Isaiah 58: The Fast God Chooses

God told Isaiah, Cry aloud! Don't spare! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! The people fasted and asked why God did not notice, but on their fast days they pursued their own business, oppressed their workers, and quarreled. God asked, Isn't this the fast that I have chosen: to release the bonds of wickedness... to let the oppressed go free? He wanted them to share bread with the hungry, bring the homeless poor into their homes, and clothe those in need. Then your light will break out as the morning. Then you will call, and Yahweh will answer. If they poured themselves out for the hungry, God would guide them continually and make them like a watered garden. They would rebuild the ancient ruins. Those who call the Sabbath a delight would delight in Yahweh.

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Bible:

Read Isaiah 58

World English Bible · 14 verses

¹ “Cry aloud! Don’t spare! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Declare to my people their disobedience, and to the house of Jacob their sins.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
² Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways. As a nation that did righteousness, and didn’t forsake the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous judgments. They delight to draw near to God.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³ ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you don’t see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and you don’t notice?’ “Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and oppress all your laborers.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁴ Behold, you fast for strife and contention, and to strike with the fist of wickedness. You don’t fast today so as to make your voice to be heard on high.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁵ Is this the fast that I have chosen? A day for a man to humble his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under himself? Will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to Yahweh?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁶ “Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to release the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁷ Isn’t it to distribute your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you not hide yourself from your own flesh?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁸ Then your light will break out as the morning, and your healing will appear quickly; then your righteousness shall go before you, and Yahweh’s glory will be your rear guard.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁹ Then you will call, and Yahweh will answer. You will cry for help, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away from among you the yoke, finger pointing, and speaking wickedly;This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁰ and if you pour out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light will rise in darkness, and your obscurity will be as the noonday;This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹¹ and Yahweh will guide you continually, satisfy your soul in dry places, and make your bones strong. You will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters don’t fail.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹² Those who will be of you will build the old waste places. You will raise up the foundations of many generations. You will be called Repairer of the Breach, Restorer of Paths with Dwellings.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹³ “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, and the holy of Yahweh honorable, and honor it, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁴ then you will delight yourself in Yahweh, and I will make you to ride on the high places of the earth, and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father;” for Yahweh’s mouth has spoken it.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org

Worksheets

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Open Preschool on its own page

Isaiah 58 · Preschool

Your Light Will Shine

Name Date

Color the sunrise. When we help people, it is like a light shining in the morning.

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

“Then your light will break out as the morning, and your healing will appear quickly; then your righteousness shall go before you, and Yahweh’s glory will be your rear guard.”

Isaiah 58:8 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Say: God wants us to share food with hungry people and help people who need it. When we do, our light shines like the morning sun! Let's practice saying: I can share.

Open Grade 4 on its own page

Isaiah 58 · Grade 4

Isn't This the Fast I Have Chosen?

Name Date

Read and Think

Isaiah 58 begins with a loud call: "Cry aloud! Don't spare! Lift up your voice like a trumpet!" The people looked religious. They fasted and asked, "Why have we fasted... and you don't see?" But on fast days they did whatever they wanted, made their workers work hard, and quarreled.

God explains the fast he wants: "to release the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free." He adds, "Isn't it to distribute your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house?" God cares more about how we treat people than about showy religion. In the New Testament, Jesus taught that serving the hungry is serving him (Matthew 25:35-40).

God gives beautiful promises to those who care for others: "Then your light will break out as the morning." "Then you will call, and Yahweh will answer. You will cry for help, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’" "You will be like a watered garden." God also asks them to "call the Sabbath a delight."

Show What You Know

What were the people doing on fast days?
What kind of fast does God want?
Which New Testament passage says serving the hungry is serving Jesus?
What will God say when they cry for help?

Think About It

God cares more about how we treat people than about showy religion. What is one way you can share with someone in need this week?
God promises to say Here I am when we call. How does it feel to know God answers?

Memory Verse

“Cry aloud! Don’t spare! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Declare to my people their disobedience, and to the house of Jacob their sins.

Isaiah 58:1 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for showing me how to help. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

God promised His people would be like a watered garden. How can serving others refresh your own soul?
What does the true fast include?

Open Grade 5 on its own page

Isaiah 58 · Grade 5

Here I Am

Name Date

Read and Think

Isaiah 58 confronts religion without righteousness. The people "seek me daily, and delight to know my ways," and ask why God ignores their fasting. God answers that their fasts were marked by self-interest and exploitation: "in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and oppress all your laborers." Fasting ended in quarrels. In the New Testament, Jesus criticized showy fasting (Matthew 6:16-18) and religious leaders who neglected justice and mercy (Matthew 23:23).

The true fast (verses 6-7) is social and practical: loosing the bonds of wickedness, freeing the oppressed, sharing bread with the hungry, sheltering the homeless poor, clothing the needy, and not hiding "from your own flesh." In the New Testament, Jesus read Isaiah 61, which echoes the language of freeing the oppressed in 58:6, in the synagogue at Nazareth (Luke 4:18).

The promises (verses 8-14) mirror the people's complaint. They had asked why God did not see; now "you will call, and Yahweh will answer." Light will break out, God's glory will be their "rear guard" as in the Exodus, and they will be "like a spring of water whose waters don't fail." They will be called "Repairer of the Breach." The Sabbath, honored rather than used for business, becomes a delight, and "then you will delight yourself in Yahweh."

Show What You Know

What was wrong with the people's fasting?
Which New Testament passages criticize showy religion?
What does the true fast include?
What name will they be called?

Crossword

Across

Is this the ____ that I have chosen.
Isn’t it to distribute your bread to the ____.

Down

You will be like a watered ____.
Then your ____ will break out as the morning.
Isn’t it to distribute your ____ to the hungry.

Think About It

The people were religious but unjust. How can we make sure our worship and our treatment of others match?
God's people would be called Repairer of the Breach. What broken things in your community could you help repair?

Memory Verse

“Cry aloud! Don’t spare! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Declare to my people their disobedience, and to the house of Jacob their sins.

Isaiah 58:1 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for showing me how to help. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

How can you help fix one thing in your neighborhood?
How can your worship and your kindness go together?
What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?

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Isaiah 58: The Fast God Chooses

Read Isaiah 58

Worksheets

Your Light Will Shine

Prayer

Take It Home

I Can Share

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

Mini Maze

Draw It

Prayer

Take It Home

Share Your Bread

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

Light Like the Dawn

Prayer

Take It Home

What God Wants

Read the Story

Show What You Know

Word Search

Prayer

Take It Home

A Watered Garden

Read the Story

Answer the Questions

Light Like the Dawn

Word Search

Prayer

Take It Home

Isn't This the Fast I Have Chosen?

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

Here I Am

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Crossword

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

More print options