Bald Men, Bad Boys and Angry Bears

2 Kings 2:15–25 (ESV)

INTRODUCTION

Anxiety - on the rise. CTV News reported research done by the group, ‘Mental Health Research Canada’. The poll, which was taken between Dec. 10 and Dec. 18, 2020, found that 22 per cent of surveyed Canadians reported that they had been diagnosed with depression, with another 20 per cent saying they had received an anxiety disorder diagnosis. Both of those rates are the highest MHRC has measured, and four percentage points higher than before Covid. Self-reported feelings of anxiety and depression were also found to be at all-time highs.

Statistics Canada reports - anxiety is three times higher among young adults than among older adults.  27% of young adults aged 18 to 24 screened positive for major depressive disorder compared with 7% of adults aged 65 and older - and when it comes to anxiety in general it is 21% of young adults who are struggling - versus 7% of those 65 and over.

Add to Covid the fact that our country is going to the polls tomorrow for a federal election. The future of the country is uncertain. You look at the options and you fear certain outcomes. I don’t see how anxiety has done anything but rise in our country, since the poll was taken last year.

The temptation we face is to think that if things don’t work out a certain way … then there will be only misery ahead. It’s the same problem Elijah had. Last week we watched as Elijah was separated from Elisha by a chariot and horses of fire, then caught up in a whirlwind and taken directly into heaven. It is one of the most amazing miracles, the greatest promotion to glory that the Bible records.

We didn’t have a chance to touch on this last week, but it needs to be said before we carry on: When Elijah was in the depths of despair - in the darkest depression of his life - He had seen God work in miraculous ways on the top of Mt. Carmel. The prophets of Baal danced around, cutting themselves, pleading with their helpless fake god to hear their prayers. Elijah throws up a prayer - after making the prayer as hard to answer as a human can do - drenching his sacrifice with water … throws up the prayer and God sends the fire down. He thought it would be a turning point in the spiritual life of the nation. Surely people will turn to God in repentance and faith and the true God will be restored to His rightful place as the ONLY deity worshiped in Israel. But instead - Queen Jezebel puts a bounty on Elijah’s head. She swears she will kill him .... so he runs. The faithful man of God runs as far as he can to Mount Horeb.

In 1 Kings 19:4, “… It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”” “I am the only one in the whole country who is still standing up for you … so just kill me.”

Have you ever been so low, so dark was the night surrounding you that you didn’t see any possiblity that dawn would ever break? That’s where Elijah was. He could see only TWO options for the future: Either 1) He would live on in futility and hopelessness as he stood alone for God and Jezebel hunted him down to kill him … OR, 2) That God would kill him to cut short the suffering.

Those were the ONLY TWO possibilities that Elijah could see for the future. Ahhh - but when the Infinite, Sovereign God of the universe is on the case .... there are NEVER just TWO options. Imagine if Elijah would have had his way? He would have missed so much: He would have missed the signs of God still at work - would have never met and mentored Elisha, he would have never seen the schools of the prophets, training to speak God’s truth in the nation … and most of all - Elijah didn’t realize that God’s plan - even as he is buried under a mountain of hopelessness - he didn’t realize that God’s plan was not option ONE NOR option TWO - God already had a plan for the end of Elijah’s life and it was to give him the unbelievable honour of being taken alive into heaven - one of only two men in history to never taste death!

As long as the infinite God is on the throne of the universe, friend - fight the temptation to be anxious and fearful.

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1 ELISHA, RECIPIENT OF ELIJAH’S SPIRIT, vv. 15-18

The loss of Elijah is a massive blow. This man of God appears out of nowhere, during Israel’s spiritually darkest hour. I mean - this northern kingdom of Israel went off the rails, almost as soon as it left the train statio - but King Ahab comes alone as marries a foreign woman, Jezebel - against God’s clear command - and instead of turning her to a worshipper of his God - the God of the Exodus … Ahab turns his back on the living God - who fights for his people … he has thrown the living God overboard in the ship of state - and has made Baal worship the natural religion.

Elijah steps onto the stage - gets up in the face of the king and tells him - God has spoken. There will be not a drop of rain UNTIL HE says so.

Elijah takes on 400 prophets and a royal entourage

He raises dead children. Prays down rain from heaven. He prays down firebolts from heaven to destroy military troops.

