In our last study, we saw the fasting of Israel was not acceptable to the Lord. They had the practice down, the religious aspects of it, but their heart was far from the Lord. The sad thing is that they didn’t recognize it. They truly thought that their actions were acceptable and that God should respond to them with favor and blessings. The reality is any religious activity for religions sake is never going to please the Lord. The attitude of the heart is what God is looking at.
Look at, 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body [a]to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing."
All of these things are religious things but without love which only comes from our relationship with Jesus these things mean nothing, and cannot bring us closer to God.
The end of chapter 58 tells us that if we turn our hearts to Jesus, He will restore and bless all we do, because all we do will be His will not ours. This week in chapter 59 we will see Isaiah laying out the reason God seems to not listen or answer when they cry out to Him. Ultimately the problem is them not God.
