Esther 4:1
When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry; When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
The verse belongs to the reign of the Persian king Ahasuerus, also called Xerxes. In that reign Haman obtained a royal decree ordering the destruction of the Jews, all of God's people, on a fixed day appointed for massacre. When Mordecai perceived all that had been done, he showed public grief by rending his clothes, putting on sackcloth with ashes, going out into the midst of the city, and crying with a loud and a bitter cry. His grief was part of a widespread distress, with great mourning and fasting and weeping and wailing among the Jews throughout the empire in response to the decree.
The episode marks Satan's attempt through Medo-Persia, the second head of the Satanic church-state beast system succeeding Babylon, to destroy all the people of God. It was an attempt against the woman through whom the Man-child should come. God frustrated that purpose and providentially delivered His people from their enemies.
The sackcloth and ashes show that only after the decree to put them all to death went forth did affliction bring the Jews to repentance into a place where God could bless them. Then, when slain, they sought Him and returned and inquired after Him. Before that, though His afflicting hand was upon Israel and the prophets cried aloud and spared not, they turned not to Him who smote them nor sought the Lord of hosts.