Isaiah 58:10, commentary and pictures

To draw out the soul to the hungry means to give oneself in heartfelt, compassionate, personal care, not bodily help only, with loving concern, active help, tender words of kindness, hope and forgiveness, and with spiritual bread for souls starving for truth. To satisfy the afflicted soul means to meet needs and relieve suffering in body and soul with mercy rather than condemnation or accusation. Then light rising in obscurity with darkness as noonday means gloom replaced by brightness, divine illumination, abiding peace, a transformed life, and bringing those in error into truth. This is the true fast God chooses, in contrast to outward humiliation and afflicting the body while continuing pleasure, oppression, strife and self-indulgence. The promise is only if the yoke is put away with oppression, the pointing finger, scorn and vain speech, and if giving is done in charity from love without selfishness or display. Those who so obey receive continual guidance, satisfaction in drought, health springing speedily, answered prayer with Here I am, and life like a watered garden and unfailing spring.

Words and True Fast

To draw out the soul to the hungry is to give oneself in loving concern and active help, not bodily relief only but the expression of the soul itself in the work. It is heartfelt, compassionate, personal care shown in words of tenderness, kindness, hope, faith, forgiveness and Christlike love to the afflicted. The work is done with one hand taking hold of God by faith while the other ministers to those in need. It includes giving spiritual bread to souls starving for it, the word of truth and the gospel, for the promises of God are food for the hungry soul and His grace satisfies those who seek Him.

To satisfy the afflicted soul is to relieve suffering and meet need in both body and soul, not merely to keep outward religious observance. The afflicted include those who are confused and do not know what course to take, to whom hope and comfort are to be offered so that gloom gives way to joy and they find their way. The call is to mercy rather than condemnation, judgment or accusation.

When this is done the light rises in obscurity and darkness becomes as the noonday, with brightness replacing gloom. It is divine illumination sought when the cloud of the world is rolled back, peace abiding by trust in God, and a transformed life in which faith, sympathy, forbearance, love, gentleness and self-control become a light in a dark place showing what God has done. Those who so serve are to be cheerful lightbearers, and the rising of the light means bringing many now in the darkness of error into the light of present truth, with Christ as righteousness going before those who follow Him. Those who walk in the light of God's commands live in God's light.

The verse belongs to the fast God chooses, in contrast to a false fast of outward humiliation in bowing the head, sackcloth and ashes and afflicting the body. The false fast finds pleasure, exacts labor, fasts for strife and debate, complains that God does not notice, and joins high profession and outward exactness with inward wickedness, selfishness, oppression, unbelief and self-indulgence. The true fast is self-surrender in willing service, yielding mind, heart and will to God, as shown in Christ's life for the lost. It looses the bands of wickedness, undoes heavy burdens, lets the oppressed go free, breaks every yoke, deals bread to the hungry, brings the outcast poor into the house, covers the naked, does not hide from kindred, puts away oppression, contempt, the accusing finger and vain speech, does not advance and enrich self, does not neglect simple duties, humbles the heart before God, and works to bring sinners to repentance rather than spending time in needless mourning and bodily humiliation. Such works give evidence that the Spirit of God is operating on the heart, and they require knowing oneself, accepting reproof, receiving truth which works by love and purifies the soul, honoring God by obedience to His law, and thorough reform.

Obscurity remains only where His words are not continued, for the light is already shining, and where His words continue darkness cannot remain. The promise is seen when faces shine as if the Sun of Righteousness shines upon them and souls seek living connection with God, bearing earnest testimony and making fervent heartfelt petitions and praise with requests for themselves and their families. When oppression, pointing the finger and vain speech are put away and the soul is drawn out to the hungry, the Lord answers the cry and gives the soul the very thing it hungers for, with Christ present at the side saying Here I am, carrying forward into continual guidance, satisfaction in drought, and life like a watered garden and unfailing spring.

