The question of whether God cries is an interesting one that the Bible does not directly address. However, through examining Scripture we can draw some conclusions about God’s emotions and whether He experiences grief and sorrow like humans do.
First, we know that God is not limited as humans are. He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. He is perfect, holy, and transcendent. Therefore, God does not experience emotions in exactly the same way that limited, fallen humans do (Numbers 23:19).
However, throughout Scripture God does reveal Himself to have emotions in some sense. He expresses love (John 3:16), joy (Luke 15:7), anger (Exodus 4:14), and jealousy (Exodus 20:5). He is also said to grieve over human sin and rebellion (Genesis 6:6, Psalm 78:40, Ephesians 4:30). So while God does not have fluctuating emotions like humans, He does express His displeasure at sin and discipline toward His people like a good father would his children (Hebrews 12:6).
When it comes to crying specifically, the Bible never explicitly states that God cries. However, there are several passages that indicate God experiences deep grief and sadness over the sin and suffering in the world:
- In Genesis 6:6, God was “grieved” over the wickedness of mankind.
- In Judges 10:16, God could no longer “bear” Israel’s misery.
- In Isaiah 63:9, it says “in all their affliction he was afflicted.”
- In Hosea 11:8, God cries out in anguish at the idea of giving up on Israel.
- In Luke 19:41, Jesus weeps over the city of Jerusalem.
While these verses do not definitively state that God cries, they do indicate that God feels sorrow and is deeply moved by human sin, suffering and His people’s rejection of Him. God is not passive or indifferent to what goes on here on earth.
At the same time, God is sovereign and all-powerful. He allows pain and suffering as consequences for human sin and because He has ultimately good purposes in all things (Romans 8:28). He does not lose control of events, but rather weeps over them. So God’s grief does not overwhelm Him but rather demonstrates His great love for humankind.
In addition, God promises to one day wipe away every tear and make all things new (Revelation 21:4-5). This indicates that God understands human pain and promises to end it forever. The God who hung on a cross understands suffering in a profound way.
So in summary, while the Bible does not explicitly say God cries, it does indicate that He experiences deep grief and anguish over human sin, suffering and rejection of Him. This grief does not paralyze God but rather moves Him to compassionately act to redeem mankind. One day, God promises to wipe away every tear from our eyes forever.
God’s Emotions in the Old Testament
There are many passages in the Old Testament that ascribe emotions like grief, regret, and compassion to God:
- Genesis 6:6 – God was grieved in His heart over human wickedness.
- Exodus 3:7-8 – God saw the affliction of His people in Egypt and came to rescue them.
- Deuteronomy 32:36 – The Lord will vindicate His people and have compassion on them.
- Judges 2:18 – The Lord was moved to pity by Israel’s groaning under oppressors.
- 1 Samuel 15:11, 35 – God regretted making Saul king because of his disobedience.
- Psalm 78:40 – How often the Israelites rebelled and grieved God in the wilderness.
- Isaiah 63:9 – In all Israel’s afflictions, He was afflicted.
- Jeremiah 31:20 – God’s heart yearns with compassion for Ephraim.
- Hosea 11:8-9 – God cries out at the thought of abandoning Israel.
While the Bible is clear that God is not human and His ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:9), He clearly experiences grief, compassion, and zeal for His people. Anthropomorphic language is used to help explain God’s responses to human actions in ways we can understand. God is moved to deliver His people and also discipline them in love, like a father does his children (Deuteronomy 8:5).
God’s Emotions in the New Testament
The New Testament continues to build on God’s emotional portrait:
- Matthew 23:37 – Jesus longs to gather Jerusalem under His wings.
- Luke 7:13 – Jesus was moved with compassion and healed a widow’s son.
- Luke 19:41 – Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem.
- John 11:33-35 – Jesus was deeply moved and wept at Lazarus’ tomb.
- Romans 8:26-27 – The Spirit intercedes for us with wordless groans.
- Ephesians 4:30 – The Spirit can be grieved by human sin.
The incarnation of Christ provides a unique demonstration of God’s empathy and compassion. Jesus expresses human emotions like weeping, anger, and anguish. He knows what it is like to suffer physically, be rejected, face temptation, and die. Through taking on human flesh, God demonstrates His profound identification with human pain and limitations (Hebrews 4:15).
At the same time, the New Testament reminds us that God’s essence is unchanging. He remains all-powerful, sovereign, and perfect in justice and love. God’s emotions are real but not capricious or overwhelming as human feelings can be. Rather, He perfectly balances justice and mercy.
Implications of God’s Emotions
Understanding that God experiences real grief and compassion has several important implications:
- It demonstrates God’s love and investment in humanity. He is not distant or uncaring.
- It highlights the seriousness of human sin which offends God’s holy nature.
- It stirs Christians to shun sin which angers and grieves God.
- It comforts believers that God understands their human pain and suffering.
- It moves Christians to compassion, knowing God sympathizes with the hurting.
- God understands the pain of discipline and does it out of love, as a good father.
- God’s emotions show that feelings are not inherently sinful but must be expressed properly.
- Believers can come boldly to the Lord, knowing He cares and understands.
- God’s grief highlights the tragic cost of redeeming a broken world.
