Going without food or drink voluntarily is refers to Fast, Fasting. However, Fasting could also be done for other reasons, for example, for self-interest purposes or for material gains purposes. As for religious purposes, it was done as a sign of repentance, grief and distress. The law of Moses specially required fasting for one occasion - DAY OF ATONEMENT. This custom resulted in calling this day 'the day of fasting' - Jer. 36:6 - or 'the Fast' - Acts 27:9 -

Moses did not eat bread or drink water during the 40 days and 40 nights he was on Mount Sinai receiving the law. - Ex. 34:28 -

In the Old Testament, people fasted in times of grief. A seven day fast was held when the bones of Saul and his sons were buried. - 1Sam. 31:13; 1Chr. 10:12 - Fasting was done during the 70 years of the exile period on the fifth and seventh months, the date the siege of Jerusalem began and the date when Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians. - Zech. 7:5 -

Fasting was often done by individuals in times of distress. King David fasted after hearing that Saul and Jonathan were dead. - 2Sam. 1:12 - Nehemiah fasted and prayed upon learning that Jerusalem had remained in ruins since its destruction. - Neh. 1:4 - Darius, the king of Persia, fasted all night after placing Daniel in the lions' den. - Dan. 6:18 -

Going without food or water was not automatically effective in accomplishing the desires of those who fasted. In the prophet Isaiah's time, people complained that they had fasted and that God had not responded favourably . - Isiah 58:1-14 -

They ask me for the laws that just,
they long for God to draw near:
'Why should we fast if you never see it,
why do penance if you never notice?'

Look, you do business on your fast days,
you oppress all your workmen;
look, you quarrel and squabble when you fast
and strike the poor man with your fist.

Fasting like yours today
will never make your voice heard on high,
Is that the sort of fast that pleases me,
a truly penitential day for men?

The fast that the Lord requires is to loose the bonds of wickedness, undo the heavy burdens, feed the hungry, shelter the poor and clothe the naked.

Fasting also occurs in the New Testament.........

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -