The beautiful promise that God will wipe away every tear from our eyes is found in Revelation 7:17 which says, “For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” This verse comes in the context of John’s vision of a great multitude in heaven made up of people from every nation who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:9-14).
This glorious promise offers great hope and comfort to all believers. But what exactly does it mean that God will wipe away every tear from our eyes?
It Means God Will Comfort Us in Our Sorrows
Tears are often an expression of deep sorrow, grief, or pain. Many tears are shed in this fallen world filled with suffering and death. But Revelation 7:17 promises that God Himself will tenderly wipe away every tear from his children’s eyes. Like a loving parent gently comforting a hurting child, the Lord will personally wipe away every tear.
This means that all the grief, sorrow, and cries for help experienced in this life will be replaced with divine comfort in the joyous presence of God. The painful tears His children have shed on earth will be dried by the loving hand of their Father in heaven. He will soothe every hurt and dry every tear.
It Means All Causes of Sorrow Will Be Done Away With
Not only will God personally comfort us, but His wiping away of every tear also signifies that sin, death, pain, and suffering will no longer produce grief and tears in heaven. All the reasons for sadness and crying will be completely done away with in glory.
As Revelation 21:4 declares, “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.” With no more death, sickness, pain, or sin in heaven, there will be no cause for tears.
Thus, God wiping away the tears speaks not only of His tender comfort but also the complete eradication of all sorrow through the redemptive work of Christ. Sin’s curse has been forever conquered and reversed for the saints of God (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).
It Means We Will Be Filled with Everlasting Joy
As the causes of sorrow and tears are fully dealt with, so overflowing joy will mark our experience in glory. Having our tears wiped away speaks of the fullness of joy that will characterize our life with God forever.
Psalm 16:11 says in the presence of God is “fullness of joy.” Revelation 21:4 further says that sorrow and crying will be no more for God’s people. Everlasting joy will lead to ceaseless praise and celebration. The vision in Revelation 7:9-17 shows the saints rejoicing and worshiping the Lamb upon His throne. Their tears are gone, and joy has come.
It Means Everything Sad Will Become Untrue
Not only will our tears be dried, but we read that “death shall be no more” and the “former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). Everything bad, sad, or painful will lose its grip on our existence. All the losses, griefs, unfulfilled longings, and trauma of a fallen world will simply fall away. They will become part of the “former things” which have passed away.
As C.S. Lewis said, “They say of some temporal suffering, ‘No future bliss can make up for it’ – not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory…The good man’s past begins to change so that his forgiven sins and remembered sorrows take on the quality of Heaven.”
In glory, all the harm, dysfunction, injustice, and tragedy of our fallen world will cease to be. Their grip on our hearts and minds will be broken. Our understanding will be transformed so that the losses, grief, tears, and pain will become untrue.
It Means No More Crying in Frustration or Anger
Not only does God promise to wipe away tears of sorrow and grief but even our frustrated tears, angry tears, and anxious tears will be dried. Though we all know crying can provide emotional relief, many tears are shed out of frustration with painful situations or other people’s actions.
But Revelation 21:4 promises, “no more…crying.” Every kind of tearful response will be replaced with comfort, understanding, and reconciliation through the grace of Christ.
In glory, there will be no more misunderstandings, no more mistreatment, no more anger or frustration leading to tears. All will be made right. All relationships will be whole. Perfect truth, love, and justice will prevail.
It Means God’s Tender Intimacy with Us Will Be Restored
A key aspect of this promise is that God Himself will personally wipe away every tear from our eyes. This speaks powerfully of God’s warm, intimate care for His people. Like a mother gently wipes her child’s tears away, so the Lord will tenderly care for us.
The effects of sin have created distance between God and man. But in glory, intimate fellowship with God will be fully restored. He will not merely make things better but will personally draw near to comfort us. His own hand will touch our faces and tenderly wipe each tear away. Carried in the heart of God, all remaining sorrows will dissolve away.
It Means All Tears and Sorrow Will be Forgotten
Isaiah 65:17 shares, “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.” In our glorified state, the hardships and sorrows of this fallen world will not even come to mind. They will be completely washed away from our memory and consciousness.
We will not even remember our tears let alone continue to cry them. Our minds and hearts will overflow with praise as we rejoice in unbroken fellowship with God.
Psalm 126:5-6 beautifully expresses, “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.” God promises to turn our weeping into eternal joy that wipes all sorrows from memory.
It is a Promise We Can Have Confidence In
This glorious promise that God will wipe away every tear from our eyes gives us great hope and confidence despite living in a fallen world filled with suffering and grief. We can look expectantly past the sorrows of today to the joy of eternity.
We are not guaranteed a life free from tears and pain on this earth. But Revelation 7:17 secures for us the comfort that a day is coming when God Himself will tenderly wipe away every tear from the eyes of His children. All griefs will be forgotten, and everlasting joy will overflow.
May this precious promise give you strength to persevere through trials today. Know that your tears will one day be dried. Take heart and let this hope fill you with inexpressible joy (1 Peter 1:6-9). The day is coming when you will cry no more.