Sackcloth, Dust and Ashes

       What do you do when you are distressed, grieving or mourning?  In the past my old habit was to sit alone on the couch with a warm blanket to cover me, a full box of tissue at my side, an empty garbage pail at my feet, and a large supply of chocolate, goodies and ice cream to smother the pain.

       The reason I didn’t run directly to God is I figured He could have kept the grievous event(s) out of my life, but He obviously (I erroneously thought) didn’t care enough to do that.  So I would sit, groan, occasionally scream and rail, interspersed with heavy bouts of crying, nose blowing and cramming sweet stuff in my mouth.  In hindsight, it wasn’t the best way to deal with my overwhelming emotions as it brought no peace, but it did tend to tire me out enough I could usually fall asleep and wake up in a better state of mind.

       In the Bible you can read about many people who are distressed, grieving or mourning.  Often they will wear sackcloth, a course, uncomfortable material meant to humble themselves before God and pray for His mercy; even important people would wear sackcloth either outwardly or inside their clothes.  Some are:

   Jacob (Gen. 37:34)          David- all with him (2Sm. 3:31)              -and elders (1Ch. 21:16)

   Ahab (1Kn. 21:27)                    Hezekiah (2Kn. 19:1)                   Daniel (Dan. 5:3)

   Household manager, scribe and elders of priests (2Kn. 19:2)         2 witnesses (Rev. 11;3)

       Sometimes there was another component to their wearing sackcloth.  It involved either dust or ashes: both symbolize man’s frailty and mortality (Gen. 18:27; Job. 30:19).  Dust on the head (after the defeat of Israel at Ai Jos. 7:6) was for mourning, sitting in it usually meant extreme affliction (Is. 47:1) and licking it meant abject submission (Ps. 72:9).  It is dust the merchants of the end times will through on their heads in grief at the fall of Babylon (Rev. 18:19).  When I read that, I wondered that they didn’t use ashes only to realize both were used, and dust more often.  But more often, ashes lend a bit of difference in meaning.

Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.  Job. 42:6

And I prayed to Jehovah my God, and made my confession… Dan. 5:4

For word came to the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne. And he laid his robe from him, and covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.  Jn. 3:6

       Although there are times ashes indicated great mourning such as when the Jews were in danger during Esther’s day (Est. 4:1-3), there was another action indicated when ashes were used.  Isaiah 58:5 speaks about sackcloth and ashes not being what God wants, but a change in actions/ attitude towards obedience to Him (v.6,7).  Sounds like repentance to me.

       In seeking God, Daniel made confession (first step of repentance) and after Jonah prophesied to Nineveh, the king wisely humbled himself before God and ordered his people do the same in order to beg God’s mercy.  “…And let them each one turn from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.” (v. 8).  Jesus says that the cities of Tyre and Sidon would have repented in sackcloth and ashes if they had seen the miracles Jesus did (Mt. 11:21).

       So we see that sackcloth with ashes often indicates sorrow for having done wrong and repentance by turning from evil ways.  Because of their repentance, Nineveh was saved by God’s mercy.  We can be brought to a place of peace with/ in God when we repent.  “…In returning and rest you shall be saved; and in quietness and hope shall be your strength…”  (Is. 30:15).  And it is Jesus who came for our healing, liberty, and to give us beauty (Heb. peer- meaning headdress, tiara, diadem) for ashes, turn mourning to joy and distress to praise:

to appoint to those who mourn in Zion,

to give to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning,

the mantle of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

so that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah,

that He might be glorified.

Is. 61:3 (Lk. 4:18)