I Shall Go to Him, but He Shall Not Return to Me (2 Samuel 12:23)

2022-10-16

And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. (2 Samuel 12:22-23)

David’s sin affected this newborn baby. He died at seven days old. What happens to such a one when he dies? This verse brings us hope: “I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” David would see his son again.

How do we reconcile this with other doctrines, such as the Adamic sin inherent in all people? “The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin” (Deuteronomy 24:16; cf. Jeremiah 31:30; Ezekiel 18:4). Judgment falls only on the one that sinned, not his descendants. “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works” (Revelation 20:12). The unsaved are judged according to their works, not their ancestors’ works. Adam’s sin does not send anyone to hell. Therefore, babies have a sin nature, but what have they done to be judged for? “...by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20). But they do not comprehend any law.

We also know this, “The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation” (Numbers 14:18). The effects of sin are felt in subsequent generations, but those descendants are not judged for those sins. Even here, in David’s case, the son’s death was because of the effects of his father’s sin, not because of the son’s sin. He will not be judged before God because of David’s sin.

Elsewhere, as we previously saw, the children slain because of Herod would rise again to life. “And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border” (Jeremiah 31:17).

There is a reason why Jesus tells us this: “Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:16). While I cannot be dogmatic on everything concerning the subject, the evidence provides great hope for us who have lost babies and had miscarriages, that we will see them again.