy.130 And spiritual
Matthew 12:9-14, Luke 6:7-11 2Corinthians 10:3-5 127 Hebrews 11:34, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Isaiah 53:12 > Revelation 5:12 128 1Corinthians 15:31, Luke 9:23, Mark 8:34, Matthew 10:38, 16:24 129 Matthew 5:38-48, Galatians 6:2,10 130 See the section, Cleanse / Clean.
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Galatians 4:19, Colossians 2:1-2

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history shows: it is those who have prepared and purified their hearts, during times of fasting and prayer, who have also seen Elohim. Because Abraham accounted himself to be nothing but dust and ashes,131 we know his life was one given to times of frequent fasting and prayer. Did Abraham see hwhy? He did. hwhy spoke to Abraham, first in a vision132 and then in a dream in a dream/vision;133 Abraham heard the voice of hwhy; and hwhy later appeared to the patriarch by the oaks of Mamre.134 Abraham saw hwhy. Mosheh was fasting and praying for forty days and forty nights; he ate no food and drank no water.135 During that first time period, Mosheh was given the Two Tables of the Covenant, the Ten Words. After breaking these, having already sought and found much favor with hwhy during his first time of fasting and prayer, Mosheh prayed to be shown the splendor of hwhy. As directed, he ascended once more, a saw hwhy, who revealed His Name to the prophet in a very special way. Subsequently, Mosheh ate no food and drank no water for another forty days and forty nights.136 During his efforts to seek hwhy and to purify his heart before the Most High, this prophet most certainly saw Elohim in some very special ways. Eliyahu fasted and prayed for forty days en route to Mount Horeb. And upon his arrival to the mountain, that prophet was subsequently given a vision of hwhy: Eliyahu saw Elohim in a mighty way.137 Daniel fasted and prayed for the restoration of all Yisrael.138 As a result, he saw visions of Elohim: The Messenger(s) revealed many things to Daniel including the coming of the

Messiah and the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom.139 Yochanan (John) the emissary fasted and prayed often after eswhy had ascended into the heavens.140 Of course, in his historic vision now known as The Revelation or The ApocalypseYochanan saw Elohim: He saw the victorious, resurrected Messiah in great power and splendor. And Yochanan saw visions of the End-Time wrath that will usher in the Kingdom of hwhy throughout all the earth. Times of fasting will purify the heart as we have devoted our time to have our minds set exclusively on hwhy. And because hwhy dwells with the humbled, clean, circumcised, purified, broken, and contrite heart, He will make Himself known to those who have so purified themselves in preparation for His Presence. And the experience of all of these men shows us that the Messiah was bringing fasting and prayer to light when He made the great promise: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see Elohim. Matthew 5:8 Rending the Heart We sometimes read of men who rent/tore their garments as they began to fast.141 This rending/tearing of the garment is revealed to be an outward symbol of what should occur in the heart of someone who seeks hwhy through a time of fasting and prayer: 12 Yet even now, says hwhy, turn to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto hwhy your Elohim; for He shows favor and compassion, is slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and He will relent of the evil. 14 Who knows whether He will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him,

131 132

Genesis 18:27 Genesis 15:1-11 133 Genesis 15:12-21 134 Genesis 18:1-5 135 Exodus 24:9-18, 25:1 - 31:18 136 Exodus 34:28-29 137 2Kings 19:8-18 138 Daniel 9:1-19

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Daniel 9:20-12:13 Matthew 9:14-15 141 Genesis 37:34, 2Samuel 13:31, Acts 14:11-18

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even a mealoffering and a drinkoffering to hwhy your Elohim? Joel 2:12-14 Of course, these things are all related to those who offer to hwhy the ultimate sacrifices of a broken and contrite heart; and this is the thing that the Father wants the most from each one of us: 15 Sovereign, You open my lips; and my mouth will show forth Your praise. 16 For You delight not in sacrifice; else I would give it: You have no pleasure in burntoffering. 17 The sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit: A broken and contrite heart, Elohim, You will not despise. Psalm 51:15-17 When abiding under the affliction of fastingderived meekness and humility, the heart does break before hwhy as we are overwhelmed by His immense love and unparalleled greatness in light of our own unworthiness: He is AllLoving, All-Powerful, and All-Eternal; we are transient dust and ashes. And it is this great love which blesses and melts our hearts as hwhy imparts His Presence within our beings; it is this great love which restores our souls and which gives us both the desire142 and the power to overcome all things. Repent/Turn/Return Days spent in fasting and prayer are times to repent and turn to hwhy with all our hearts; these are times of reflection as well as times of openness to whatever the Spirit might teach us needs changing or correcting: 12 Yet even now, says hwhy, turn143 to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto hwhy your Elohim Joel 2:12-13 hwhy looks for, and expects, a wholehearted turning towards Him. And He does not account the seeking to be wholehearted apart from fasting, prayer, and humility:
2Timothy 3:12 This is the Hebrew word turna word which is often translated as repent.
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if My people, upon whom My Name is called, will humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2Chronicles 7:14 This shows us that, to receive healing, we are required to turn to hwhy with the wholehearted sincerity that He associates with fasting and prayer: For this peoples heart has grown fat, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn back, and I might heal them. Matthew 13:15 As we draw near to hwhy during times of fasting and prayer, we especially grow in favor and knowledge:144 We begin to see with our eyes. We begin to hear with our ears. We begin to understand with our hearts. We increasingly learn how to turn back to hwhy, to truly repent. And hwhy begins to progressively heal us. Our Messiah also associates fasting with true repentance, even as we read in the words which eSwhy spoke concerning Tyre and Sidon: Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. Luke 10:13

2Peter 3:18. Through fasting and prayer, we grow in the amount of favor we may obtain before His Throne and we grow in the true knowledge of hwhy, the authentic Kingdom knowledge which foreshadows that time when the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the splendor of hwhy as the waters cover the seas. Numbers 14:21, Isaiah 11:9, Habakkuk 2:14

