Tears?

Tears are shed in the palaces of kings and queens, in the humble dwellings of the poor, by young and old, ever since sin entered into the world.

Man is born with tears and many leave this world with tears.

Tears are shed for many different reasons. Tears of sorrow are shed in the bereavement of dear ones, tears of self-pity out of an unfulfilled heart. Tears are shed because of loss of earthly possessions, unfulfilled desires, pleasures and enjoyments of this world.

Even tears of enmity against the ways of Cod’s providence can be shed.

Esau found no place of repentance though he sought it with tears (Heb. 12:17). He had sold his birthright for a morsel of bread. His tears were not tears of true repentance, but only tears because of the loss of blessing.

On the border of Moab three women wept: Naomi, Orpah and Ruth (Ruth 1:9 and 1:14). All three wept, but each in a different way. Naomi wept out of grief for her daughters-in-law, “Nay my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me” (Ruth 1:13). Orpah wept because of the separation from her mother-in-law (Ruth 1:14). Ruth’s tears were tears out of a heart that longed for the God of Israel.

The Bible records tears of joy as well as tears of sorrow. Tears of joy were shed at the meeting of Jacob with his son Joseph after a separation of many years. Even Jesus shed tears. Christ wept when He beheld the city of Jerusalem, seeing the hardness of their hearts. The shortest text in the Bible tells us, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35) at the grave of Lazarus. The great Mediator has carried the grief and sorrow of His people who were brought into the world by sin. ‘The wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23).

Although many tears are shed in this world, how few are shed out of a godly sorrow and knowledge that we have sinned against a righteous, holy, and merciful God! Such sorrow must be wrought in the heart of a sinner by the work of the Holy Spirit. There must be a knowledge in the first place of how great our sins and miseries are, a knowledge imparted by regeneration (cf. Canons of Dordt, lll-IV, Art. 12).

As a healthy child is born crying, so in spiritual birth a sinner is born crying, sorrowing over sin. “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy” (Ps. 126:5). ‘They shall come with weeping, and with supplication will I lead them” (Jer. 31:9a).

True tears over sinning against God are a result and fruit of the enlightening work of the Holy Spirit. They are no ground or foundation upon which to build. All who experience a time of sorrow shall experience a time of joy, but a time of sorrow must precede a time of joy: “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Ps. 30:5). The time of sorrow and weeping is short when compared to eternal joy and rejoicing.

Young people, we by nature do not desire to be sorrowful; we do not like the company of sorrowful people. We desire to be happy and joyful; however, only in the way of sorrow (shedding tears because of our sins) can true and lasting joy be found!

When a soul is brought as a sinner in the dust before God, there is already joy mingled in with that bowing before God. The example of the Pharisee and publican teach us this. They both went to the temple to pray; but what a vast difference there was in the hearts of these two men. The one had nothing else to do but boast; the other prayed with a broken heart and contrite spirit. And how did they leave the temple?

“I tell you this man (the publican) went down to his house justified rather than the other (the Pharisee)” (Lk. 18:14). If there is already joy in bowing as a sinner before God, what joy must there be when one may hear as did he who was sick of the palsy, “Thy sins are forgiven thee” (Mk. 2:5).

The word “tears” written with a question mark is many times what a believer finds to be his experience. David prayed in Ps. 56:8, “Put my tears into Thy bottle, are they not in Thy book?” The question arises in a believer’s heart, “Are my tears in God’s book?” Or should it be, “Is one of my tears in God’s book?” Most certainly God regards the tears of His people; 2 Kings 20:5 reads, “I have seen thy tears,” spoken by the Lord to Hezekiah.

Of Peter we read that after he had denied his Lord three times, and Christ had looked upon him, he “went out and wept bitterly” (Lk. 22:61,62). After Christ’s resurrection, an angel said to the women, “Tell His disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee” (Mark 16:7). Why did Christ add, “and Peter”? Peter could no longer believe that the Lord would ever look upon, or speak to, him again. He had denied his Master and grieved the heart of his Lord. God’s people learn the bitterness of sin. They may at times believe and exclaim with the poet:

Vea, Thou wilt finish perfectly What Thou for me, hast undertaken.

But looking upon themselves they must confess to be “prone to halt and stumble,” and must often pray:

May not Thy works in mercy wrought E’er come to nought, or be forsaken.

It was foretold in Isaiah 53:10 that Christ would bear the grief of sin, for “He hath put Him to grief.” It is only through the merits of the Mediator that all tears shall one day be wiped away from the eyes of God’s people. “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” (Rev. 21:4).

The sower bearing precious seed May weep as in his toil he grieves, But he shall come again with joy In harvest time with golden sheaves.

—(Psalter 357:4)

H. Kamp serves as elder of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

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