“…you shall raise up the foundations of many generations ...” Is. 58:12. (NRSV) Back Ground: The affiliates of Isaiah's addressees were fasting for all the erroneous reasons! They fasted to get things from God and hypocritically appear righteous. God says, though, that we should fast to free others from their sins, to intercede with God for their healing, to help provide for their needs and to understand the Will of God. Here the writer says, you shall build the old waste places - Shall repair the old ruins, and restore the desolate cities and fields to their former beauty. This language is taken from the condition of Judea during the long captivity at Babylon. The land could have been desolated by the Chaldeans, and lain waste for a period of seventy years. Of course all the remains of their former prosperity would have gone to decay, and the whole country would be filled with draughts and ruins. But all this, says the prophet, would be restored if they were obedient to God and w