Topical Bible: Seven: Days: Fasts of

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In the biblical context, the number seven often signifies completeness or perfection, a theme that extends to the practice of fasting. Fasting for seven days is a significant spiritual discipline found in the Scriptures, symbolizing a complete cycle of devotion, repentance, or mourning before God.

Old Testament Instances

One of the earliest references to a seven-day fast is found in the account of King David. After the death of Saul and Jonathan, David and his men mourned and fasted for seven days. This period of fasting was an expression of deep sorrow and respect for the fallen king and his son. The Bible records, "They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword" (2 Samuel 1:12).

Another significant instance is the fast observed by the people of Jabesh Gilead. After retrieving the bodies of Saul and his sons from the Philistines, they buried them and fasted for seven days. This act of fasting was a tribute to Saul's leadership and a communal expression of grief (1 Samuel 31:13).

New Testament Context

While the New Testament does not explicitly mention a seven-day fast, the practice of fasting remains an important spiritual discipline. Jesus Himself fasted for forty days and nights in the wilderness, setting an example for His followers (Matthew 4:2). The early church continued the practice of fasting as a means of seeking God's guidance and preparing for significant spiritual endeavors (Acts 13:2-3).

Symbolism and Spiritual Significance

The seven-day fast holds deep symbolic meaning within the biblical narrative. It represents a complete cycle of spiritual purification and dedication. The number seven, often associated with divine perfection, underscores the completeness of the fast as a holistic offering to God. This period of fasting is not merely an act of abstaining from food but a profound spiritual exercise aimed at aligning oneself with God's will and purposes.

Practical Application

For believers today, a seven-day fast can serve as a powerful tool for spiritual renewal and transformation. It provides an opportunity to seek God's face earnestly, repent of sins, and intercede for others. As with all spiritual disciplines, the focus should be on drawing closer to God and experiencing His presence in a deeper way.

In summary, the seven-day fast is a biblically rooted practice that carries significant spiritual weight. It is a testament to the believer's commitment to God and a means of experiencing His grace and power in a profound manner.

Nave's Topical Index

1 Samuel 31:13
And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
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2 Samuel 12:16,18,22
David therefore sought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the earth.
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Library

Matthew's Feast. Discourse on Fasting.
... the bridegroom's house, a feast usually lasting seven days ensued (Matthew 22 ... c those
days.} [Jesus here ... He prescribed no stated fasts, and the apostolic church ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/lvii matthews feast discourse on.htm

How St Francis Converted Certain Robbers and Assassins, who Became ...
... Besides the ordinary fasts which he observed with the brethren, he fasted at ... that
thou return to the world; thou shalt remain there seven days, during which ...
/.../the little flowers of st francis of assisi/chapter xxvi how st francis.htm

The Disagreement in Asia.
... Some fasted three, some six, some seven weeks, and so on ... The fasts of Moses, of Elijah,
and of Jesus in the ... and in the time of Eusebius the forty days' fast had ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter xxiv the disagreement in asia.htm

Letter xxxvi. (AD 396. )
... let him mark well that there are seven days in the ... on the Lord's day, there remain
five days in which he may surpass the Pharisee, who fasts but twice in ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter xxxvi a d 396.htm

In Death and after Death
... three were those of "weeping." During these seven days it was ... record"the Megillath
Taanith, or roll of fasts"mentions a number of other days on which ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 10 in death and.htm

Appendix v. Rabbinic Theology and Literature
... fire, He breathed them with (air); He burnt them in seven; He poured ... MEGILLATH TAANITH,
OR ROLL OF FASTS. These are the days on which it is not lawful to fast ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/appendix v rabbinic theology and.htm

Whether the Times for the Church Fast are Fittingly Ascribed?
... our Lord fed four thousand men with seven loaves, which ... the commandment of the Church
are rather "fasts of sorrow" which are inconsistent with days of joy ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether the times for the.htm

The Manich??an System.
... the initiated: "Mani imposed upon his disciples commandments, namely, ten commandments,
and to these are attached three seals, and fasts of seven days in each ...
/.../chapter iii name manichaean system.htm

By Far the Ablest of These Seven Essays is from the Pen of the " ...
... Not seven years have elapsed since there was to be ... recompense to him for attending
on the Fasts and Festivals ... Clerk failed to attend on those days,"unless let ...
/.../burgon/inspiration and interpretation/vi by far the ablest.htm

If any of the Ascetics, Without Bodily Necessity, Shall Behave ...
The Seven Ecumenical Councils. ... says (HE II., xliii.) is that "he commanded that the
prescribed fasts should be neglected, and that the Lord's days should be ...
/.../schaff/the seven ecumenical councils/canon xix if any of.htm