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Based on this text, as well as many other facts which surround the spiritual realities of fasting and prayer, we do not believe it is possible for a believer to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance145 apart from regular times of wholehearted fasting and prayer. Finally, long before the Babylonian captivity ever occurred, King Shelemo (Solomon) indirectly prophesied of captivity and also indicated what would be necessary before hwhy could bring Yisrael back to the Land of Promise: 36 If they sin against You (for there is no man that sins not), and You are angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive to a land far off or near; 37 yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land where they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication to You in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done perversely, and have dealt wickedly; 38 if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have carried them captive, and pray toward their land, which You gave to their fathers, and the city which You have chosen, and toward the House which I have built for Your Name: 39 then You hear from heaven, even from Your Dwelling Place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You. 2Chronicles 6:36-39 As we have already seen, this turning to hwhy with wholehearted sincerity, this true repentance, was understood by the prophet Daniel to include fasting and prayer.146 Through the warnings of Jonah, the wicked city of Nineveh147 understood this as well.148 Reproach Because all those who desire to live reverently in the Messiah eSwhy will suffer

persecution,149 reproach will inevitably fall upon those who are seeking hwhy by fasting and prayer. We see many examples of this in the lives of those who sought hwhy with fasting and prayer: During such times, they often became the objects of reproach which was heaped upon them by those who spoke abusively and with malice. King David wrote of the reproach that fell upon him when fasting (and he wrote of this reproach on more than one occasion): And I wept with fasting my soul, and it became a reproach unto me. 11 And I made sackcloth my garment: then I became a proverb to them. 12 They that sit in the gate talk against me, and I am the song of drunkards. Psalm 69:10-12 22 For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me. 23 I am gone like the shadow when it declines: I am tossed up and down as the locust. 24 My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh fails of fatness. 25 I have also become a reproach unto them: When they see me, they shake their head. Psalm 109:22-25 So we see reproach fell upon David when he was fasting. For many reasons, those who seek hwhy will become a reproach to those who do not understand what it means to seek the Most High. But this is where we begin to partake in the sufferings of the Messiah as we truly begin to overcome and to walk as He walked. The prophet Iyob/Job also endured considerable reproach during his times of fasting and affliction. In his humility and afflictions, the prophet had become a byword to those who witnessed his suffering. Like the Messiah, they mocked Iyob and spit in his face: 2 Surely there are mockers with me, and my eye dwells upon their provocation
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Luke 3:8 Daniel 9:2-3 147 Jonah 1:1-2 148 Jonah 3:4-10

2Timothy 3:12

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6 But He has made me a byword of the people; and they spit in my face.150 Iyob/Job 17:2,6 9 And now, I am their song, yes, I am their byword. 10 They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face. Iyob/Job 30:9-10 And while we seldom hear about Iyob being smitten on the cheeks (even as happened to the Messiah151), the prophet did indicate this occurred when writing of the reproach that fell upon him during his times of fasting. Like the Messiah, Iyob was smitten upon the cheek and abhorred by a lawless mob which had encompassed him to heap upon him reproach and abuse: 9 He has torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me; he has gnashed upon me with his teeth: my adversary sharpens his eyes upon me. 10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully: they gather themselves together against me. 11 El delivers me to the irreverent, and casts me into the hands of the wicked. Job 16:9-11 So the sufferings of the Messiah,152 which included reproach, fell upon Iyob when he was fasting. Such was the reproach and persecution which the prophet Iyob was made to endure on top of what he had already suffered through the loss of his family and his health. Like Iyob, those who seek hwhy with fasting, prayer, and affliction will also suffer the reproach of the Messiah. Shaul warned that all who fasted and prayed will suffer reproach and persecution. And they will suffer reproach and persecution because they are expressing before hwhy, in the

strongest possible way, their desire to live uprightly in the Messiah eSwhy: Yes, and all who are determined to live in a reverent manner in the Messiah eSwhy, will be persecuted. 2Timothy 3:12 And in the closing lines of the Beatitudes, eSwhy tells us the very same thing: Those who are given to fasting and prayerthe ultimate expressions of zeal and the desire to live uprightlywill suffer persecution: 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 11 Blessed are you when men reproach you and revile you and utter all manner of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:10-12 Rest / Quietly Hope / Wait For / Expect There is no rest like the rest we find in hwhy during times of fasting and prayer. This rest will be physical, emotional, and spiritual. Blessed are those who find continual rest in the Presence of hwhy during times of fasting, prayer, and worship. Isaiah wrote more than once of the offer which came from hwhy for His people to rest and to trust in Him: to whom He said, This is the rest, give rest to him that is weary; and this is the refreshing, yet they would not hear. Isaiah 28:12 For thus says the Sovereign hwhy, the Qadosh One of Yisrael, In returning and rest you will be saved; in quietness and in confidence will be your strength. And you would not: Isaiah 30:15 In the physical realm, there is nothing like the physical rest one feels when taking naps on the second and third afternoons of a three-day fast. One will lie down and awakenusually oneand-a-half or three hours laterfeeling as though he or she had slept through the night.

Matthew 26:67, 27:30, Mark 10:34, 14:65, 15:19 Matthew 26:67-68 152 Hebrews 11:24-26. Like Mosheh, Iyob entered into and endured the reproach of the Messiah. For more details on this, see the section which begins on page 88 of the study, Psalm 19 and the Prophet Iyob/Job.
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Fasting gives a significant and necessary rest to our heart and digestive organs, as well. In turn, the entire body receives a very deep and much needed rest. Emotionally, there is nothing like the peace of mind that comes from resting in the great sovereignty of hwhy during times of fasting and prayer. These are the times to rest in Him,153 to ask for the Ancient Paths,154 to be still and to know that He is Elohim: Be still, and know that I am Elohim: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Times of fasting and prayer are times to rest in the knowledge that, in/through every situation, hwhy will ultimately do those things which bring Him the greatest exaltation in all the earth. And even if we do not see this working in our lifetimes, or over a specific situation, faith assures us that His sovereign love is always at work: His Word and His promises will never fail. Great peace comes from rolling all of our burdens onto Him.155 Whether these are burdens over a personal situation, or burdens over the lives of others, hwhy intends that we never bear anything alone; He wishes to be the one who carries us through all the trials of life. And yet more emotional peace comes as we extend mercy to the poor, releasing the debts of those who have sinned against us. Loving our enemies, and extending that love during times of prayer, gives us one of the finest and most blessed opportunities to become like our Heavenly Father.156 Spiritually, our times of fasting and prayer will result in the greatest spiritual rest because the Presence of hwhy will come to dwell with us more fully.157 This leads to more of His Torah being written on our hearts,158 to a greater

