Devos with Davis: He Is Making All Things New

There have only been a few moments in life that have left me speechless. As a budding journalist and editor, I have always had a knack for jotting down my thoughts and articulating my perspective on a situation, but the days leading up to my grandmother’s passing left me silent.  

A little over a year ago, in the middle of a cold November, my family got word that my grandmother had suffered a massive stroke that left irreparable damage. As my family rushed to say goodbye to her at the hospice facility, I found myself coasting through the situation, wondering how life would continue after she went on to glory.  

Instead of using writing as a means for escaping the reality that I so desperately wanted to be rid of, I found myself clinging to God’s word for survival. It was at that point, when I was seated beside my grandmother’s bed at the hospice facility, holding her motionless hand, that I knew I could not press on without God’s help.  

Over the course of that week, I walked the halls of that hospice facility, carrying my Bible with me as I moved from one seating area to the next. It was during that difficult trial that I found myself flipping through my Bible like never before. I would spend hour after hour scouring the Word, reading passage after passage because I knew I needed to be reminded of God’s faithfulness when all felt utterly hopeless.  

As someone who likes to plan and know a story’s ending, I found myself turning to the very end of the Bible to read a passage in Revelation. I felt that the only way to stay connected to my grandmother was by trying to get a glimpse of what heaven would be like.  

That day, I was drawn to Revelation 21:3-4 which states: 

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” In this passage, the apostle John describes what he experienced through a vision from God regarding what the new heaven and the new earth would be like. The apostle begins the passage in Revelation 21:1 by first writing that he “saw a new heaven and a new earth.”  

According to EnduringWord.com, the Greek translation for “new” means “fresh,” signifying that the new heaven and earth will not be crafted merely from the leftovers of what has previously existed; rather, it means God is preparing a new place once again out of nothing or, ex nihilo, exactly as when he spoke creation into existence in Genesis 1.  

Further down in the passage, in verse 3, the phrase “the dwelling place of God is with man” is distinct because it clearly articulates God’s primary goal for man is to be reunited with him in heaven, no longer separated by sin.  

In verse 4, the phrase, “he will wipe every tear from their eyes” reveals what heaven will truly be like. It will be a place set apart from the very idea of sorrow. This is a concept that is completely unfamiliar to humanity, because it will be a place of life, and not one of death or immense pain that we know now. When we get to heaven, we will be sitting in the presence of God and the pain of yesterday will no longer be a point of contention in our relationship with him.  

Further down, in Revelation 21:5, it says, “And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” It also says, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 

My grandmother passed three days after I first read that passage, and although it was hard to process, and still is, I find comfort in knowing that our stories do not end on this earth. After I read that God would make “all things new,” I had hope again. Some scholars believe that God’s order to John to continue writing may indicate that the apostle was so awestruck at the thought of it all, that he was speechless, according to EnduringWord.com. 

As believers, we can be encouraged by this passage because it shows that death is not the end. With God’s help, we can have immeasurable joy that is not contingent on what goes on around us. We can rest assured that in heaven, no amount of pain or hardship will ever be able to steal our peace and joy because God is the ultimate Comforter, and sin will be irrelevant in his paradise. One day, I hope we will all be like John, completely astonished and speechless — not because of grief, but because we will be standing in the presence of the Almighty God, fully restored and redeemed.  

Davis is the Editor-in-Chief for the Liberty Champion. Follow her on X.