Fasting – A Tool for Righteousness Casey Monson Fasting is an important tool. Abstaining from physical food and drink causes us to draw closer to God in good times and bad. H ave you ever wondered why the first meal of the day is called breakfast? The term “breakfast” comes from Old English meaning to “break the fast” after sleeping overnight. It was first recorded in English in the 15th century. The meal itself did not become routine until the 19th century. But does sleeping overnight really qualify as fasting? For those called of God, He has given a guide book–the Bible–as well as His Spirit to help understand and navigate life according to His will. Along with instructions, God provides Christians tools to help with His instructions. One such tool is fasting. Fasting is highlighted throughout Scripture, and we can learn much from the examples recorded there. Consider Moses on Mount Si- nai. In Exodus 34:28, we read: So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. This extraordinary fast reflected the exceptional circumstances
Moses faced. Only two others in the Bi - ble—Elijah and Jesus Christ—fasted for such extended periods, making these truly exceptional cases. Basics Fasting does not have a specific start time, or time limit except for the Day of Atone - ment, which is observed from sunset to sun- set (a 24 hour period). In general, a fast may last one to three days (24-72 hours). This is not a rigid rule. God leaves the length of a fast to our judgment, to suit our individ- ual needs and circumstances. Extremely harsh conditions—lack of food and water combined with heat or exertion—can be life-threatening. Conversely, fasting for only a few hours or skipping a meal is less a fast and more a temporary abstinence. Fasting is not unique to Christianity. Oth - er religions have their own forms of fast- ing. For instance, in Islam, Ramadan is ob- served– a forty day fast in which Muslims abstain from food, drink and other activities. However, they only fast during the daylight portion of a day– from sunrise to sunset. They are allowed to eat before sunrise and after sunset. This type of fasting is very dif- ferent from fasts modeled in the Bible. The Day of Atonement provides a clear ex - ample of a commanded fast. In Leviticus
Moses Electing the Council of Seventy Elders, Jacob de Wit, 1737. Oil on canvas, Amsterdam, Royal Palace.
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