On Friday, April 5^th at 2:26pm, my three year old nephew, Zade, entered Jesus’ presence. Though I may never know why it happened, I am confident where he is, because I believe the Bible clearly answers the question of where children and infants go when their time on earth is finished. Here are seven reasons why I believe all “little ones” go straight to heaven when they pass:

1. Children are described as belonging to God.

In the book of Ezekiel, God condemns the Israelites for offering up their children as sacrifices to foreign gods. Interestingly enough, God doesn’t call the Israelite’s children their children, but His children(see Ezekiel 16:21). God views little ones as his own possession and will take them to be with himself when their time is complete. They are His children, after all.

2. Children are viewed and treated as innocent by God.

God refers to young children as innocents in Jeremiah 19:4 (ESV). Children obviously inherit a sinful nature from Adam (no one has to teach a two year old to be selfish), so they aren’t totally innocent of sin. But they are innocent in their inability to understand their sin as rebellion against God and their subsequent need for a Savior to reconcile them to God.

Consider Deuteronomy 1:39, where God tells the Israelites who did not trust Him that they will not enter the promised land. Notice what He says about their children, “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.” The children who “do not yet know good from bad” were not punished alongside their parents. They were allowed entrance into the promised land because God in His grace viewed them as innocent. I believe the same applies to the promised land in heaven!

3. Children are recipients of God’s protective compassion.

In Matthew 18, Jesus encourages his followers to avoid despising the “little ones.” In other words, they are not to be forgotten. The disciples were not to be so focused on their future ministry that they saw children as unimportant. Jesus even describes the little ones as having their own angels (v. 10) and states that it is the Father’s will that none of them should perish (v. 14). God’s desire is that we would follow Him in remembering and protecting children. It’s hard to imagine that He would remove His compassion and stop protecting them when their life on earth is done. On the contrary, He welcomes them into an even greater experience of His love and care for them in heaven.

4. Children are blessed and welcomed by Jesus.

Jesus rebuked His disciples for preventing children from coming to Him. He took them in His arms and blessed them, stating that the kingdom of heaven belonged to them (Mark 10:13-16). I believe this interaction is a picture of God’s disposition toward all children: welcoming them, blessing them, and giving them the kingdom of heaven.

5. Children are an example of what citizens of heaven must be like.

Jesus uses a child to demonstrate what we must be like in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:1-5). Its hard to imagine Jesus using children as examples of those poised to enter heaven if in fact they would not enter it. Rather, since they will enter it, we should labor to become like them (more on this below).

6. Children are likened to the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus said whoever becomes like a child will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:4). Why? Because children are completely dependenton God and His grace to cover them and grant them entrance into heaven.  Jesus calls those who are older to become like them by depending on Him through faith. But the point remains: children are completely dependent on God, and thus, are among the greatest trophies of His grace in heaven.  

7. Children are expected to be in heaven.

When King David’s infant son passed away, David proclaimed, “I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” Where did David believe he would go to see his son? Heaven. “I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6). David’s expectation should be ours- that when our children and infants leave this earth, they will not come back to us, but we will go to them- in heaven.

Because of these reasons, I am confident that Zade Russell Rachels in the presence of Jesus. Not because he was perfect, did not have sin, or would have been a “good person” in the future. It is because God loved Zade so much that He gave His only Son so that even though he may not be able to believe in Him yet, he would not perish, but have eternal life. God has chosen, in His grace, to extend the merits of Christ’s work to all children- because He loves them. “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14).

Zade is among the greatest in heaven; He will forever be a trophy of God’s amazing grace. He will not come back to us, but we will go to him, and together we will sing the praises of our gracious God forever!