How does Exodus 34:28 emphasize the importance of fasting in spiritual discipline? The scene at Sinai Exodus 34:28: “So Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments.” • Moses is literally on the mountain for forty consecutive days and nights. • Scripture explicitly states he consumed nothing—no food, no water. • During this fast, God gives the renewed covenant, anchoring Israel’s life and worship. Fasting intertwined with revelation • The giving of the Law and the absence of food are reported in the same breath. • By joining them, God shows that receiving His word is worth setting aside even the most basic physical needs. • Deuteronomy 9:9 and 9:18 repeat the detail, underscoring its importance. Dependence, not deprivation • Fasting here is not self-punishment; it is complete reliance on God’s sustaining presence. • Deuteronomy 8:3 reminds: “Man does not live on bread alone” (quoted by Jesus in Matthew 4:4). • For forty days God keeps Moses alive, proving He is the source of life. Forty-day pattern repeated • Elijah travels “forty days and forty nights” to Horeb after a meal supplied by the angel of the LORD (1 Kings 19:8). • Jesus fasts forty days in the wilderness before public ministry (Matthew 4:2). • Each episode precedes revelation, commissioning, or decisive spiritual victory. Why this matters for believers • God still uses fasting to sharpen spiritual perception and humility (Ezra 8:21; Acts 13:2-3). • When we deny legitimate appetites for a season, we declare that obeying and hearing God outranks every other priority. • The miraculous fast of Moses sets the ceiling; ordinary fasts still echo the same heart posture. Practical pointers for a disciplined fast • Start with a clear, God-centered purpose—time in the Word, intercession, repentance. • Choose a form suitable to health and circumstances (Daniel 10:3 shows partial fasting is valid). • Replace meal times with Scripture meditation; Exodus 34:28 links fasting to receiving concrete words from God. • Expect spiritual resistance (Matthew 4:3); counter with Scripture just as Jesus did. • Break the fast thoughtfully, continuing the attitude of dependence learned while abstaining. |
    |