What God Says About Losing A Baby - Part 2
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Like I said in Part 1, I take the topic of these posts very seriously. If I'm going to be sharing what God says… that’s a big deal. I do NOT want to be wrong. Nobody likes to be misrepresented, especially God.
So in my effort to accurately share what God says about losing a baby, I’ll make every effort to be really clear what my thoughts are versus what God says in the Bible.
This is Part 2 of 2.
In this post, we talk about:
Please read Part 1 and learn:
Here’s what God has done about it
If you’ve been a reader of this blog, then you know how we feel about loss. The loss of a baby is an indescribable and deeply painful experience for any parent. It is a heart-wrenching journey of grief and sorrow that can leave us bereaved parents searching for answers and struggling to find meaning in the midst of our pain.
But we aren’t left alone.
The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ can offer comfort, hope, and healing to our hearts. It holds profound significance for us who have experienced loss.
Hear me out → Jesus Himself experienced the depths of human suffering and grief, ultimately facing death on the cross.
He created us.
He is sovereign over us.
He understands the pain and anguish of our hearts and empathizes with our sorrow.
In Jesus, we find our Savior who can truly relate to our anguish.
The death of Jesus on the cross reveals the depth of God's love and His willingness to enter into our brokenness. Jesus willingly took upon Himself the weight of sin, suffering, and death, offering Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for our redemption.
Reversing the curse.
Through His sacrificial death, Jesus conquered the power of sin that brought disgusting death and opened the way to eternal life.
What grace! What mercy! Exactly what I need.
The resurrection of Jesus is a beacon of hope for us bereaved parents. It assures us that death is not the end and that there is life beyond the grave.
Never had the resurrection of Jesus been so valuable to me as when I was standing beside my son’s grave longing to see him and hold him again.
The resurrection showcases Jesus’ victory over death and His ability to bring new life out of the darkest and most hopeless situations. It is a reminder that even in the face of loss, God has the power to restore, heal, and bring forth beauty from the ashes.
For us bereaved parents, Jesus' rising again offers the assurance of a future reunion. 💝
The promise of eternal life in the presence of God can provide us comfort, knowing that our precious babies are in the loving care of their heavenly Father. The hope of being reunited with our children can bring solace to our grieving hearts, knowing that death does not have the final say.
Can I get an AMEN🙌!
And then - often overlooked - is that the resurrection of Jesus can offer a perspective of hope and purpose in the midst of our suffering. It can assure us that our pain is not in vain and that God can work through all this brokenness to bring about healing and transformation. Just as Jesus' death and resurrection brought redemption to the world, God can use the grief and loss experienced by bereaved parents to bring about His purposes in their lives and in the lives of others. Please realize, though, that this takes time.
(John MacArthur’s book Safe In The Arms Of God (has an excellent section on answering the question “Why did my baby have to die.”)
Ultimately, the death and resurrection of Jesus provides a foundation for hope, comfort, and healing to our hearts. It is an invitation to lean on the love and grace of God, knowing that He is intimately acquainted with our pain.
In the midst of our life-changing grief, we can find solace and strength in the knowledge that Jesus has conquered death, and through Him, we can find peace and real life.
Here are some Bible references that speak to the impact of Jesus' death and resurrection on a bereaved parent's heart:
Comfort in Sorrow
Psalm 34:18: "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
Matthew 5:4: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
Jesus' Understanding of Suffering
Hebrews 4:15: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin."
Jesus' Sacrificial Death
Isaiah 53:5: "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds, we are healed."
John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
The Victory over Death
1 Corinthians 15:54-55: "When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?'"
Revelation 21:4: "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
Hope for Reunion and Restoration
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14: "Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him."
Revelation 21:5: "He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!'"
These Bible verses provide reassurance, comfort, and hope, assuring us of God's presence, understanding, and the promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ.
