Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Revelation 21:1-4
Scripture Notes
George Eldon Ladd once said, “Tears here represent all human sorrow, tragedy, and evil. Accompanying the glorious vision of God will be a transformed mode of existence in which the sorrows and evil of existence in the old order are left behind.”
Can you imagine a time when sorrow, tragedy, and evil are a thing of the past? Can you imagine a time of joy abundantly that never ends? As long as we live here on earth, we will experience some sorrow, tragedy, and/or evil. It is the way of the fallen world.
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.
Romans 5:12
Almost daily, we hear, see, or experience hurricanes, floods, school shootings, robberies, and other heinous events. If that’s not enough, life then adds to it by giving us our own personal sorrows and tragedies. We are inundated with feelings of sadness, compassion, and concern. At some point, our minds, emotions, and hearts need healing. Healing from being overwhelmed by the troubles of the world. We may wonder if all of this will ever come to an end. Will we ever find rest for our weary, drained souls?
There is hope. A great hope. One who will end the weeping, distress, fear, and sorrows. God will be the one to end all tragedies and sorrows for His people. He will even end death. When the
First, Heaven and Earth pass away (2 Peter 3:10), it will take with it the crying, mourning, pain, and death. We do not know what amount of change will happen in the physical universe. We do not know whether the Earth will be overhauled, whether it will be renewed by fire, or even if it will be an entirely different Earth. It’s hard to comprehend the extent of our bodies when we enter into the new Heaven and New Earth. Nonetheless, we will then experience joy abundantly. We will be healed from all the hurts, pain, and tragedies that we have seen and/or experienced.
By P.D. Deckard
MEMORY VERse
Jan Toorop. The Old Garden of Sorrows, 1889 – 1890. The Rijksmuseum
Related Verses
More verses about the wiping away of tears:
Prayer Invitation
Application Questions
- What is the significance of the promise of “no more death, no more pain”?
- How can the promise of a life without suffering impact your view of trials and tribulations?
- What responsibilities do you have today, knowing you are promised a future in heaven?
MANÁ 
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