Revelation 21:4; There Shall Be No More Death

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Revelation 21:4 (KJV)  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 

The absence of death presents another situation to which creatures belonging to this creation can hardly envision. All four of the ills, “death … sorrow … crying … pain”, entered the world in connection with the beginning of human sin in Genesis 3 (Smith), so their disappearance in the new creation represents a reversal of the curse that accompanied sin (Morris). “Sorrow” or mourning is associated with death among other things.

“Crying” along with sorrow will be the lot of the Babylon of the future when she falls under God’s judgment for her sin (cf. Revelation 18:7, 8, 11, 15, 19), but this statement predicts the absence of mourning and crying for any reason.

Revelation 18:7 (KJV)  How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 

Revelation 18:8 (KJV)  Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. 

Revelation 18:11 (KJV)  And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 

Revelation 18:15 (KJV)  The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 

Revelation 18:19 (KJV)  And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. 

The “pain” that will be missing probably is physical pain of the sort experienced under the fifth bowl judgment (Revelation 16:10-11). In the place of these four will be peace and bliss (cf. Isaiah 35:10; 51:11).

Revelation 16:10-11 (KJV)  And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. 

Isaiah 35:10 (KJV)  And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 

Isaiah 51:11 (KJV)  Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. 

Because the former things are passed away assign a reason for the absence of death, sorrow, crying, and pain. It lies in the passing away of the former – literally, “the first” things, including everything that accompanied the cancerous evils of the old creation, a creation ravaged by the inestimable damage of sin (cf. Isaiah 42:9; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15) (Swete, Kiddle)

Isaiah 42:9 (KJV)  Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. 

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 

Galatians 6:15 (KJV)  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. 

[Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22 – An Exegetical Commentary, Moody, 1995, 445-446]