Reference: Fasts
Smith
Fasts.
1. One fast only was appointed by the Mosaic law, that on the day of atonement. There is no mention of any other periodical fast in the Old Testament except in
From these passages it appears that the Jews, during their captivity, observed four annual fasts, --in the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months.
2. Public fasts were occasionally proclaimed to express national humiliation and to supplicate divine favor. In the case of public danger the proclamation appears to have been accompanied with the blowing of trumpets.
(See
1Sa 7:6; 2Ch 20:3; Jer 36:6-10
) Three days after the feast of tabernacles, when the second temple was completed, "the children of Israel assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes and earth upon them," to hear the law read and to confess their sins.
3. Private occasional fasts are recognized in one passage of the law --
The instances given of individuals fasting under the influence of grief, vexation or anxiety are numerous.
4. In the New Testament the only reference to the Jewish fasts are the mention of "the fast" in
(generally understood to denote the day of atonement) an the allusions to the weekly fasts.
Mt 9:14; Mr 2:18; Lu 5:33; 18:12; Ac 10:30
These fasts originated some time after the captivity.
5. The Jewish fasts were observed with various degrees of strictness. Sometimes there was entire abstinence from food.
etc. On other occasions there appears to have been only a restriction to a very plain diet.
Those who fasted frequently dressed in sackcloth or rent their clothes, put ashes on their head and went barefoot.
6. The sacrifice of the personal will, which gives to fasting all its value, is expressed in the old term used in the law, afflicting the soul.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
"All vows and oaths that bind to humble the soul, may her husband establish or break.
And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water and poured it out before the LORD and fasted the same day, and said there, "We have sinned against the LORD." And Samuel judged the causes of the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
When Ahab heard those words, he rent his clothes and put sackcloth about his flesh and fasted, and lay in sack and went comfortless.
In the four and twentieth day of this month came the children of Israel together with fasting, and sackcloth, and earth upon them,
Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest unto them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, true laws, good commandments and statutes,
'Go thou thy way then, and gather together all the Jews that are found at Susa, and fast ye for me, that ye eat not and drink not in three days, neither day nor night. I and my damsels will fast likewise, and so will I go in to the king contrary to the commandment: if I perish, I perish.'"
Nevertheless, when they were sick, I put on sackcloth, and humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
therefore go thou thither, and read the book, that thou hast written at my mouth: Namely, the words of the LORD, and read them in the LORD's house upon the fasting day: that the people, whole Judah, and all they that come out of the cities, may hear. Peradventure they will pray meekly before the face of LORD, and turn, every one from his wicked way. For great is the wrath and displeasure, that the LORD hath taken against this people." read more. So Baruch the son of Neriah did, according unto all that Jeremiah the Prophet commanded him, reading the words of the LORD out of the book in the LORD's house. And this was done in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, when it was commanded that all the people of Jerusalem should fast before the LORD, and they also that were come from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem. Then read Baruch the words of Jeremiah out of the book within the house of the LORD, out of the treasury of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the Scribe, which is beside the higher loft of the new door of the LORD's house: that all the people might hear.
so that I had no lust to eat bread: as for flesh and wine, there came none within my mouth: No, I did not once anoint myself, till the whole three weeks were out.
Blow out the trumpet in Zion, and cry upon my holy hill: that all such as dwell in the land, may tremble at it. For the day of the LORD cometh, and is hard at hand: a dark and gloomy day, a cloudy and black day. As the morning is spread over the mountains, so it this populous and strong people: such as have not been since the beginning, neither shall be after them for evermore. read more. Before him shall be a consuming fire, and behind him a burning flame. The land shall be as a garden of pleasure before him, but behind him shall it be a very waste wilderness, and there is no man, that shall escape him. They are to look upon like bairded horses, and run like horsemen. They skipped up upon the hills, as it were the sound of chariots; as the flame of fire that consumeth the straw, and as a mighty people ready to the battle. The folk shall be afraid of him, all faces shall be as black as a pot. These shall run like giants, and leap over the walls like men of war. Every man in his going will keep his array, and not go out of his Path. There shall not one drive another, but each shall keep his own way. They shall break in at the windows, and not be hurt: They shall come into the city, and run upon the walls; They shall climb up upon the houses, and slip in at the windows like a thief. The earth shall quake before him, yea the heavens shall be moved; The Sun and Moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shine. The LORD shall show his voice before his host, for his host is great, strong and mighty to fulfill his commandment. This is that great and marvelous fearful day of the LORD: And who is able to abide it? And now therefore saith the LORD: Turn to me with all your hearts, in fasting and lamentation. And tear your hearts and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God. For he is full of mercy and compassion, long ere he be angry, and great in mercy and repentance when he is at the point to punish. Who can tell whether the Lord will turn and have compassion and shall leave after him a blessing? Sacrifice, and drink offering unto the LORD your God. Blow a trumpet in Zion, proclaim fasting and call a congregation.
It happened also in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, which is called Chislev. What time as Sharezer and Regemmelech and the men that were with them, sent unto Bethel for to pray before the LORD: read more. and that they should say unto the priests which were in the house of the LORD of Hosts, and to the prophets, "Should I weep in the fifth month, and abstain, as I have done now certain years?" Then came the word of the LORD of Hosts unto me, saying, "Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, and say, 'When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, now this seventy years, did ye fast unto me? When ye ate also and drank, did ye not eat and drink for your own selves? Are not these the words, which the LORD spake by his prophets afore time, when Jerusalem was yet inhabited and wealthy, she and the cities round about her: when there dwelt men, both toward the south and in the plain countries?'"
"Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be joy and gladness, and prosperous high feasts unto the house of Judah: Only, love the truth and peace.
Then came the disciples of John to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?"
And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees did fast, and they therefore came and said unto him, "Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, and thy disciples fast not?"
Then they said unto him, "Why do the disciples of John fast often and pray: and the disciples of the Pharisees also: and thine eat and drink?"
I fast twice in the week. I give tithe of all that I possess.'
And Cornelius said, "This day now four days I fasted, and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,