Topical Bible: Fasting of Saints Exemplified: David

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David, the second king of Israel and a man after God's own heart, is a prominent biblical figure whose life and actions are recorded extensively in the Old Testament. Among his many spiritual practices, fasting stands out as a significant aspect of his relationship with God. David's fasting is depicted in various contexts, reflecting his deep reliance on God during times of personal distress, repentance, and intercession.

1. Fasting in Mourning and Repentance:

One of the most notable instances of David's fasting is found in the context of his sin with Bathsheba. After the prophet Nathan confronted David about his adultery and the murder of Uriah, David repented deeply. When the child born from this union fell ill, David sought God's mercy through fasting. In 2 Samuel 12:16-17 , it is recorded: "David pleaded with God for the child; he fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground." This period of fasting was an expression of David's profound grief and repentance, as he sought divine intervention for the life of his child.

2. Fasting in Times of Personal Distress:

David also fasted during times of personal distress and danger. In Psalm 35, David describes his response to the unjust treatment and false accusations he faced from his enemies. In verse 13 , he states: "Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered." Here, fasting is portrayed as an act of humility and a plea for God's justice and deliverance.

3. Fasting as an Act of Intercession:

Another instance of David's fasting is seen in his intercessory role for others. In 2 Samuel 1, after the death of Saul and Jonathan, David and his men mourned and fasted. Verse 12 notes: "They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, for the army of the LORD, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword." This fasting was an expression of collective grief and a call for God's guidance and comfort for the nation.

4. Fasting in Seeking God's Guidance:

Although not explicitly mentioned as fasting, David's practice of seeking God's guidance often involved elements of fasting and prayer. In 1 Samuel 30, when the Amalekites raided Ziklag and took captives, David sought the Lord's direction. While the text does not specify fasting, David's pattern of seeking God in distress suggests that fasting may have accompanied his prayers for guidance and victory.

David's life exemplifies the practice of fasting as a multifaceted spiritual discipline. Through fasting, David expressed repentance, sought divine intervention, interceded for others, and demonstrated humility before God. His example serves as a testament to the power and significance of fasting in the life of a believer, highlighting its role in deepening one's relationship with God and seeking His will in times of need.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Samuel 12:16
David therefore sought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the earth.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 109:24
My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh fails of fatness.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Introduction to the Work, with Some Account of the Nature of ...
... Heavenly contemplation will be exemplified, chap.16, and the ... I durst not have thought
of the saints' preferment in ... Is my mourning, my fasting, my sad humblings ...
/.../baxter/the saints everlasting rest/chapter i the introduction to.htm

Homilies on Galatians and Ephesians.
... in heaven, [139]74; are given what elder saints toiled after ... Fasting, a means of
intercession, [268]101. ... 82; must be centered in one, [303]146; exemplified in a ...
/.../homilies on galatians and ephesians.htm

The Letter of the Church of Rome
... only faith but prophecy as well is exemplified in this ... For by her fasting and
humiliation she implored the all ... and perfect when God and the saints remember them ...
/.../richardson/early christian fathers/the letter of the church.htm

Abraham, his Trial in Egypt; his Humility
... David, his love for his people, [437]146; to his rebel ... ib.; cast out by bones of
the saints, [476]403 ... Fasting, commonly within men's power, [618]50; needed for ...
/.../abraham his trial in egypt.htm

Anti-Pelagian Writings
... Chapter 56.--The Case of David, in Illustration. ... In the Saints This Possibility Advances
and Keeps ... Life Comprehended in Three Parts,--Fasting, Almsgiving, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/anti-pelagian writings/

The First Delegated General Conference of 1812
... and also a disposition, frequently exemplified before, to ... O let us again resort to
fasting and humiliation. ... 2 vols., 1. 00 each; The Saints' Everlasting Rest ...
/.../chapter 1 the first delegated.htm

part ii
... cry unto the Lord against us in the words of the prophet David: "Our soul is ... 711]
But the saints all acquired pure hearts by fasting, vigilance, prayer ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part ii.htm

From the Close of the General Conference of 1800, to the End of ...
... "Monday, 5. We had a day of fasting and humiliation ... support the gospel, and to wash
the saints' feet; as ... spirit of Mr. Jarratt, as they were exemplified in his ...
/.../chapter 5 from the close.htm

Homilies on the Gospel of John.
... of intention, [891]98; in Christ is faith in God, [892]104; need of, [893]115; without
a sign, exemplified in the ... Fasting, a way to pardon, [919]29, [920]142. ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homilies on the gospel of.htm

Footnotes
... Faithful Witness Bearing Exemplified, preface, p. iv. ... Leonard's Colledge, Mr. David
Nauee, (formerlie possessing the same, bot now deposed, as is spoken before ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/footnotes.htm