Conditions for Fulfillment

The light is promised only if the yoke is taken away from the midst, with oppression put away together with the pointing finger, accusation, scorn, contempt, and the speaking of vanity and vain empty speech. Giving to the hungry and relieving the afflicted must therefore go with refusing to manufacture yokes by binding contracts and confederacies, and with refusing to hinder servants from acting in harmony with light. Those who obey in this way have trouble give way to brightness, with continual guidance, satisfaction in drought, strengthening of the body, and life like a watered garden and an unfailing spring.

Fasting and prayer accomplish nothing while the heart is estranged from God by a wrong course of action. Before praying there must be the closest self-examination to discover sins, with decided and thorough repentance, confession and forsaking of sin, deep humility of soul, and firm reliance upon the merits of the blood of Christ alone. What is required is heart work springing from a heart filled with love, with careful and prayerful investigation of motives and actions, and with avoidance of all extremes, for to answer while sin is cherished would prove ruin. This call to return by hearty repentance and confession belongs to the present duty of every one granted the breath of life, and carrying out these principles brings the Lord's verification of His promise without fail.

The giving itself must be done in charity and pity from love, not to display deeds or to earn praise. It means treating fellow men, especially the unfortunate, oppressed, and those in temporal embarrassment, with compassion, tenderness and helpfulness instead of hardness, reproach, judging and accusation, loving neighbors as self, living to please others, and taking hold at once to help necessities seen around. Selfishness, self-indulgence, covetousness, stinginess and favoritism except for need are contrary to it, for even bestowing goods to feed the poor profits nothing without charity that suffers long, is kind, envies not, is humble, seemly, unselfish, patient and pure in thought. Such unselfish, Christlike help reflects God's character, rolls away the cloud of reproach, brings praise to Him from those helped, lays up treasure in heaven, and enriches the giver like land made fruitful by a stream.

The promise is conditional and stated as a condition of guidance and sustaining, to be individually appropriated and claimed from God by faith. It is for every family and every soul in every family, beginning right where they are, and as the blessings are individually appropriated they will be imparted to others. Victory does not come by human efforts but by seeing God behind the promise and believing and trusting His faithfulness, grasping infinite power by faith even when faith feels too weak and help is not felt. Taking up the duties close at hand in calm, unwavering trust marks the right course against the wrong, and shows the sure result of genuine faith, for faith without works is dead, being alone, while the life must reveal a faith which works by love and purifies the soul from selfishness.

Promises to the Merciful

Those who give themselves to feed the hungry and satisfy the afflicted receive light rising in obscurity with gloom and darkness becoming as noonday brightness, so distress gives way to brightness, hope and joy. This compassionate self-giving is part of the way to health and true joy, and less self-concern with greater generosity widens the soul to receive the promised light and blessing. The call is addressed to all who profess godliness, for religious meetings and prayers do not take the place of doing what is right at the right time. The promise belongs to every family and every soul to begin where they are and impart to others, and the whole chapter is a message for the present time to be given repeatedly.

Those who obey in this work receive continual guidance by the Lord, satisfaction of soul in drought, strengthening and making fat of bones, and life like a watered garden and like an unfailing spring whose waters fail not. With this comes righteousness going before and the glory of the Lord as rereward. It is medical missionary work to be done unselfishly in all places with no part of the vineyard neglected and with most wide-awake effort in the most neglected portion, and a life that puts Christ's teachings into practice in serving those in need. Drawing out sympathy, care and practical help to the hungry belongs to the work of highest importance required of God, joined to removing the yoke and putting away scorn, accusation and vain empty speech.

The obedience brings health springing forth speedily, a sure remedy for poor health and for chronic maladies of the spiritual life and of the physical and mental powers, more useful than drugs. Those who do this compassionate work not only relieve sufferers but contribute largely to their own happiness and are in the way of securing health of soul and body, for every part of truth has practical application to daily life and hearing the word is not enough unless it is kept and done. It means self-denial and self-sacrifice in firmly resisting inclination to gratify taste for frivolous things and useless ornaments, denying money spent on fancies, self-pleasing and conveniences that can be done without, so means flow in channels that glorify God by blessing humanity. Such self-denying liberality deals bread to the hungry, brings in the poor cast out, covers the naked and poorly clad, relieves families poorly clad and houses destitute of comfort, supplies destitute homes with comforts, and overcomes evil with good. In doing the will of the heavenly Father comes a healthy growing Christian experience, a sunlit experience, the sunshine of Christ's righteousness and the Lord's reviving healing sunshine, with peace, righteousness going before, answered prayer, continual guidance and keeping of the Lord, calling Christians to repent of half-hearted work and represent pure unselfish benevolence.

