GROWNFOODS: April 2012

FASTING

What is it?

Fasting - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasting

Fasting: A glass of water on an empty plate. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fasting_4-Fasting-a-glass-of-water-on-an-empty-plate.jpg

Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. An absolute fast is normally defined as abstinence from all food and liquid for a defined period, usually a single day (24 hours), or several days. Juice fasting involves abstaining from food while deriving nutritional intake through freshly-juiced vegetables and fruits such that the body may detoxify.^[1] Other fasts may be only partially restrictive, limiting particular foods or substance. The fast may also be intermittent in nature. Fasting practices may preclude sexual intercourse and other activities as well as food.

Christianity

The "acceptable fast" is discussed in the biblical Book of Isaiah, chapter 58:6-7. In this chapter, the nation of Israel is rebuked for their fasting, and given this exhortation:

(verse 6) “Is not this the fast that I choose:
   to loose the bonds of wickedness,
   to undo the straps of the yoke,
   to let the oppressed go free,
   and to break every yoke?
(7) Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
   and bring the homeless poor into your house;
   when you see the naked, to cover him,
   and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?"

This passage makes it very clear that the acceptable fast is not merely abstinance from food or water, but a decision to fully obey God's commands to care for the poor and opressed. Zechariah, chapter 7:5-10, also repeats this message. The opening chapter of the Book of Daniel, vv. 8-16, describes a partial fast and its effects on the health of its observers.

Benefits of fasting

(verse 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."

(Isaiah 58:8-9)

Fasting is a practice in several Christian denominations or other churches. Some denominations do not practice it, considering it an external observance, but many individual believers choose to observe fasts at various times at their own behest.^[19] The Lenten fast observed in the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church is a forty-day partial fast to commemorate the fast observed by Christ during his temptation in the desert. This is similar to the partial fasting within the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (abstaining from meat and milk) which takes place during certain times of the year and lasts for weeks. The Bible sets aside one whole day a year for fasting, The Day of Atonement. Leviticus 23:27, 32 (CEV) says "Everyone must go without eating from the evening of the ninth to the evening of the tenth on the seventh month which is the Day of Atonement."

[edit] Biblical accounts

Moses fasted for forty days and forty nights, twice back-to-back; the first, immediately before he received the tablets on the mountain with God. And the second, after coming down, seeing the Israelites practicing idolatry, and breaking the tablets in anger. (Deuteronomy 9:7-21)
King David fasted when the son of his adulterous union with Bathsheba was struck sick by God, in punishment for the adultery and for David's murder of Bathsheba's husband, Uriah the Hittite. Nevertheless, the son died, upon which David broke his fast (2 Samuel 12:15-25).
David used fasting as an act of humbling his soul (Psalm 35:13).
King Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast throughout Judah for victory over the Moabites and Ammonites who were attacking them (2 Chronicles 20:3).
The prophet Joel called for a fast to avert the judgment of God. (Book of Joel 1:14,2:12, 15)
The people of Nineveh, in response to Jonah's prophecy, fasted to avert the judgment of God (Jonah 3:7).
The Jews of Persia, following Mordechai's example, fasted because of the genocidal decree of Haman. Queen Esther declared a three-day fast for all the Jews prior to risking her life in visiting King Ahasuerus uninvited (Esther 4).
The prophetess Anna, who proclaimed the baby Jesus to be the Messiah, prayed and fasted regularly in the Temple (Luke 2:37).
Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights while in the desert, being tempted by Satan to turn stones into bread and eat them, among other temptations. (Matthew 4:2, Luke 4:2).
Jesus teaches on the outward appearance and demeanor of a fasting person (Matthew 6:16). It is also an assumed action of the believer (see: "And when you pray..." Matthew 6:5 - "When you fast..." Matthew 6:16)
Saul, better known by the Greek variant of his name, Paul, did not eat or drink anything for three days after he converted on the road to Damascus. (Book of Acts 9:9)
The church in Antioch were worshipping the Lord and fasting when the Holy Spirit told them to send Barnabas and Paul for work (Acts 13:2).
Paul and Barnabus appointed elders with prayer and fasting (Acts 14:23).
There are indications in the New Testament as well as from the Didache that members of an Early Christian Church fasted regularly.

[edit] Biblical teaching

The prophet Isaiah chastised the Israelites in Isaiah 58 for the unrighteous methods and motives of their fasting. He clarified some of the best reasons for fasting and listed both physical and spiritual benefits that would result (Isaiah 58:3-13).
Jesus warned his followers against fasting only to make others admire them. He provided practical steps on how to fast in private. (Matthew 6:16–18).
The Pharisees and John's disciples in Jesus' time fasted regularly and asked Jesus why his disciples did not. Jesus answered them using a parable (Matthew 9:14-15, Mark 2:18-20, Luke 5:33-39, see also Mark 2).
In some manuscripts Jesus ascribes the Disciples' inability to cast out spirits to a lack of prayer and fasting.9:29 These, however, are found in the more recent manuscripts and not in the earlier ones. The words "and fasting" are omitted from many modern translations for this reason.