"And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little-children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them. And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria." 2 Kings 2:23-2523And he went up from thence unto Beth-el: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. 24And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them. 25And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria. (2 Kings 2:23‑25).
The path is always upward for the man or woman of faith. Jordan is at the bottom, Jericho a little higher, then up to Bethel. No law here, only promises, free grace.
Everything for the believer is a gift, but must be valued by faith.
In the interval, since the first visit to Bethel, declension had set in, for Satan with his wiles had corrupted Bethel (the house of God). It was still the house of God and now must be judged as such. Satan's inroads had not changed its responsibilities.
The prophet Elisha was going up by the way. There was only one way and that had been shown to him all the journey down from Gilgal with Elijah. He was now in that way going up.
A tremendous change had taken place. What had been once a place of blessing and joy had become a center for mockery of the grandest truths ever given to man. Christendom is pictured here in all of its external religion, persecuting those who are real.
The little boys, or children of the city, awaited the coming of the old prophet Elijah in order to mock him, his very walk as he went up showing where he was going. They used this as the subject for mockery. "Go up, thou bald head, go up, thou bald head." These are the children of an infidel generation.
For Elisha, this mockery only enhanced his position, because in Leviticus, one whose head was bald was clean, a loss of hair suggesting remnant weakness, but the remnant is clean. "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." Such was the testimony in the midst of Bethel in the last days.
"Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work." 2 Tim. 2:19-2119Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 20But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. 21If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. (2 Timothy 2:19‑21).
That is the position of the present-day believer who is separated unto the Lord alone.
"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you." Acts 13:38-4138Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. 40Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; 41Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you. (Acts 13:38‑41).
But the Spirit of God goes on to tell what the end will be for despisers of His grace. The prophet turned back and looked on them and cursed them in the name of the Lord.
The two she bears are apt figures of a double, sudden, stormy judgment that will fall on Christendom without further warning.
"Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled, fill to her double. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow." Rev. 18:6,76Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. 7How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. (Revelation 18:6‑7).
The only judgment recorded in the history of Elisha prefigures the day when the Lord Jesus will come out of heaven with His mighty angels to judge those who, as Bethel, have had the benefit of all of the promises but despised them.
The prophet Elisha went from the scene of judgment to Carmel (God's fruitful field, a picture of paradise), then to Samaria.