Isaiah 58:1-14 - Understanding true fasting and honoring the Sabbath day.
I checked the BYU Religious Studies Center (rsc.byu.edu) and the Joseph Smith Papers (josephsmithpapers.org) but chose to use the official "Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026" manual instead, as it provides a comprehensive and direct overview of the assigned scripture block, Isaiah 58–66, including detailed insights on both true fasting and honoring the Sabbath day.
This week's "Come, Follow Me" manual emphasizes that Isaiah 58 teaches about the acceptable kind of fasting and Sabbath worship that pleases the Lord. It highlights that God was displeased with the Israelites' fasting because their motives were selfish and their actions did not reflect sincere worship or care for others. The manual clarifies that true fasting involves lifting burdens, caring for the needy, and showing compassion, promising significant blessings for those who fast sincerely. Similarly, it explains that honoring the Sabbath involves making it a delight, which leads to joy in one's relationship with the Lord and both temporal and spiritual blessings. The manual references President Russell M. Nelson's teaching that "Faith in God engenders a love for the Sabbath; faith in the Sabbath engenders a love for God".
Source: "Isaiah 58–66", Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/come-follow-me-for-home-and-church-old-testament-2026/part-4/isaiah-58-66?lang=eng
The manual discusses that Isaiah 58 addresses the Israelites' tendency to perform religious acts, like fasting, as outward rituals without true inward change. In what ways might we, in our modern worship, similarly fall into the trap of outward observance without fully embracing the inward, compassionate intent of the commandments, particularly regarding fasting and Sabbath day observance?
Considering the morning's intention to more fully understand and keep our sacred covenants to invite God's promised blessings and strength, how does Isaiah 58's message about genuine fasting and making the Sabbath a delight help us identify specific actions we can take today to deepen our covenant keeping and thus access greater divine strength?