Here, in chapter 2, Elijah is gone.

How do you go on, when a legend like that - when your hero dies?!

The one, unchanging, dependable voice for God in a godless nation - will be around to speak … no more.

Elisha raises his voice in a cry of overwhelmed grief … v. 14, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?”

And, with the coat of Elijah in his hand … Elisha rolls up the coat, smacks the river Jordan … the water parts, a path of solid ground lies before him and he walks through the parted river. It’s clear - this young man has taken Elijah’s place. The sons of the prophets recognize that. Verse 15, “Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, ‘The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.’”

The same Holy Spirit who empowered Elijah, has now chosen to carry on working through the great prophet’s younger apprentice.

But still - that doesn’t change the fact that ELISHA IS STILL NOT ELIJAH. If you are an NFL fan - you either love or hate the New England Patriots - and you either love Tom Brady or hate him (in a loving, sports fan kind of ‘hate’). But you can’t deny that he’s one of the most successful quarterbacks to ever play the game of football. So when he left the Patriots last year and joined the Buccaneers - the pressure was heavy on the person who replaced him. Cam Newton took on that role. And even though

Elisha is like that - he’s taken Elijah’s position - but the sons of the prophets just can’t help having the feeling: “This is ‘Plan-B’. Nobody can ever REALLY take Elijah’s place.”

So they tell Elisha they want to go looking for the great Elijah. Verse 16, “And they said to him, ‘Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master. It may be that the Spirit of the LORD has caught him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.’”

“PLEASE - let us go on a Search and Rescue mission! Maybe Elijah got dropped off on a cliff, somewhere - like the dwarfs in the Hobbit - carried out of danger by the birds and left on a mountain peak to find their own way forward.”

Elisha says, “NO = “You shall not send.” But they kept pushing and pushing … until it got just too awkward and Elisha says, “Go ahead.”

Off go the sons of the prophets - for three days they look in every cave, behind every tree … they tear the countryside apart - only to find out for themselves, Elijah really is gone. He’s not coming back.

These students in the seminary are in the same place Elijah was, on Mt. Horeb: They are caught in the trap of limiting God’s options: “Either Elijah is still around to punch back at the darkness .... or God’s work in the world fades away.

But Elisha knows the truth. God didn’t stop speaking or working in the darkness, just because the legend Elijah is gone. Elisha has the spirit and wisdom of Elijah. When they walk back to Jericho, collective tails between their legs, ‘we should have just listened to him in the first place’. And, the man of God gives them the always relevant, always satisfying, “I told you so”. Verse 18, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go?’”

It’s ever more sure that Elisha really does possess the same Holy Spirit as Elijah did. “This guy is for real!” The young prophet is gaining quite a name outside the seminaries too.

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2 THE LIFE GIVING GOD OF GRACE, vv. 19-22

Elisha is staying in Jericho … just west of the Jordan, just northwest of the Dead Sea. The men of the city come to the hotel where he’s staying. They come with a grave concern.

READ vv. 19-21

Jericho has a problem: the water is ‘unclean’. It’s not that the city has no water - it was a case of ‘water, water everywhere, not a drop to drink’.

Now, if you want to understand what comes next - you need to understand the significance of this city. When Moses dies on the outskirts of the Promised Land, after leading the nation of Israel OUT of Egypt’s slavery and through the wilderness for 40 years. Well, Moses is the anchor - now he’s gone and Joshua has taken his place (like Elisha has taken Elijah’s place) ... and the people aren’t too sure what to think about the prospects for the future. Joshua leads the people across the Jordan river from the east. Just as God did at the Red Sea, when Moses was in charge … God parts the Jordan river … Joshua leads the people through the dry seabed.

The Israelites set up camp, for the very first time, INSIDE the glorious land of promise - and they do so, at Gilgal. From that campsite - they can see in the distance - a city standing sentry, as the gateway into the rest of the land … a sturdy, high-walled fortress - Jericho.

CONQUEST - March around the city -

Can you see how Elisha is following in the footesteps of Joshua - the apprentice-turned leader from 600 years before? Comes through a parted Red Sea - and ends up at Jericho?

The problem with Jericho now, though - is that the city shouldn’t be here any longer. After the Israelites walk over the crumbled walls and into the city to claim the miracle, God-given victory … Joshua pronounces a curse on the city.

