Common Questions: “Do Babies Go To Heaven?”

A friend sent me a list of questions that came up in a small group recently, and asked me to comment on them.  So I have decided to answer their questions here for your benefit as well as the small group’s.  These questions will be put in the category “Common ?’s”

Common Question #1: “Do babies go to heaven?”

Yes, babies go to heaven.  You can see this prove true in two of David’s sons: Absalom and Bathsheba’s baby.  Absalom was not the son a father would want to have.  He was sinful, rebellious, and hateful toward David his father.  He even stole the kingdom away from David at one point in time.  The relationship between David and Absalom was not ideal, to put it mildly.  After a while, Absalom died a horrible death.  Do you recall how David grieved for his son?  He did not jump for joy over losing this awful son of his.  Rather David groaned over the loss of his rebellious son saying, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom…my son, my son!”  David was heart broken, because he knew he would never see his wicked son again (see 2 Samuel 18:31-33).

Now think of David and Bathsheba’s baby boy.  This boy did not grow up like Absalom did, rather on account of David and Bathsheba’s adultery this baby boy was struck sick from the Lord.  How did David respond?  He fasted and prayed all night long for 7 days asking the Lord to heal and save his boy.  His servants labored to get him to eat, but he would not take any food while his boy was sick.  Then the boy died, and when the servants told David the news of his son’s death David responds in an unusual manner.  He gets up from fasting, washes, anointes himself, changes clothes, and worships the Lord!  The servants were confused and asked David what he was doing, and David replied, “Who knows whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?  But now he is dead.  Why should I fast?  Can I bring him back again?  I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” (see 2 Samuel 12:15-23)

You see the difference in David’s reaction with Absalom’s death and his baby boy’s death?  Why did David act so differently?  Because David expected a personal future reunion with his dead baby boy.  That is why he said “…I shall go to him…” Whereas David did not expect to see Absalom ever again.  ”This is just one indicator of the confidence David had in the goodness and grace of God upon the innocent and the hopelessness of David, knowing the judgment and the justice of God upon the guilty.” (John MacArthur)

Do babies go to heaven?  Yes.