Theme: COMMENTARY ON HEBREWS 11:32 - 40
Text: “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 2:23-25.
Comment: Soon after the exit of Elijah, the people started seeing the manifestation of the power of God through Elisha. For instance, as he tarried in Jericho, the people complained to Elisha that the water in the area was not good. What did he do? “And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.” (2 Kings 2:21) And the waters were healed permanently. As he was proceeding to Bethel, a place where the ark was kept for several years, some children came out and started mocking him openly. It is worthy of note that after the kingdom was divided, the people of Bethel gave themselves to Baal worship and was thus renamed Beth-aven, i.e., “house of idols.” Instead of Bethel, “House of God”. – Hosea. 4:15; 5:8; 10:5, 8; 1 Kings 12:28-33; 13:1.
For openly making mockery of the servant of God, Elisha cursed them in the name of the Almighty God, which is JEHOVAH and immediately two she-bears came out of the bush killed 42 of them. (Compare Genesis 12:3) The faithful would face mockery and even open humiliation in the service of God but God will vindicate Himself. They will be victorious in the end by His grace.- John 10:25; Matthew 10:25.