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Answer
The prophet Joel served as a spiritual watchman over Judah. In Joel 2:12–19, he urged the nation to turn to the Lord in sincere repentance as the only means to avoid the devastating destruction of the upcoming “day of the Lord” «Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come. », (Joel 1:15). The prophet’s appeal began as follows: “‘Even now,’ declares the LORD, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.’ Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity” (Joel 2:12-13).
The term “rend” in the original Hebrew signifies “to split, tear to pieces, rip, bust, separate abruptly or with violence.” Rending one’s garment was an ancient practice that indicated profound grief, repentance, or holy zeal.
When King David received the devastating, albeit exaggerated, news that Absalom had killed all of David’s remaining sons, he stood up, tore his clothes, and then lay down on the ground (2 Samuel 13:31;see also 2 Samuel 1:11). The Old Testament recounts Reuben, Jacob, Joshua, Caleb, Jephthah, Tamar, Ahab, Hezekiah, and others tearing their garments in acts of mourning and penitence (Genesis 37:29,34;Joshua 7:6;Numbers 14:6;Judges 11:35;2 Samuel 13:19;1 Kings 21:27 Isaiah 37:1).
In the New Testament, the high priest tore his garment while accUsing Jesus of blasphemy «Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. », (Matthew 26:65). Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes in anguish when they realized the people of Lystra were preparing to honor them as deities (Acts 14:14-15).
More than rent clothing, God wants rent hearts. To “rend your heart” in repentance is to acknowledge your brokenness and need for God’s forgiveness and restoration. As we rend our hearts, we discover that “the LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed” «The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; And saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. », (Psalm 34:18, NLT). When we’ve strayed from God, the sacrifice He desires is “a broken spirit,” for He “will not reject a broken and repentant heart” «The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. », (Psalm 51:17, NLT). We pave the way for healing, wholeness, and a restored relationship with God when we rend our hearts before Him (Psalm 147:3;Isaiah 61:1).
In Joel’s day, the nation of Judah was guilty of putting on false displays of repentance. The people performed rituals of tearing their clothing without experiencing true, heart-crushing remorse for their sin, which would lead to a change in behavior and genuine devotion to God. Only a complete rending of the heart would turn the nation back to receive the compassionate, gracious, merciful, and steadfast love of the Lord.
InsteInstead of saying “rend your heart,” the prophet Jeremiah used the analogy of circumcision to urge God’s people to repent: “Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, circumcise your hearts, you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, or my wrath will flare up and burn like fire because of the evil you have done” «Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings. », (Jeremiah 4:4).
The phrase “rend your heart” signifies internal spiritual brokenness, which is far more significant than any superficial, hypocritical act of tearing one’s clothing. Rituals of repentance hold no value if the heart remains unchanged. External displays are insufficient. Therefore, Jesus taught in the Beatitudes, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” « Blessed are the poor in spirit: for their’s is the kingdom of heaven. », (Matthew 5:3). Being poor in spirit involves acknowledging one’s broken spiritual condition. We rend our hearts when we confess that we are completely bankrupt and destitute before God. Without His forgiveness, cleansing, and restoration, we are lost.
Rending our hearts in repentance entails wholehearted surrender to God: “Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord,” as stated in Lamentations 2:19. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me,” prayed David after admitting his sin to the Lord «Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me. », (Psalm 51:10, ESV). “Woe is me, for I am undone!” confessed Isaiah upon beholding the Lord exalted on His throne. “I am a man of
Unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips” «Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. », (Isaiah 6:5, NKJV).
When we rend our hearts before the Lord, God promises to forgive, cleanse, and restore us: “For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home. . . . I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. . . . You will be my people, and I will be your God. I will cleanse you of your filthy behavior” (Ezekiel 36:24-29;NLT).
