Revelation 21:4-5 - Summer of Scripture
9 Aug 2023 · 7 min
A short podcast devotional episode (part of a 66-day "Summer of Scripture" series) led by Dave Willis that reflects on Revelation 21:4–5. The hosts read and expound the verses as a picture of heaven—Jesus wiping away every tear, end-times hope, and the promise that God makes all things new—and apply it to Christian life and marriage. The episode includes sponsor reads (Nordstrom Rack, Home Depot), a reference to teacher Jimmy Evans and his Tipping Point resources, calls-to-action (Instagram, conferences), and finishes with a spoken blessing/prayer. Recorded August 9, 2023.
Questions this episode answers
Revelation 21:4–5
August 9, 2023
66 days (one devotional per day)
Dave Willis
Nordstrom Rack and The Home Depot
Chapters
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Welcome to Summer of Scripture on the Naked marriage podcast. For 66 days in a row, we're releasing a short daily devotional for your marriage. Over these 66 days, we'll be sharing one scripture from each of the 66 books of the Bible and talking about how it applies to your life and marriage. Listen to all 66 episodes of these and you'll have a better understanding of God's Word and His perfect plan for your marriage. Let's dive in to today's scripture.
Friends. Welcome to the Finish line. The book of Revelation written by the apostle John when he was exiled on the isle of Patmos. He was the only one of Jesus 12 original disciples who lived to old age. You know, the rest were martyred. Of course, the traitor Judas actually hanged himself. The rest were martyred. And then John was exiled on this island where he received a revelation from God, wrote it down, and it's a picture of what to expect in the last days. And our ministries founder, Jimmy Evans teaches a lot on the book of Revelation through his Tipping Point podcast and ministry, which is he's just an amazing end times preacher and teacher.
And he's not, you know, I hate to say this, but there's people out there that use kind of some scare tactics and that's not Jimmy Evans. Jimmy Evans is so biblically sound. He also looks at current events through a very level headed and practical lens and it's just awesome. If you have any confusion as to Revelation and how it affects us today and how it will affect us in the future and just end times in general, please go check that out. He's one of the best teachers I've ever heard on it.
He really is. There's a Tipping Point conference. If you're looking at this in real time, it's going to be happening. Yeah. Very soon. September. And even if you missed that or you're listening to this at a different time, check out his resources online. Really, really good stuff. But today's verse from Revelation are two verses. It's such a comfort. It's a picture. It's a picture of the peace that Jesus longs to give his people and will give his people in the last days as the world is being made new. Revelation 21, verses 4 and 5. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. And the one sitting on the throne said, look, I am making everything new. And then he said to me, write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true. And what a beautiful promise. Jesus will wipe away every tear from our eyes, all the pain, all the questions, all the doubt, all the heartache, all the cancer, all the death. Jesus will one day wipe away every tear, hold us in his arms, invite us into that world where all is being made new, all is being made right. And that's the world we were made for. That's the world that we're moving towards, and that's the world that will make all the pain in this life make sense.
That's right. That's our true home. You know, heaven is home. And if you ever. You just feel like, even on the good days, that it could be better, you know what I'm saying? It's that longing for heaven. We're not made for this world. And this world has beautiful parts to it, obviously, because God created it, but it's fallen, you know, it's missing that wholeness that we need. And, you know, thankfully, we have God with us, so we don't have to, you know, go around moping around all day. We get to live this life the best we can with Jesus, you know, in our hearts and the Holy Spirit leading us. And we have those things, but we really. We won't experience the fulfillment to the level that we won't even be able to understand that till we get to heaven. We won't have true fulfillment till heaven. And I think the concept of having no tears there is hard for us to believe. I mean, because we have so much loss here on earth and disappointment and even, like, you know, we have a lot of highs, too. But it's just. I think there's. As Christians, there's always that small part of us that just longs for heaven. And. And I just love the beautiful imagery that's in Revelation because it reminds us of that.
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It really, really does, guys. Once you know the end of a story, it makes the story make so much more sense. And like, if you're in a season right now where things don't look, it's kind of like you're watching your favorite movie and you know there's a happy ending. If you're rewatching it, the part in the middle where it doesn't look like things are going to work out, it's devastating and it's sad. You're thinking, oh, this is going to have a sad ending. But no, I know how this ends. It ends well until you watch the whole movie in a different way. Because you know it ends well. If you're watching a sports game that's been recorded and you already know the final score and your team, you're watching them and they're losing and you're getting all panicked, oh, no, we're losing. But you wait. I know the end of this. This has already happened. The end is decided. My team wins. I already know there's victory. You watch the whole game in a different way. And in life, we know we have victory. The end is already written. We're in the middle of the story right now and some days it's gonna feel like we're losing or like things are falling apart, we're being crushed. But we know the end of the story and we win because of Jesus. With Jesus, Through Jesus, we win. And so put your lives in his hands. Trust your life in his nail scarred hands. Trust your marriage in his hands. He has got amazing, amazing plans for you. And guys, we're so thankful that you've taken this journey with us. These 66 days, it's been so meaningful for us and I hope it's been meaningful for you. I hope you'll stay connected to the podcast. If you're listening here in real time, we've got great things scheduled for the fall. Encourage your friends that maybe are coming late to the party to go back to the start of the 66 days of summer of scripture. Start with Genesis. Go all the way through God's Word's timeless. So no matter when they're listening, they're gonna get some timeless truth and encouragement from that and stay connected to us. We'd love to stay connected on Instagram. Avanashleywillis Come to one of our exo marriage conferences. We would love to see you there. But as we wrap up, these 66 days that have been so meaningful to us, we haven't done this the whole time, but we'd love to just close in prayer. And so, sweetie, as we wrap up, would you just pray a prayer of blessing on everyone who's listening? If you're driving your car right now, don't close your eyes for this prayer. I don't want you to meet Jesus premature. So. But just receive this prayer of blessing.
Lord, we thank you so much for each and every person listening right now, Lord, or watching right now, Lord, I just pray that you pierce their hearts for you, Lord. And I pray right now for those who maybe don't know you so well yet, like maybe this is all new to them. This is the first time they've heard any verse from the Bible. Lord, I just pray that this gives them a hunger to learn more. And I pray, Lord, that they get to know you more and that they follow you and they pray that Sinner's prayer, Lord, and make you their Lord and Savior in you. Cause everybody's journey is different. But I pray that that ultimately happens and they get to know the freedom that they can have in you, Lord, and that peace that surpasses understanding, that shalom, that wholeness that you want us to have, Lord. And I pray for those of us who've been Christians for a long time. I pray that we continue to grow in our walk with you, Lord, that we grow in our knowledge, that we grow in our moral excellence that we just talked about a few days ago, Lord, that we keep on keeping your standards, Lord. And if we've grown maybe far away from you, we've been a prodigal son or daughter, Lord, I pray that we come home, Lord, that we run to you, Lord. We know you're already running towards us, Lord. That we know that you're right there and you want to hold us and you want to lead us once again, Lord, and we just pray for that. I pray for the marriages represented by those who are listening and watching, Lord, that you will bring restoration, you will bring strength, you will make them thrive. Lord. I pray for their children that are represented in the families that are experiencing this, Lord. I pray many blessings over them that they will come to know you, Lord. I know exactly like what we talked about, that there's no greater joy than to know that your kids are walking in truth, Lord. And we just pray for that today. We love you, Lord. We praise you Lord, in Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Amen. Thanks again, guys. We love you. We'll see you soon.