Elisha In His Early Ministry – Part 3 – Judgement From God – The Bears Series

ELISHA IN HIS EARLY MINISTRY – PART 3 – JUDGEMENT FROM GOD – THE BEARS

SERIES – MESSAGES ON ELISHA – HIS LIFE AND MINISTRY Number 5

[A]. THE JUDGEMENT OF THE BEARS

2Kings 2 v 23 [[Then he went up from there to Bethel and as he was going up by the way, young lads came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead. Go up, you baldhead!” 2Kings 2:24 When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of their number.]]

We have before us a most difficult passage. It would be nearly impossible in a mixed group in today’s society, to preach on these two verses because you would be severely attacked. Words like “bigoted”, “hateful”, “misguided” and “a god of vengeance” would be howled at you. I don’t expect that from my congregation this morning, but even Christians express concern at this story. Let us try to understand it in the context to which it applies.

Verse 23 starts with Elisha leaving Jericho just after he had cured those bitter, brackish waters (the message last time), and was on his way to Bethel, when a group of youths accosted him mocked him. They threw insults at him in regard to his baldness. They mocked his baldness. Some versions use the phrase, “Go up, baldy!” Elisha cursed them, and two female bears consequently tore up 42 of them. That is the story as it is given to us. Now, what are we to make of it?

* Were the lads not just having fun?

* Is it wrong to joke about a person’s appearance?

* Was not Elisha vindictive to curse the lads?

* What was “Christian” about Elisha’s reaction?

* Should the prophet not have turned the other cheek?

* Isn’t this passage extreme overkill?

Let us try to make some sense of this to satisfy questions and observations outsiders, and even Christians, raise.

Some of the misunderstanding arising from this story is the problem with the wording in the KJV.

Here is the verse in the KJV – [[“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.”]] It is said in criticism, that it is heartless to curse little children (and it is). In the Gospels, the Lord warned against something similar - Mark 10 v 14 [[but when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me. Do not hinder them for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”]] And this as well - Mark 9 v 42 [[Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if he had been cast into the sea with a heavy millstone hung around his neck.”]] However the words “little children” are not correct. This Hebrew word often signifies children, or young men, as it is used in this following verse and others as well – [[Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.”]] (ESV). The very same word was used by Solomon of himself, when he took the throne of Israel after David’s death. It is thought it includes lads of at least 12 to 15 and older. In any case, it is more than probable they were old enough to discern between good and evil as what they were saying, shows. A remark in the Pulpit Commentary says this – “Such mischievous youths are among the chief nuisances of Oriental towns. They waylay the traveller, deride him, jeer him - are keen to remark on any personal defect that he may have, and are merciless in flouting it. They dog his steps, shout out their rude remarks, and sometimes proceed from abusive words to violent acts, as the throwing of sticks, or stones, or mud. On this occasion they only got as far as rude words.”

That brings us to the next point which is the feature they selected with which to mock him. It was his baldness. We assume Elisha was more elderly than young, for baldness is more associated with age, even though some men lose their hair, or start to lose their hair (and women too), in their younger years, even in the late teen years, it can start (consider Prince William). More than two out of three men over the age of 60 have noticeable hair loss. It is related to the male hormone testosterone. Did you know that you lose 50 to 100 strands of hair a day and 250 when you wash your hair? Anyway, don’t worry because Jesus said, (Luke 12 v 7) [[“Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Do not fear. You are of more value than many sparrows.”]] Did you know that August is National Hair Loss Month in some countries? Hereditary hair loss in men (andro-genetic al-o-pecia) is more likely if you have a family history of baldness, especially on both sides of the family. Some men and women are embarrassed about losing their hair and resort to wigs and toupees, but Elisha certainly did not.