Janie and I have been present when loved ones passed out of this life. There is a feeling of terrible loss and separation. My dear wife has specialised in bereavement counselling and she has sought to bring comfort to those who are mourning the loss of a husband or a wife, a son or a daughter etc.
I have always felt deeply saddened when I have attended funerals of those who have no faith in Jesus Christ. There is no consolation of a reunion with those who have passed on. There is a feeling of emptiness and pointlessness.
But read this verse from the second last chapter in Revelation.
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]
It might sound too good to be true. We have grown accustomed to living in a world which is suffering from the consequences of sin. All these things mentioned in this verse are the result of the entrance of sin into the world. Again, we go back to the first book in the Bible to discover that death was the result of man's disobedience.
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.
[Genesis 2:17 ESV]
Paul expands on this truth.
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 ESV]
All the suffering and pain associated with illness and disease are also the result of sin. And of course, death results in mourning. A number of people in our church have recently experienced bereavement and they are mourning the loss of someone who was very dear to them. There will be no need for undertakers in heaven. There will be no hospitals or clinics and no National Health Service.
It also says that there will be no more 'crying.' This word is interesting. It literally means an outcry. Look at how the same word is used in Acts 23:9 - there was a great uproar in the reaction to the speech which Paul made before the Jewish religious council, the Sanhedrin. This is an angry scene. This gives us the clue as to the meaning of this word. This is not referring to the shedding of tears after the death of a loved one. The previous word 'mourning' or 'grief' or 'sorrow' (penthos) covers this. This word crying would seem to relate to those who are making a protest over the death of someone or some people. The martyrs in chapter 6 of Revelation are protesting about the injustice of their death. They ask the question, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood.?" This does not seem an appropriate response but there are calls for God to act in judgement throughout the Bible. These martyrs are not protesting any more. God has acted justly in judgement and there is no need for protests or crying in that sense.
As you watch the news, you see people in all parts of the world who are complaining about deaths of their loved ones. Outside the courtrooms, we find crowds of people who are angry at the death of a particular individual or individuals. These scenes will not be part of life in the New Jerusalem. All the injustice of earth is forever gone.
There's an old Scottish hymn which is called, "There's a gran' time comin', oh brethren dear..."
Thi'll be nae mair coffins, nae mair cauld graves
Thi'll be nae dark valley, o'er Jordan's waves
When Jesus'll tak us hame.
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