Biblical Fasting

Biblical Fasting: The Bible is full of health-giving advice like many religious books

Most religions have some form of fasting or the other and it is usually seen as a purification process for the spiritual side of the person. This is the case with Biblical fasting rites as well. In many instances, people fasted as a kind of penance or in order to prepare for some ritual or rite.

Right from the Old Testament to the end of the holy book, we see records of the men who fasted. So we have Moses, Daniel, Elijah and of course, Christ. In many cases it was to facilitate the union with God. Whenever there was any kind of trouble or famine or mourning, people were extolled to oil their hair, wear sackcloth and ashes and fast and pray till what they requested was granted. Whenever people fell into slothful ways and indulged in excesses, the end usually came about as in Sodom and Gomorrah.

The 40-day fasts

The 40-day fast was advocated when one wanted to cleanse oneself of a multitude of sins or to get rid of the influence of the devil. Jesus too fasted for 40 long days and nights away from the crowds alone in the desert. Was it in preparation for the great battle ahead?

If we were to take out the religious aspect in each case and look at it from a physical point of view, one must admire the fact that people way back then knew the healing and rejuvenating powers of fasting. What better way to feel inspired than to fast? Fasting made one healthy and therefore clear-headed and energetic. If there were toxins accumulated in the body thanks to anger or sorrow, fasting flushed it out.

The Bible is full of health-giving advice like many religious books and fasting is given prominence in many diseased conditions. In fact, the Dead Sea Scrolls mentioned fasting as a way of purification. According to the authors, the Essenes, Satan and his evil spirits could be cast forth from the body with prayer and fasting. A three day fast was advocated to get rid of all the evil within the body. This would be helped along with an enema. If we were to substitute Satan for disease and negativity, we could flush those out too with fasting. What is left behind is peace, calm and a positive demeanor.