Apocalypse Revealed # 492
492. "Clothed in sackcloth." This symbolizes the grief experienced meanwhile over the truth's not being accepted.
Being clothed in sackcloth symbolizes grief over the destruction of truth in the church, for garments symbolize truths (nos. 166, 212, 328, 378, 379). Consequently to be clothed in sackcloth, which is not a garment, symbolizes grief over the lack of truth, and where there is no truth, there is no church.
The children of Israel represented grief in various ways, which, because of their correspondence, were symbolic. For example, they would put ash on their heads, roll around in the dust, sit on the ground for a long time in silence, shave themselves, beat their breasts and wail, rend their garments, and also clothe themselves in sackcloth, and so on. Each action symbolized some evil in the church among them for which they were being punished. Then, when they were being punished, they put on a representation of repentance in these ways, and because of their representation of repentance, and at the same time then of their humbling themselves, they were heard.
[2] That putting on sackcloth represented grief over the destruction of truth in the church may be seen from the following passages:
The lion has come up from his thicket... He has gone forth from his place to make your land desolate... For this, clothe yourself with sackcloth, lament, wail. (Jeremiah 4:7-8)
O daughter of my people, gird yourself in sackcloth and roll about in ashes! ...For the destroyer will suddenly come upon us. (Jeremiah 6:26)
Woe to you, Chorazin (and) Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented... in sackcloth and ashes. (Matthew 11:21, Luke 10:13)
After the king of Nineveh heard the words of Jonah, he "laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes." Moreover, he proclaimed a fast and ordered that "man and beast be covered with sackcloth." (Jonah 3:5-8)
And so on elsewhere, as in Isaiah 3:24; 15:2-3; 22:12; 37:1-2; 50:3; Jeremiah 48:37-38; 49:3; Lamentations 2:10; Ezekiel 7:17-18; 27:31; Daniel 9:3; Joel 1:8, 13; Amos 8:10; Job 16:15-16; Psalms 30:11; Psalms 35:13; 69:10-11; 2 Samuel 3:31; 1 Kings 21:27; 2 Kings 6:30; 19:1-2.
出埃及记 30
2
这坛要四方的，长一肘，宽一肘，高二肘；坛的四角要与坛接连一块。
3
要用精金把坛的上面与坛的四围，并坛的四角，包裹；又要在坛的四围镶上金牙边。
4
要做两个金环安在牙子边以下，在坛的两旁，两根横撑上，作为穿杠的用处，以便抬坛。
6
要把坛放在法柜前的幔子外，对着法柜上的施恩座，就是我要与你相会的地方。
7
亚伦在坛上要烧馨香料做的香；每早晨他收拾灯的时候，要烧这香。
8
黄昏点灯的时候，他要在耶和华面前烧这香，作为世世代代常烧的香。
9
在这坛上不可奉上异样的香，不可献燔祭、素祭，也不可浇上奠祭。
10
亚伦一年一次要在坛的角上行赎罪之礼。他一年一次要用赎罪祭牲的血在坛上行赎罪之礼，作为世世代代的定例。这坛在耶和华面前为至圣。
12
你要按以色列人被数的，计算总数，你数的时候，他们各人要为自己的生命把赎价奉给耶和华，免得数的时候在他们中间有灾殃。
13
凡过去归那些被数之人的，每人要按圣所的平，拿银子半舍客勒；这半舍客勒是奉给耶和华的礼物（一舍客勒是二十季拉）。
14
凡过去归那些被数的人，从二十岁以外的，要将这礼物奉给耶和华。
15
他们为赎生命将礼物奉给耶和华，富足的不可多出，贫穷的也不可少出，各人要出半舍客勒。
16
你要从以色列人收这赎罪银，作为会幕的使用，可以在耶和华面前为以色列人作纪念，赎生命。
18
你要用铜做洗濯盆和盆座，以便洗濯。要将盆放在会幕和坛的中间，在盆里盛水。
20
他们进会幕，或是就近坛前供职给耶和华献火祭的时候，必用水洗濯，免得死亡。
21
他们洗手洗脚就免得死亡。这要作亚伦和他後裔世世代代永远的定例。
23
你要取上品的香料，就是流质的没药五百舍客勒，香肉桂一半，就是二百五十舍客勒，菖蒲二百五十舍客勒，
30
要膏亚伦和他的儿子，使他们成为圣，可以给我供祭司的职分。
32
不可倒在别人的身上，也不可按这调和之法做与此相似的。这膏油是圣的，你们也要以为圣。
33
凡调和与此相似的，或将这膏膏在别人身上的，这人要从民中剪除。
34
耶和华吩咐摩西说：你要取馨香的香料，就是拿他弗、施喜列、喜利比拿；这馨香的香料和净乳香各样要一般大的分量。
36
这香要取点捣得极细，放在会幕内、法柜前，我要在那里与你相会。你们要以这香为至圣。