Joshua 6:26 “Joshua laid an oath on them at that time, saying, “Cursed before the Lord be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho. “At the cost of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation, and at the cost of his youngest son shall he set up its gates.””

The city was turned into nothing more than a heap of rubble, then it’s cursed. So how is it even here now?!

1 Kings 16:34 “In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.”

tells us how it’s here now. In the very passage that introduces us to evil King Ahab - - one of the FIRST signs pointing to how evil he is going to be - is that he allows Jericho to be rebuilt on his watch.

Verse 34

God’s Word does NOT fail. Hiel of Bethel finds that out the hard way. God says, ‘Don’t rebuild it’. Under king Ahab, Israelite Hiel says, ‘watch me.’ And he pays the greatest price a parent could ever pay. Loses not just one but two sons. He thumbs his nose at God’s command - and he doesn’t end up free (hear this, young people - if you feel like God’s commands about your speech being wholesome and … not speaking anything except what is useful for building up - you think that freedom means saying what you want - using whatever language you want - ‘it’s only words’, after all. There is no true freedom in rejecting God’s word. There’s only slavery down that pathway). Hiel ends up in grief.

God’s Word does NOT fail. Hiel of Bethel finds that out the hard way.

And the curse continues into the present - the water is ‘bad’. Every one of us remembers the time you drank the worst water … ever. For me, that experience happened in Estevan Saskatchewan, when I was 10 years old. Dad was taking us across the prairies, visiting the places he grew up. We pulled into a campsite in Estevan - I was thirsty after a long day driving with no air conditioning in the car, found the closest tap, took a big gulp of water … and instantly spit it out. I thought, “Did I accidentally drink from the sewage flushing station tap? Because that is NOT drinking water.” Turns out - it was drinking water - that’s what they poured into their glasses. I thought to myself, no wonder dad didn’t get any taller than 5’7’ - this drinking water must be some kind of toxic!

Well, the water in Jericho was bad tasting, but it really WAS alos toxic. The men of the city say, in v. 19 - that the water is bad and the ‘land is unfruitful’. Verse 21, uses the words ‘death’ and ‘miscarriage’. This water was the cause of people dying - babies in the womb not reaching full term. This water is an abortifacient. Families looking forward to the birth of a child, mom drinks the water and the baby doesn’t make it to birth. This is not just bad tasting water - this is deadly. Jericho is an ancient Chernobyl, when it comes to the water that is supposed to bring life.

And it’s all because it was a city rebuilt AFTER God had pronounced a curse on it.

Why the curse? Because Jericho was supposed to be a lasting monument - an object lesson. Everyone in the vicinity was supposed to be able to look at the pile of rocks where a mighty city once stood … and their thoughts were supposed to to turn to worship. They were supposed to see this visual, object lesson - and they were supposed to be reminded of the God who doesn’t stay hiding behind closed doors in heaven - telling us what to do and then judging how well we do it. This is the God who gets involved in our lives, who fights for His people in their trials - THis is the God who controls everything - and takes down entire fortresses when those enemies get in the way of the good of His dearly loved people.

Anyone having a bad day - wondering, ‘Does God care - for me? Does he even hear my prayers?’ - they are supposed to be able to look at the ruins where God fought for His people and gave them a victory they had no business winning … and that person is supposed to turn their heart to heaven and worship the God who does care for His own - no matter how great the enemy. That’s the idea here.

But along comes this Israelite Hiel - hundreds of years later and says, “I don’t care what God’s Word commands - this is prime real estate, right here - and I’m going to build a massive new development.” He’s trying to erase history. He is dismantling this museum to God’s glory and faithfulness.

So, when the men of the city come to Elisha about their water problem - he could have easily said: “Well, serves you right. You try to demean the glory of God - you disobey His clear command - you are going to face consequences.”

But that’s NOT what he says. He says, in verse 20, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.

“Here you go, sir. Brand new, never used shiny bowl and salt - just as you said.”

Elisha takes the jar, heads straight to the town’s water supply - the fountain where, morning after morning, day after day - women come to collect the water - as dangerous as it is … they have no other choice - you can’t live without the life-giving hydration that water brings.”

Elisha steps up - casts the salt from the bowl, into the water spring - and as he does so - so that the people don’t fall into the trap of thinking that this is some kind of magic .... in order to give credit where the credit is due - Elisha calls out, in v. 21, “Thus says the LORD, I have healed this water .... from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come forth.”

