Putting on a spiritual garment of sackcloth in mourning is necessary in humbling ourselves as a part of the process in examining and scrutinizing our lives.

Tearing one's clothing has lost its meaning, such as when it is used as a form of vanity like in torn clothing fashions or as a form of faux humility.

The practice of rending clothes symbolizes sorrow, agony, despair, and hopelessness, a realization that God alone can restore the profound loss.

When Joel describes the devastating locust plagues, instead of promising a silver lining on a very black cloud, he says things are going to get intensely worse.

First love is the purest kind of spiritual love we as humans can demonstrate. It is a love that truly shows one's heart is completely given to God.