anointing of His Spirit,159 to a fuller transformation into His image,160 and to our being able to obtain still more favor whenever we draw near to His Throne.161 We take these great blessings of increased favor with us as we emerge from our times of fasting. Seek / Seeking / Sought Seek is a major key word that relates to fasting and prayer. Daniels words show us the clear relationship between fasting and seeking hwhy: And I set my face unto hwhy the Elohim, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. Daniel 9:3 Daniel knew hwhy was not going to bring the captive nation back from Babel (Babylon) until they had sought Him with all their heart. For this is precisely what hwhy had spoken through Jeremiah, in a context relating directly to Yisraels return to the Land: 162 And you shall seek Me, and find Me, when you shall search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13163 Daniel studied these wordsgiven by hwhy through the prophet Jeremiah164and he rightly understood that this wholehearted seeking was simply not possible apart from fasting and prayer. Daniels words and actions show us that he knew this all-important fact: Apart from fasting and prayer, Daniel would not be seeking hwhy with the whole heart.

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Isaiah 28:12, 30:15 Jeremiah 6:16, Matthew 7:7-8 155 Philippians 4:6-7, 1Peter 5:6-7 156 Matthew 5:43-48 157 Isaiah 57:15 158 Hebrews 8:10, 10:15-16

When the Messiah emerged from the wilderness after His forty days of fasting and prayer, it is recorded that He came forth in the power of the Spirit. Luke 4:1-14 And James also spoke of that greater favor which hwhy gives to those who humble themselves before Him through fasting and prayer. See James 4:6-10 160 2Corinthians 3:17-18 161 James 4:6, 2Peter 3:18 162 See Jeremiah 29:10-14 and Daniel 9:2. 163 In a fasting-related context, our Messiah said nearly the same thing: Matthew 7:7-8. 164 Compare Jeremiah 29:10-14 and Daniel 9:2.

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For all subsequent generations, Daniels example stands as evidence of those things which make for wholeheartedly seeking hwhy. And when the captivitys return was taking place, through the leadership of Ezra, Yisrael still sought hwhy with fasting: 21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our Elohim,165 to seek of Him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. 22 For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken to the king, saying, The hand of our Elohim is upon all them for good that seek Him; but His power and His wrath are against all those that forsake Him. 23 So we fasted and sought our Elohim for this: and He was intreated of us. Ezra 8:21-23 The early kings of Yisrael also knew that truly seeking hwhy, involved fasting: And Yahoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek hwhy, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Yahudah. 2Chronicles 20:3 Having seen that the word seek describes the heart of those who pray for the will of hwhy during times of fasting, we may then realize the extremely popular textquoted today in so many circlesis another reference which shows us what hwhy requires if we wish to see Him heal the Land: if My people, upon whom My Name is called, will humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2Chronicles 7:14 Through the prophet Hosea, hwhy would later speak, once more, of preparing the heart to seek Him; however, this time, the wording is both different and instructive as He mentions breaking up the fallow ground:
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Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap according to kindness; break up your fallow ground: For it is time to seek hwhy, till He comes and rains righteousness upon you. Hosea 10:12 So fasting prepares the heart by breaking up the fallow groundthe hardheartedness which still lingers from the carnal man. In breaking up this fallow ground, we become ready to hear the Word and to receive it into our hearts, where it will grow and prosper. From the many Scriptures provided, it becomes evident that we are not truly/fully seeking hwhy, and we are not truly/fully seeking first His Kingdom and righteousness, unless we are seeking Him with fasting and prayer. Because earnest seeking involved fasting and prayer, we now see that eSwhy was speaking of nothing less than fasting and prayer when He taught the multitudes: But you, seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33 We are not truly seeking hwhy, and we are not seeking first His Kingdom and righteousness, unless we are doing so with fasting and prayer. Silent / Silence Fasting is a time for silence because fasting is a time for reflection. Unless we are praying before His Throne of favor, fasting is a time for silence, meditation, and introspection as we draw near to and abide in the Presence of hwhy. When fasting, we should continually present ourselves before hwhy in quiet submission: We are silent as we ready/prepare our hearts to hear and to obey His voice. We are well on the way to fulfilling the Shema166 in a most essential and allimportant manner. When fasting before hwhy, we are mindful of dwelling in the secret place of the Most High.167 This is that secret place to which both the psalmist as well as

An example of fasting in the sight of hwhy: Compare Matthew 6:16-18, James 4:10

166 167

Deuteronomy 6:4,5 Psalm 91:1

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eswhy the Messiah referred.168 During such times, we should wait before hwhy in silent submission to hear whatever His Spirit will speak.169 We should wait before hwhy in silent expectation for whatever He will do in response to our fasting and prayers. The Hebrew text of Psalm 62:1 reads: Only unto Elohim is my soul silent, from Him is my salvation. Psalm 62:1 Regrettably, this verse is often translated in a manner which is similar to the following: Truly my soul waits upon Elohim: from Him comes my salvation. The poor translation omits the truth of silently/quietly expecting the salvation of hwhy.170 Such translations conceal the deep reverence of silently, but expectantly waiting before the Most High during our times of fasting and prayer. It should be emphasized, we do not here speak of an idle silence, but rather, a reverent silencea silence which emanates from a heart which is returning to and resting in Elohim. This is the silence which emanates from a heart filled with quietness, confidence, submission, and awe before the sovereignty, power, and foreknowledge of hwhy: For thus says the Sovereign hwhy, the Qadosh One of Yisrael: In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength Isaiah 30:15 During a fast, silent times of complete trust and deference to the will of hwhy are truly some of the most powerful and faith-building seasons in the life of a believer. From this silence, should emanate the restful assurance which comes from the confidence in knowing hwhy will always and ultimately do those things which bring Him the greatest splendor and exaltation in all the earth. These times of fasting and prayer are times of rest and
168 169

