RSM: Elisha and the Two Bears

Intro/Hook

Prayer

Story: Elisha and the Two Bears

This has caused some unbelievers and Christians lacking understanding to question their faith.

In this story, bears tear people up as part of a curse in the name of the Lord

that can be confusing for Christians without understanding, and seem like an overreaction when taken out of context.

We will work through it and show why what happened is just and the bears were pretty BASED.

Turn to 2 Kings 2:15-25

Introduction to Elijah & Elisha (2 Kings 2:1–14)

Elijah was a prophet God used to call Israel back to faithfulness during a time of widespread idolatry.

God chose Elisha to continue that prophetic ministry after Elijah.

Before Elijah was taken, Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit—meaning a desire to faithfully carry on the prophetic work God had given.

God took Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind with chariots and horses of fire.

Elisha witnessed this, and afterword's picked up Elijah’s cloak

Elisha parted the Jordan River using Elijah's cloak, this confirmed that the same Lord who worked through Elijah was now working through Elisha.

Transition to 2 Kings 2:15–25

With Elijah gone, and Elisha taking the reins over his prophetic ministry, the question becomes: Will Israel recognize Elisha as God’s prophet—and will they respond to God’s authority?

SETTING FOR THIS STORY:

the setting is that Elisha is a prophet of the true capital G God

At a time when everyone seems to be falling astray committing idol worship

he is on his was to Bethel, a city worshipping false gods and bringing in foreign religious practices into their religion.

So things were hostile towards Elisha much like they were the prophets before him.

1. 2 Kings 2:15-25

2 Kings 2:15–25

15-22 “Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him. They said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men, please let them go and search for your master; perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.” But when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men; and they searched three days but did not find him. They returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?” Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold now, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful.” He said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. He went out to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘I have purified these waters; there shall not be from there death or unfruitfulness any longer.’ ” So the waters have been purified to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.

23-25 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!” 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. He went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.”

Ask:

What do you think could be bothersome to Christians about this story?

DONT RUSH, GET ANSWERS

Its alright and normal to be bothered, people are most likely dead which is always concerning as we love everyone. However, we have to read it with understanding and clarity.

2. Who are these “lads” yelling at Elisha?

This translation says “lads” which is a much better than other translations that say “children”

I saw on an old Joe Rogan episode when he was dismayed by this verse, it bothered him.

He loves/fears bears, and the thought of bears tearing up children in Gods name concerned him.

However the Hebrew word used here is na’ar, it is used for young men as well. It doesn’t refer to an age group but more of a stage of life prior to spiritual maturity. So a few years ago, me, being a young dumb adult prior to submitting to Gods will would fit this description.

There was also 42 of them, so these were not school children at recess, likely a group of fired up early 20s religious trouble makers, sons born into idol worshipping families, being that they are from Bethel.

3. What does “go up, you baldhead” mean?

What do you think the “young lads” meant by yelling this?

“go up” likely mocks Elijah’s ascension

This is not playground teasing, but a theological rejection.

They are not simply mocking Elisha's appearance, but are directly mocking God’s identity and authority.

They are actively participating in a rebellion against God.

THINK OF JEWISH YOUTH TODAY IN MODERN ISRAEL, SPITTING ON CHRISTIAN PREACHERS AND FAMILIES

Think of the videos you see of jewish youth today in modern Israel spitting on Christian preachers and families. Much the same they are mocking them for their relationship with the one true God of Abraham, it is what is happening here.

1 John 2:23: "Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well."

ALSO! Remember the mocking at the crucifixion, when the Rabbis were mocking Jesus as he hung on the cross, Christ cried out to the Father, and after hearing Christ call out to God this is how the Rabbis responded:

Matthew 27:47 “And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, “This man is calling for Elijah.””

Matthew 27:49 “But the rest of them said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him.””

They were waiting to see if the God of Elijah would come for him.

Like Elijah was taken, and like these “lads” from this story were mocking Elisha for.

4. Why Bethel matters

These people were from Bethel, and at this time their people were famous for claiming to worship YHWH, but using Golden Calves that Jeroboam (King of Israel) had set up as idols.

No longer worshipping the Father of the prophets, the creator.

They had resisted and directly opposed the true prophetic voices that had a relationship with our God. They were rejecting Elisha, and had already rejected Elijah before him.

