Ep. 171. Isaiah 58-59 | Is This Not The Fast

EPISODE 171

IS THIS NOT THE FAST: ISAIAH 58-59

If you grew up around church like I did, you were probably taught that, at least to some degree, every text was written to us. I can't tell you how many times I heard a preacher say, and probably said myself, "Let's see what Isaiah is saying to us." That is such a careless approach. The key to a correct application always flows from understanding the correct context. If we are misunderstanding context, there's a very high chance we are missing a correct application as well. These two chapters, Isaiah 58-59, serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of context in our biblical interpretation, enlightening us and empowering us in our understanding.

Consider Isaiah's discourse on fasting and observing the Sabbath. As we have already seen in Isaiah chapter one, the Hebrews were observing all the traditions and customs by rote, but those observations did not please or glorify God. Their hearts were disconnected from their actions. As Isaiah said in another place, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." Amos has a similar rebuke for the people. The Jews are fasting and observing the Sabbath, but not according to the heart of God for them. We have to be careful not to take this chapter as Isaiah's words to us. He was a prophet to Israel. He was rebuking an idolatrous people.

Perhaps it is even more important to make sure we get the context of Isaiah 59 correct. In verse two we read, "Your sins have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear." This is a perfectly fine thing to say to someone who has not come to faith in Jesus. It's absolutely true in that context. It is the absolutely right thing to say to people worshipping false gods and rejecting the one true God as King, but we couldn't dare say this to a believer. As believers, we have the assurance of the gospel that all our sins have been dealt with. We proclaim the good news that the blood of Jesus has imparted to us forgiveness and his resurrection has imparted righteousness. We believe we are now free from condemnation as we stand before God clothed in his righteousness. No longer are we called sinners, but now we are known as saints. How then could we say to a righteous and holy saint, "Your sins separate you from God and he doesn't hear you?" What more do we believe we need than the blood of Jesus? Do we really think so lightly on the cross of Christ? Or could it be that Isaiah 59 is written to the rebellious house of Israel? Could it be that Isaiah 59 can't possibly be written to idolaters and also God followers at the same time? Isaiah spoke these words to those who were "denying the Lord." God poured out his wrath on the hearers of these words. That can't be the household of faith can it? So we use these words for the same people Isaiah used these words for; God deniers. Correct application comes from correct context, and as believers, we can be reassured and confident in our faith, knowing that these words are not directed at us.

ADDITIONAL READING: Isaiah 1:10-17; Amos 5:21-24; Exodus 31:13, Hebrews 4; Proverbs 1:16; Romans 3:15-17; Ephesians 6:14-17; Romans 8:1