Sackcloth was a sort of coat made out of a rough, dark fabric the Hebrews wove out of goat hair (black) or camel hair.
Why did some Bible characters wear sackcloth and spread ashes on themselves or lie on them?
It was a Hebrew custom, a way to show everyone they were very sad, that they felt pain and sorrow for something.
It was also a sign of repentance for having done wrong.
Do you remember a Bible character who dressed in sackcloth? There are
many, for example, Job, John, the king of Nineveh, Mordecai . . .
Do you remember Mordecai‘s story? He was Queen Esther’s adoptive father.
Mordecai went through the whole city of Shushan, capital of the Persian Empire, with torn clothing and dressed in backcloth (that rough,dark fabric), in addition to having put ashes on his head.
Why did Mordecai do that? Because he was very sad, since there was a decree to get rid of all the Jews. Mordecai and many people in that city were Jews.
Mordecai went to the gate of the royal palace so Esther would see him and know about the decree.
Esther was queen of the Persian Empire, but she was also Jewish.
For that reason, she had to make certain decisions to fulfill the purpose for which God had allowed her to be queen of that empire.
Do you want to know what Esther did? Then read her story in the book of Esther, in the Bible.
Write in your Prayer Journal the verse you like the most from the story.