People in these pages lost people too. This is what they said.
The day it happened · Saying it out loud · The ones who sat down with them · He cried too · When it doesn't make sense · What he says to people who mourn · Morning, slowly · Not the last word
Nearly everyone in the Bible buries someone. Some of them said it in one line.
Sarah died today, at Hebron. She was 127. I mourned her, and I cried for her.
Now Sarah lived to be 127 years old. She died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went out to mourn and to weep for her.
Went to Moab in a famine with my husband and our two boys. All three died there.
In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a certain man from Bethlehem in Judah, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the land of Moab. The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah, and they entered the land of Moab and settled there. Then Naomi’s husband Elimelech died, and she was left with her two sons, who took Moabite women as their wives, one named Orpah and the other named Ruth. And after they had lived in Moab about ten years, both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and without her husband.
They brought me his robe, soaked in blood. A wild animal got him. Joseph has been torn to pieces. I’ll be mourning my son till I’m in the grave.
Then they took Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a young goat, and dipped the robe in its blood. They sent the robe of many colors to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe or not.” His father recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! A vicious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!” Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said. “I will go down to Sheol mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him.
Lazarus has died. They’ve laid him in the tomb outside the village. A cave, with a big stone across the front.
When Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had already spent four days in the tomb. Jesus, once again deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.
Replying to @bethany.neighbour
Walked out from Jerusalem to be with Martha and Mary. It’s not even two miles. The house is full of people who’ve come to do the same.
Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, a little less than two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them in the loss of their brother.
Nobody here pretends they're fine.
My son Absalom. My son, my son Absalom. I wish I’d died instead of you. Absalom, my son, my son.
The king was shaken and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he walked, he cried out, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were so dear to me.
David@davidHow the mighty have fallen.I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were delightful to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.
Wait. Is that Naomi? The whole town's talking.
So Naomi and Ruth traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women of the town exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”
Replying to @bethlehem.women
Don't call me Naomi. Call me Mara. Bitter. I left full, and the LORD's brought me back empty.
“Do not call me Naomi,” she replied. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has dealt quite bitterly with me. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? After all, the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me.”
Worn out from groaning. Every night my bed's soaked with tears.
I am weary from groaning; all night I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.
As a deer pants for streams of water, that's how I long for you, God. When can I go and stand in front of him?
For the choirmaster. A Maskil of the sons of Korah. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and appear in God’s presence?
Replying to @sonsofkorah
Tears are all I've had to eat, day and night. And people keep asking, “So where's your God?”
My tears have been my food both day and night, while men ask me all day long, “Where is your God?”
Often the best thing anyone did was turn up and stay.
We saw him from a long way off and could barely recognise him. We just wept. Tore our robes, threw dust in the air over our heads, and sat down on the ground with him. Seven days and seven nights. Nobody said a word. You could see how much pain he was in.
When they lifted up their eyes from afar, they could barely recognize Job. They began to weep aloud, and each man tore his robe and threw dust in the air over his head. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights, but no one spoke a word to him because they saw how intense his suffering was.
Sat with the sisters all day. People keep arriving from the city. Nobody really knows what to say.
and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them in the loss of their brother.
Told my daughters-in-law to go home to their mothers. I'm too old to give them husbands.
Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you to your mother’s home. May the LORD show you loving devotion, as you have shown to your dead and to me. May the LORD enable each of you to find rest in the home of your new husband.” And she kissed them as they wept aloud and said, “Surely we will return with you to your people.” But Naomi replied, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb to become your husbands? Return home, my daughters. Go on, for I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me to have a husband tonight and to bear sons,
Replying to @naomi
Cried. Kissed you goodbye. Went home.
Again they wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.
His mother is with me. At my house.
Then He said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” So from that hour, this disciple took her into his home.
I’ve heard all this before. Miserable comforters, the lot of you. I could talk like that too, if you were in my place. But I’d actually try to make you feel better.
Eliphaz the Temanite@eliphaz.of.temanRound two. Does a wise man answer with hot air? Were you the first man ever born? Do you sit in on God’s council?“I have heard many things like these; miserable comforters are you all. Is there no end to your long-winded speeches? What provokes you to continue testifying? I could also speak like you if you were in my place; I could heap up words against you and shake my head at you. But I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would bring relief.
