Examination Of Bible Fasts (1)

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Examination Of Bible Fasts (1) 

Thursday 3rd April

Text: Exodus 24: 12-18 

Key verse: But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head and wash thy face. Matthew 6: 17.

a: Today’s text gives account of Moses' forty days fast. Moses did not plan that he was going to observe forty days fast. When God invited him to the mount, he did not know he was not returning that day. Hence, his staying forty days before the Lord without food was in God's perfect will and perfect control. Moses' experience did not become a doctrine in Israel. The scripture did not record any Israelite throughout the Old Testament who embarked on forty days fast after the pattern of Moses. 

b: David fasted when his child was sick, 2 Samuel 12:15-23.  Some consider that he fasted for seven days. He did not plan the number of days he would fast; he was using the last resource in his disposal– fasting and prayer, to see if he could receive help from God. His fasting came to an end the day the child died. Had the child not died but remained sick, definitely, David would not have exceeded what his strength and circumstances could bear. However, some observe that it was the sickness of the child that lasted for seven days and not the fasting of David which was probably for a day or more during the period. What is most important in this scriptural account is that David fasted for the healing of his sick child. His seven days or one day fast is not a standard to be observed by anyone seeking help from God through fasting. 

c: King Saul had been of great help to Jabesh-Gilead. When he died, valiant men among them went in the night and took the body of Saul and of his sons from among the Philistines and burnt them at Jabesh and fasted seven days, 1 Samuel 31:11-13. Their fasting was a way of expressing their sorrow for the death of a helpful king. 

d: Elijah was given food to eat twice in a supernatural way and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights, 1 Kings 19:4-8. It was not a planned fast. He was under the control of God during the period. His experience did not become a doctrine in Israel. No prophet, king or priest embarked on Elijah's kind of fast. 

Thought For The Day: Beware of fasting for show or pride

Song For The Day: Call upon Me in the day of trouble…

Bible Reading For The Day: 2 Samuel 8-11 

#Horemow.