Recently I was asked, "At the Rapture, what happens to children who are too young to have faith in Jesus?"
This is a rarely addressed question as most discussions on the Rapture focus on the different outcomes for those in, or not in, the Body of Christ, and discussions about children usually centre around their eventual heavenly prospects should they have been too young to have heard and responded to the gospel.
Before we begin to discuss this uncommon question, let's remember that everyone gets saved in the end, including young children, at the consummation of the ages.
That is why we labour and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of all people, and especially of those who believe.
[1 Timothy 4 : 10 NIV]
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
[1 Corinthians 15 : 22 NIV]
But what about youngsters at the Rapture, which is well before the end of those ages?
At the outset, I need to say that I cannot find anything in the Scriptures that directly addresses this question. (If you can, please show me in the Comments section below.)
So I admit that my answer can best be described as 'informed speculation'.
Do the Hebrew Scriptures throw any light on this question?
God made a distinction between those who rejected Him and their children when announcing who would enter the Promised Land..
In this wilderness your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me.
Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected.
[Numbers 14 : 29 - 31 NIV]
And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad—they will enter the land.
I will give it to them and they will take possession of it.
[Deuteronomy 1 : 39 NIV]
Jesus shines some light on the future of children as well.
He is speaking regarding membership in the Messianic Kingdom, which is to follow a little while after the Rapture.
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.
And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
[Matthew 18 : 1 - 5 NIV]
Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them.
But the disciples rebuked them.
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
[Matthew 19 : 13 -14 NIV]
But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.
“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,
“‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?”
[Matthew 21 :15 - 16 NIV]
Paul's letter to Timothy also encourages me on this question.
Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
[1 Timothy 5 : 8 NIV]
I cannot imagine that God would counter His own advice, given through the Apostle Paul, by taking members of the Body of Christ to be with Jesus at the Rapture while requiring them to leave their young children behind to face the challenges of the Tribulation alone.
Can you?
And I think I'll join Abraham who asked God, "Will not the judge of all the earth do right?"
I am sure He will.
So my speculation, informed by these Promised Land and Kingdom Scriptures and reinforced by my belief that 'God is love' and a 'righteous judge', persuades me that children will be taken with the church, transformed into their spiritual bodies, and take their place with Christ in the kingdom - the Magnificent Messianic Millennial kingdom.
Blessings, Barry
Readers of this BLOG and the book "The Really Good News About God" will know that I emphatically believe in the sovereignty of God - I believe He is in control of everything, past, present and future.
I can't always understand why He has done or is doing something, or has allowed or is allowing something, although I do see some general principles at work most of the time.
Because the Bible teaches that the end-result of this life in the space-time realm is the salvation and reconciliation of all creation, then understanding "the bad" in life is much easier.
For example, God uses "bad" people and situations as contrasts for Him, His people and His plans.
In the simplest terms, "the bad" is used to guarantee "the good" will glow.
And, of course, with the correct end-result in mind, "the bad" is clearly only temporary anyway, because God is the Saviour of all humanity [1 Timothy 4 : 10] and God eventually becomes "all in all". [1 Corinthians 15 : 28]
The Message version puts it this way:
When everything and everyone is finally under God’s rule, the Son will step down, taking his place with everyone else, showing that God’s rule is absolutely comprehensive—a perfect ending!
So what about our current COVID-19 situation?
Firstly, let's be assured that Jesus, our Saviour and Lord, is greater than any troubles we face, including this one.
We can trust him for our well-being no matter what form that takes.
Jesus said:
"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 NIV]
Whether he walks through this situation with us or allows us to be taken from it doesn't really matter.
Whatever He decides for me is OK with me. Like Paul:
As long as I'm alive in this body, there is good work for me to do.
If I had to choose right now, I hardly know which I'd choose.
Hard choice!
The desire to break camp here and be with Christ is powerful.
Some days I can think of nothing better.
But most days, because of what you are going through, I am sure that it's better for me to stick it out here.
[Philippians 1 : 22 - 24 The Message]
So let's enjoy the peace Jesus gives and be content with whatever outcome He chooses for us.
Secondly, there's much that can be written about the need for contrast when God is achieving His loving purposes for His creation.
But I'll just mention a few examples to illustrate the point.
God used Satan to harass His servant Job in order to perfect and strengthen his faith.
God also used the evil intentions of Joseph's brothers to put Joseph in a position to save the fledgling Israeli nation from starvation and possible extinction.
God hardened Pharaoh's heart so that the extraordinary miracle of the Exodus from Egypt could take place for the people of Israel.
Paul reflects on it in his discussion of 'God's Sovereign Choice' in his letter to the early church in Rome.
For Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
[Romans 9 : 17 NIV]
I suggest that God might also be using the coming Tribulation in much the same way, and for Israel particularly to become so desperate for its survival, let alone its peace, that it will nationally call out for its Messiah.
Speaking to the Scribes and Pharisees about their rejection of him as their Messiah and the subsequent postponement of their expected kingdom, Jesus said:
"For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord'."
[Matthew 23 : 39 NIV]
And when that happens some time in our future, it will instigate the Magnificent Messianic Millennial Kingdom.
Who knows what part this virus and its consequences might play in achieving God's eventual plan?
We don't - but we can postulate about how it might, especially with all this global talk about vaccines, nano-chip technology and compulsory immunisation.
But we can be sure of one thing - God knows, and is in total control of it all.
So, as those who are in Christ, we can be content in our virus world and where it might be taking us.
People may plan all kinds of things,
but the Lord's will is going to be done.
[Proverbs 19 : 21 GNB]
Blessings, Barry