Went out to meet him on the road. First thing I said: Lord, if you’d been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. But I know that even now, God will give you whatever you ask him.
Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give You whatever You ask of Him.”
Replying to @marthaofbethany
He said my brother will rise again. I said I know he will. At the resurrection, on the last day.
“Your brother will rise again,” Jesus told her. Martha replied, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus wept.
Jesus wept.
Replying to @johnzebedee
He really loved him, didn't he.
Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”
He said this to me, on the road outside our village. Then he asked me straight: do you believe this? Yes, Lord. I believe you’re the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was coming into the world.
Jesus@jesusI am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though they die.Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she answered, “I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”
Replying to @marthaofbethany
Four days after burying her brother, and that’s what she says.
When Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had already spent four days in the tomb. “Yes, Lord,” she answered, “I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”
It was our pain he carried. Our sorrows. And we thought God was punishing him. He was pierced for the wrong we did. Crushed for our sins. The punishment that brings us peace fell on him, and his wounds have healed us.
Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.
A high priest’s job is to stand before God for the people. And ours isn’t someone who can’t feel what we feel. He’s been tempted in every way, just like us, and never sinned. So let’s come boldly to the throne of God’s kindness, and find mercy and help right when we need it.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Every high priest is appointed from among men to represent them in matters relating to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
Some of them got answers. Some didn't. They said so.
How long, LORD? Are you going to forget me for ever? How long are you going to hide your face? How long do I carry this, sad every single day?
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long must I wrestle in my soul, with sorrow in my heart each day? How long will my enemy dominate me?
Replying to @david
Still trusting your love, though. Still going to sing.
But I have trusted in Your loving devotion; my heart will rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for He has been good to me.
There’s a time for everything. A season for every purpose under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. To plant and to pull up. To kill and to heal. To tear down and to build. To cry and to laugh. To mourn and to dance. To hold someone close, and to hold back. To keep and to throw away. To tear and to mend. To keep quiet and to speak. To love and to hate. For war, and for peace.
To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to count as lost, a time to keep and a time to discard, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
In my short, futile life I’ve seen both. A good man dying young, for all his goodness. A wicked man living a long time, for all his wickedness.
In my futile life I have seen both of these: A righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.
I tore my robe and shaved my head, and I fell on the ground and worshipped. I came into the world with nothing, and I’ll leave with nothing. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Praise the name of the LORD.
Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped, saying: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.”
Day and night I cry out to you, LORD. My life is close to the grave. You've taken my friends away. Darkness is my closest friend.
A song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the choirmaster. According to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite. O LORD, the God of my salvation, day and night I cry out before You. For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. You have removed my beloved and my friend; darkness is my closest companion.
Replying to @heman.ezrahite
That's where it ends. No turn this time. I still prayed it to you.
You have removed my beloved and my friend; darkness is my closest companion.
The LORD is close to the broken-hearted.
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit.
Put my tears in your bottle, God. Aren't they in your book?
You have taken account of my wanderings. Put my tears in Your bottle—are they not in Your book?
Blessed are the poor in spirit: the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Blessed are those who mourn: they’ll be comforted. Blessed are the humble: the earth will be theirs. Blessed are the merciful: they’ll be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: they’ll see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: they’ll be called children of God.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
The Spirit of the Lord God is on me. He’s anointed me to bring good news to the poor. To heal broken hearts. To tell captives they’re free and prisoners they’re out. To comfort everyone who mourns. A crown of beauty instead of ashes. The oil of joy instead of grief. Praise to wear instead of despair.
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of our God’s vengeance, to comfort all who mourn, to console the mourners in Zion—to give them a crown of beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and a garment of praise for a spirit of despair. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.
A voice in Ramah. Crying, bitter crying. Rachel crying for her children. She won’t let anyone comfort her, because they’re gone.
