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In Revelation 21:4 the apostle John records “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, for the former things are passed away.” What a beautiful, tender image is brought before our eyes of our heavenly Father wiping away our tears!
Because we live in a physical world, in physical bodies, we sometimes suffer from sickness,
disappointments, loss, consequences of our own sin, the sin of others as well as other
circumstances that are outside of our control. These trials can bring great sorrow into our lives and no one living is able to escape the pain and tears they cause. The difficulties of this life and the tears we shed should cause us to long for heaven.
However, any difficulties we might face in this life do not begin to compare with the pain, suffering and sorrow that awaits those who will spend eternity in hell. Jesus himself describes it as a place of outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 8:12) and in Matthew 25:41, we read that it is a place of everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Hell is a place where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched (Mark 9:48), and in Revelation chapter 21 it is described as being a lake of fire and brimstone; which is the second death. Worst of all, there will be complete separation from God and His blessings for all eternity (2 Thess. 1:9). The reality of hell and the horrors of it should motivate us to be faithful in this life.
In contrast to hell, the Bible paints for us a beautiful image of a prepared place for the faithful of God—heaven! Jesus told his disciples that He Himself was going to prepare a place for them, a place filled with mansions where God himself will dwell with His people (John 14:1-4). The apostle John was given a glimpse into heaven and uses physical imagery to describe to us an indescribable spiritual realm. In John’s account of what he was shown we read of a city lit by the glory of God, with streets of pure gold, walls garnished with precious stones and gates of pearls. All of every nation whose names are found written in the Lamb’s book of life will dwell there. Nothing will enter heaven that will defile it and there will be no night there. John goes on to describe a pure river of life proceeding from the throne of God and the Lamb with the tree of life growing on its banks whose leaves will heal the nations. The most personal and touching image of heaven is the one of our heavenly Father wiping all tears from our eyes (Rev. 21:4). God knows our sorrows, He hears the cries of His children and stores their tears in a bottle (Ps. 56:8). He desires all to be saved and have their tears wiped away.
When the last day comes and we enter heaven’s gates, we will lay our burdens down and enter a spiritual world where the former things will have passed away. There will be no more sin and no more sorrow. Our heavenly Father will tenderly wipe all the tears from our eyes and we will join the faithful of all ages in worshiping and serving our great God forever! Let this promise and this image be a comfort to us and help us through this life and the tears it sometimes brings.
As day by day I journey, I’m weary oft and worn, But to my heart a message on wings of love is borne; It tells me there is coming a bright and happy day, When God, my heavenly Father, will wipe all tears away. Look up, ye heavy hearted, look up and trust your King; His dear ones are protected beneath His sheltering wing; Tho dark clouds may gather, He’ll send the sun’s glad ray, And in His word He tells us He’ll wipe all tears away.
By Gretchen Gerhardt