Elisha now has his first opportunity to show God’s power in helping the people. There are two very different stories shared in our reading today. The second left me uneasy and wanting to know more. I’m so blessed to have a Bible scholar for a husband. He has spent a lot of time helping me understand the original Hebrew as well as what may have been happening with the bear incident.
Sometimes when we read our Bibles something will stand out and leave us questioning what just happened. That was my experience today. My mission is to help people connect with God through his word, and texts like this can often scare people away.
When we think about the big picture, Elisha realizes he has some very big shoes to fill. Elijah was a well-respected prophet in those days and now eyes were on Elisha. Any time there is a transition of leadership, people look even more critically at the replacement as if they are hoping to see weakness or failure. Why is that? Human nature, I guess.
The people of Jericho were not afraid to come to Elisha to solve a problem. God gave Elisha a perfect solution which may have sounded a little strange to the leaders. Salt? How is that going to help? If God says salt, trust that God will use salt. And he did! Elisha said, “This is what the Lord says: I have purified this water. It will no longer cause death or infertility.” Boom! Problem solved!
But then we have the scene with the bullies. There was a bunch of them all making fun of Elisha. To make fun of a prophet of God is to make fun of God. Elisha had seen how the power of God was available and trusted in the “name of the Lord” enough to curse these bullies. I’m not sure Elisha had any idea how God would respond.
We saw how Elijah had called out for fire from heaven and the adversaries were killed. Even in Luke 9:51-56 we read how Jesus’ own disciples, when Jesus was faced with hostility, asked if they should ask God to bring down fire from heaven. Note Jesus’ response! The idea of God coming to our rescue should not be foreign to us. We, too, can rely on the power in the “name of Jesus.”
Some of my concerns with the bear incident have been pacified a bit, thanks to my husband. Let’s unpack some of this. First off, the Hebrew words used to describe these “boys” were also used to describe baby Moses in the basket, young Samuel when presented to Eli, as well as of David when he fought Goliath. There are other instances, as well, that would lead me to believe that it was more likely young men who were jeering at Elisha. That gives me a totally different picture, especially in light of the kind of threat they would be to Elisha, a single prophet.
Think, too, about the geography. Bethel was known to be quite idolatrous. Elijah’s messages from God were not welcomed there, and Elisha would not have been any more popular. They wanted him to “go away” or “go up” as other translations say, just like Elijah did. Be gone! These men thought they were sending a message to Elisha, but God had other intentions! This is merely a small part of a much bigger story involving God’s battle against idolatry.
Finally, the word translated as “mauled” can also mean “divided.” Some commentaries take it a step farther and say these children were killed by child-eating bears, but I don’t see the evidence for this. Mauling or dividing does not mean death. I see the power of God coming to protect Elisha and divide the crowd of bullies so he could pass through. The bears also send a very strong message that making fun of God is not a wise thing to do!
We have a loving God who protects us and wants what’s best for us. We can call on his name and have the assurance God will provide for us. Are you feeling tense about any situation in your life right now? Take it to God and call on his name!
Let’s pray …
Lord, thank you for how you protected Elisha and how that same power protects me every day. I can’t begin to know how many battles you are fighting for me each day that I am not aware of. Help me remember to call on the power of your name when I am feeling weak or unsure. Your word is a comfort to me when I can see your hand at work. I love you, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
