“A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” (Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:18) This prophecy from Jeremiah was fulfilled when Herod ordered all the male babies to be killed in Bethlehem. Why did that evil king so order? Because he was trying to kill the baby Jesus. People have and will kill babies for depraved reasons, and the death of babies is horrible.
This present life is full of trials, sorrow, and tears – especially so when a baby dies. But do infants die due to their own sins? No. They die because of father Adam’s sin. All of Adam’s children, including infants, are under the death sentence pronounced by God in Eden, “Dying thou shalt die” (Genesis 2:17; 3:17-19; 5:5). We, all, through heredity are born dying sinners (Jeremiah 31:29, 30). The Apostle Paul wrote, “By one man sin entered into the world and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men.” (Romans 5:12, 17, 18, 19) “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (Psalm 51:5) All are unworthy of eternal life.
God in great mercy had compassion on all men and sent a Savior. (John 3:16, 17; 1 John 4:14) To make salvation available to all, Jesus Christ tasted death for every man. He “gave himself a ransom for all” [a corresponding price; the perfect life of Jesus to offset the perfect life of Adam]. This will be revealed to all in the resurrection. (Hebrews 2:9; 1 Timothy 2:5, 6) Jesus’s redemptive sacrifice is for the benefit not only of those living when it was made and the race since that time, but also for those who had previously died—all who went down to hell—the pit, the grave (“sheol”, “hades”), the great “prison house” of death—this being the “wages of sin” under divine law (Isaiah 42:6, 7; Romans 6:23).
Hence the necessity for the second coming of our Savior. He came the first time as a sin-offering (Isaiah 53:10, 11; Galatians 1:4) to pay our ransom price. He bought us with his own precious blood—his life (Mark 10:45; 1 Peter 1:18-20). He comes a second time, not as a sin-offering, but “unto salvation” (Hebrews 9:28; 1 Peter 1:5), to save or deliver from sin and death all mankind, whom he redeemed. When everyone shall be brought to an accurate knowledge of the truth, if they accept Christ’s terms, they will receive salvation (Ezekiel 18:20-23; 1 Timothy 2:3-6).
The resurrection of all infants is thus guaranteed. So, take heart. All mothers and fathers will be reunited with their babies!
