MOURNING

Mourning is the ritual that a dead person’s relatives and friends go through after a death. In ancient Old Testament times, mourning involved closing the eyes of the dead -- Genesis 46:4, embracing the body -- 50:1, preparing it for burial. Burial had to happen quickly, because the hot climate of the Near East causes bodies to rot -- Acts 5:1-10. We do not have detailed information about burial practices before New Testament times -- Matthew 27:59; John 11:44; Matthew 19:39-40. Archaeologists suggest that the dead were buried fully clothed but not in coffins. The Israelites did not embalm or cremate the bodies of their dead, as the surrounding cultures did, but they did see a decent burial as being very important for both the dead person and for the friends left behind. Upon hearing of someone’s death, it was customary in Old Testament times to tear one’s clothes -- Genesis 37:34; 2 Samuel 1:11; Job 1:20, put on sackcloth -- 2 Samuel 3:31 and take off one’s shoes -- 15:30; Micah 1:8 and headdress; a man might cover his beard or veil his face -- Ezekiel 24:17, 23. Mourners might dump dirt on their heads -- Joshua 7:6; 1 Samuel 4:12; Nehemiah 9:1; Job 2:12; Ezekiel 27:30 or roll themselves in the dust -- Job 16:15; Micah 1:10 or sit on a heap of ashes -- Esther 4:3; Isaiah 58:5; Jeremiah 6:26; Ezekiel 27:30. But it was against the law -- Leviticus 19:27-28; Deuteronomy 14:1 to shave the hair and the beard or to make cuts on the body -- Job 1:20; Isaiah 22:12; Jeremiah 16:6; 41:5; 47:5; 48:37; Ezekiel 7:18; Amos 8:10, because these were some of the ways that pagans mourned. Mourners would not bathe for a period of time and stopped using perfumes -- 2 Samuel 12:20; 2 Samuel 14:2.

Fasting was also a way of mourning -- 1 Samuel 31:13; 2 Samuel 1:12. Neighbours or friends brought mourning bread and the [cup of consolation] to the relatives of the deceased -- Jeremiah 16:7; Ezekiel 24:17, 22. Food could not be prepared at the house of the dead because death made a place [unclean] according to Old Testament Law. The dead were considered so unclean that a priest could not [profane] himself by taking part in mourning rites, except for his nearest blood relatives [mother, father, son, daughter, brother, and sister, provided she was still a virgin; -- Leviticus 21:1-4, 10-11. These mourning rites were used to express grief and love for the dead. At the graveside, mourners would weep and wail for the dead -- 1 Kings 13:30; Jeremiah 6:26; Amos 5:16; 8:10; Zechariah 12:10 in separate groups of men and women -- 12:11-14. Professional mourners, men and especially women -- Jeremiah 9:17-19; Amos 5:16, were sometimes hired on to add style. The book of Lamentations also reminds us that mourning was not always associated with death. It could also express a broken spirit or grief for sin or pain, both personal and national. These mourning rites expressed great grief. But some of them-tearing clothes, wearing sackcloth, covering oneself with dust and ashes, self-mutilation-are hard for modern readers to understand. Mourning in Old Testament times was not just an inner feeling of sadness; it was a deliberate, established ritual. When death occurred, the Israelite wept because it was customary and society expected it. Sometimes statues or other monuments would be erected -- 2 Samuel 18:18, but the average Israelite was too poor to do this. There are few differences between Old Testament and New Testament mourning practices. Mourning was associated with Moshiach’s second coming -- Matthew 24:30, with repentance -- James 4:8-10, with Moshiach’s leaving the 12 Disciples -- Matthew 9:15, with deep spirituality -- 5:4, as well as with death -- Mark 5:38-39; Luke 7:13; John 11:33. Moshiach’s victory over death robbed death of its sting and the grave of its victory -- 1 Corinthians 15:54-57, but believers still mourn for the dead, because we have feelings. But we should not mourn as those who have no hope -- 1 Thessalonians 4:13; Revelation 21:4.

What Does The Bible Teach Us About Mourning?

When they arrived at the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan River, they held a very great and solemn funeral, with a seven-day period of mourning for Joseph’s father. -- Genesis 50:10. When Jacob died at the age of 147, Joseph wept and mourned for months. When someone close to us dies, we need a long period of time to work through our grief. Crying and sharing our feelings with others helps us recover and go on with life. Allow yourself and others the freedom to grieve over the loss of a loved one, and give yourself time enough to complete your grieving process.

Mourning Is An Appropriate Response To The Loss Of A Loved One:

David and his men tore their clothes in sorrow when they heard the news. They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the ADONAI’s army and the nation of Israel, because so many had died that day. -- 2 Samuel 1:11-12. [They mourned and wept and fasted all day.] David and his men were visibly shaken over Saul’s and Jonathan’s death. Their actions showed their genuine sorrow over the loss of their king, their friend Jonathan, and the other soldiers of Israel who died that day. They were not ashamed to grieve. Today, some people consider expressing emotions to be a sign of weakness. Those who wish to appear strong try to hide their feelings. But expressing our grief can help us deal with our intense sorrow when a loved one dies.

Yeshua Experienced Grief:

Then Yeshua wept -- John 11:35. John stresses that we have our YHVH Who cares. This portrait contrasts with the Greek concept of YHVH that was popular in that day a god with no emotions and no messy involvement with humans. Here we see many of Yeshua’ emotions -- compassion, indignation, sorrow, even frustration. He often expressed deep emotion, and we must never be afraid to reveal our true feelings to Him. He understands them, for He experienced them. Be honest, and don’t try to hide anything from our Saviour. He cares.

Yeshua Did Not Hesitate To Reveal His Emotions:

When Yeshua saw the weeping and wailing, He too wept openly. Perhaps He empathized with their grief, or perhaps He was troubled at their unbelief. In either case, Yeshua showed that He cares enough for us to weep with us in our sorrow.