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The book of Revelation provides some of the most detailed images of heaven in the Bible. Revelation 7:15–17 describes several of the eternal blessings and joys that the redeemed of the Lord will enjoy there, concluding with the promise that 鈥淕od will wipe away every tear from their eyes鈥� (Revelation 7:17).

This remarkable promise is repeated in Revelation 21:3–4 as the new heaven and earth are unveiled: 鈥淟ook! God鈥檚 dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 鈥楬e will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death鈥� or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.鈥�

How startling and humbling is this heart-rending picture of God Himself reaching down in the most intimate and tender of gestures to brush away the tears from our faces. The image represents the Lord鈥檚 ultimate victory over our greatest enemies at the culmination of history. The final enemy—death itself—is destroyed and thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14; 1 Corinthians 15:26). Thousands of years of human mourning, crying, and pain are wiped away forever (Revelation 18:8; Genesis 3:16) when 鈥渢he old order of things has passed away鈥� (Revelation 21:4).

The 鈥渙ld order鈥� refers to the previously fallen state of creation where sin and death were present. The English Standard Version states, 鈥淔or the former things have passed away.鈥� The Lamb of God, our Savior Jesus Christ, reversed the curse of Adam鈥檚 fall by hanging on the cross and taking upon Himself the punishment for our wrongdoing (Galatians 3:13; Hebrews 9:23–10:18). In the new order of eternity, the Lord鈥檚 people will dwell in God鈥檚 presence before His throne and 鈥渟erve him day and night in his temple鈥� (Revelation 7:15) because sin and death have been put away by Christ鈥檚 sacrifice.

The prophet Isaiah looked down through history to the New Jerusalem and witnessed the same scene that John saw in Revelation: 鈥淭he LORD of Hosts will prepare a feast for all the peoples on this mountain. . . . He will destroy the burial shroud. . . . He will destroy death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face and remove His people鈥檚 disgrace from the whole earth. . . . On that day it will be said, 鈥楲ook, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He has saved us. This is the LORD. . . . Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation鈥欌�� (Isaiah 25:6–9, HCSB).

In each of these glimpses of heaven, we see God wiping away the tears from our eyes. This expression is a symbolic word picture representing a future reality; there will be no more cause for pain, mourning, or crying in eternity. We will be free from all illness, suffering, and strife as we enjoy unbroken fellowship with God our Father.

Yet there鈥檚 no reason to believe God won鈥檛 wipe actual tears from our eyes in heaven one day. Will we not be overcome with emotion when we no longer 鈥渟ee in a mirror dimly, but then face to face鈥� (1 Corinthians 13:12, ESV)? When we stand before the One who gave His life for us, when we see Him ruling and reigning from the heart of the universe, we don鈥檛 know what we will do. Perhaps we will fall down in worship, weeping to hear him say, 鈥�Well done, good and faithful servant. . . . Enter into the joy of your master鈥� (Matthew 25:21, ESV).

Jesus said, 鈥淏lessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh鈥� (Luke 6:21, ESV). Today we can live with hope knowing that our every sorrow and sadness will one day be turned into laughter. And if there are any tears in heaven, we can be sure they will be tears of joy.