The Rending of Garments

# 409 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 1:11,12, “Therefore David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. (2 Sam 1:11,12) The tearing of clothing is often mentioned in the Bible as a sign of mourning. It was an outward sign of inward emotional pain. Some biblical examples include Jacob ripping his garments when he assumed Joseph was dead. The sons of Jacob rent their clothing when Benjamin's cup was found in the sack because it meant they they would be the cause of more pain for their father. When Eli received the news that the ark of the covenant had been captured and his sons slain, he ripped his clothing. Even the high priest ripping his garments when he felt Jesus had blasphemed God. It “pained” him to think that his God was blasphemed. This tearing of clothing was meant to expose the heart for all to see. With that picture in your mind, think of what happened when Jesus died on the cross. The temple curtain was torn top to bottom. This temple curtain served as an outer garment of God, which kept the people from being exposed to His deadly holiness. You can sense the pain of the Father at the death of His Son Jesus of God. But in His very death, the heart of God was exposed for all the world to see. Joh 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. This access to God's heart is so exposed and so free, that the Holy Spirit speaking in the Book of Romans could say, Ro 8:38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The heart of God forever laid bare by the sacrifice of His Son. Thank You Father for this expression of love for us, may we receive it and live.