Children in the Rapture

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