Calling in this way brings the answer Here I am, with Christ present at the side giving the soul the very thing it hungers for, even the living water springing up to everlasting life through trusting in Jesus and drinking the water He gives. Obscurity remains only where His words are not continued, for the light is already shining, and where His words continue darkness cannot remain, which explains why many stay in obscurity and find no answer until this service lifts gloom into midday brightness and calls forth gratitude. Receiving the Word just as it reads brings power from on high, so that instead of working against God by disobedience men seek to win souls to obedience under the conditions of taking away the yoke, the pointing finger and speaking vanity. Practicing the instruction ends merely formal prayer and enables praying in the Spirit with evidence of divine inditing, so prayer is heard and answered, and those who minister as impartial unselfish witnesses receiving from God to impart to others have light break forth, health spring speedily, the Lord's nearness, continual guidance, satisfaction in drought, renewed strength and lasting fruitfulness.

God Himself is given as the great Reward, received and enjoyed as character becomes like His through giving self to God for the service of humanity. Those who consecrate body, soul and spirit to God in unselfish service constantly receive a new endowment of physical, mental and spiritual power from heaven's inexhaustible supplies at command, Christ giving His own breath and life, the breath of His own Spirit, and the Holy Spirit putting forth its highest energies to work in heart and mind. No one can become a channel for blessing to flow to others without receiving rich reward in himself, repaid a hundredfold like hillsides and plains and land made green, fruitful and beautiful by mountain streams carried to the sea. Working to benefit and bless others gives satisfaction and peace of more value than gold, grace imparted returns as grace received, every faithful performance stands registered in the books of heaven and receives more than earthly reward as a sacred duty owed to God to receive grace in order to give it.

The faithful thus become builders of old waste places, raisers of foundations of many generations, called repairers of the breach and restorers of paths to dwell in. This comes by lifting up the fourth commandment trodden under foot and restoring the Sabbath broken in the law, turning from personal pleasure, ways and words on the Sabbath, calling it a delight holy and honorable, and so delighting in the Lord, riding upon the high places of the earth and feeding with the heritage of Jacob. The verse belongs to God's chosen fast of loosing wickedness, undoing burdens, freeing the oppressed, breaking every yoke, sharing bread, housing the poor, clothing the naked and not hiding from others, which brings breaking light, speedy health, guiding righteousness, protecting glory, answered prayer and continual guidance like a watered garden. It calls churches, publishing houses, missionary stations and sanitariums to heart reformation, putting away self-exalting plans and learning from Christ, joining the first part of the chapter on helping others to the last part on keeping the Sabbath.

Present Truth and Mission

The whole chapter is a message for the present time and for the last period of earth's history, to be given repeatedly without softening or muffling. It is a trumpet call to show God's people their transgression even while they seek Him daily, demanding reformation and humble walking especially from those entrusted with responsibility. It comes as reproof and correction plainly marking the Lord's way, and as warning and encouragement offering light, life, goodness and truth to those who receive it and apply it to their own lives. The earnestness of the proclaimed message will stir hearts with no departure from the instruction of the Word, and ministers, physicians, nurses, parents and workers in every line are to carry it with constantly enlarging understanding of what is truth. Failing to do this present part and duty is the reason the special blessing is not realized, while carrying out its principles and verifying the Word as required brings the Lord to verify His promise shortly without fail, avoiding all extremes.

