ZECHARIAH 7 and 8 FASTING These two chapters deal with the question of fasting. The leaders sent men to ask Zechariah if they should still continue the tradition they religiously practiced for 70 years while captive in Babylon. They would fast for days in the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months. We dont know the extent of these fasts or what they deprived themselves of but they were a form of fleshly sacrifice to show their sorrow for Gods abandonment of their nation for sin. What is the reason for fasting ? Were told by Jesus in Matthew 9-14, Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? 15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. When the presence of God is a conscience reality and we walk in the light of His blessings, there is no need to fast but when there is an absence of God and our lives stumble in the darkness, only repentance by fasting and reading Gods Word can cleanse the evil imaginations of our hearts. Were told by James 4-1, the same message God told the men who came to Zechariah the reason why their fasts were meaningless From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Zechariah 7-4, Then came the word of the Lord of hosts unto me, saying, 5 Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me? 6 And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves? Zechariah 8-18, And the word of the Lord of hosts came unto me, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace. When we are Born-Again the awareness of God and His love for us washes all guilt and the need for suffering away. There is no more condemnation and Jesus has taken all the suffering for sin and has made the ultimate sacrifice and preformed the last fast in the wilderness. When we open the door to the knock of Jesus by inviting Him into our lives we become the temple of God and His Holy Spirit writes the commandments of the flying scroll on the fleshly tables of our hearts, all fasting and mourning is turned into joy and gladness. Everyday with the presence of Jesus becomes a feast of love, peace and total contentment. There is no need for fasting because Jesus lives within our hearts and the Kingdom is now......MARANATHA!
Posted on: Thu, 26 Jun 2014 15:33:51 +0000
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