58:1 The word of God bursts into the midst of a complacent and self-centered people who are convinced that their religious activities are pleasing to God (in this case, fasting) and have put him in their debt. The prophet, like Wisdom (Prov. 1:20–21), is to “cry aloud” (lit., “with the throat”), calling people to urgent listening. This call will be like the blast of a trumpet, which is more than simply a loud noise; the trumpet sounded at Sinai (Num. 10:1–10) as a signal that it was time to break camp and move on and was also sounded on the appointed feast days to call the people to remember who Yahweh is. Here it is addressed to the rebellious house of Jacob, whose sins are evident. They are called to be an exodus people, living in obedience and moving on as God guides them.

58:2 What makes their attitude worse is that they appear to be genuinely seeking God (cf. Isa. 55:5–9), when in reality they are rebels and sinners. They act as if they were enjoying the daily round of worship and look like people whose ways are righteous. Externally, they are conforming to God’s law, but, as 58:3 makes plain, their hearts are not truly committed. Jesus condemns such punctilious observance of the letter of the law without justice, mercy, or faithfulness (Matt. 23:23–24). “Drawing near” probably suggests an overreliance on temple worship, of the kind Jeremiah condemns in his temple sermon (Jer. 7:1–29).

58:3–4 Behind this state of affairs lies what is essentially a pagan idea of worship, little different from that of Isaiah 57:3–13. The essence of paganism is that the gods are to be bargained with and that the carrying out of prescribed rituals gains their favor. This is illustrated in the case of fasting, which the people see as pleasing to God and thus a way to merit his favor. Fasting was prescribed for the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:29–30), but other fasts are mentioned in, for example, Ezra 8:23; Zechariah 7:4–14. The essence of fasting is not the pagan idea that God owes us a favor but rather that our ways are not God’s ways and that we must humble ourselves and return to him in prayer. Here fasting has become self-indulgence, the exact opposite of its designated purpose. It has become an occasion for oppressing workers rather than for seeking justice and fairness for all. If this is the case, then, like so much else in Isaiah, this oracle is addressed especially to the ruling classes.

The accusation continues with the claim that their fasting produces quarrelling, even violence. It is not entirely clear what this means, but it may be that self-righteous attitudes combined with lack of food have produced a spirit of bitterness resulting in aggression. This type of religious activity has no influence in heaven, where the one who is high and lifted up listens to the repentant and humble (Isa. 57:15).

58:5 The people have misunderstood the point of fasting, identifying it with the externals of bowing down and wearing sackcloth. “Is this what you call a fast?” says the prophet in effect. It is not that these bodily postures are wrong but that they are of no value in themselves and have degenerated into mindless ritual. How well this describes the attitudes of eighth-century-BC Jerusalem (cf. 1:10–17)! Such attitudes, however, are not unique to that time and place; whenever outward and ritualistic practices become ends in themselves, true spiritual life dies.

58:6 The previous verse makes clear that the current practice of fasting is not what God would have chosen, so what kind of fasting will please him? The fasting is inward looking and selfish; true fasting looks outward and is not so much about depriving ourselves as it is about caring for others. The verbs here all relate to freeing from slavery: “loose,” “undo,” “go free,” and “break every yoke.” Judah is to live as exodus people, behaving as those who understand what the year of jubilee is about (cf. Leviticus 25). Counterfeit religion enslaves; true faith liberates. Peter expresses this same idea when he writes, “Live as people who are free” (1 Pet. 2:16).

58:7 More specifically, setting free is seen as feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, and clothing the naked. In other words, negative denying of oneself, which can be done for selfish reasons, is replaced by the positive helping of others and showing them God’s compassion. Job speaks in similar terms (Job 31:13–23), as does Ezekiel (Ezek. 18:5–9); James expresses it succinctly (James 1:27). This attitude is to extend to all people; “your own flesh” almost certainly is not only relatives but all who share a common humanity.

58:8 Such behavior has wonderful consequences. The satisfaction the people vainly sought in religious exercises now comes as a gracious gift from God. Light will not simply shine on them but will “break forth” with every new dawn. They will experience healing, or, more exactly, new flesh growing over their wounds. In the desert the pillar of fire and cloud guided the people and when necessary protected them by coming between them and their pursuers (Ex. 13:21–22; 14:19–20). Righteousness now goes before them to ensure they finish the journey in peace (Isa. 57:1–2), and the glory that fills the whole earth (6:3) protects them from danger. This is the gift of the amazingly generous God of 55:1–2.

58:9 Further blessing results in the shape of the fellowship with God that external religion fails to provide. This again echoes 55:6–7, but this time positively. Genuine calling on the Lord is expressed by freeing others from intolerable burdens. Disdain for others was expressed by the pointing finger; a comparison with Proverbs 6:12–19 shows that this bodily gesture often expresses contempt for those one meets. In addition “speaking wickedness” suggests nasty gossip and slander.

58:10 Just as God is generous, his people must reflect that generosity. To “pour yourself out” is no offhand contribution but a life devoted to loving service. This is what it means to “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7). If God is with us, even times of gloom will be light.

58:11 Such times of gloom are often marked by not knowing where to go, along with fear lest we stumble; this fear is met by the promise of continual guidance and the provision of oases in the desert. This too is an exodus image, but it is not confined to that era. External protection and provision for God’s people will be matched by inward strengthening of the body, which will culminate in the new Jerusalem (Isa. 66:13–14). Important resources such as rain will never dry up (John 4:14; 7:37–39). This is a striking contrast with Isaiah 1:30, in which false religion is compared to a waterless garden.

58:12 The promised blessing continues into the future. The rebuilding of the ruins alludes to Judah’s return from exile, but it goes far beyond that and points to the building composed of future generations of God’s people. Faithful people throughout the generations, including Ezra and Nehemiah, will build for God. The people and the city to which they are going blend together here.

58:13 This chapter, as with Isaiah 56–57, contrasts counterfeit religion and true heart devotion. So the prophet returns to the Sabbath, a key aspect of faithful obedience (56:1–8). Fasting is one aspect of Israel’s ceremonial life, but Sabbath—perhaps more than any other marker—illustrates the difference between true and false religion. It too can be manipulated to suit one’s own agendas, but when seen as a gracious gift—indeed, as a “delight”—its true purpose becomes clear. It is a day to be treated as special, not because God is harsh but because the Sabbath is an opportunity to remind oneself of the gift of rest that anticipates the new creation. Thus the central element of Sabbath is that on that day God’s people especially luxuriate in his grace.

58:14 “Delighting in the Lord” easily slips into delighting in ourselves, especially if religion has become a means of self-indulgence. Helping others can become a low priority. Truly understood, the Sabbath is liberating. “Riding on the heights of the earth” is an idea associated with enjoying covenant blessings in Deuteronomy 32:13, echoed in Habakkuk 3:19. “Heritage” of your father Jacob” forms an inclusio with “house of Jacob” (Isa. 58:1); the sinners of the earlier verse are now invited to enjoy the covenant blessings. When the Lord feeds his people, he does so abundantly (55:2). This is also an echo of 1:19, in which “eating the good of the land” is a result of forgiveness, a forgiveness guaranteed by the work of the servant. This is no idle promise; as so often in Isaiah, all these blessings are guaranteed by the word of Yahweh, the word that will accomplish his purpose (cf. 55:11).