refreshing, and these are the times when we especially fulfill the Scripture which says: Be still, and know that I am Elohim: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10 It was a life given to fasting and prayer which gave Mosheh the faith to speak these words before all Yisrael in a time of utmost danger: Fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of hwhy, which He will show to you to day: for the Egyptians whom you have seen to day, you shall see them again no more for ever. Exodus 14:13 Upon which, hwhy opened the Sea of Reeds and Yisrael passed through on dry ground. The faith which can be still and confident during times of fasting and prayer before hwhy is also the faith which can be still and confident in the face of great adversity. Times of fasting and prayer are special appointments for us to be still and to know that He is Elohim in many profound and powerful ways.171 Small When speaking of fasting and prayer, the psalmist wrote: I am small and despised: I have not forgotten Your precepts. Psalm 119:141 Yochanan (John) fasted often172 as he came in the Spirit and power of Eliyahu,173 and in the very same way, his words speak of the process of decreasing during our times of fasting and prayer: He must increase, and I must decrease. John 3:30
See these texts for more on the matter of fasting and silence: Psalm 62:1, Isaiah 30:15, 58:4,9,13, Jeremiah 8:14, 15:17, Lamentations 3:26-29, Job 42:1-6/Romans 3:19/Habukkuk 2:1,20, Zechariah 2:13/Zephaniah 2:13/Isaiah 26:20,21 172 Matthew 9:14, 11:18 173 1Kings 18:36-38, 19:8-10, Malachi 4:5,6, Luke 1:1517
171

Matthew 6:6,18 Habakkuk 2:1,20 170 Lamentations 3:26,28,29

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Those who are fasting decreaseboth physically and emotionallythereby allowing His Spirit and His Word to increase within them. Our carnal emotions and improper thoughts decrease, while those of eswhy increase: The implanted word grows within us,174 and hwhy is enabled to more fully reveal His Son in our lives.175 And the results will always be remarkable: At times, the effects will only be seen and known by the one fasting, while at other times, the effects will be seen and known by all.176 Sorrow / Reverent Sorrow In the context of reverent sorrow, the believers at Corinth had taken Shauls advice to fastto mourn concerning the issue of immorality over which he had given counsel in his first epistle.177 Thus, we read the emissary commending them for their reverent sorrow sorrow which came upon them through the act of fasting and sorrow which produced the burning zeal as well as the other things about which Shaul writes in his second letter to the Corinthians: For behold, this selfsame thing, that you were made sorry after a reverent sort, what earnest care it wrought in you: yes, what clearing of yourselves;178 yes, what indignation; yes, what fear; yes what longing; yes, what zeal; yes, what avenging! In everything you approved yourselves to be pure in the matter. 2Corinthians 7:11 The Messiah would later speak through Yochanan (John) to direct all those who had ears to hear, that they should burn with zeal and repent; again, the reference is to fasting, prayer, and repentance: As many as I love, I reprove and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Revelation 3:19
James 1:19-21, 1Corinthians 2:16, Philippians 2:5 Galatians 1:15,16, 2:20 176 1Timothy 4:15 177 1Corinthians 5:1-2 178 Compare 2Samuel 3:35-37 which shows how Davids fasting cleared him of any guilt and showed he had nothing to do with the slaying of Abner.
175 174

David also spoke of burning zeal in the context of fasting, prayer, and seeking hwhy: 7 Because for Your sake I have borne reproach; shame has covered my face. 8 I have become a stranger to my brothers, and an alien to my mothers children. 9 For the zeal of Your House has eaten me up; and the reproaches of those who reproached You are fallen upon me. 10 When I wept with fasting in my soul, that was to my reproach. 11 When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them. 12 They that sit in the gate talk of me; and I am the song of the drunkards. Psalm 69:7-12 Without question, it is fasting and prayer that are the catalysts by which the Spirit will ignite true zeal in the heart of a believer and it is only with such authentic zeal that we may serve hwhy acceptably with reverence and awe.179 Tears When one is under the affliction of fasting it is oftentimes impossible to read the Scriptures, or to sing, or to pray, or to serve hwhy without the heart melting into tears of joy, gratitude, contrition, and awe: The Spirit of the Most High has come to dwell with a special anointing.180 This is the reverent way in which the apostle Shaulwho fasted often181served hwhy with fear and rejoiced with trembling,182 and this is the way which anyone who walks the lowly road183 of affliction and humility will be so immensely blessed to serve their Creator. It was because of his continual humility before hwhy that Shaul could say to the elders of Ephesus:184

Hebrews 12:28-29. Having favor/grace, James writes, is directly related to whether or not we are humbling ourselves before hwhy with fasting and prayer. James 4:6-10 180 Isaiah 57:15, Luke 7:37-38 181 Matthew 9:14-15 >> 2Corinthians 6:5, 11:27 182 Psalm 2:11, Hosea 13:1, Acts 20:31, 1Corinthians 2:3, 2Corinthians 7:15, Philippians 2:12 183 Matthew 11:28-30, Philippians 2:1-8 184 Acts 20:31