Rather than making God seem weaker or less sovereign, His emotions displayed in Scripture reveal His strength and commitment to creation. As Calvin Miller expressed, “God’s tears are not the tears of impotence but omnipotence.” God uses His unlimited power not to control humanity but to draw them to Himself.
Humanity’s Rejection of God
Humanity’s rebellion against God is a major theme of the Bible that provokes God’s grief and judgment:
- Adam and Eve’s original sin brought death and separation from God (Genesis 3).
- Cain murdered his brother Abel out of jealousy (Genesis 4).
- In Noah’s day, the earth was filled with violence and all people’s thoughts were evil (Genesis 6).
- After the Flood, mankind continued to turn away from God at Babel (Genesis 11).
- During the time of the judges, Israel repeatedly fell into idolatrous sin (Judges 2:11-23).
- The kings and people of Israel and Judah were often rebuked for false worship (1 Kings 11:1-13).
- The prophets warned of coming judgment for injustice and covenant breaking (Amos 5-6).
- Jesus condemned Israel’s religious leaders for hypocrisy and oppression (Matthew 23).
Despite God’s care and patience with mankind, people continually choose their own sinful ways. This grieves God who created humans for relationship with Himself. Yet thankfully, God persists in working out redemption through Jesus Christ even when people don’t deserve it.
God’s Judgment and Justice
While God is patient and compassionate, He must also execute justice and judgment on unrepentant sinners:
- The Flood wiped out a corrupted world, but Noah’s family was saved (Genesis 6-9).
- Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of extreme wickedness (Genesis 18-19).
- The plagues judged Egypt’s idolatry and oppression of God’s people (Exodus 7-12).
- Forty years in the wilderness purified Israel from an unbelieving generation (Numbers 13-14).
- Israel and Judah’s sin eventually led to exile by foreign powers (2 Kings 17 & 25).
- God’s wrath will be poured out in Revelation on those who refuse to repent (Revelation 14-19).
God’s justice flows from His holiness which cannot tolerate ongoing willful sin. God disciplines those He loves as a father does his children (Deuteronomy 8:5; Hebrews 12:5-11). His judgments are intended to bring repentance and purification, while setting wrong things right. At the cross, God’s justice and mercy met in ultimate fashion.
God’s Comfort and Redemption
Though God brings consequences for sin, He ultimately seeks to comfort and redeem broken humanity:
- Noah and his family were saved to repopulate the earth after the Flood (Genesis 8-9).
- God heard Israel’s cries in Egypt and rescued them mightily (Exodus 3 & 14).
- The prophets speak of a future messianic hope beyond judgment (Isaiah 9, Jeremiah 23:5-6).
- Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).
- God will wipe away every tear in the new creation (Revelation 21:4).
The Bible’s overarching narrative is one of God seeking wayward people to be reconciled back to Himself. Though God grieves human sin, He chose to become human Himself in Christ and bear the cost of redemption. God’s love compellingly draws people to repentance and true life.
Hope in Christ
Christ’s incarnation and the promise of eternal life give hope stronger than any grief:
- Jesus makes purification for sins (Hebrews 1:3).
- Christ’s blood brings redemption and forgiveness (Ephesians 1:7).
- Jesus experienced human pain and is able to help us (Hebrews 2:17-18).
- The Holy Spirit comforts us in affliction (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).
- Our suffering today leads to future glory (Romans 8:18).
- God will make all things new one day (Revelation 21:4-5).
For the Christian, human pain has not only been experienced by God Himself but also defeated and redeemed by Christ’s resurrection. As we look to Jesus, our tears and grief are placed in perspective of the glorious future awaiting (Revelation 21:4). Just as a mother’s pain in childbirth turns to joy, we can persevere in suffering knowing our redemption is secure in Him.
Remaining Faithful to God
Since humanity’s rejection of God grieves Him greatly, how should believers live?
- Turn from sin and idolatry by God’s grace (Acts 14:15, 1 Thessalonians 1:9).
- Be faithful to the Lord whatever the cost (Revelation 2:10).
- Warn sinners of coming judgment as the prophets did (Ezekiel 3:17-19).
- Call people to repent and prepare their hearts (Luke 3:7-14).
- Provide an example of godliness and self-control (1 Timothy 4:12).
- Patiently endure mistreatment without retaliation (1 Peter 2:21-23).
- Pray for repentance and revival (2 Chronicles 7:14).
- Trust God’s faithfulness despite pain (Lamentations 3:22-24).
As believers who have been shown great mercy, we must shun sin ourselves and plead with others to turn to Christ. By depending on God’s strength rather than our own, we can avoid further grieving Him. Our hope rests in God’s unchanging faithfulness and promise to make all things new.
Conclusion
In closing, though the Bible does not explicitly say God cries, it does strongly indicate that He experiences profound grief over mankind’s sin, suffering and rejection of Him. Yet God does not lose control or become emotionally overwhelmed. Rather, He acts in perfect justice and love to redeem and restore humanity through Christ. For believers, both our pain and unfaithfulness are placed in divine perspective by God’s sovereignty and future hope. Like a loving parent, God disciplines His children so they may share His holiness and eternal joy. As believers remain faithful to God, they can trust Him to one day wipe away every tear forever.