Jun 30 2 Kings 1, 2 Kings 2:1-25 Acts 20:1-38 Psalm 78:40-55
2 Kings 2:23-24
From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!” He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.
How do you even begin to comment on this passage? It seems so very strange and almost cruel for this to happen.
But we need some context. First when we read boys, it would be better read as young men. Not kids, but youth. Also – if the bears mauled 42 of them – not ALL of them it indicates quite a mob.
If anyone has ever been threatened by a gang of youths – even 4 or 5 can be quite something. Over 42 is quite a threat!
It’s also more than just calling him “baldy” – first, it may have been a comment on a shaved head as something showing his operation to the role of prophet, or it may have been a general comment of contempt against him.
“The get out of here” part has been translated as also “go up from here”, which may be a reference to Elijah who was just taken up into heaven. They may have been suggesting he “go away and run off to heaven” – or… “drop dead”.
It seems to me this is more than bear mauling a bunch of rude kids, but a threatening mob, ridiculing God and his servant, threatening him and making a mockery of what he was doing for God.
That said – it’s still rather shocking to read. Imagine how shocking it would have been at the time! I suspect nobody tried it on with Elisha again after this.
Acts 20:22-24
“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
What an amazing attitude. Paul knew hardship was ahead – yet he ran headlong into it, because his own life meant nothing to him. His only aim was to share the good news with people. If he suffered, he suffered. It didn’t matter.
We’ve all been given the same race to run, the same task – to let the world know about the grace of God. Can we say, like Paul – nothing else really matters?
As we ready this point, we are 6 months in to the Bible in a year. It’s the halfway point. It’s a good time to reflect.
I wonder, how’s your race going?