Later the prophet Amos, called Bethel a “center of rebellion”, being a place that corrupted the faith of religious jews in the region, drawing them away from the Father, instead now their worship resembled that of the Canaanites and were incorporating their beliefs.

5. What can be learned from this story?

Gods authority is not optional

Judgment is real, but purposeful

How it worked in the OT

In the OT, prophets don’t just predict things. They function like covenant lawyers.

Their job was to:

Call Israel back to the Mosaic covenant with the true God of Moses and Abraham

Announce blessings for obedience

Announce curses for rebellion

Elijah and Elisha especially operate in this role.

Their miracles aren’t random displays of power;

they’re signs that “God’s covenant is still active, and you’re accountable.”

So when Elisha speaks judgment and curses them in this story, he’s not doing so out of anger — he’s invoking terms Israel already agreed to.

Wild Animals were Covenant Curses

In the OT, wild animal attacks were explicitly cited as a curse for those that opposed God.

Leviticus 26:21–22

“If you walk contrary to me… I will send wild animals among you, which shall rob you of your children…”

Deuteronomy 32:24

“I will send against them… the teeth of beasts…”

In covenant language:

Wild animals attacking humans = under divine judgment

It signals that Israel is no longer living in covenant order

So when two bears come out of the woods, ancient readers don’t think:

“That escalated quickly.”

They think:

“Oh. Leviticus 26, we have fallen astray.”

God did show them grace

A localized, symbolic judgment

Not the destruction of Bethel

But a warning shot: the covenant curses are real

6. Thank you Jesus, for Grace realized

You might have noticed a stark contrast between Elisha’s curse resulting in a bear attack vs Jesus’ forgiveness.

Jesus was mocked constantly, and never called down judgment

Instead, Christ absorbed all the judgement of mankind.

Jesus came to take the judgement that we deserved.

This story doesn’t tell us that God is cruel. It tells us God is holy. And the Cross tells us He is merciful.

1. Grace in the Mosaic Covenant

God saves by grace through faith before the law, during the law, and after the law.

The way to Gods grace never changed, it was always through faith

In Elisha’s time, God’s covenant with Israel was LAW CENTERED.

The faithful were to obey the will of God.

The prophets acted as the messengers of God’s will.

They would bless the faithful, and curse those who rejected the Father.

Examples: Elisha’s miracle of purifying the water of Jericho vs sicking BEARS on Gods enemies

Key point: God’s holiness demanded respect and obedience, and sin had immediate consequences.

2. Grace in the New Covenant

In Christ, God’s covenant is centered on faith, not law (Jeremiah 31:31–34).

Grace is offered freely to everyone, even though none deserve it (Romans 5:8).

Jesus bore the judgment so we can be reunited with God the Father (Hebrews 4:16).

Grace transforms our hearts via the Holy Spirit, making obedience an act of love, not fear.

Key point: Judgment has been absorbed by Christ; and now grace empowers us to live righteously, not in casual sin.

We should be called to holiness as a response to God’s grace.

A seat in heaven shall one day be yours; but a chain in hell would have been yours if grace had not changed you. The Fruitless Vine, Volume 3, Sermon #125 - Ezekiel 15:1, 2

Charles Spurgeon

Grace calls us to love Christ and obey willingly, not out of fear, but out of appreciation for the sacrifice he made for us.

Grace:

Justifies us before a holy God

Allows us to communicate with and access God in fellowship

Disciples and trains us to live holy lives

Small Group Q’s

Application Question #1:

In what ways do people today mock God—maybe not openly, but subtly?

Examples:

Treating faith as optional

Using Jesus as a punchline

Saying “God’s cool with whatever”

Application Question #2:

Do we take God’s grace seriously—or casually?

Make it personal:

Grace is free

But it is not cheap

Application Question #3

Grace empowers obedience out of love, not fear. How can you practically live that out this week—in relationships, decisions, or at work/school?

Application Question #4

Bethel was a city that outwardly claimed God but worshipped idols. Are there ways people today ‘mix’ faith with worldly practices?

Application Question #5

Elisha was mocked for being God’s prophet. Who or what do you see today that challenges God’s authority in people’s lives? How should we respond?

Application Question #6

The young men in Bethel followed the crowd and mocked God. How can you stay faithful to God when your friends or people around you don’t take Him seriously?