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Therefore you watch, remembering that by the space of three years I ceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears. Acts 20:31 Vigilance At times, the heaviness associated with fasting will be related to vigilance: When one is vigilant in prayerpraying through the nighta heaviness comes upon the heart, the mind, and the body. This heavinessalong with the gloom that comes with itexplains what James meant when writing the following over the believers need to fast: Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. James 4:9 To better see how our laughter is turned to mourning and our joy to heaviness, we refer to the 126th Psalm: 1 When hwhy turned the captivity of Tziyon, we were like those that dream: 2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then they said among the nations, hwhy has done great things for them. 3 hwhy has done great things for us; we are joyful. Tehillim/Psalms 126:1-3 This text is speaking of the joy and singing which are naturally upon the tongues of those who get proper rest as they sleep through the night: we were like those who dream Those who dream will awaken with joy and singing. They have obtained REM sleep; having dreamed in the time of deepest sleep, they awaken rested and refreshed; they awaken with laughter and joy. However, those who are vigilant through the night will fail to obtain such rest, laughter, and joy. So when comparing Psalm 126 with James 4:9, these Scriptures, together, reveal how ones laughter is turned to mourning and how ones joy is turned to heaviness: Those who sleep through the night, and who obtain full rest, are blessed with the refreshment of what we, in modern

times, call REM sleepthe sleep which occurs when we are dreaming in the time of deepest sleep. Those who obtain proper rest185 typically awaken with laughter and singing; they are refreshed and ready to go! It is to this natural joy and refreshment that the 126th Psalm refers by the analogy, We were like those that dream. However, when one remains awake through the night this restful dreaming does not occur. Consequently, such vigilance will literally turn ones laughter to mourning and ones joy to heaviness.186 The result of such night-long vigilance is the deepest affliction and heaviness. While one will not remain vigilant throughout the night every time a fast is undertaken, watching in prayer is still another aspect of being a true shepherd,187 and it is another simple, but profound aspect of Spiritled humility and affliction. Shepherds must watch over their flocks by night to assist with delivery of young and to protect the sheep from nocturnal predators.188 eswhy was the Good Shepherd,189 and He watched over the flock by night.190 Further, the apostle Shaul also spoke of watching in prayer.191 Watching over the flock, with vigilant prayer through the night, was another aspect of his service to the early, New Covenant believers, and his having done so provides us further proof the emissary was a true shepherd. So it is with those who would shepherd the flock of hwhy: There will be times when we are called to night-long

Assuming they are grateful believers who, by and large, are in good health. 186 For heaviness see also: Psalm 119:28 and Isaiah 61:3. The latter text contrasts joy and praise with the mourning and heaviness associated with fasting. At the end of a fast, hwhy turns our mourning into dancing. Psalm 30:11-12 187 Further, the apostle Shaul also spoke of watching in prayer. 2Corinthians 6:5, 11:27 Watching over the flock, with vigilant prayer through the night, was another aspect of his service to the early, New Covenant believers, and provides us further proof the emissary was a true shepherd. 188 Genesis 31:38-40, Luke 2:8 189 John 10:11-15 190 Luke 6:12-19, Matthew 14:23-25, Mark 6:46-51 191 2Corinthians 6:5, 11:27

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vigilance in prayer as we watch over the flock with prayer and intercession. Vigilance may be an act of our will, or it may be emotionally induced by the trauma of extremely trying circumstances. We see times when the trial is of such magnitude that those involved simply cannot sleep: 2 In the day of my trouble, I sought hwhy: My hand was stretched out in the night, and it ceased not: My soul refused to be comforted. 3 I remember Elohim, and am disquieted: I meditate and spirit grows faint. Selah. 4 You hold my eyes watching: I am so troubled that I cannot speak. 5 I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. 6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with my own heart, and my spirit makes diligent search. Psalm 77:2-6 In like manner, Darius could not sleep when the life of Daniel came to be in such immense danger; the king remained vigilant and had no attraction to food: 14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to rescue him. 15 Then these men assembled together to the king, and said to the king, Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no decree nor statute which the king establishes may be changed. 16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. The king spoke and said to Daniel, Your Elohim whom you serve continually, He will deliver you. 17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting; neither were instruments of music brought before him: and his sleep fled from him. Daniel 6:13-18 King Darius remained awake through the night because he was so deeply troubled over the plight of Daniel. For other Scriptures which

speak of the vigilance that often accompanies fasting, see the footnote which closes this section.192 Weak Fasting leads to physical weakness, but as we decrease, the Spirit and presence of hwhy can increase. hwhy stated that He will help His people when He sees their strength is gone: For hwhy rightly rules His people and has compassion on His servants, when He sees that their power is gone, and there is no one remaining, shut up or at large. Deuteronomy 32:36, ISRV When we, through weakness, have ceased to trust in our own arm, the Right Hand of hwhy can intervene with His deliverance, His working, His salvation. We see this occurred with Daniel: 2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three whole weeks. 3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine into my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled 8 So I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me; for my freshness was turned upon me into disfigurement, and I retained no strength. Daniel 10:2-3,8 When Daniels strength was gone, hwhy intervened and His own arm brought salvation. Fasting is designed to humble our hearts so we will not lean on our own strength,193 or lean on our own understanding: We are driven to look to hwhy alone. Because the apostle Shaul always responded to lifes difficulties with fasting and prayer, he could say the following over all of his trials: For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2Corinthians 12:10194

Psalm 30:5-11, 119:28, Isaiah 61:3, 62:6,7 1Samuel RR:RR 194 For other texts on weakness and fasting, see the following: 2Samuel 3:31,35,39, Psalm 109:24, 1Corinthians 2:3, 9:22, 2Corinthians 11:28-29, 12:9-10.
193

192

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Weep / Wept / Weeping We have already seen many other fastingrelated terms which relate to this section, and we have seen the various reasons that the believer who fasts might approach the Throne of hwhy with tears of compassion for others, or with tears of personal and/or corporate repentance.195 Hence, only one text is provided, followed by some additional crossreferences in the attached footnote. And the text shown below shows us there cannot be True Revival apart from authentic fasting and prayer in the Name of hwhy: 12 Yet even now, says hwhy, turn to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto hwhy your Elohim; for He shows favor and compassion, is slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and He will relent of the evil. 14 Who knows whether He will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him, even a mealoffering and a drinkoffering to hwhy your Elohim? 15 Blow the trumpet in Tziyon, set apart a fast, call a solemn assembly: 16 Gather the people, set apart the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth from his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.196 17 Let the priests, the ministers of hwhy, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare Your people, hwhy, and give not Your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them: Why should they say among the people, Where is their Elohim? 18 Then hwhy will be jealous for His Land, and pity His people. Joel 2:12-18197

