Topical Studies
Fasting as Afflicting Souls
(From Forerunner Commentary)
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Leviticus 16:29-31 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
"Afflict" is translated from the Hebrew word anah, which means "to be afflicted, to humble oneself, to oppress, to depress, to fast." God inspired the same Hebrew word in Deuteronomy 8:2-3: "You shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna . . . that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD" (NKJV). The purpose of afflicting our souls on the Day of Atonement is to humble ourselves before God (Psalm 35:13).
The Day of Atonement: The World at One with God
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Leviticus 16:29 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
All "servile" work'all physical or mental labor associated with earning a living'is prohibited on all weekly and annual Sabbaths. Minor work required for food preparation is allowed for the other feasts (e.g., Exodus 12:16)'but not on the Day of Atonement. Because no food should be eaten on this day, there is no need for food preparation. Though a day of fasting, the Day of Atonement, since it is a commanded religious assembly, is a spiritual feast of God's Word. We must not live by bread alone. We should not mourn as we fast and afflict our souls on the Day of Atonement. Though we sorrow for sin and its results, we can rejoice that God will, in His plan, completely eliminate it (Revelation 21:4). Though we may feel physically weak by our fast, we can be thrilled with the hope of eternal life. The Day of Atonement, like all of God's holy days, is a time of hope and rejoicing.
The Day of Atonement: The World at One with God
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Leviticus 23:26-32 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
The Day of Atonement is a commanded feast of God. God emphasizes this day's solemnity by threatening death to those who fail to afflict their souls or who do any work on this day. Nothing is more important than being at one with Him!
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Holy Days: Atonement
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Leviticus 23:27-32 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
The focus in these verses is on the spirit or attitude in which we keep Atonement. Considering verse 29, doing things right on this day is a serious responsibility. For religious Jews, this is the most solemn day of the year. Three times in this short span of verses God commands us to afflict our souls or be afflicted. Many think that "fast" is derived from the same word as "afflict," but such is not the case. They are not cognate; in the Hebrew they have no etymological connection. They are two different words with distinctly different roots. God probably uses these different words to emphasize the attitude one should have during a fast, rather than the act itself, because it is entirely possible for a person to fast for a day and not be in the right attitude. However, when done properly, fasting can very greatly enhance the lesson of this holy day. "Fast" is derived from a word meaning "to cover the mouth," implying that no nourishment gets past it into the body. "Afflict," anah, is an intriguing word, giving us great insight into how God intends us to use this day. According to The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, its primary meaning is "to force or try to force into submission," "to punish or inflict pain upon." When used in contexts involving attitude, it means "to find oneself in a stunted, humble, lowly position; cowed." It is used to describe what one does to an enemy (Numbers 24:24), what Sarah inflicted on Hagar (Genesis 16:6), and what the lawless do to the weak (Exodus 22:22). It is used of the pain inflicted on Joseph's ankles by his chains (Psalm 105:18). Moses describes Egypt's treatment of Israel with this word (Exodus 1:11-12), and in this case, it implies more than the emotional pain of slavery but something that hurt physically. Thus, in Strong's Concordance, the author uses such forceful and painful words as "browbeat," "deal hardly with," "defile," "force," "hurt," and "ravish" to describe it. Anah is a strong, forceful word.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Pride, Humility, and the Day of Atonement
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Leviticus 23:29-32 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
The Levitical rituals, even though they clearly picture the meaning of the Day of Atonement, are no longer performed (Hebrews 9:8-14; 10:1-4, 10-14). But God's church does fast on this annual holy day. Why are the sacrifices obsolete, yet the fasting is not? The difference between them is that the rituals were commanded to be performed by the priests as a type of the sacrifice of the death of Messiah or Christ, but fasting was commanded for the entire congregation. God commanded His people to fast on the Day of Atonement. God's people today obey Him. True Christians are spiritual Israelites, and they obey the commands God gave to all His people. All God's people refrain from work on His Sabbaths; they gather for worship and fellowship on His holy convocations. All true Christians, like all Israelites, should not eat unleavened bread during that festival and should fast on the Day of Atonement.
The Day of Atonement: The World at One with God
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