Isaiah 58-66

<p>I bear witness of the miracles, both spiritual and temporal, that come to those who live the law of the fast. I bear witness of the miracles that have come to me. Truly, as Isaiah recorded, I have cried out in the fast more than once, and truly God has responded, &ldquo;Here I am&rdquo; (Isaiah 58:9). Cherish that sacred privilege at least monthly, and be as generous as circumstances permit in your fast offering and other humanitarian, educational, and missionary contributions. I promise that God will be generous to you, and those who find relief at your hand will call your name blessed forever. More than three-quarters of a million members of the Church were helped last year through fast offerings administered by devoted bishops and Relief Society presidents. That is a lot of grateful Latter-day Saints.</p>

<p>Isaiah spoke of those who faithfully live the law of the fast and thus become for their own posterity a repairer of the breach. They are the ones who, Isaiah promises, will &ldquo;build the old waste places&rdquo; (Isaiah 58:12). In a similar way, the Savior repaired the breach, or distance, between us and Heavenly Father. He, through His great atoning sacrifice, opens the way for us to partake of God&rsquo;s loving power, and then we are enabled to repair the &ldquo;waste places&rdquo; in our personal lives. Healing emotional distance between each other will require our acceptance of God&rsquo;s love, coupled with a sacrifice of our natural selfish and fearful tendencies.</p>

<p>The Lord reveals the law of the fast, employing remarkable and powerful symbols, several poetic parallelisms, and a series of seven rhetorical questions (see verses 5&ndash;7). This chapter encompasses the greatest scriptural treatise on this law. Verses 1&ndash;7 are a dialogue between the Lord and Israel. The remaining verses (8&ndash;12) comprise several promises and blessings to those who fast according to God&rsquo;s law.</p> <h3>Isaiah 58:1</h3> <p><em>Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice</em>. God gives this command again in our dispensation (Doctrine and Covenants 34:10; 43:20). <em>voice like a ram&rsquo;s horn</em>. The Lord commands Isaiah to raise his voice, in loudness and clarity, like he is blowing a ram&rsquo;s horn (compare Alma 29:1&ndash;2).</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Author:</strong> Donald W. Parry<br /><strong>General Editor:</strong> Taylor Halverson<br /><strong>Associate Editor:</strong> Morgan Tanner<br /><strong>Senior Editor:</strong> Sarah Whitney Johnson<br /><strong>Assistant Editor:</strong> Sam Lofgran<br /><strong>Assistant Editor:</strong> Verlanne Johnson</p>

<p>Isaiah presents a list of approximately a dozen remarkable blessings to those who fast according to God&rsquo;s law: <em>your light break forth</em> <em>like the dawn</em>. Your spiritual light as bright as the sun emerging in the morning. <em>Your righteousness will go before you</em>/<em>Lord will be your rearguard</em>. These are military images; just as advanced guards (protecting the forward) and rearguards protect soldiers, your own righteousness will protect your front line, and the Lord&rsquo;s glory will guard your posterior. <em>Lord will answer</em>. The Lord will grant that which we seek in prayer. <em>your light in the dark will rise as the sun</em>. We will become like Jesus Christ; our souls will be filled with light. <em>your darkness will be as</em> <em>the noonday</em>. Our darkest times will be as bright as the noonday, a source of light to us and to others. <em>Lord will guide you continually</em>. The Lord, as a shepherd, will guide us on His paths of righteousness. <em>make your bones strong</em>. This promise speaks to physical health during mortality as well as to the Resurrection. <em>You will be like a watered garden</em>. Fruitful, and of value to others. <em>like a source of water</em>. A blessing to others (see also John 7:38; Doctrine and Covenants 63:23). <em>rebuild ancient ruins</em>. Repair structures that were destroyed by Israel&rsquo;s&rsquo; enemies, or, repair broken families, relationships, or the broken relationship between individuals and God, as the second half of the verse indicates: &ldquo;You will raise up the foundations of many generations&rdquo; and your posterity will be blessed.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Author:</strong> Donald W. Parry<br /><strong>General Editor:</strong> Taylor Halverson<br /><strong>Associate Editor:</strong> Morgan Tanner<br /><strong>Senior Editor:</strong> Sarah Whitney Johnson<br /><strong>Assistant Editor:</strong> Sam Lofgran<br /><strong>Assistant Editor:</strong> Verlanne Johnson</p>

<p>The Lord sets forth His law regarding the Sabbath and the blessings received for obeying His law. The law of the fast and the law of the Sabbath go hand in hand; both require us to turn away from the things of the world and both provide us with freedom.</p> <h3>Isaiah 58:13</h3> <p><em>turn away your foot from the Sabbath</em>. &ldquo;Foot&rdquo; here symbolizes our actions. We are to walk on the Lord&rsquo;s path during His &ldquo;holy day,&rdquo; and we are not to tread the paths of pleasures. <em>call the</em> <em>Sabbath</em>. The Lord gives the Sabbath three significant, descriptive designations: &ldquo;Delight,&rdquo; &ldquo;the Holy of the Lord,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Honorable.&rdquo; When we keep the Sabbath, we receive the qualities associated with these designations&mdash;we become delightful, holy, and honorable. <em>own ways</em>/<em>own</em> <em>pleasure</em>/<em>speaking idly</em>. These expressions speak of someone who is centered on him- or herself rather than on God and His Sabbath.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Author:</strong> Donald W. Parry<br /><strong>General Editor:</strong> Taylor Halverson<br /><strong>Associate Editor:</strong> Morgan Tanner<br /><strong>Senior Editor:</strong> Sarah Whitney Johnson<br /><strong>Assistant Editor:</strong> Sam Lofgran<br /><strong>Assistant Editor:</strong> Verlanne Johnson</p>

<p>John Hilton III, &ldquo;The Power of Fasting (Come, Follow Me: Isaiah 58-66),&rdquo; Book of Mormon Central video, 2022.</p>