“Yes, tear your heart and not your robes, and turn to Jehovah your God: for He is  gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and He pities because of the evil.” (Joel 2:13)   It was a custom for the Jews when in grief and to show remorse, contrition, sorrow or self-reproach to tear at their clothes. Joel prophesies about the Day of the Lord when the Lord comes to judge the land. This is actually speaking about the Second Coming of Christ, when Jesus comes t