Who was the first person to fast in the Bible?

Answer 1

Eight people in The Bible who fasted:

1. Moses (Exodus 34:27-28)

2. Samuel (1 Samuel 7:5-6)

3. David (2 Samuel 12:16)

4. Elijah (1 Kings 19:2, 8)

5. Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:4)

6. Daniel (Daniel 9:3)

7. Anna (Luke 2:36, 37)

8. Jesus (Matthew 4:1-2)

Answer 2

Allegedly Jesus went into the desert and fasted for forty days and forty nights. Matthew 4:2 and Luke 4:2 say that Jesus fasted for forty days. In the comparable passage, Mark 1:13 says that the angels ministered unto Jesus.

Answer 3

There may be many reasons to fast on one's own, for one personal matter of repentance or other... [i.e. II Sam.12].

But the only time of fasting that God commands for everyone is for a periiod of "one day" on His annual Holy Day "the Day of Atonement"... or "Yom Kippur." (Lev.16 & Lev.23:27-32)

Answer 4

Another answer from our community:Moses fasted for 40 days before receiving the 10 commandments just as Jesus did before giving the Law of Christ. Fulfilling the prophecy of God sending a prophet like Moses in Jesus Christ.

I think you are thinking of Jesus: "And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry." (Matthew 4:2)

The other two were Moses and Elijah. These two together with Jesus appeared in "The Transfiguration".

Answer 5

One of the earliest reference to fasting can be found in Judges 20:26 which was done by the entire country. Fasting was a common practice was assumed that all observant Jews fasted.

"Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel, and there they sat weeping before the LORD. They fasted that day until evening and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the LORD."

Other references of fasting are attributed to Samuel and King David.

Another Answer:

The term Jew (nickname for Judah, the 4th son of Israel) is often used in error. Before the southern and northern Kingdoms of Israel split against God's wishes during the reigns of Solomon's sons Rehoboam and Jeroboam (read 1 Kings for details) the term Jew was never found in the Bible. The term 'men of Judah' or Jews was 1st used in 2 Kings 16:6. So any fasting done in Judges was by the House of Israel - ALL 12 tribes - the Israelites, as noted above.

Answer 6

Exodus 34:28 tells us that Moses fasted for 40 days while he wrote the words of the Ten Commandments on tablets, ministered by the Lord. 1 Kings 19:5-7 tells us that Elijah was ministered by an angel and fasted in the wilderness forty days. The synoptic gospels tell a similar story of Jesus in the wilderness for forty days.

The similarity between the accounts of Moses and Elijah is no coincidence because Elijah is portrayed as a second Moses, performing many deeds quite similar to Moses. The account of Jesus in the wilderness for 40 days is no coincidence either.

We actually find in Mark's Gospel, from its framework structure, that the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness was intended as an allusion to Elijah and Moses. Mark 1:13 tells the story of Jesus going into the wilderness for forty days, ministered by angels just as Elijah was ministered by an angel and in the wilderness forty days (1 Kings 19:5-7). There is no actual suggestion in Markthat Jesus fasted for this time, but those familiar with the story of Elijah are likely to have assumed he did do so. This brings into play another allusion, to Moses when (Exodus 34:28) he fasted for 40 days while he wrote the words of the Ten Commandments on tablets.

The framework structure of Mark is a form of parallel structure that links Jesus' 40 days to Elijah and Moses in the pair groups BCD and B'C'D' in the following list:A . John explains the coming of Jesus (Mark 1:1-8)

B .The baptism of Jesus (1:9)

C . The voice of God from heaven, "Thou art my beloved son" (1:11)

D . The forty days in the wilderness as an allusion to Elijah and Moses (1:13)

E . The people were astonished at what Jesus taught (1:22)

F . Jesus casts out an unclean spirit (1:23-26)

G . Pharisees took counsel with the Herodians how they might destroy Jesus (3:6)

H . Demons, whenever they see Jesus, fall down and say that he is the Son of God.

-- Jesus commands that they tell no one of this (3:11-12)

I .. Jesus calls the 12 disciples (3:13-19)

J .. Jesus rejects his own family: he has a new family, his followers (3:31-35)

K . Jesus rebukes the wind (4:36-41)

L . The demoniac, wearing no clothes (5:15), cries out that Jesus not torment him and Jesus sends out the demons (5:1-20)

M . Jesus comes into his own country (6:1)
-- Where he was brought up

N . The people misunderstand Jesus and he can do no mighty work (6:2-6)

O . Jesus sends out the disciples and curses those who will not receive them (6:7-11)
-- in sending the disciples with authority and expecting all to receive them, Jesus is asserting his own authority

P . Herod thinks that Jesus is John the Baptist risen from the dead (6:14)

Q . Herodias and her daughter conspire to kill John the Baptist (6:16-29)

R . Feeding the thousands, and related miracles and discourses (6:33-8:21)

S . Who do people say that I am (8:27)

T . Peter affirms faith in Jesus as the Christ (8:29)

U . Whosoever shall be ashamed of me: of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed (8:38)

V . The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and scribes (8:31a)

W . Be killed and after three days rise again (8:31b)

X . Prophecy of second coming (9:1)- Jesus tells the disciples that some of them would not taste death until they saw the kingdom of God coming with power.

B' .The Transfiguration of Jesus (9:2-3)

C' .The voice of God from heaven, "This is my beloved son" (9:7)

D' . Jesus talks to Elijah and Moses then to the disciples about Elijah (9:4-13)

E' .A great multitude was amazed at Jesus (9:15)

F' .Jesus cast out a dumb spirit (9:17-27)

G' .They shall kill the Son of man and he shall rise on the third day (9:31)

H' .Jesus clarifies his divine status, saying that he is not God: "Why call me good? There is none good but God" (10:18)

I' . Peter says the disciples have left all and followed Jesus (10:28)

J' . Those who have left their family for Jesus have a new family: all Jesus' followers (10:29-30)

K'. Jesus rebukes the 'sons of thunder', James and John (10:35-45 - cf 3:17)

L' .Blind Bartimaeus cries out for mercy and casts off his clothes, then Jesus heals him (10:46-52)

M' .Jesus comes into Jerusalem (11:1-10)
-- Where he will die

N' .Jesus misunderstands the fig tree that can provide no fruit (11:13-14)

O' .Jesus casts out them that sold and bought in the Temple and curses them for making the Temple a den of thieves (11:15-17)
-- Jesus is asserting his authority

P' .Jesus asks whether the baptism of John is from heaven or of men, and the priests, scribes and elders can not answer (11:30-33)

Q' .Parable of husbandmen who conspire to kill the vineyard owner's son (12:1-9)

X' .Prophecy of second coming (chapter 13)

-- on clouds of glory, within the lifetimes of some of those to whom he was speaking

R' .The Last Supper (14:17-25)

S' .Art thou the Christ, Son of God (14:61)

T' .Peter denies Jesus three times (14:66-72a)

U' .And when he thought thereon, Peter wept (14:72b)

V' .The chief priests, elders and scribes delivered Jesus to Pontius Pilate (15:1)

-- Delivering Jesus is a similar concept to rejecting him.
-- Both parts of the pair involve chief priests, elders and scribes

W' .Jesus dies and on the third day rises again (15:37, 16:6)

A' .The young man explains the departure of Jesus(16:6-8)

Answer 7

JESUS, MOSES, DAVID, ELISHA, ELIJAH .. just to name a few!

Answer 8

Fasting is when you do not eat or drink for very long periods of time.

Answer 9

The Bible doesn't say so specifically, but the first person to not have any food or water for forty days was Moses (see Exodus 34:28).

Answer 10

five times