The Father’s Tender Care (Revelation 21:4)
- Candice Watters
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. —Revelation 21:4
Our verse this week picks up in the middle of a passage about the new heaven and the new earth. We know from verse 3 that the He at the start of verse 4 is God. Imagine, not only will there be no death, mourning, crying, or pain in the age to come, but all the things that caused our suffering will be no more.
For many, that day can’t come soon enough. Christmas is especially hard for those who’ve lost loved ones. Every tradition is full of reminders of what things used to be like before one so dearly loved died. This week marks the first anniversary of my uncle’s stroke. It’s also the first time my aunt, newly widowed, is facing Christmas alone. Every day holds memories of his decline, along with grief, longing, and learning how to live without him.
Advent is well suited to grieving. The posture of waiting for the fulfillment of a promise matches the longing for the day when God will wipe away our tears.
In the midst of suffering, David wrote, “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle” (Psalm 56:8a). The Father who holds our tears in a bottle is the one who will dry them. This is not a picture of God with a massive box of Kleenex—it’s a cosmic shift away from sorrow and suffering. In heaven not only will our tears be wiped away, there will be no reason to cry. Everything that made us sad and caused us grief—the former things—will be past tense. Done away with. No more.
For this to be possible, the Son of God had to take on flesh and be born a baby, entering our world to open the way to heaven. Immanuel, God with us, took our sin and suffered in our place. Now those who trust in His perfect righteousness can be with God and not be destroyed by God. So fully did Jesus satisfy the Father’s wrath against our sin, that we can look forward to a day when God the Father will wipe every tear from our eyes. Could there be a more tender picture of a father’s love for his child?
At Jesus’ second Advent, we will meet Him in the air and we will always be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18). These are the comforting words Paul urges Christians to share with one another. It will be a joy to be with our loved ones who have gone before us in death to heaven. But even that reunion will not be what removes our tears or causes our crying to cease.
John tells us that in his vision, he heard a loud voice from the throne of God in heaven saying, “the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God” (Revelation 21:3). What could be more certain than God’s own, loud voice, announcing His presence as the central feature of heaven? This is what will restore everything: God with us, His people, forever.
My aunt says it's hard to celebrate Christmas this year. Unpacking the decorations that hold so many memories brings tears to her eyes. But there’s a gift in that. When you strip away the traditions and the trimmings, what’s left of Christmas is Jesus. He, the Creator, took on flesh to dwell among us in order to redeem us. He is the hope of Christmas.
For Reflection
Are you, or is someone you love, grieving this Christmas?
How might you take comfort from Revelation 21:4? How might you offer it to another?
If this Christmas finds you grieving, ask God to use your tears to sharpen your vision and deepen your longing for His return.
Candice Watters is the editor of Fighter Verses and contributor to Truth78's webinars. She and her husband, Steve, teach My Purpose Will Stand for 5th grade Sunday school at their church in Louisville, KY. The Watterses are the parents of two grown children and two nearly so.