“For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”” (Revelation 7:17, NLT)
Scholars call them “lachrymatory bottles”, and they may be older than 400 BC. You may have never heard of the name nor seen one. However, in ancient times, these bottles were not uncommon. They are “tear bottles”. In ancient times, when women suffered the death of a husband or saw a loved one off to war, they would cry into a “tear bottle”. During the 1860’s, wives are said to have saved their tears in these bottles after their husbands left for the Civil War. The more tears in the bottle, the more love they had for the soldier. The more tears in the bottle, the more love that was shed over the loss. The bottles represented the respect and sorrow given for the dead or gone. The bottles were corked to prevent the tears from evaporating. Still, the tears did evaporate with time. It is said that in time all tears would inevitably dry up in the bottles. Then, it was believed, the woman would be able to move beyond her grief and learn to live again.
Tears are a human way of expressing hurt, pain, loss, and so many more emotions. They even may be shed when a person is elated or excited. Tears are a sign that you are interacting with your environment, engaged with others, feeling sympathy or love or joy. A person who is heartless often sheds no tears. A person who is evil will not be touched by the tears or crying or hurt of another. Some who are evil even enjoy the tears of the suffering.
Our God is not in any way evil. Jesus was known to be compassionate, even weeping at the death of His close friend, Lazarus (John 11:35). Scripture notes that God was sad, hurting, and full of sorrow at various times in history. God was moved by the tears of the innocent, by the suffering of widows and orphans, and by the hurts of life. It was once recorded by a wise sage that a truly compassionate person cannot stop tears from flowing at the suffering of another. A compassionate person is moved to comfort the hurting and afflicted. An evil person could care less.
The scripture for today describes the compassion of Jesus in full display. From Revelation 7:17, we are told that while Jesus is in Heaven, He will care deeply about what happens to the faithful who are hurting from evil in the world. Here in today’s verse God’s choice will be to “wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Jesus’ compassion comes through. God’s love for the true and faithful is legendary. The tears of the innocent bring action from God’s soft heart.
“Alexander McLaren said, “You tell me the depth of a Christian’s compassion, and I will tell you the measure of his usefulness.” How deep does your compassion go? God is looking for such people.
How does it affect you, knowing there are many people who do not know Christ, knowing they are basically on their way to a certain judgment? Does it move you? Until you are moved in the depths of your soul, you will not be moved to take any action.
Nehemiah was a man in a position of great influence and power as he served under the king. He was not a preacher or priest or scribe. He was what we might call a layman today. But Nehemiah loved God. One day, someone told him about the plight of the Jews and how the city of Jerusalem was now lying in ruins. Nehemiah began to weep and pray and say, “Lord, what can I do about this problem?” After his weeping came working. After his despair came determination. The devastation of Jerusalem touched him, and he wanted to do something about it. So he prayed and he devised a plan. Then that plan began to unfold.” (Greg Laurie, from www.Harvest.org).
The suffering and tears of the people in Jerusalem after war drove Nehemiah to action. The death of Lazarus moved Jesus to raise Lazarus from the dead. The suffering and dying of innocent people of faith will move God during the last times of Revelation. The God of the Old and New Testaments is emboldened to action by the tears of the innocent suffering. Shouldn’t the tears of others who suffer move you to action as well? Even when a person is suffering because of their own mistakes, it will affect you. All suffering touches the compassionate.
Charles Spurgeon preached the following words: “What Christian among you lives without occasional difficulty and serious losses? Are there no crosses at home? Are there no troubles abroad? Can you travel from the first of January to the last of December without feeling the weariness of the way?
No ship can navigate the Atlantic of earth without meeting with storms … If Jesus wept (John 11:35), do not expect that you will be without tears of bereavement. Parents will go before us; infants will be taken, and brothers and sisters will fall before the scythe of death.
You cannot, dear friend, travel the wilderness of this world without discovering that thorns and thistles grow in it. Step as you may, your feet must sometimes feel the power of the thorn to wound. We may forget to laugh, but we will always know how to weep.
