Darkness be as the Noonday

[Isa. 58:1] Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
This elegant chapter contains a severe reproof of the Jews on account of their vices, particularly their hypocrisy in practicing and relying on outward ceremonies, such as fasting and bodily humiliation, without true repentance, 1-5. It then lays down a clear and comprehensive summary of the duties they owed to their fellow creatures, 6, 7. Large promises of happiness and prosperity are likewise annexed to the performance of these duties in a variety of the most beautiful and striking images, 8-12. Great temporal and spiritual blessedness of those who keep holy the Sabbath day, 13, 14.
Never was a louder cry against the hypocrisy, nor a more cutting reproof of the wickedness, of a people professing a national established religion, having all the forms of godliness without a particle of its power during that time. The Gentiles are from the house of Jacob, so this applies to us also.
There are many men who take some pleasure in knowing G-d's will and word, and yet do not conform their lives to it. Dispelling the delusion that G-d would be satisfied with outward observances, while the spirit of the Law was violated and the heart unchanged.
If you wish acceptance with G-d, you must not fast as you now do, to make your voice heard high in strife, not to gain the ear of G-d (1 Kgs. 21:9, 12, 13). The pain felt by abstinence is not the end to be sought, as if it were praiseworthy; it is of value only in so far as it leads us to amend our ways.
Fast days are generally called holidays, and holidays are days of idleness and pleasure. In numberless cases the fast is turned into a feast. Some disregard the most sacred fast, and will oblige their servant to work all day long; others use fast days for the purpose of settling their accounts, posting up their books, and drawing out their bills to be ready to collect their debts. These are sneaking hypocrites; the others are daringly irreligious. The reference is to all the work and bother that the hypocritical Believers are going about in order to observe their own fast days, while neglecting G-d's one sacred fast day on the Day of Atonement.
Many of the things written about the situation here are in error because they are founded upon the mistake that G-d is not concerned with anything except social justice. It is very significant here that the very first sin G-d mentions is their neglecting "His's ordinance." Of course, G-d is also concerned with social justice; but all social justice, in the final analysis, derives from honor paid to the Word of G-d and the holy worship He has commanded.
Let the oppressed go free! How can any nation pretend to fast or worship G-d at all, or dare to profess that they believe in the existence of such a Being, while they carry on the slave trade, and traffic in the souls, blood, and bodies, of men! O you most flagitious of knaves, and worst of hypocrites, cast off at once the mask of religion; and deepen not your endless perdition by professing the faith of our L-rd Y’Shua HaMashiach, while you continue in this traffic! When a man fasts, suppose he do it through a religious motive, he should give the food of that day, from which he abstains, to the poor and hungry, who, in the course of providence, are called to sustain many involuntary fasts, besides suffering general privations. History repeats itself!
If all fasts and religious observances be carried on in the spirit and manner of G-d's blessing will attend every ordinance. But in public fasts, prescribed not in the Book of
G-d, but by the rulers of nations in general (very unfit persons) care should be taken that the cause is good, and that G-d's blessing may be safely implored in it. Ask yourself is this such a fast as G-d hath chosen? The Day of Atonement being the only fast day G-d commanded.
The necessity for providing rest for man and beast, as well as the weekly observance of worship and devotion were a much better condition than that provided by the mad pursuit of pleasure, sports, and so-called recreation on the part of the current godless generation. The people of this generation have legislated the Sabbath Day into a day of work instead of a day of worship, apparently ignorant of how it required three centuries of Christian fidelity to G-d's Law of worship on Sundays to win, under Constantine, the right of assembly on that day, at any other hour, than before daylight! We are very sure that future generations will pay dearly for this lack of responsibility on the part of our own.
A full account of the blessings and benefits which attend the performance of one’s duty to G-d’s will. If a person, a family, a people, be thus disposed to every thing that is good, let them know for their comfort that they shall find G-d their bountiful rewarder and what they lay out in works of charity shall be abundantly made up to them.
Good works shall be recompensed with a good name; this is included in that light which rises out of obscurity. Though a man's extraction is mean, his family obscure, and he has no external advantages to gain him honor, yet, if he do good in his place, that will procure him respect and veneration, and his darkness shall by this means become as the noon-day, that is, he shall become very eminent and shine brightly in his generation. He that would be the greatest of all, and best-loved, let him by humility and industry makes himself a servant of all.
His providence will make their way plain to them, both what is their duty and what will be most for their comfort. G-d will give them abundance of satisfaction in their own minds. As the world is a wilderness in respect of wanderings, so that they need to be guided continually, so also is it in respect of wants, which makes it necessary that they should have continual supplies.Even in the drought of affliction; these will makeyou’re your bones, and fill them with marrow, will give you that pleasure which will be a support to you as the bones to the body, that joy of the L-rd which will be your strength and He shall give your bones rest" rest from the pain and sickness which they have labored under and been chastened with; so it agrees with that promise made to the merciful. The sum is that, if you who keep such fasts as G-d has chosen, He will settle you again in your former peace and prosperity, and there shall be none to make you afraid.