Scripture identifies a number of situations in which fasting is appropriate.
Situations in which fasting is appropriate
Bereavement
1 Chronicles 10:11–12 parallel 1 Samuel 31:11–13 See also 2 Samuel 1:11–12, 2 Samuel 3:31–35
When all the people of Jabesh-gilead heard about everything the Philistines had done to Saul, all their men of valor set out and retrieved the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. And they buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh and fasted seven days.
Distress
Esther 4:3 See also 1 Samuel 1:7, 1 Samuel 20:34; 1 Kings 21:4–6; Psalm 109:24; Daniel 6:18; Acts 27:33
In every province to which the king’s command and edict came, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and lamented, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
Penitence
1 Samuel 7:5–6 See also Nehemiah 9:1–3; Daniel 9:3–6 Daniel identifies himself with the sin of the people; Daniel 9:20; Joel 1:13–14, Joel 2:12–15; Jonah 3:5–9
Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD on your behalf.” When they had gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted, and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.
Seeking God's intervention
2 Samuel 12:15–17 See also 2 Chronicles 20:2–4; Ezra 8:21; Esther 4:15–16; Psalm 35:13–14
After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill. David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted and went into his house and spent the night lying in sackcloth on the ground. The elders of his household stood beside him to help him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them.
Seeking guidance
Judges 20:26–28 See also Deuteronomy 9:9 Moses fasts before the revelation of the Law; Daniel 9:1–3, Daniel 9:20–23, Daniel 10:1–2, Daniel 10:12; Acts 13:1–3 The church receives direction through the Holy Spirit while fasting.
Then the Israelites, all the people, went up to Bethel, where they sat weeping before the LORD. That day they fasted until evening and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings to the LORD. And the Israelites inquired of the LORD. (In those days the ark of the covenant of God was there, and Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, served before it.) The Israelites asked, “Should we again go out to battle against our brothers the Benjamites, or should we stop?” The LORD answered, “Fight, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.”
Indicating earnestness
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.