Revelation 1:7 “Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will wail on account of him.”

At first glance, this passage seems troubling — all the tribes of the earth will wail and grieve at Jesus’ return. Yet, when I first read this, I was drawn to verse 7, that, “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him.” Immediately I questioned, is anyone excluded from the kingdom of God? I find deep comfort in the mystery, or rather theology, of hopeful universalism — that the work of Christ in his life, death, and resurrection is and was for all humanity now. I’m comforted by this theology, yet it is also hard for me to digest in our present day when children are witnessing their parents arrested and shoved into unknown cars, families are losing their jobs and healthcare, and a select few individuals hoard the majority of the world’s wealth. How could they be included in God’s just kingdom?

When I read this word “wail,” there’s two perspectives that come to mind: grief and relief. For those whose families have been ripped apart, maybe Christ’s return brings about relief from their suffering — they wail because of their endured grief. For those hoarding their resources, perhaps Christ’s return brings grief for their actions —recognizing their actions have harmed others for little to no personal gain. When a child is disciplined by their parent, they may grieve over the parent’s redirection. However, that redirection is there to ensure no further harm is caused to the child. The redirection or discipline is done out of love, not anger. God’s justice may feel correcting but is done to stop further harm to all.

The hope I hold is that Christ will make all right in his return. This world will be pieced back together and hearts mended. May God’s grace be vast enough to restore the effects of our sins, even the ones too disturbing for our brains to comprehend. And may God’s kingdom include all — even those who pierced him.

Emily Besaw