Whole Heart, Wholehearted, All Your Heart(s)198 As we begin to close our thoughts on the key words which surrounding the practice of authentic fasting, it is fitting for us consider being wholehearted towards hwhy. Fasting empowers the worshipper to be wholehearted in his or her devotion to hwhy. We have already largely covered many of the texts in this closing section, and we have also discussed the relationship between fasting, humility, and seeking hwhy with the whole heart. Yet consider once more the relationship between seeking our Creator and being wholehearted towards Him:

hwhy does not want us to draw

near to Him with our lips while our hearts are far from Him.199 Failure to love hwhy wholeheartedly can only be the result of setting up idols in the heart.200 Hence, we must be on guard against such idolatry at all times, and we must not allow anything to usurp the rightful place of our Creator and Redeemer.201 The Word of hwhy shows us that it is through fasting and prayer that we become wholehearted towards Elohim: Yet even now, says hwhy, turn to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto hwhy your Elohim; for He shows favor and compassion, is slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and He will relent of the evil. Joel 2:12-13 And this is confirmed by another Scripture we have seen so often during our study: Yisrael would not be released from captivity until they had sought hwhy with the whole heart.202

Psalm 119:136, Ezekiel 9:1-11 1Corinthians 7:5, Zechariah 12:10-14 197 For other texts on weeping and fating see the following: Numbers 25:6, 2Samuel 12:21, Nehemiah 1:4, Esther 4:3, Job 2:11-12, Psalm 30:5,11, James 4:9
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Deuteronomy 4:29, 6:4,5, 10:12, 11:13, 30:6, 2Kings 23:25, 2Chronicles 15:12,15, 16:9, 31:21, Psalm 9:1, 86:12, 111:1, 119:2,10,34,58,69,145, 138:1, Jeremiah 29:13, Matthew 6:24, Mark 12:29,30 199 Isaiah 29:13, Matthew 15:8, Mark 7:6 200 Ezekiel 14:1-8, 33:31, Colossians 3:5 201 Proverbs 4:23, 1John 5:21, Revelation 9:20 202 Jeremiah 29:10-14

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Daniel knew this, and so he set his face to seek hwhy: 1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans, 2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years whereof the word of hwhy came to Yirmeyahu, the prophet, for the accomplishing of the desolations of Yerushalayim, even seventy years. 3 And I set my face to hwhy, the Elohim, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes. Daniel 9:1-3 And it was in the context of fasting and prayer that eswhy spoke of being wholehearted towards hwhy. 19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust corrupt, and where thieves dig through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust corrupt, and where thieves do not dig through or steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore your eye is single, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve Elohim and mammon. Matthew 6:19-24 It is through fasting and prayer that we are enabled to offer our hearts to hwhy as a whole, burnt offering. We are commanded to set apart hwhy as the Sovereign in our hearts another instance requiring initiative on our part and another command which can only be fulfilled in a life given to fasting and prayer.203 For it is only when we have prepared our hearts to hear His voice and to obey His Law out of love204 that the fire of His Spirit can then fall from heaven to consume the sacrifice
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of our lives and service. This is the thing which hwhy desires the most from each one of us: Giving Him our wholehearted love and devotion is truly the greatest sacrifice which can be given to hwhy; it is the ultimate act of True Worship: For there is one Elohim; and there is no other besides Him. And to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the being, and with all the strength, and to love ones neighbor as oneself, is more than all the burnt offerings and offerings. Mark 12:32-33, ISRV Zeal / Zealous / Burn With Zeal In the prophet Joel, fasting is seen to stir the jealously/zeal of hwhy in favor of His land, His people, and His inheritance.205 If fasting stirs such zeal in the Fathers heart, should we be surprised a similar zeal is stirred up and begins burning in the heart of the one who is fasting?206 For obtaining the fullness of the indwelling Presence, the Word of hwhy through Isaiah shows us He requires a contrite and humble spiritthe very things which a true fast ignites in the deepest regions of the soul as His Spirit burns with blazing zeal, making our hearts His altar and transforming our lives into offerings made by fire.207 We also note the contrast between the repentance and zeal stirred by the fasting of Daniel and the lack of fasting, zeal, and repentance among the lukewarm, complacent believers of Laodicea.208 A Few Thoughts on 2Corinthians 7:7-11 Let us understand the context: The believers at Corinth had taken Shauls advice in his previous letter to fastto mourn concerning the issue of immorality in their
Joel 2:15-18 Matthew 6:10 207 Leviticus 23:15-18, Deuteronomy 18:1, 1Samuel 2:28, Acts 2:1-4. We assert the disciples were in fasting and prayer during the days which led up to Shavuot (Pentecost), before the Spirit was poured out upon them. Matthew 9:14-15, Acts 1:4,9,14, Isaiah 44:3 Of course, they continued to do so, even after that time. 208 Contrast Daniel 9:1-23 with Revelation 3:16,17,19 and Amos 6:1.
206 205

1Peter 3:15, Isaiah 8:13 Deuteronomy 6:4,5

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midst.209 From what we read in this Scripture,210 they obviously heeded his counsel. Also, compare 2Corinthians 7:11 and their being cleared with a similar concept seen when David was fasting: The kings fasting showed his innocence and separation from any wrongdoing.211 A Few Thoughts on 2Corinthians 11:28,29 From all evidence, this Scripture shows us if anyone was made to stumble, Shaul burned with zeal through fasting and prayer. This was part of his response to such trials. Fasting is the means by which the weapons of our spiritual warfare become mighty before Elohim to the tearing down of strongholds.212 Before Elohim means, in prayer. Many men of faith have become mighty before Elohim through fasting and prayer, but Our Primary Example in this was eswhy the Messiah.213 Fasting in the Name of hwhy will give us the spiritual might to bind the strong man.214 Fasting-derived ardor was also seen in the One who epitomized zeal: eswhy the Messiah.215 The fact is: authentic fasting, true zeal,216 and the true power of the Spirit217 are all commensurate. Fasting and prayer will set the heart ablaze with the Spirit of love and with ardent zeal for hwhy and His Kingdom. For more texts on the zeal of the Spirit, the zeal which burns on the altar of the heart of one given to fasting and prayer, see the footnote on this sentence.218
t s r q u p e o n m l k y j x z w h d g b a