The surest method of getting rid of present tears is communion and fellowship with God. When I can creep under the wing of my dear God and nestle close to His bosom, let the world say what it will, let the devil roar as he pleases. I am safe, content, happy, peaceful, and rejoicing.” (p. 364, Beside Still Waters)
In this moment, God desires to dry your tears. It is God’s compassionate wish that there be no suffering. Satan brought suffering into this world. God will end suffering in it. Until that day comes, look for God to ease your pain and encircle you with everlasting arms of love. I bet if you take the time to close your eyes in prayer right now, you will very soon feel those Heavenly Arms of Love reaching for you. God will come to dry your tears. It’s only a matter of time.
Tears are a human way of expressing hurt, pain, loss, and so many more emotions. They even may be shed when a person is elated or excited. Tears are a sign that you are interacting with your environment, engaged with others, feeling sympathy or love or joy. A person who is heartless often sheds no tears. A person who is evil will not be touched by the tears or crying or hurt of another. Some who are evil even enjoy the tears of the suffering.
Our God is not in any way evil. Jesus was known to be compassionate, even weeping at the death of His close friend, Lazarus (John 11:35). Scripture notes that God was sad, hurting, and full of sorrow at various times in history. God was moved by the tears of the innocent, by the suffering of widows and orphans, and by the hurts of life. It was once recorded by a wise sage that a truly compassionate person cannot stop tears from flowing at the suffering of another. A compassionate person is moved to comfort the hurting and afflicted. An evil person could care less.
The scripture for today describes the compassion of Jesus in full display. From Revelation 7:17, we are told that while Jesus is in Heaven, He will care deeply about what happens to the faithful who are hurting from evil in the world. Here in today’s verse God’s choice will be to “wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Jesus’ compassion comes through. God’s love for the true and faithful is legendary. The tears of the innocent bring action from God’s soft heart.
“Alexander McLaren said, “You tell me the depth of a Christian’s compassion, and I will tell you the measure of his usefulness.” How deep does your compassion go? God is looking for such people.
How does it affect you, knowing there are many people who do not know Christ, knowing they are basically on their way to a certain judgment? Does it move you? Until you are moved in the depths of your soul, you will not be moved to take any action.
Nehemiah was a man in a position of great influence and power as he served under the king. He was not a preacher or priest or scribe. He was what we might call a layman today. But Nehemiah loved God. One day, someone told him about the plight of the Jews and how the city of Jerusalem was now lying in ruins. Nehemiah began to weep and pray and say, “Lord, what can I do about this problem?” After his weeping came working. After his despair came determination. The devastation of Jerusalem touched him, and he wanted to do something about it. So he prayed and he devised a plan. Then that plan began to unfold.” (Greg Laurie, from www.Harvest.org).
The suffering and tears of the people in Jerusalem after war drove Nehemiah to action. The death of Lazarus moved Jesus to raise Lazarus from the dead. The suffering and dying of innocent people of faith will move God during the last times of Revelation. The God of the Old and New Testaments is emboldened to action by the tears of the innocent suffering. Shouldn’t the tears of others who suffer move you to action as well? Even when a person is suffering because of their own mistakes, it will affect you. All suffering touches the compassionate.
Charles Spurgeon preached the following words: “What Christian among you lives without occasional difficulty and serious losses? Are there no crosses at home? Are there no troubles abroad? Can you travel from the first of January to the last of December without feeling the weariness of the way?
No ship can navigate the Atlantic of earth without meeting with storms … If Jesus wept (John 11:35), do not expect that you will be without tears of bereavement. Parents will go before us; infants will be taken, and brothers and sisters will fall before the scythe of death.
You cannot, dear friend, travel the wilderness of this world without discovering that thorns and thistles grow in it. Step as you may, your feet must sometimes feel the power of the thorn to wound. We may forget to laugh, but we will always know how to weep.
The surest method of getting rid of present tears is communion and fellowship with God. When I can creep under the wing of my dear God and nestle close to His bosom, let the world say what it will, let the devil roar as he pleases. I am safe, content, happy, peaceful, and rejoicing.” (p. 364, Beside Still Waters)
In this moment, God desires to dry your tears. It is God’s compassionate wish that there be no suffering. Satan brought suffering into this world. God will end suffering in it. Until that day comes, look for God to ease your pain and encircle you with everlasting arms of love. I bet if you take the time to close your eyes in prayer right now, you will very soon feel those Heavenly Arms of Love reaching for you. God will come to dry your tears. It’s only a matter of time.