Tears in Heaven : Book of Revelation

“He will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces.” – Isaiah 25:8

It may be surprising to learn there are tears in heaven, but there are three places in the Bible where we are told that God will wipe away our tears there. This promise appears first in the Old Testament in our text – a text that is quoted in the New Testament as applying to the events of the second coming of Christ. “Death is swallowed up in victory…through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 15:54, 57. Their graves will be emptied and death itself will die when Christ comes again! But there will still be those tears, even after death, that God must wipe away.

The other two occurrences are in the last book of the Bible, both again in the context of the return of Christ, who “will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” – Revelation 7:17. Finally, in the new Jerusalem, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” – Revelation 21:4.

But why should there be tears at all when death has passed away? The Scriptures do not say specifically why, but it seems probable that these may be tears of regret at lost opportunities and/or tears of sorrow for unsaved friends and loved ones. Scripture states some of the saved ‘shall suffer loss’ when their works in this life do not pass the test of fire. “…each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” – 1 Corinthians 3:13-15. In the new earth we shall ‘look upon’ the lost. “They will go forth and look on the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me. For their worm will not die and their fire will not be quenched.” – Isaiah 66:24.

But then, after these tears are shed, God will graciously wipe them away, and there will never be sorrow or crying anymore, for all of God’s people. And they “will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” – Psalm 23:6. tears