Jacob@jacob · Road to BethlehemRachel died on the road near Bethlehem, giving birth. A very hard labour. With her last breath she named our son Ben-oni, son of my sorrow. I called him Benjamin, son of my right hand.This is what the LORD says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
Replying to @jeremiah
Stop crying, the LORD tells her. Dry your eyes. Your children will come back from the enemy’s land. There’s hope for your future.
This is what the LORD says: “Keep your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for the reward for your work will come, declares the LORD. Then your children will return from the land of the enemy. So there is hope for your future, declares the LORD, and your children will return to their own land.
It didn't lift all at once for anyone.
I’m the one who has seen it. He’s driven me into the dark. My strength is gone, and so is my hope from the LORD.
I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of God’s wrath. He has driven me away and made me walk in darkness instead of light. So I say, “My strength has perished, along with my hope from the LORD.”
Replying to @lamentations
But there’s one thing I keep coming back to, and it gives me hope.
Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope:
Crying might last the night, but joy comes in the morning.
For His anger is fleeting, but His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may stay the night, but joy comes in the morning.
Replying to @david
You turned my mourning into dancing.
You turned my mourning into dancing; You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
Replying to @theisraelites
The ones who sow in tears will harvest with shouts of joy.
Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy.
Walking home to Emmaus this afternoon. Some of the women say they went to the tomb early, found it empty, and saw angels who said he's alive. A few of ours went and checked. Empty, just like they said. But him they didn't see.
Joanna@joannaMary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, me and the rest of us told the apostles everything. They thought we were talking nonsense.That same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. Furthermore, some of our women astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, but they did not find His body. They came and told us they had seen a vision of angels, who said that Jesus was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had described. But Him they did not see.”
Replying to @cleopas
Then a stranger falls in with us and asks what we're talking about. We just stopped. You could see it on our faces. Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn't know? Jesus of Nazareth. We had hoped he was the one who'd set Israel free. And now it's the third day.
And as they talked and deliberated, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?” They stood still, with sadness on their faces. One of them, named Cleopas, asked Him, “Are You the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in recent days?” “What things?” He asked. “The events involving Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “This man was a prophet, powerful in speech and action before God and all the people. Our chief priests and rulers delivered Him up to the sentence of death, and they crucified Him. But we were hoping He was the One who would redeem Israel. And besides all this, it is the third day since these things took place.
Stayed outside the tomb crying. A man asked why I’m crying, who I’m looking for. I thought he was the gardener. If you’ve moved him, please, tell me where. And he said: Mary.
But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent down to look into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and the other at the feet. “Woman, why are you weeping?” they asked. “Because they have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I do not know where they have put Him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she did not recognize that it was Jesus. “Woman, why are you weeping?” Jesus asked. “Whom are you seeking?” Thinking He was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried Him off, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
Replying to @marymagdalene
It’s him. He told me not to hold on to him, he hasn’t gone up to the Father yet. Go and tell my brothers.
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). “Do not cling to Me,” Jesus said, “for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and tell My brothers, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’”
Some of us have died since we believed. What happens to them when the Lord comes back?
Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope.
Replying to @believer.thessalonica
We don’t want you grieving like people who have no hope. We believe Jesus died and rose again, and so God will bring with Jesus the ones who have died trusting him.
Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.
Don't let your hearts be troubled. You trust God; trust me too. There are plenty of rooms in my Father's house.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well. In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
I wish my words were written down. Carved in rock, for ever. I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end he will stand on the earth. Even after my skin has been destroyed, I will see God. With my own eyes. I long for it so much.
I wish that my words were recorded and inscribed in a book, by an iron stylus on lead, or chiseled in stone forever. But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth. Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God. I will see Him for myself; my eyes will behold Him, and not as a stranger. How my heart yearns within me!
Death has been swallowed up in victory. Death, where’s your victory? Death, where’s your sting? Thank God. He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Isaiah@isaiahOn this mountain the LORD will throw a feast for every nation. The best meat, the finest aged wine. He’ll swallow up death for ever. He’ll wipe the tears from every face.When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?” But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. No more death. No more mourning. No more crying. No more pain. All of that has gone.
‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Crying might last the night. You don't have to rush the morning.
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