This ends our discussion surrounding the key words which the Spirit of hwhy associates with fasting throughout the Torah, the Prophets, and the Messianic writings.
t s r q u p e o n m l k y j x z w h d g b a

=============================== PART TWO: The Yoke Fasting-Derived Meekness and HumilitySpoken of by Jeremiahis Revealed to Be the Yoke of the Messiah and the Yoke of the Kingdom =============================== Yaacob/James Writes to the Twelve Tribes When Yaacob (James) wrote to the twelve tribes scattered abroad,219 he saw that it was quite necessary to give those believers a very serious call to repentance. He accounted them to be in a very desperate spiritual situation. We know the context of Yaacobs words220 is one that was clearly fasting-related because, to emphasize their great need for turning to hwhy, the early leader of the assembly used so many fasting-related words to convey the message. The selection of so many words was to emphasize the seriousness of the current spiritual condition among those believers. The tribes were being corrected for their friendship with the worldfriendships that had led to anger, jealousy, and strife among them.221 And Yaacob warned them that while their allegiances amounted to spiritual adultery, their actions were tantamount to murder.222 So the twelve tribes had a great need to humble themselves before hwhy: their great need was to fast, pray, repent, and seek for His cleansing; and this precisely is what Yaacob told them. Now that we have reviewed nearly every fasting-related term used throughout the Scriptures, we see that Yaacob/James used
219 220

1Corinthians 5:1-2 (i.e., 2Corinthians 7:7-11) 211 2Samuel 3:35,37 212 2Corinthians 10:4,5, Jeremiah 1:10 213 Luke 4:1-14, 24:19 214 Mark 3:27, 9:29, Matthew 17:21, Daniel 10:2,3,13 215 Psalm 69:9, John 2:13-17 216 1Kings 19:7-14. When we read Eliyahu/Elijah was very jealous for hwhy of hosts, we must realize the word jealous, in Hebrew also connotes being zealous. See Numbers 25:11,13 Burning with zeal and jealousy for hwhy are synonymous. 217 Revelation 11:3,6 218 Numbers 25:6-13, 1Kings 19:8-10, Psalm 69:9,10, 2Corinthians 7:7-11, 11:28,29, Revelation 3:19
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209

James 1:1 (seen in what we now refer to as the 4th chapter of his letter) 221 James 1:19-21, 3:14-18, 4:1-4,11 222 James 4:1-4

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very many of these terms as he directed the twelve tribes to seek hwhy by fasting and prayer: 6 But He gives more favor. Therefore, the Scripture says, hwhy resists the proud, but gives favor to the humble. 7 Be subject, therefore, unto Elohim; resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to Elohim, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you doubleminded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning,223 and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of hwhy, and He will exalt you. James 4:6-10 For those who have closely studied Part One of this article, there will be no doubt that Yaacob was conveying to these believers their dire need to seek hwhy with fasting and prayer. Jeremiah Reveals the Yoke of Fasting-Derived Meekness and Humility When Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) spoke of a man bearing the yoke in his youth, we know the prophet was speaking of the yoke of fasting-derived meekness and humility. We can say this because the context of his words is clearly fasting-related. Yirmeyahu used many terms that relate to what one does, or what one experiences, during times of fasting, prayer, and humility before hwhy: 24 hwhy is my portion, says my soul; therefore, I will hope in Him. 25 hwhy is good to those that wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him. 26 It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of hwhy. 27 It is good for a man that he bears the yoke in his youth. 28 Let him sit alone and keep silence, because He has laid it upon him. 29 Let him put his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope. 30 Let him give his cheek to him that smites him;224 let him be filled full with reproach. Lamentations 3:24-30
The opposite is seen in Psalm 30:11-12 which speaks of the fast ending: Sackcloth is taken off, and one is girded with joy. 224 Like Job during his times of fasting (Job 16:9-11), Isaiah during his times of fasting (Isaiah 50:5-7),
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From the first portion of this study, we may now more fully realize how numerous words and concepts used by Jeremiah are the same words and concepts used by hwhy to elsewhere refer to fasting and prayer. So what is the yoke that is good for a man to bear in his youth? Of what yoke is Jeremiah speaking? The yoke that is good for a man to bear in his youth is the yoke of fasting-derived meekness and humility. And why is it good for a man to bear this yoke in his youth? Because this is the only yoke if borne with the Messiahby which a young man may cleanse his way225 and walk in power above the lusts of the flesh.226 The Messiah Reveals the Yoke of the Kingdom is the Yoke of FastingDerived Meekness and Humility We have seen how the Beatitudes, as they are commonly called, are all actually fasting-related. Each of these promises contains some word, or phrase, that relates to the effects and/or results of fasting and prayer. With these Great Teachings, eSwhy was emphasizing to His followers the importance of continual fasting and humility before hwhy. And throughout His discourse on the mountain,227 eSwhy also showed how love for hwhy would result in love for our fellow man: 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Jeremiah during his times of fasting (Lamentations 3:30), the Messiah during His time(s) of fasting (Matthew 26:67-68), the Savior calls us to having our cheeks smitten during our times of fasting and prayer. Matthew 5:39 225 Psalm 119:9 226 2Timothy 2:22 227 (i.e., Matthew 5-7)

