A CHILD’S DEATH
He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” —II Samuel 12:22-23
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” —John 16:33
Jesus made it very clear that “In this world you will have trouble.” These troubles (trials and sorrows) take many forms. One of them is when a child dies. David took much comfort in the fact that he would “go to him, but he will not return to me.” David believed that he would see the child again after death. This should bring great comfort to those who have lost a child.
And yet, this brings up questions to my mind.
- Do all children world-wide go to heaven when they die?
- Is there an age of “accountability” the child gets to and will no longer go to heaven if they die unless they profess faith in Jesus?
- Is it that because God knows which child would profess faith if they lived long enough and that those children would go to heaven?
Very little is said about this in God’s Word. Jesus did say “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” This was said after “people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them” (Matthew 19:13-14). These are “little children” that were brought to Jesus— “young children.”
I do know that “little children” at our daycare are quick to listen and respond to stories from God’s Word. Children would readily listen to and interact with these stories. Unfortunately, it is the unbelieving adults that negatively impact children. Just look at our educational system and that is easy to see. Again, Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them.” Could it be that adults “hinder” children from coming to Jesus? Surely this is the case in families and in our broader culture.
Jesus also said, “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Luke 18:17). Apparently, children are more readily apt to “receive the kingdom of God” that adults are. Adults are told to be like little children in doing so.
Our Lord has given us the responsibility to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:5-9). Yes, we are to love our Lord God and share Him with out children. We see this example of Timothy in II Timothy 3:15 “how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” And apparently it was Timothy’s mother and grandmother that had an impact in his life. Paul said of Timothy— “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also” (II Timothy 1:5).
We can take comfort that children that die are safe in the arms of Jesus. But we also need to take the responsibility to teach children about Jesus. May we do so, Dear Father, by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus. Yes, for Your honor and glory! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mUhFRsSiHU&list=RD9mUhFRsSiHU&start_radio=1