The Emptiness of Mixed Devotion

Have you ever suffered from a lack of commitment? Now, we will get serious in a little bit. But use your light-hearted thought capacity for a moment. Have you ever told yourself, “I’m going to read more.” You even go so far as to have a book in your lap while sitting on the couch, but then you just end up holding the book while watching a movie? Have you ever said, “I’m going to start exercising every day.” And maybe you do exercise every day, but between workouts you sneak that donut or piece of cake? Maybe you said, “I’m going to paint my house this summer!” And you start off really well on the front side, but then July and August roll around and its too hot. September comes and its too nice outside to work. October comes and, “well, I’d hate for the paint to freeze.” And your’re left with two-tone siding. Have you ever said, “I’m going on a budget!” And you make an elaborate budget plan, but then you really see that thing at Walmart or Home depot that would make your life just so much easier, and the impulse buyer inside of you strikes again!

If this sounds like you, you may suffer from lack of commitment. This may be starting to sound like an infomercial, but there is correlation to Isaiah 58, I promise. Isaiah 58, at its core, speaks to the conundrum of mixed devotion. At first reading, the chapter seems to be about true and false fasting. Fasting, of course, is the total abstention from food for the purpose of religious devotion. And while we will see a little bit more about fasting and its purpose when we get into the text, I think ultimately we find that this chapter does not intend to be a treatise on fasting itself, but rather its purpose is to expose the heart of mixed devotion, or perhaps, the heart of religious formalism.

Now what do I mean by that? Well simply put, Isaiah 58 addresses hypocrites. Those who were very religious on the outside, but when it came to their heart, their dealings with other people revealed that they were far from the Lord. We see that the contrasts in this chapter are between those who are religiously punctilious - that is, absolutely devoted to the letter of the law, at least in one area of their life, and those who have found devotion to God in the fulness of their lives, affecting every area. The major injustice being commited in this chapter is those who would appear very devoted to God by fasting, but then treat their fellow man with cruelty and violence, all for their own gain. By their actions they showed where their true focus was.

To illustrate briefly before we dive in, look at Matthew 6.

Matthew 6:19–21 ESV

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Where your treasure is, there will your heart be. I believe this concept strikes firmly at the heart of Isaiah 58. It is the correlation between delight and devotion.

Matthew 6:24 ESV

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

The operative and key difference in this chapter comes down to that correlation. Where true delight is found, there true devotion will be. Some, while appearing devoted to religion in certain ways, found delight only in pleasing themselves - in doing as they wish. The blessed ones in this chapter are those who find their delight, and therefore their devotion, in the LORD.

Religious activity born from a heart of mixed devotion does not please God. True devotion finds its sole delight in the Lord, and thereby lives in humble mercy before all people.

1. Fasting with Mixed Devotion - 1-5

A. Self-Deception - 1-2

“Delighting in God, but only occasionally.”

Now, the primary question to ask is this. Am I truly delighting in Him? Now certainly we as humans, including those of us who are born again, are prone to mixed motives. Even those of us redeemed struggle with that Old Man, the flesh, and the motives that it tries to bring up. Yet, we find our hearts longing to be delivered from that conundrum.

I think what this chapter is speaking of is much more severe than just the common frustration of mixed motives. This problem, for those addressed in this chapter, has come to self-deception.

Verse 1 begins with call from God to declare to his people that they have sinned, they have transgressed. The root behind “transgressions” here is the idea of rebellion. So God is laying out the case, the actual condition, but He will contrast the actual condition with the apparent condition.

As we read verse 2, understand that the sense in the whole verse is that this is how things “seem” to be. The key to that is in the middle of the verse, they do these things “like a righteous nation.” or “as if they were a nation that did righteousness.” That “as if” sense can be applied to the rest of the actions as well.

As if they seek me daily...

As if they delight...

as if they did not forsake...

as if they delight to draw near...

That common adage, “Things aren’t always as they seem,” can be unfortunately true when it comes to religious activity. Beware, we are all too prone to this kind of “seems good” religion, when in fact we are falling into self-deception.

B. Self-Gratification - 3-4

“Delighting in God, but only so far as it brings material blessings.”

Now, the reason I’m convinced that they were caught up in self-deception is because of the kind of questions that they asked.

Why don’t you take notice of our fasting, God?

Don’t you see how we have humbled ourselves?

They had come to a place where they were attempting to use their religious devotion to earn some kind of notice, some kind of credit before the eyes of God. I would warn you that this is a very dangerous mindset to have with the Lord. The minute you wish God’s favor to be based on your actions, is the minute that you are seeking not mercy for yourself, but justice. It is a very dangerous thing to ask God to give you what you have earned.

Now, a word on fasting in the Old Testament.

There was only one commanded fast in the Old Covenant, and that was the fast for the fall feast, Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur, or, The Day of Atonement, is the holiest day in Jewish tradition. It is the day of repentance and prayer for forgiveness of sin. A day-long fast was and sabbath rest was commanded for the celebration.

