He will swallow up death forever. The Lord and King will wipe away the tears from everyone’s face. He will remove the shame of his people from the whole earth. The Lord has spoken.
“I will set these people free from the power of the grave. I will save them from death. Death, where are your plagues? Grave, where is your power to destroy? “I will no longer pity Ephraim.
“The Lord who rules over all says, ‘You must obey me. You must do what I have commanded. Then you will rule in my temple. You will be in charge of my courtyards. And I will give you a place among these who are standing here.
It will be like that with bodies that are raised from the dead. The body that is planted does not last forever. The body that is raised from the dead lasts forever.
Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them. They will be priests of God and of Christ. They will rule with him for 1,000 years.
‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death.’ (Isaiah 25:8) And there will be no more sadness. There will be no more crying or pain. Things are no longer the way they used to be.”
But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I serve God, just as you do. I am God’s servant, just like the other prophets. And I serve God along with all who obey the words of this book. Worship God!”