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6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see Elohim. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of Elohim. 10 Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in Heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you. Matthew 5:3-13 Seeing that each of these Beatitudes is, in some way, related to the results and promises which surround fasting and prayer, we then realize the entire context of The Sermon on the Mount is fasting-related. And realizing the word seek is so clearly fasting-related, we may now fully realize that when eSwhy spoke of seeking first the Kingdom of hwhy and His righteousness, He was speaking of nothing less than a life given to fasting and prayer: But seek first the Kingdom of Elohim, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. Matthew 6:33 When Jeremiah spoke of bearing the yoke of fasting-derived meekness and humility, recall what he said about being smitten on the cheek: 29 Let him put his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope. 30 Let him give his cheek to him that smites him: let him be filled full with reproach. Lamentations 3:29-30 Yet the entire Sermon on the Mount is fastingrelated; and did not eSwhy the Messiah there

teach the very same thing? Compare the words of meekness, spoken by eSwhy, with the words uttered by Jeremiah: but I say to you, do not resist the evil. But whoever smites you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. Matthew 5:39, ISRV Both prophets spoke of the very same thing; both prophets spoke of the reproach that would fall upon those given to fasting and prayer; both prophets spoke of having our cheeks smitten and the persecution which would fall upon those who would bear this yoke of fasting-derived meekness and humility. Since eSwhy came forth preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, His Teachings were designed to bring forth that Kingdom into the lives of His people. In a fastingrelated context, He also taught us to pray: Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, in heaven and upon the earth. Matthew 6:9 So we must see and understand that the yoke which Jeremiah mentioned was later mentioned by our Messiah. When speaking of that very same yokethe yoke of fastingderived meekness and humilitywe not only see the Messiah used fasting-related terms, we see Him claiming this yoke as His very own: 28 Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30 As we study this text, we see the Messiah used fasting-related terms to describe His Yoke: Meek, lowly, and rest. This shows us that, to walk as He walked, we must walk the sojourn toward His Kingdom with times of continual228 fasting and prayer. We are called to bear the burdens of others through times of

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(i.e., regular)

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fasting, prayer, and intercession.229 And it is only as we minister before hwhy through such seeking that we may more fully partake with the Messiah in the Melchi-tzedek Priesthood. This becomes yet clearer as we study the Hebrew words for yoke and My yoke. The Hebrew word for yoke is le (ohl), while the Hebrew word for My yoke contains the yod suffix showing possession: yle (oo-lee). This is of such great significance because Tehillim/Psalms 110 pertains to the Messiah and to His Preeminence in the Melchi-tzedek Priesthood.230 Yet, to our amazement, the misparim for yle (oo-lee) is 110:
110 = (10) y + (30) l + (70) e = yle = My Yoke

layers of pride and filth which have accumulated in their lives either before233 or after they came into the Faith. But having presented such clear evidence as to the degree of importance with which fasting has been held forth by all men of True Faith, we rejoice that many sincere believerswho have been either misled or misdirected by the teachings of manwill now find great rest in the Presence of hwhy as they earnestly seek Him by prayer and fasting and prayer. The words of the Messiah were, and are still, full of favor and truth: He has brought life and immortality to light through the Good News. In doing this, eSwhy of Nazareth taught us a great deal surrounding a life of fasting, prayer, and alms. Each of the Beatitudes relates an exceedingly great and precious promise234 to those who seek hwhy by frequent times of fasting, prayer, contrition, and humility. To be sure, when drawing near to hwhy through the Offering of eSwhy, the Father will hear our prayers, regardless of whether or not we are fasting. But we must emphasize what so few believers seem to either know or to realize: Fasting-derived humility is the means by which we grow in the amount of favor we may obtain before His Throne,235 even during those times when we are not fasting. Nothing propels us forward with more growth in favor and knowledge236 than the zeal, the love, and the purity of heart which are fueled during our times of fasting and prayer in the Presence of hwhy; for it is only in His light that we see light.237 And who would so mistakenly teach, or imagine, that there is no more need for growth?238 We pray sincere believers
Jeremiah 16:19 2Peter 1:2-4. We believe verse 4 to be a direct reference by Kepha (Peter) to the Beatitudes. 235 2Peter 3:18. And nothing helps us to grow in knowledge more than times of fasting and prayer. 236 2Peter 3:18 237 Psalm 36:9 238 Revelation 3:16-17, 1Peter 2:1-3
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The Ruach haQodesh231 signifying that we may only qualify to partake in the Melchitzedek Priesthood if we bear the Yoke of the Messiah in this present life. The true follower of eSwhy will obtain lowliness of mind, in the Spirit, only through a life which is given to fasting-derived meekness and humility. For it is in bearing this Yoke with the Messiah that we truly become like eSwhy: Our lives are given to fasting, prayer, and lowliness of mind, and we continually make intercession for the transgressors before hwhy;232 we become peacemakers between Elohim and man, and we truly fulfill the ministry of reconciliation. The Words of the Messiah: Full of Favor and Truth! In proclaiming a true fast through Isaiah, hwhy spoke of fasting, prayer, and alms. In the Sermon on the Mount, the One who came forth from hwhy, showed Himself to be the fulfillmentthe Greatest Exampleof the fast that hwhy proclaims to all of His people. The reluctance of believers to fast and pray prevents the Spirit from peeling away so many
Romans 15:1-3, Galatians 6:2-3 See Tehillim 110:1-7. 231 (i.e., the Spirit of hwhy) 232 Isaiah 53:12, Matthew 5:38-48, Acts 7:54-60, 1Timothy 2:1-6
230 229

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everywhere will heed the voice of His Spirit and the call to greater humility, to greater love, to greater unity, and to greater zeal in service. May all those who love hwhy, and who love His Mashiach,239 take His yoke upon themselves and learn of Him. C.P. 4/2010 2/2011
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by Craig Peters
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We believe most copyrights have been abused worldwide in religious circles as false shepherds and other merchants feed on the sin of the people. These many abuses have filled the worship house of hwhy with money changers who hinder True Worship by robbing and oppressing the poor. Zechariah 7:10 Many have turned reverence and the worship of hwhy into a means of great, personal gain. Micah 3:11, 1Timothy 6:5-10, 1Peter 5:2 We assert such things were never meant to be, Isaiah 55:1,2, Mark 11:15-17. Hence, our copyright is intended to allow for free distribution of the Word of hwhy with the following, minimal limitations: This document may be copied and distributed (or freely printed in its pdf format after being downloaded from the Internet): If it is left unaltered. If it is left in its entirety. And if it is given away at absolutely no cost. Matthew 11:5, Luke 4:19, Galatians 2:10

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(The Messiah eSwhy)

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