![]() Mourning over our sin is right (Psalm 51:17). God’s judgment on Nadab and Abihu was just, and Aaron, Ithamar, and Eleazar were not to imply, through their actions, that they thought otherwise. Aaron and his sons Ithamar and Eleazar were not to show any sign of mourning over the deaths of Nadab and Abihu, on pain of death (Leviticus 10:6). There were also times when the Lord commanded His people not to mourn at all, because His actions had a higher purpose that they were to follow without looking back (Jeremiah 16:5 22:10 Ezekiel 24:15–17). The Law forbade the Israelites from cutting their flesh, tattooing themselves, or shaving their heads or beards (Leviticus 19:28 Deuteronomy 14:1). God limited Jewish expressions of mourning to keep them from copying the paganism of other nations. Mourning was a time to remove jewelry and other ornamentation (Exodus 33:4), walk barefoot (2 Samuel 15:30), and possibly wear a coarse, goat-hair garment called sackcloth (Genesis 37:34 Jonah 3:6, 8). Sometimes, mourners would sprinkle ashes, dust, or dirt upon themselves (2 Samuel 1:2 Joshua 7:6) and tear their clothing (Genesis 37:29 2 Chronicles 34:27). Also, beating the breast (Luke 18:13), bowing the head (Lamentations 2:10), and fasting (2 Samuel 3:35) were often part of the mourning process. Days or weeks were set aside for the proper mourning of a king or other important person, such as Jacob (Genesis 50:1–6), Samuel (1 Samuel 25:1), or Moses (Deuteronomy 34:8).Ĭommon ways to show mourning in biblical times included weeping (Psalm 6:6) and crying loudly (Genesis 50:10 Ruth 1:9). Nehemiah mourned at the news that his beloved Jerusalem lay in ruins (Nehemiah 1:4). Ezra mourned over the sins of his people (Ezra 10:6). When Israel was invaded by an enemy, Joel 1:8 compares the nation’s mourning to that of an engaged woman over the death of her fiancé. Mourning is a familiar theme throughout the Bible. Mourning, although painful, can help us align our hearts with the heart of God: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). It can also be a way to convey our agreement with God’s moral law that we have violated. It is an expression of our hearts when something we value has been taken from us. We mourn for the purity of heart we once enjoyed or for a future our choices have destroyed. We also mourn over our own sins or mistakes. ![]() We mourn over a profound loss, such as the death of a loved one or a crippling accident. Mourning is the state of being in deep grief. ![]()
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