The water is healed - the curse is removed. You need to not miss this, friend: The LORD would rather heal than destroy …

Dale Davis: “Cursevill has become Graceburgh.” Here is first hand testimony from God’s Word itself .... that God delights in taking the most curse-ridden, sin-stained, judgment bearing filthy water - AND LIFE … and turning it into a story of His cleansing, life-giving, soul-sustaining story of grace

Who needs to hear this today? The person listening in who has been the cause of death

that woman in the third row from the front who has had two abortions in her past? Does this text not address the man who still despairs as he looks back to that sin-twisted, knowingly rebellious decision he made, and, though he has long since repented in tears and sincerity, a cloud seems to hover over his life—he fears he can never enjoy the sunlight of God’s smile again. Or perhaps it was that immoral act, years ago, that has infected your marriage and infested your conscience; and, though finally confessed, you are convinced that, though God may tolerate you, he can never welcome you or delight in you. Sometimes pastors and preachers must grab such folks by the scruff of the neck, and when they ask, ‘Hey, where are you taking me?’, we must say: ‘I’m carting you off to Jericho, and when we get there, I’m going to shout to you, “Here is your God!” ’ Is there anything as thrilling as that—as meeting the Lord who ‘binds up the brokenness of his people, and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow’ (Isa. 30:26, esv)?

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3 THE HOLY GOD OF JUDGMENT, vv. 23-25

Now we come to the story that gave the title to the message, this morning: “Bald Men, Bad Boys and Angry Bears.” Our chapter ends with one of the most frightening, most troubling stories in the entire OT. And if you have ever dealt with someone trying to discredit the Bible by pointing out some of the ‘hard passages’ in it .... then this particular story was very likely one of the examples they gave. “How can you believe the Bible with a story of God killing a bunch of little kids just because they had bad manners?!”

And yet here it is. And it’s hard for Christians to understand. I mean, if your honest, you probably do wonder what Elisha is so grumpy about. Is this a lesson on the importance of not missing your morning cup of coffee - so you don’t end up calling down curses on disobient kids? Is the lesson here that you should never make fun of any man who has lost his hair?

This is God’s Word - It is here for His good purpose, for our benefit - to make us mature in Christ … so it’s got to be more than just a moralistic lesson. So, let’s take it apart and listen for what the Lord has for us in this difficult story.

And with these verses, just as with the last story - geography matters. the fact that these verses take place outside of BETHEL is just as important as the fact that the toxic water spring happened at Jericho.

Bethel - we’ve been here before in our journey through the books of Kings. Remember back to 1 Kings - when Israel divides into two separate nations. The first king of the Northern Kingdom - Israel - is Jeroboam. He sets the north on a pathway of spiritual decay. Do you remember what he did? He builds a worship center here at Bethel. God’s plan was always for His people to worship in Jerusalem - even when there was a parallel capitol city up north.

Jeroboam is scared that the people will go to worship in Jerusalem and want to rejoin the south and he would end up losing his throne. He likes his throne. So Jeroboam says, “Don’t bother making the trip to Jerusalem!” He makes a couple of golden calves: “Here you go - Here are your gods … just worship here at home!”

That was here - at Bethel. By the time Elisha comes along, several generations of spiritual decay have passed and the sin of the people has grown larger and larger.

Elisha is on his way here … to Bethel, when he’s met by some kids.

Now, verse 23 in the ESV refers to them as ‘small boys’; NIV, ‘youths’; KJV ‘little children’. This is where people start to get upset .... that this story has to do with little kids.

The two Hebrew words behind our English translations can mean ‘little boys’, it can mean ‘youths’ … it can mean anyone from a little kid up to an older teenager. I would suggest that the kids in this story are youths from about 12-14 years old. I’ll show you why in a minute, but ...

This is DEFINITELY NOT a class of rude and unruly preschool kids who just don’t respect their elders.

I think I was about 11 years old when I passed my dad and was able to literally ‘look down’ on him. By the time I was 12-14 I was definitely taller and stronger than he was.

Maybe you have the image in your mind that this story is pointing to 5 or 6 kids hanging around, outside the door of the 7-11, when Elisha walks by to go inside and satisy his craving for a Slurpee - when the boys pick up on of the lack of hair on his head - and they start chanting: “Hey Baldy! Hey Baldy!” Kids can be so cruel - we all know that from personal experience - but ..............................................