This is where babies go when they die
Why doesn’t God point-blank tell us in the Bible where babies go? I wonder if it’s because God wants us to search Scripture and get to know his heart as we learn the answers to our questions. He does not simply give us bereaved parents a pat answer and then send us on our way. He draws us in close and heals our hearts with his presence.
The question “Where do babies go when they die?” is like a puzzle and the pieces are throughout the Bible. When pieced together you start to see the bigger picture and the answers to a bereaved parent’s questions.
So let’s look at some of those puzzle pieces.
All babies are “owned” by God
I really appreciate how John MacArthur puts this point in his book Safe In The Arms Of God, (affiliate link)
“God's great judgment on His people was never voiced more clearly than through the prophet Ezekial later in that same chapter. His indictment of the people of Jerusalem was extremely strong:
‘You took your sons and your daughters, whom you bore to me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured. Were your acts of harlotry a small matter, that you have slain my children and offered them up to them by causing them to pass through the fire? And in all your abominations and acts of harlotry you did not remember the days of your youth, when you're naked and bare, struggling in your blood.’
“God lays claim to these innocent sons and daughters who are sacrificed to false gods. He says these children reported to Him and they are His children. He exerts full ownership over the innocent ones. He even refers to them as “the innocents” in Jeremiah 2:34 in 19:4”
Babies who’ve passed have rest
Another puzzle piece is found in Job 3:16-17. Job was in such deep pain and torment, he was believing that it would’ve been better for him to have passed away right after birth.
(This is a hard one for me to understand, honestly.)
“Or why was I not as a hidden stillborn child, as infants who never see the light? There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest.”
Hell does not provide rest, but being in the presence of God does.
I shall go to him
A more common passage used to support the belief that babies go to heaven when they die is 2 Samuel 12:23.
“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.”
After his baby passes away, King David says that he will go to his baby one day. Many people believe that this suggests David thought he would see his baby in heaven.
Personally, I’m not sure it’s super clear here.
To such belongs the kingdom of heaven
For me, the passage that is the biggest piece of the puzzle is what Jesus says in Matthew 19:14.
“but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them,
for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
While some believe Jesus is only talking about child-like faith in this passage, I believe (along with others) that the context supports the fact that Jesus treasures little children in such a way that heaven is filled with these grace-bestowed children.
Obviously, the topic of what God says about losing a baby is one that carries immense weight and requires careful consideration. It is crucial to approach it with humility and a deep desire to accurately understand God's words.
Throughout this two-part series, we have delved into the profound significance of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the context of losing a baby. We have explored how Jesus, who understands the depths of human suffering and grief, offers comfort and hope to bereaved parents. Jesus rising again provides a foundation of hope, comfort, and healing, reminding us that God can work through our brokenness to bring forth beauty and purpose.
We have also examined various puzzle pieces from the Bible, highlighting God's ownership of all babies, the idea of finding rest in His presence, and Jesus' affirmation that the kingdom of heaven belongs to children. While the complete picture may not be crystal clear, these puzzle pieces point towards the comforting notion that our precious babies are in the loving care of their heavenly Father.
By exploring these puzzle pieces, we can begin to comprehend God's heart and find healing in His presence. May the Bible references shared in this post provide reassurance, comfort, and hope to those seeking answers and seeking solace in their grief.
For further understanding of what God says about losing a baby, I recommend these resources (affiliate links):
Safe In The Arms Of God by John MacArthur
You might also like:
6 Must-Read Books on Miscarriage and Infant Loss — Plus 2 Bonus Recommendations for Healing and Hope
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Soli Deo Gloria,
Kathy
What do you think?
Please share in the comments below, I’d love to hear!
If you found this helpful, please share!
As a mom who’s suffered the loss of my baby, I know deep heart pain.
I tried to run from God, but he convinced me of his love and comforted my heart with hope and healing in Jesus.
Now, it’s my mission to share this same comfort with others who’ve experienced the pain of miscarriage and infant loss.
