Fasting in the Bible

<True Fasting in the bible>

Fasting to be seen

only by God

Matthew 6:16~18

• Fasting

Fasting, how? how do we fast?

16. “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 

17. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 

18. so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.


Isaiah 58:1~12

• Fasting that pleases God

1. “Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.  

2. For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.  

3. ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.  

4. Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.  

5. Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord ?  

6. “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?  

7. Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?  

8. Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.  

9. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,  

10. and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.  

11. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.  

12. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

Shincheonji Bible Study: Prophecy & Fulfillment 'Prophet Isaiah'

Shincheonji Bible Study:

Prophecy & Fulfillment

'Prophet Isaiah'

<Prophecy what was said through the Prophet Isaiah & Fulfillment >

 Fulfillment of the Old Testament

-John the Baptist Prepares the Way-

• Matthew 3:1~17

1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea

2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ”   

4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.

5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan.

6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.  

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.  

11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”  

The Baptism of Jesus

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.

14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”  

15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.  

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.

17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

 

 

 



 Prophecy of the Old Testament

-A Voice of One Calling in the Wilderness-

• Isaiah 40:3

3 A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord ; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

•  John 14:29

 I have told you now before it happens,

so that when it does happen you will believe

Shincheonji Teaching- Isaiah

Shincheonji Teaching- Isaiah

The Revelation Prophesied by Vision

in the Old Testament & its fulfillment

 

 

 

 

Main reference: Isa 29:9-14

Prophets and seers were blind as God has brought over them a deep sleep, sealing their eyes and covering their heads.  Therefore, the vision revelation was a sealed scroll that no one understood. People learned only rules taught by men. So God promised to do a wonder again, because the people were far from him in their hearts, though they came near to him with their lips. The ‘wonder’ means the word of vision revelation (prophecy) and its fulfillment.

Prophet Habakkuk said that this vision revelation had an appointed time, which would certainly come. It is written in Ez 1-3 that God came to Prophet Ezekiel after the chosen people went into exile (Ez 1).  He called him, ‘Son of man,’ opened the sealed scroll of the vision revelation and gave it to him to eat (Ez 2). He told him to give his warning to the rebellious Israelites (Ez 3).

After 600 years, this prophecy was fulfilled through Jesus.  Jesus received the revelation, the open scroll and gave it to the Israelites (Mt 15:24).  Jesus said of them as written in Isa 29, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, as their teachings are but rules taught by men’ (Mt 15:7-9). 

He called the teachers of the law and the Pharisees who were the pastors at that time, ‘blind guides who lead blind men’ (Mt 15:14).  He also said, ‘No one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him’ (Mt 11:27), and ‘Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent’ (Jn 17:3).
 
Today is same as then. The deaf and the blind lie with their corrupted tradition, place their religious influence as priority, and disregard the revelation and the Truth.

But how can you recognize the fulfillment of events if you do not understand the prophecies in the Bible?

 

 

 

Shincheonji Teaching- Isaiah

Source: Shincheonji cafe