The work it commands is bound up inseparably with keeping God's commandments and with practical godliness and Bible religion doing justice and mercy. It centers especially on the seventh-day Sabbath as memorial of creation and sign that He sanctifies for service, calling for renewed reverent observance, closer study by ministers and people, confession of neglect in bringing ordinary work, words and unsanctified thoughts into the Sabbath, honoring God's ordinances, and turning from Sabbath-breaking. It calls God's people to repair the breach made in the law by the man of sin, to lift up the fourth commandment trodden under foot, and to meet the exalting of a spurious Sabbath soon to be enforced by law by raising the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. This is a solemn call to follow Christ and obey, not mere profession and zeal in a false faith but elevating the purest principles of the kingdom, restoring the moral image of God in man. When this ministry of genuine beneficence and medical missionary work is rightly performed now as the end approaches, rich blessings come to the church.

Medical missionary work and the gospel ministry are to be bound together sealed with God's seal, neither separated nor allowed to displace the other. Caring for the hungry and afflicted is joined with bringing the light of truth to the world, for feeding the hungry and helping sufferers are benevolent works in the pattern of Christ's ministry that bring life to the churches and serve both physical and spiritual needs. This is the practical medical missionary work appointed for the last days, to be carried out unselfishly in every place throughout the vineyard, especially in neglected fields. In sanitariums its principles are to be visible in the care patients receive, with truth kept paramount and retaining its sacred influence in the institution's work. Those who do this unselfish service will have light rise in darkness, with the following promises describing God's continual guidance and care.

The rising of light means bringing many now in the darkness of error into the light of present truth, with Christ as righteousness going before those who follow Him. It is fulfilled by personal effort in neighborhood missionary work even by those who cannot leave home for a mission field: visiting friends, neighbors and families, seeking to create interest, planting the Word in hearts, dealing out the bread of life to hungering souls, and lifting up Christ, laboring together with God with hearts filled with His love to win souls more precious than silver and gold. All who believe present truth are to sow seed in good works in every city and village, in highways and byways, near and far and in foreign fields, laboring for all classes with equal care free from selfishness, teaching the Word to unbelievers, praying for them, serving those in darkness so their light shines without limit and others glorify God, and helping seekers so none is sent away faint while removing obstructions from the way to Christ. Care for outcasts by feeding, washing and clothing them from love for souls, keeping their spiritual needs and Christ's saving love in view, can reach those not yet able to understand a spoken presentation, and establishing hospitals and sanitariums extends the same physical and spiritual relief. Even small duties count, and home instruction takes the Word home to be studied and taught to children as a matter of eternal life showing God's value for the family, fitting children for salvation rather than giving a contrary example, while self-denying work for the most needy increases a church's piety, knowledge and growth, overcomes binding selfishness, and brings blessing and power in clear bright rays instead of remaining almost stationary.

In preparation for the Lord's coming, the chapter outlines bringing means to God in tithes and freewill offerings so workers can carry truth to those who have not heard and establish places of worship. It calls for giving of self and means to prepare people for His coming, so those who receive the message become fellow workers and give in turn. Those who have means are to help in the Lord's work and supply the needs of a sanitarium rather than spending all effort merely in commercial lines, thus laying up treasure beside the throne of God. Such practical generosity includes lending money without interest out of gratitude for healing received.

Faith Proved by Works

Faith in Jesus as personal Saviour pardons sins and transgressions, keeps from sin, and leads in His footsteps, and its fruit is a faith that works by love and purifies the soul from selfishness, in which faith and works are combined. Drawing out the soul to the hungry and satisfying the afflicted soul is working in love and compassion for the needy and destitute, and the rising of light in obscurity is bringing many now in the darkness of error into the light of present truth, with Christ as righteousness going before those who follow Him. The instruction is to be valued and heeded as every word proceeding from the mouth of God, beginning right where they are to manifest personal interest, for the blessings are for every family and every soul in every family, and as individually appropriated they will be imparted to others, while all heaven waits to supply every laborer with God and true sympathy with Christ brings fellowship of the Spirit. In contrast to high profession of piety with outward exactness bound up with great inward wickedness, whose complaint that God lets services go unnoticed shows hearts unsubdued by grace and rebellious against truth, true fasting and prayer is yielding mind, heart and will to God, receiving truth that works by love and purifies the soul, and honoring God by obedience to His law as holy, just and good.

