Isaiah is replete with promises of a future time—in that day—when God will restore all things to his original design. One beautiful aspect of this future kingdom is the absence of death, mourning, and tears.

He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The LORD has spoken.

Isaiah 25:8

Once again, the New Testament writers pick up on Isaiah’s theme and expand it:

• When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:54)
• For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’” (Revelation 7:17)
• ‘He 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. (Revelation 21:4)

Another aspect of that day, according to Isaiah, is a great trumpet call.

And in that day a great trumpet will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 27:13

Again, parallel scriptures tell us that this trumpet call will signal the return of Jesus for his church.

• He will raise a signal for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. (Isaiah 11:12 NRSV)
• Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30)
• And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. (Matthew 24:31)
• For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. (1 Thessalonians 4:16)

I look forward to that day when death will be swallowed up and Jesus will come again.

How do you feel about a future with no tears? How can you comfort those who mourn right now?

PRAYER

Father, I can’t imagine a time when all tears and sorrow will be wiped away. Life is so hard and I cry regularly. But I thank you for these glimpses that enable me to hope for the renewal of all things. Even as I hope, I pray for your kingdom to come on this earth, that I might be an instrument to wipe away tears and bring hope to those around me.

---

All scripture is quoted from the New International Version (unless otherwise noted) with added emphasis.