Monday, June 10, 2024

Jack R. Lundbom on Joel 1:14 and Fasting

  

[I]n postexilic times the efficacy of fasting, wearing sackcloth, and performing other acts of humiliation was highly rated (Zech. 8.19; Neh. 9.1; Esth. 4.1-3, 16; Tob. 12.8; Judt. 4.8-10; 8.5-6; 9.1). Fasting earlier was total abstention of food only during the daylight hours, even as it is today during Muslim Ramadan.

 

Fasting was very much a part of the ancient world. Like wearing sackcloth and performing other self-inflicting acts, it was a way of moving the deity to pity and getting the deity to accede to one’s request, much like modern hunger strikes carried out by prisoners to force a change in their treatment. The problem in ancient—and even in modern-religion is that it became a way of seeking to manipulate the deity, and for Israelites this was disparaged when pleads were made to other gods. Elijah heaped scorn on prophets of Baal when they slashed themselves crying for rain, for the rain did not come (1 Kgs 18.25-29). Fasting was practiced in Israel, but with awareness that Yahweh may or may not accede to one’s request. David knew this (2 Sam. 12.22-23), and Joel did also (Joel 2.12-14). IN David’s case, Yahweh was not moved to pity over the sick child, and the child died. All mediators between Yahweh and the people knew that Yahweh did not always accede to one’s request. Moses was generally successful as a mediator, but Amos, after twice succeeding, failed the third time (Amos 7.1-9). Jeremiah knew even more failure (Lundbom 2018). When Judah was in the midst of a severe drought, Jeremiah learned to his sorrow that Yahweh was not listening to his prayers, even though people were fasting, crying, and making offerings on the altar. Instead Yahweh said they would be consumed by sword, pestilence, and famine (Jer. 14.11-12). (Jack R. Lundbom, Joel: Prophet of the Outpouring Spirit [Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2023], 37)