All other fasts we see in the Old Testament were voluntary. But each time we see an individual fasting, it is for intense devotion to prayer, seeking the Lord, repentance, seeking

David prayed and fasted when his child was dying.

The Jews in Esther prayed and fasted when they feared extermination by Haman.

The people of Nineveh prayed and fasted when judgment was pronounced on them.

Most likely the people in Isaiah 58 were taking part in a voluntary fast, not the fast for Day of Atonement, because not everyone was taking part in this fast. They were trying to employ the religious act of fasting, a personal fast, for personal gain.

The concepts of atonement, repentance, devotion, solemnity, were far from their minds it seems.

We see that they fast, only to seek their own pleasure, to oppress those under them, and to quarrel and fight.

Its not that they were fasting in order to do these things, but rather while they were fasting, supposedly committing themselves solemnly to the Lord, seeking his will, seeking repentance or an answer from heaven, they were at the same time committing vile sins all for their own gain.

“fasting like this will not make your voice to be heard on high.” Their mixed-devotion made their fast an empty one. It was empty of any true contrition, any true devotion. It was empty of God’s blessing, because it was revealed to be a selfish, self-gratifying effort. They wanted God’s blessing, but at the same time they were seeking it they refused to act righteously before others.

C. God’s Opinion - 5

“He takes no delight in merely formal religiosity.”

The people were going through the motions of fasting. There is no doubt that they were really fasting in a physical sense. But would God take pleasure in their merely formal fasting?

I wonder if Jesus had this passage in mind when he taught on fasting in Matthew 6. Earlier, we read from Matthew 6 about laying up treasure in heaven, and not serving two masters. Interestingly, earlier in that same passage is Jesus’ teaching on fasting.

Matthew 6:16–18 ESV

“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Now, again, this sermon is not meant to be a treatise on fasting. Fasting can be a spiritually beneficial. It can be a time of true devotion. We don’t have a regular command to fasting, but Jesus here does teach us about what it should look like if and when we do it.

We find that Jesus also does not have any tolerance for formal, outward fasting. Fasting for personal recognition and gain. Fasting to be seen by others. It is to be a very private matter - a matter between God and the individual. Jesus even goes so far as to say, “while you’re fasting, take care of yourself so you don’t look so gloomy!”

All this to say, God condemns any form of fasting, really any form of religious action, that is done out of anything other than a heart of delight and devotion to God Himself. Any mere formalism, any fasting for personal gain, any action meant to elevate ourselves in the eyes of others, is nothing that God desires.

2. Living with Deferential Devotion

As we dig in to what God does desire, we can ask ourselves. Where is our true delight? Why do we do the things that we do? When we participate in Christian activity, is it merely formal? We don’t have the ceremonial and civil laws that Israel did, but don’t be deceived dear one - we have just as much opportunity for hypocritical formalism as they did. We are in danger every day, even in our private devotional lives, of going through the motions because it is our duty, without every pausing to truly delight in the Lord.

So what does it look like to live in Deferential devotion?

A. Extrospective Love - 6-7

“Delight in God leads to kindness and selflessness.”

Whatever the fasting day being was, it was clear that they were either perpetuating or ignoring the oppression of those around them. In their fast, they had become so self-focused, so introspective, that they forgot the heart of the issue.

Matthew 23:23–24 ESV

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!

Remember, when Jesus was asked what was the greatest of the commandments? What was his response. To love the Lord with your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself.

What these ones, participating in this religious fast, apparently trying to earn some kind of recognition and blessing from the Lord had forgotten was that living in God’s Kingdom is not a primarily introspective thing. Just because God’s children are his Children spiritually does not mean that it only affects us in an inward sense. The spiritual transformation of a child of God begins inside, but it courses through our being, affecting every thought, every action, every relationship.

Micah 6:6–8 ESV

“With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Now this applies specifically to these fasting days that Isaiah 58 is speaking of. These fasts, perhaps meant to seek the Lord for Justice and Mercy, should have been accompanied by the people having a heart of true compassion for those in need of justice and mercy. The outward work of fasting was religious, but in their case it was not genuine. It was met with no divine love. It was met with no divine blessing, because it was found to be only selfish.

But this also goes for us, God’s children now. It may be a time of fasting, or it may be simply a time of prayer. Do we pray for God do work, for Him to show his blessings, for him to intercede in miraculous ways, yet harbor in our hearts a lack of love and compassion for our fellow image-bearers? Do we pray for justice to come, yet continue to ignore the sin in our own hearts? Do we pray for God to heal our families, our homes, our nation, yet are happy to sit idly by without lifting a finger to do the work of God’s Kingdom?

True fasting, and all true religious devotion, is not just introspective and selfish - it should be accompanied by an extrospective love. Looking out from our position, seeing people with compassion, and loving with the Love of God which was given to us through the work of Christ.

B. Eternal Reward - 8-12

“Those true citizens of the Kingdom now may anticipate the eternal blessings of that Kingdom.”