If that’s the picture you get - you aren’t getting that picture from our text: Elisha isn’t passing a few kids loitering in a parking lot. Look at v. 23 again: “While he was going up on the way, these ‘small boys’ came out of the city ...”. They come out of their homes, gather together, make a plan and leave the city to come out looking for him. These are no ‘little children’ playing without enough adult oversight.

This is a gang on the hunt. They have heard that the man of God is on his way to Bethel, so they come out looking for him. Verse 23 continues:

“Go on up, you baldhead! Go on up, you baldhead!” In other words - keep on going - join your mentor in his whirlwind and head to heaven, for all we care - but don’t even think about bringing your preaching into our city. It’s a teenage lynch-mob. The very least they intend to do is leave Elisha beaten and bloodied … at worst … who knows?

Elisha hears the shouts getting louder and louder, he turns around to see the mob getting closer and closer. Verse 24, “He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD.”

This isn’t grumpy Elisha taking matters into his own hands - this is the man of God about to be surrounded by a mob - lifting up his problems to God, praying, calling on God to act … and ‘act’ is exactly what God does … because no sooner does the prophet say, ‘Amen’ ...

… when two bears come bounding out of the thicket of trees marking the edge of the forest. Verse 24 carries on, ‘And two she-bears came out of the woods ...”. … not just 2 bears, but 2 SHE-BEARS, likely mother-bears … there is no more dangerous place to be than anywhere that a mother bear feels you are a threat to her cubs. The she-bears emerge from the forest and, v. 24 ends, “… and tore 42 of the boys.”

Now - the bear attack may seem random - I mean, if God is going to knock the young people off - why not throw down another firebolt from heaven? Well, this is NOT a random attack - it’s predicted - -

Leviticus 26:21-22, ““Then if you walk contrary to me and will not listen to me, I will continue striking you, sevenfold for your sins. And I will let loose the wild beasts against you, which shall bereave you of your children and destroy your livestock and make you few in number, so that your roads shall be deserted.”

Bethel has been breaking God’s covenant for generations and these are God’s covenant bears.

FOURTY-TWO of the boys - don’t miss that number. See - this is not just a handful of bratty kids making fun of a poor guy who’s a little shiny on the top deck … If the bears tore apart 42 OF THE boys - that means there would more than that - At least 43, anyway! This is a mob - threatening God’s prophet.

This gang of rebels is the fruit of generations who have rejected their heritage of relationship with the God of life … one generation of parents started worshiping the right God - but not in the way He commanded … then another generation grew up and took another step away from the God who alone can bring life and peace to a society … and another generation takes another step away - until in Elisha’s generation - there are roving mobs of youth threatening anyone who dares to speak God’s truth and they are simply parroting their parents’ hostility. They hate this man of God, because they hate the Word of God

Do you see ANY similarities with our society today?

Our text today is a promise and a warning: on the outskirts of Bethel we see the warning: The God of heaven is a holy God. And you may live in “God’s country” - but if you mock God’s Word and teach your kids to do the same - then be warned - God WILL judge. Elisha speaks God’s curse - and judgment falls. Matthew Henry long ago pointed us to the right attitude and response: ‘Let the hideous shrieks and groans of this wicked, wretched brood make our flesh tremble for fear of God.’ That message, however, runs cross-grained to our Western culture’s view of God, who, to put it crassly, should prove at all times to be a nice sort of chap. Nor does the current evangelical church ‘ethos’ care to hear such negativism, such scare theology.

In Jericho - we see the other side of God’s character. We see the promise - that the God of the universe - is a God who is overflowing with loving power and grace. God’s word can reverse the deepest curse and cleanse the filthiest place. A city living under the curse it deserved - the men of the city come with nothing to offer God’s servant but their need - Elisha speaks God’s word and the toxic water is made clean.

So we see the character of God on display in our text this morning … and running through the story we also see the power of God’s Word .... wherever God’s Wor di s spoken, Christ is there, through His Holy Spirit .... and God is working out His good purposes. And that truth should crush every anxiety.

Parents - do you want to help your kids to rise above anxiety? Teach them God’s Word. You will teach them God’s word only if they see you treasure it yourself.