Hearing the word of the Lord is not enough, for it must be heard, kept and done, and in doing the commandments there is great reward, since every part of truth has practical application to daily life and God requires self-sacrificing workers giving practical demonstrations of benevolence by sympathy and compassionate acts toward the poor, the suffering and the unfortunate. What is called for is not mere profession and zeal in a false faith but practical godliness and Bible religion, doing justice and mercy and elevating the purest principles of the kingdom of God. Claiming connection with God must be shown by mercy and love toward others, especially the hungry and afflicted, for religious practices such as fasting and prayer cannot replace this neglected work, and when people give themselves in compassionate service their light rises in darkness and their lives show righteousness from reliance on Christ rather than confidence in self. Divided, quarrelsome conduct and failure to live out the truth separate members from Christ and bring reproach on Christianity, so sincere Christian character and faithful service are required rather than merely claiming truth while acting selfishly and harming others. The remedy for selfishness in the church is to work earnestly and unselfishly with God and Christ to save souls, and the whole chapter is profitable to memorize to resist Satan with It is written and to prove a people led of God who keep the commandments and the faith of Jesus.

Religious meetings and prayers do not take the place of doing what is right at the right time, and the call is addressed to professed godliness including Sabbath-keepers to give themselves to the hungry and meet the needs of the afflicted, with less self-concern and greater generosity widening the soul and bringing light in times of darkness with promised light and blessing. Practical mercy with putting away oppression, accusation and empty speech is the duty of Christ's followers and shows real connection with Him, bringing light rising in darkness with darkness as noonday together with continual guidance and care. Those who give themselves to the hungry and relieve the afflicted have distress give way to brightness, with God guiding and sustaining them, and the joy and blessing come both to those helped and to those who serve. The instruction puts work in order to act without selfishness, calling for Christlike service rather than fasting and prayer alone, so that the work of God's institutions must serve His purposes and care for others.

Drawing out the soul means self-denial and self-sacrifice and overcoming evil with good, firmly resisting inclination to gratify taste for frivolous things and useless ornaments in order to set money flowing in channels that glorify God by blessing humanity, relieving suffering, dealing bread to the hungry, bringing the poor cast out to the house, covering the naked and not hiding from one's own flesh. Such service is marked by Christlike tenderness, love, self-denial and self-sacrifice, bringing light in dark times with obscurity giving way to light like noonday as part of the work God asks for Him and for others in a life of self-sacrifice and Christlike love. Unselfish Christlike help rather than selfish or covetous living reflects God's character and brings praise and thanksgiving to Him from those helped. The blessing is grasped by faith through true service and worship in spirit and in truth brought into life and character, serving God with undivided affections and keeping His commandments, letting light shine everywhere with something for hungry souls and an impression on all acquaintances, with health of body and soul springing speedily, righteousness going before, the glory of the Lord as rereward, and sinners converted and souls turned to the Lord with full purpose of heart. Obedience heals chronic maladies of the spiritual life and brings continual guidance, satisfaction of soul in drought, strengthening of bones, and fruitfulness like a watered garden and like a spring whose waters fail not, with light breaking as the morning and health springing speedily. Half-hearted work is to be repented of in order to represent unselfish benevolence in self-surrender in willing service as shown in Christ's life for the lost.

All who consecrate body, soul and spirit to God in unselfish service for others receive reward even in this life, with light in obscurity and darkness turned to noonday brightness and midday clearness under the Lord's continual guidance and satisfying care. They constantly receive a new endowment of physical, mental and spiritual power from heaven's inexhaustible supplies, with Christ giving His own breath and life and the breath of His own Spirit and the Holy Spirit putting forth its highest energies in heart and mind, resulting in continual divine guidance, satisfaction in drought, bodily strength and unfailing fruitfulness like a watered garden. Those who do this required work of giving self to the hungry and meeting needs of the afflicted have a healthy, growing Christian experience, with God's righteousness going before them.