The promises in verses 8-12 are miraculous.

light breaking forth

healing

righteousness going before them

glory of the Lord as a protector

the Lord as guide

ancient ruins be rebuilt

Many times in Isaiah, these kinds of promises are given to the city of Jerusalem, looking forward to that New Jerusalem in the New Heaven and the New Earth. Oftentimes Isaiah describes what will be the beauty of that physical city which God will give in the eternal kingdom.

But there is no mention of a physical city here, there is only mention of people. These promises are for people. These are promises of hope for God’s people who persevere - the genuine citizens of the Kingdom now can expect great blessing in the fulness of the Kingdom to come.

This is, in a very real sense, a background to the teaching of the Beatitudes by Jesus in Matthew 5. A few to consider.

Matthew 5:7–9 ESV

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

That teaching really is backed up, even strengthened later in Matthew’s Gospel when Jesus teaches on the final judgment.

Matthew 25:34–40 ESV

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Do you convince yourselves that your spiritual life and your relational life are separate? Do you convince yourself that you can commune with God and despise your brothers and sisters? Do you convince yourself that you can have a genuine, thriving relationship with Christ, yet neglect every opportunity to show justice and mercy before mankind?

Brothers and Sisters, these things ought not to be so. May we live in such a way that we remember - we are waiting for the fulness of God’s Kingdom to come. We are waiting for the awe and wonder of it all. But may we not be so caught up in the waiting that we neglect to live as citizens of that Kingdom now. If Gods work of love in your life is genuine and true, then may you reflect that love and work in your daily life.

C. Realigning Affections - 13-14

“Delight in the Lord is the key to pure religion.”

Isaiah 58 closes with a plea to stop profaning the Sabbath. We spoke of the Sabbath in Isaiah 56. What was it, again? It was a time to rest. A time to cease from work and rest in the Lord. It was an outward testimony that you belonged to the Lord’s covenant people, and an inward testimony that you were resting and trusting God alone.

Dishonoring it was, again, to do just the opposite. To place more stock in what one could accomplish, what one could experience, how one could get pleasure, than in trusting and delighting in the Lord.

So keeping and breaking the Sabbath was, as it is put in Isaiah 58, a test of where your delight is. Where your true pleasure and satisfaction lies. Is it with your own work? Your own accomplishments? Or is it in the Lord?

Psalm 37:4 ESV

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:4 is one of my favorite verses in all of scripture. And if we’re not diligent, we will treat Psalm 37:4 like these people were treating fasting. If we are not careful we will treat it like a genie in a bottle. A sort of “special omen.” Better be sure we delight in God so we can get what we want. Better be sure we watch our p’s and q’s so God blesses us. This sort of thinking is no better than fasting and seeking the Lord for personal gain. It is a cart before the horse mentality.

When God is our delight, our attention is refocused. When God is our delight, our imagination is clarified. When God is our delight, our longing are sanctified. When God is our delight, our preferences lose their significance. When God is our delight, our affections are realigned.

When God is your delight, you realize that whatever comes to pass, whatever comes down from the hand of God to your lap is good, for it is a gift of his wisdom and might. May we never treat our relationship with God as a business transaction. May we never treat his blessings like an ATM withdrawal.

You have heard it said, that following Christ is not about religion, it’s about relationship. And while it is certainly about relationship, it is still religion. Religion is devotion. But following Christ is true devotion. Following Christ is not a religion of duty, it is a religion of delight. It is not a religion of fear and apprehension, it is a religion of transformation. It is not a religion of “I have to or else.” it is a religion of “I want to, and I’m able to, because of what he has done.”

It is interesting that Isaiah 58, which is speaking to those who were fasting, ends on a note of feasting.

Isaiah 58:14 ESV

then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Ride on the heights of the earth - reminiscent of Isaiah 40, mounting on eagles wings. It is a picture of victory, of overcoming. Remember, this last section of Isaiah is “the book of the conqueror” and God is promising victory for his people.

Feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The heritage of God’s people is that of rich provision. David said, “I have been young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their seed begging for bread.” Jacob’s heritage also goes back to the promise of land. God’s people may have times of wandering. Even now, we are strangers and foreigners, but God’s promise includes wonderful provision for His people - His people Israel in the Old Covenant, and we His people who have been grafted into the family in the New Covenant.

All this is given assurance by this final statement

“the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

The song we’re going to sing in a moment ends with this prayer

Jesus our only joy be Thou

As Thou our prize will be

Jesus be Thou our glory now

And through eternity

Today, dear one, may God be your delight. May He be your desire. May you live as a child of His Kingdom because you have found your satisfaction in Him. May we not get caught up in the emptiness of mixed devotion, convincing ourselves that we can serve God in one area and appease our own desires in another area.

Religious activity born from a heart of mixed devotion does not please God. True devotion finds its sole delight in the Lord, and thereby lives in humble mercy before all people.