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 city, Bethel, was not far from the river Jordan, and the people there would hear that God divided the waters for Elijah and Elisha to walk across, as many men had watched them cross over. They had both been at Bethel just before, and no doubt at other times, and the people had heard that Elijah had been taken up to heaven, which was a wonderful event, and they would know Elisha was left to speak for God.
But in Bethel was the gold calf, set up. by the king, and many false priests sacrificed to it, also, there were prophets who did not speak true, and therefore many of these people did not want to honor God (1 Kings 12:28, 2928Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 29And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan. (1 Kings 12:28‑29)).
Now one day Elisha came to this city on his way to Mt. Carmel; it was not easy to walk across the hilly country to speak God’s Words to the king and others, and Elisha was not young as when first he went with Elijah, yet no one welcomed him.
But a crowd of children front the city met him along the road. They may have been of the families of the false priests and prophets; anyway they knew Elisha, and called out boldly to him, saying, “Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head!” They seem to have wished Elisha to be gone from their sight, as Elijah was.
It is wrong to mock any person, but this was far more evil, as it was done because Elisha spoke God’s words, and they despised the power of God. If they had come believing in God, Elisha would have done good for them as he did for the people of Jericho, and many others.
But instead, quick punishment was sent; two cross bears came. from the woods and “tore-forty and two of them”. They seem not even to have had strength to run. away. Do you think they mocked when they saw the great paws. and sharp teeth of the hungry bears? No, there would only be cries of terror, with no one to help.
Perhaps some in that crowd had not mocked, but God knew the ones who had, and it was a large number.
No doubt this was an even greater punishment to the parents who had not taught their children to honor God, and if the punishment had not come, they would have grown up most wicked.
Perhaps you have heard someone laugh at the Bible, or at those who speak for God, yet He has not sent punishment. However this story of the bears shows that God hears those who mock, and how wicked He considers them.
Such ones mocked the Lord Jesus, when He was on earth, even when on the cross; taking the punishment of their sin. He did not ask for them to be punished, but prayed God to forgive them. And He once said of children: “It is not the will of your Father in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.” Matthew 18:1414Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. (Matthew 18:14).
It is not God’s pleasure to punish, but to bless; yet a time comes, when He no longer waits for boys and girls or for men and women to believe in Him. He has set a day in which He will judge the world by that One who died on the cross (Acts 17:3131Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:31)).
ML 04/30/1939