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Subject: Tears Wiped Away
Could it be that God's
children are crying in Rev 21:4 because we witnessed the White Throne Judgment
that immediately precedes Rev. 21? It seems that we would have some reason for
tears even though we are in the New Heaven?
Revelation 20:11-15 says, “11 And I saw a great white
throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled
away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and
great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened,
which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which
were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the
dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in
them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and
hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever
was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Revelation 21:1-4 says, “1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
Yes, it is very possible that is the reason why the Lord will have to wipe away the tears from our eyes at that point. The Bible says that the saints shall judge the world, including angels. 1 Corinthians 6:1-3 says, “1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? 2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?”
How will we judge them? Just our very presence there will judge them in the sense that our lives will show that it was possible to hear the Word of the Lord, repent, and serve Him. It will be a powerful testimony that will leave them without excuse. We see this in Matthew 12:41-42, “41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. 42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here."
After this point, when God has created the new heaven and earth, we will no longer remember what happened on this earth (which is really the only way that we would not have sorrow throughout all of eternity). Isaiah 65:17 says, "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind."
