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Revelation 21:4 holds a promise of restoration, where the current world will pass away and God will bring about a new reality. The verse states, 鈥淗e will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.鈥� Some dismiss these words as mere wishful thinking, but believers find solace in this promise amidst the current brokenness. The fact that God will one day wipe away every tear gives us hope.

The promise that God will wipe away every tear is accompanied by other things that exist in our current world that will be eradicated in the world to come: 鈥淭here will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever鈥� (Revelation 21:4, NLT). There is also 鈥渘o more sea鈥� (verse 1, NKJV) and 鈥渘o more curse鈥� (Revelation 22:3, NKJV). In the place of those six things, the new earth will have the New Jerusalem, the presence and glory of God, and the everlasting joy of the saints. As God wipes away all tears, all that occasioned the tears is also wiped away.

Life in this world is a mixture of good and evil, which forces us to grapple with various tragedies. There are tears, sorrow, pain, suffering, sickness, death, accidents, and natural calamities. All of creation groans, waiting for God鈥檚 full deliverance (Romans 8:22). The fallen nature of our world is evident, and everyone has experienced some form of suffering. In fact, many believers and skeptics view the problem of evil as the biggest objection to God鈥檚 existence or at least His benevolence.

However, Christians are not without hope, as Revelation 21:4 proclaims. Just as God subjected creation to a curse when Adam sinned, He will restore everything and establish a new order of life through Jesus. As the late Timothy Keller wrote, 鈥淭he Biblical view of things is resurrection—not a future that is just a consolation for the life we never had but a restoration of the life you always wanted. This means that every horrible thing that ever happened will not only be undone and repaired but will in some way make the eventual glory and joy even greater鈥� (The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, Dutton, 2008, p. 32).

Furthermore, we can trust that God鈥檚 character remains untarnished despite suffering and tears because He willingly took on our suffering for our sake. Once again, Timothy Keller offers valuable insight:

Moreover, the existence of evil does not necessarily disprove God鈥檚 existence. In fact, it has led some prominent skeptics to at least consider the idea of a Supreme Being. C. S. Lewis is an example. In one of his well-known quotes, Lewis raises the question, 鈥淢y argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of 鈥榡ust鈥� and 鈥榰njust鈥�? . . . What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust?鈥� (Mere Christianity, HarperCollins Publishers, 2023, p. 31).

Additionally, we can only discuss cruel and unfair suffering if there is an objective 鈥渙ught to,鈥� a rational way humans are to live that鈥檚 above them. Without norms, there can be no deviation. But if there is no God, then the world came about by random chance and every standard we have is ultimately man-made and subject to change. Why then do we talk about good and evil as self-evident, objective realities? Some might appeal to a deistic god, but that does not provide a satisfactory explanation. Why would a Being go through the process of creating a universe and establishing regulations for his creations, only to abandon the universe to its own whims?

Consequently, one can argue that the presence of brokenness and evil serves as evidence for the Christian God鈥檚 existence, especially considering the Christian meta-narrative鈥檚 recognition of the harsh reality of suffering and its complexities. The cross then stands as a testament to God鈥檚 character. Indeed, many individuals have placed their trust in Christ precisely because of suffering, not in spite of it.

But how can we be certain that the hope expressed in Revelation 21:4 is not mere wishful thinking? The answer lies in the resurrection. The truthfulness of Christianity hinges on this historical claim (1 Corinthians 15:14). Because Jesus was raised from the dead, our hope is built on solid ground. 鈥淪urely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows鈥� (Isaiah 53:4a, ESV). And surely He has risen again.

鈥淲eeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning鈥� (Psalm 30:5b, NLT). The night of this world brings sorrow, but sunrise is coming. When that new day dawns, God will wipe away all tears, and, in the words of Esther Kerr Rusthoi, 鈥淚t will be worth it all when we see Jesus鈥� (Singspiration, 1969).