Service in Daily Life

The hungry and the afflicted to be sought out are children, youth, widows, orphans, the poor, the infirm, the oppressed and the fatherless, families poorly clad and houses destitute of comfort, neighbors and associates, fellow believers, those suffering for the truth who lose work or shelter, those cast out, and the needy nearby. The call is not to be limited to relatives and friends, but to reach those who suffer because they had moral courage to accept the truth and keep the commandments, making generous provision for them rather than leaving them hungry or forced to work on the Sabbath while resources are diverted elsewhere. Within the household of faith there is to be thoughtful, personal care for widows, fatherless children and young people, whose needs must not be neglected while helping others, and caring for poor and suffering believers is a practical living out of the promise that light rises in darkness and gloom becomes as noonday.

Putting the promise into practice means dealing bread to the hungry, clothing the naked and poorly clad, bringing the poor that are cast out into the house, supplying destitute homes with comforts, and caring for the sick under Christ's direction. It means using capabilities, power, influence and money beyond mere necessities as co-workers with God, since widespread misery existing alongside luxury is not His will, and giving up luxuries and useless ornaments so that means flow in channels that glorify God by blessing humanity and relieving suffering. This self-denial and self-sacrifice overcomes evil with good and heals chronic maladies of the spiritual life, and the giving must be done in charity that is long-suffering, kind, humble, unselfish and pure in thought, for even bestowing goods to feed the poor profits nothing without it. Bringing means in tithes and freewill offerings so workers can carry truth to those who have not heard and establish places of worship belongs to this same work of preparation for the Lord's coming, as does lending without interest and supplying the needs of a sanitarium rather than spending all effort merely in commercial lines, thus laying up treasure beside the throne.

The work is to be done by churches, publishing houses, missionary stations and sanitariums, by ministers, physicians, nurses, parents and workers in every line, in every city, village, highway and byway, near and far. It begins in the family and neighborhood, getting out of self and refusing to remain shut in, visiting to create interest, learning to care for the sick, educating others to serve, and keeping proclamation of the message central while practical mercy governs conduct, especially in medical institutions. Ministers, physicians, nurses, parents and workers in every line are to carry a message whose earnestness stirs hearts with no departure from the Word, laboring with constantly enlarging understanding of truth, and when churches take up this appointed work they come into the place where they become like a watered garden and a spring whose waters never fail.

The duty does not mean taking responsibility to provide for every depraved person, drunkard or prostitute. Nor does it mean absorbing church resources in large institutions or homes for children and care facilities for degraded classes, or in concentrated slum work in one place and manufacturing enterprises not ordained that expend much for very little return while other cities are left without well-planned methods, so that the grand work of proclaiming the message is sunk and displaced. Help is to be given to suitable recipients in ways that enable them to help themselves, and may require giving up luxuries and ornaments so that those in need can be made comfortable, with care beginning among members — the poor, orphans and aged — and then extending to others.

Those who serve in this way not only relieve sufferers but contribute largely to their own happiness, health of soul and body, joy, cheerfulness and a clear living witness. Less self-concern and greater generosity widen the soul, and efforts to bless react back so that grace imparted returns as grace received, with working for the more needy dispelling darkness in one's own heart. No one can become a channel for blessing to flow to others without receiving rich reward in himself, repaid a hundredfold like hillsides made green and fruitful by the streams they carry to the sea, with God Himself given as the great Reward as character becomes like His. Churches that do this work gain piety, knowledge, growth, blessing and power instead of remaining stationary, show cheerfulness as lightbearers, and find distress giving way to brightness under God's guidance and sustaining care.

The verse teaches cooperation with God by removing oppression and burdens with harmful speech, taking up duties close at hand, and doing the will of the heavenly Father, which is the sure path to spiritual blessing. Following this right course in calm, unwavering trust in Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life brings health and peace, answered prayer, continual guidance and provision, satisfaction in drought, and life like a watered garden and unfailing spring, showing the world the church's spirituality.