| “And he [Elisha] went up from thence unto Bethel: and … there came forth little children … and said unto him. Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. And he turned back … 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” (2 Kings 2:23-24). |
| Our last meditation about Elisha was back on November 7, and we have digressed a little during the last few days. Let us return to Elisha today. We were saying that his character and his miracles were of grace, in contrast to the law that characterized Elijah. However, we see by today’s verses that grace that is despised brings judgment. |
| Elisha had been gracious to those in Jericho, but here in Bethel little children came out and mocked him. Those who lived in Bethel had evidently heard how Elijah had gone up to heaven, and these children were telling Elisha to go up too. They had probably heard this kind of talk at home from their parents, as it is unlikely that these little children made it up themselves. The people did not like Elijah, as he told them how wrong they were to worship idols instead of the true God. Many people in Israel were likely angry when they had to endure three years of no rain, and were glad to see him go. Now that Elisha had taken his place, they wanted him to go away too. |
| Elisha was a man of grace, and God is a God of grace, but this was very serious. Elijah had been a faithful man, and God’s taking him to heaven by a whirlwind was a miracle that showed the honor that God placed upon him. For others to make fun of it, and to tell Elisha to go away too, was despising the grace of God. The awful judgment that resulted showed the people of Israel what the Lord would do to those who dared to mock His grace. |
| It is the same today. It is the time of God’s grace, and He “will have all men to be saved” (1 Timothy 2:4). But if men today despise God’s grace, then there is nothing else for them but judgment. God’s grace does not cancel His judgment, and those who reject the Lord Jesus will suffer an awful punishment from the Lord. |
