The First Fast

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write these words, for according to the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him. Exodus 34:27-29

I have been listening to a podcast by John Mark Comer called Practicing the Way. He shared a sermon series by Tyler Stanton on fasting and shared several things I had never considered before on fasting. While plenty of what he shared was based on the history of the church, even his interpretation of scriptures challenged me on what I thought I knew. I decided to go back and explore the scripture for myself for confirmation and for clarity.

Looking at the first time fasting is mentioned in the scripture, it is Moses as he talks to God on Mount Sinai. Moses did not eat or drink for 40 days. This is the same fast that prompts Jesus into the ministry as told in the Gospel. These 40 days were spent in the presence of God and God was speaking to Moses.

The Mosaic Covenant is the first Covenant that was written and was given for him and the Israelites. To this point the three covenants made were for specific individuals. The covenant with Adam and Eve, there was the covenant with Noah, and there was a covenant with Abraham. The Mosaic Covenant was limited to a specific people, the Israelites.

The second thing that stands out to me about fasting from this passage is that Moses was in the presence of the Lord for the entire time. He was speaking with Him and hearing directly from God. He had revelation from the Lord in that time that filled the rest of Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. I feel good when I get a little snippet from the Lord when fasting.

The third things is God’s presence was so real that Moses’ face shown when he came down from the mountain. There was a physical manifestation others saw because of Moses proximity with the Lord.

Although the word fast is not used, Moses did not eat or drink. The first fast, as well as Jesus’s fast, was a complete abstaining from food or water. This is very different from what I have learned of fasting. I was introduced to fasting through things like a liquid fast, the Daniel Fast, and more recently things like fasting from television, social media, coffee, sugar, or even negative words. All of which I have done at times, but the first introduction to fasting is complete abstinence.

These are all things for me to consider when fasting:

• Am I really spending this time with the Lord?
• Can others notice a difference in me when I have been in His presence?
• Am I hearing from the Lord things that will help me, as well as others, live a life for God?
• Am I writing these things down?
• Am I abstaining from food and water?
• Am I listening, or just talking?

This is the first fast in the Bible. I have learned to take notice of the first mentions in the Bible of things. They are generally lessons for us to learn from.

Lord, thank You for this example from Your Word of Biblical fasting. Continue to speak and reveal to me what you want me to learn as I study this out. I submit to You. Teach me and transform me into Your image.