Let the Little Children Come Unto Me

by Derrick Comfort

The death of a young child is certainly one of the most painful experiences a family can face.  Over the years, in our home school community, we have not been immune to this tragedy.  Recently, one of our families suffered this terrible shock with the sudden passing of one year old Daniel Kaspersky.  Our hearts can only imagine what they feel and some of you know what they feel.

Scripture commands us to bear one another’s burdens.  We must share in the loss, as our own, with sorrow and tears.  Yet, in doing so, our minds fill with questions.  What good can come to pass from this?  For what purpose did this happen?  Why did God take this young life so soon? 

There is also a deeper question for us to consider.  One that perhaps resonates deep within our being, but we never really fully consider it.  Is there victory and fulfillment, as a father and mother, when an infant dies?  We did not share a full measure of the years of joy, teaching them, training them up and seeing them walk into maturity in the full blossom of life. 

We all share in the sorrow and we say, oh, what a terrible loss.  And rightly so.  We can even know and take comfort in the fact that he is with our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.  But can we really know and understand how God sees this?  Why are we here?  What is our purpose?  As the Westminster Confession of Faith so aptly answers from Romans 11:36 and I Corinthians 10:31, to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.  We see this embodied in Revelation 19.  The eternal purpose of our existence is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

God ordained Adam and Eve for a work in Genesis 3:15.  He joined them as one.  For what purpose did God ordain a man and a woman?  Why did He join them as one in marriage, as husband and wife? 

God answers this in Malachi 2:15, and why did He (God) make them one?  That He might have a godly offspring.  As fathers and mothers, our task is to raise up a godly offspring that will glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

The first Adam and his bride, Eve, were commanded to be fruitful and multiply.  We, as sons of Adam, carry out this mandate.  But who is the second Adam?  Christ.  Who is His bride?  The church, which was commanded to go into all the world and preach the gospel.  The church, likewise, is to be fruitful and multiply.  So the work of the family, as the foundation of life, and the work of the church are the same: to be fruitful and multiply and bring godly souls into the kingdom of God.

Now we know that we are to train our children up in the fear and admonition of the LORD.  If we obey this command, God promises that when our children are old they will not depart from Him.  Because we must walk out this life in corrupted bodies, under the curse of Adam, we must therefore war against the world, the flesh and the devil.  God commands us to walk faithful in all these ways.  He has appointed His promises on our children that they may be called sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.

What really happens to infants when they die?  Have they called on the name of the LORD that they should receive salvation?  Scripture shows when infants die they go to their heavenly Father.  This is revealed in II Samuel 12:16-23 when King David lost his son conceived in sin with Bathsheba.  David says in verse 23, can I bring him back again?  I shall go to him (when I die), but he shall not return to me.

The heart of God is turned toward the weakest among us.  Jesus even said the angels of children “always see the face of my Father in heaven.”  This means that the angels who are watching over our children have direct, immediate access to God the Father for intercession on their behalf.  Further, if we would see Christ, He says we must come to Him as a child.  As R.C. Sproul, Jr. said, children are the kingdom of God.

Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-92), the prince of preachers, commented, “We know that infants enter the kingdom, for we are convinced that all who die in infancy are included in the election of grace, and partake in the redemption wrought out by our Lord Jesus.

The anguish of the dying little one is a proof of Adam's fall, and of its participation in the result thereof. The dear babes live again, however, because Jesus died and rose again, and they are in Him. They perish, as far as this life is concerned, for a sin which they did not commit: but they also live eternally through a righteousness in which they had no hand, even the righteousness of Jesus Christ, who hath redeemed them.”

While it is not appointed for us to know all the mysteries of God, we can conclude when young children die (this includes unborn infants) before they have reached a point of individual accountability in the sovereignty of God, they go to their heavenly home with the Father. 

Our sadness can be turned to joy.  As Psalms 126:5-6 tells us, they that sow in tears shall reap in joy.  He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

With this understanding, we can see the grieving father and mother have not truly lost.  They have actually succeeded in fulfilling God’s great calling and purpose.  They have been faithful in keeping God’s command.  They have been faithful in bringing another eternal soul into the kingdom.

As we are obedient to God’s command to be fruitful and multiply, we bring new souls forth from God to the kingdom of God.  Today, the living soul, the eternal soul and spirit of Daniel Kaspersky has come into the presence of his LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.

When we arrive on our appointed day, Daniel will be there to welcome us and teach us the songs of heaven. There we will join him in the everlasting praise and worship of our almighty King of Kings and LORD of Lords. 

Daniel has exceeded us all.  For he was promoted before us.  His day has come to stand in the righteousness of God.  Let the little children come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of God.

Mrs. Isabelle Green was a public school teacher in Batavia, New York. In 1962, she wrote this note to an 11 year old girl who was confused why God took her little friend, a 5 month-old boy, who died unexpectedly of a heart defect.

            You asked me why God allowed little children, even babies to die. God gave me this poem when parents were grieving over the loss of their son. I too lost a little son years ago, but I can thank God for taking him to be with Him. King David said when he lost a small son, “He cannot come to me, but I can go to him.” We know that they are safe with Jesus.

   In life there are many problems, God knows all the answers. In Romans 8:28, Paul says   “All things work together for good to them that love God.”

With Love,

Mrs. Isabelle Green

Why?

It is not always the faded flower God welcomes home on high.

Sometimes He seeks the fairest blooms who never more will fade and die.

We cannot tell why he was called or why he had to go,

But rest assured that God knew best, because He loved him so.

Some day this loved one you will meet, if with his God you follow true,

And never wonder why it was that he was called from you.

It is not ours to wonder “why”, God’s way is always best,

We only need to trust Him more, and He will do the rest.