Topical Bible: Sackcloth: Rough and Unsightly

◄ Sackcloth: Rough and Unsightly ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

Sackcloth is a coarse, rough fabric traditionally made from goat's hair, and it holds significant symbolic meaning throughout the Bible. It is often associated with mourning, repentance, and humility. The use of sackcloth is a physical manifestation of inner sorrow and penitence, serving as an outward sign of an individual's or a community's contrition before God.

Biblical References and Symbolism

In the Old Testament, sackcloth is frequently mentioned in contexts of grief and repentance. For instance, in Genesis 37:34, Jacob mourns the loss of his son Joseph by tearing his clothes and putting on sackcloth: "Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days." This act of donning sackcloth signifies deep personal anguish and lamentation.

The use of sackcloth is also evident in times of national crisis or divine judgment. In the book of Jonah, the people of Nineveh, upon hearing Jonah's warning of impending destruction, demonstrate their repentance by fasting and wearing sackcloth: "When word reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes" (Jonah 3:6). This collective act of humility and repentance leads to God's mercy and the sparing of the city.

Sackcloth is not only a symbol of mourning but also a tool for seeking divine intervention. In 2 Kings 19:1-2, King Hezekiah, faced with the threat of the Assyrian army, dons sackcloth and enters the house of the LORD, seeking God's deliverance: "When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD."

Prophetic and Apocalyptic Imagery

The prophets often used sackcloth to convey messages of impending judgment and the need for repentance. Isaiah, for example, walked barefoot and in sackcloth as a sign against Egypt and Cush (Isaiah 20:2). Sackcloth is also present in apocalyptic literature, symbolizing the dire circumstances and the call for repentance. In Revelation 11:3, the two witnesses prophesy while clothed in sackcloth, indicating their message of repentance and the seriousness of their testimony: "And I will empower my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth."

Cultural and Historical Context

Historically, sackcloth was a common material used for making sacks and bags, hence its name. Its rough texture and dark color made it an ideal garment for expressing sorrow and humility. The act of wearing sackcloth was often accompanied by sitting in ashes, fasting, and prayer, further emphasizing the depth of one's contrition and the earnestness of their appeal to God.

Spiritual Lessons

The use of sackcloth in the Bible serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of humility and repentance in the life of a believer. It underscores the need to approach God with a contrite heart, acknowledging one's sins and seeking His forgiveness. Sackcloth, as a symbol, calls believers to genuine repentance and a turning away from sin, aligning their hearts with God's will and purpose.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Zechariah 13:4
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he has prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Letter xxii. To Eustochium.
... Sackcloth disfigured my unshapely limbs and my skin from long neglect had ... How different
from that rough, unsightly, countrified fright, who most likely never ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter xxii to eustochium.htm