Establish the need: Do you appreciate older men of God who are leaders?
Purpose: We need to internalize six truths from 2 Kings 2 in order to relate to older generation and younger generation of men of God in a biblical way.
- We need to know older Men of God won’t always be with us (v.1-6)
- We need to take up the mantle of older Men of God who departed (v.7-14)
- We need to not idolize older men of God who departed (v.15-18)
- We need to realize the next generation men of God will have different work (v.19-22)
- We need to be warn not to mock the next generation men of God (v.23-25)
- We need to look for one who turn death to life (v.19-22)
We need to be warn not to mock the next generation men of God (23-25)
Passage: “ 23 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!” 24 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. 25 He went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.”
Proof
Know this: Men of God will be mocked: “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!”” (v.23)
- Note in verse 24 the narrator record these men mocking Elisha as “baldhead” being mentioned twice for emphasis.
- This is in contrast to Elijah who in 2 Kings 1:8 is described as a hairy man.
- We already have seen in 2 Kings 1-14 that Elisha would have double the portion of Elijah yet these men mocked him and God.
- In verse 24 the young men said ‘go up’. They use the verb ‘ãlah, the same verb used to describe Elijah going to heaven in verse 11. These men could have that in mind, as if to say, ‘Why don’t you leave too, baldy!”[1]
- Don’t forget earlier in 2 Kings 1 we also see the punishment of going against God’s prophet with the instances of three group of 50 soldiers sent to get Elijah.
- Thus we see here mocking God and mocking God’s prophet is a serious offense.
Now a third group who are not respectful will learns of Elisha’s power as a man of God[2]: “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. 25 He went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.” (v.24-25)
- People are disturbed often with this passage: Are these young children?
- The word “young lads” in verse 23 in the Hebrew is from the root word נַ֫עַר (“naar”). The word נַ֫עַר (“naar”) does not refer to children as it is unmarried male not yet a head of a household.
- In Genesis 37:2 Joseph is described as נַ֫עַר (“naar”) even though he is 17 years old.
- In 1 Kings 3:7 Solomon described himself before God as נַ֫עַר (“naar”) even though he is old enough to be an adult king.
- The word “lads” in verse 24 in the Hebrew is from the root word יָ֫לֶד (“yeled”). The word יָ֫לֶד (“yeled”) does not necessarily refer to children. 1 Kings 12:8-10 shows it can refer to young adult males such as king Rehoboam’s peers who advised him as king.
- The word “young lads” in verse 23 in the Hebrew is from the root word נַ֫עַר (“naar”). The word נַ֫עַר (“naar”) does not refer to children as it is unmarried male not yet a head of a household.
Also keep in mind where this was taking place
- These men were from Bethel (23): It was also a city of idolatry, following other gods (see 1 Kings 13:32 and 2 Kings 10:29).
- These men actually left the city to intentionally mock Elisha; this was no accidental encounter![3]
Practice
- Beware of mocking men of God.
- All Christians: realized we will be mocked for following God!
- Also: Beware of attacking a new generation of men of God who are leaders, since the older generation of men of God has gone to the Lord in heaven.
[1] Dale Ralph Davis, 2 Kings: The Power and the Fury (Ross-Shire, UK: Christian Focus Publications, 2011), 38.
[2] Paul R. House, 1, 2 Kings (New American Commentary) (Nashville, Tennessee: B&H Publishing Group, 1995), 260.
[3] Dale Ralph Davis, 2 Kings: The Power and the Fury (Ross-Shire, UK: Christian Focus Publications, 2011), 38.
Excellent advise. “Beware of mocking men of God.” I am seeing frequently on Social Media.
Blessings.
Sad. Sometimes social media can be a venue of so much that is bad
Important lesson for us all brother Jim! 🙂 It is definitely a serious thing to mock someone let alone a man of God. God will not and does not take it lightly.
For transitive verbs, mocking is: (a) to treat with contempt or ridicule: deride, (b) to disappoint the hopes of, (c) to defy or challenge, (d) to imitate closely: mimic.
For intransitive verb, mocking is: jeer, scoff
Holy Scripture says we are to regard highly men of God who labor among us.
“But we ask of you, brothers, that you know those who labor among you, and lead you in the Lord and admonish you, and that you regard them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 LSB)
Here is an example I enjoy of our brother Epaphroditus.
“But I regarded it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need; because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned. Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to fulfill what was lacking in your service to me.”
(Philippians 2:25-30 LSB)
To not mock a man of God; however, does NOT mean to place him on a high pedestal, immune from testing all things against the Word of God or godly accountability. Like you mentioned on your missions trip brother Jim, those true believers who were under a person abusing his position. He is an example of a savage wolf in sheep’s clothing.
“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be watchful, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who have been sanctified.”
(Acts 20:28-32 LSB)
God bless you brother! So glad to have you back posting.
Thanks brother! Thanks for the comment and thanks also for welcoming me back again! So glad to back, that was a rough trip. How are you doing yourself brother?
Things are about the same. Thank you for asking! God bless you brother!
Thank you for another good outline on this topic! I know I’ve harped on it before but it’s anti-Scriptural that hipster mega churches throw older saints under the bus.
It’s sad to see how some hipster treat elders that way. At my new church I believe the senior prayed and God heard them and save the church from dying. It’s not primarily about numbers but numbers mean something, and we are now growing with young people…we made a commitment not to grow in a way that throw out the elderly. God has been gracious and merciful with that! Your current church, what is its demographics?
Glad your church is growing with young people! We have a good mix from 30s to 80s. But I’ve noticed a few that were in their 20s left for hipster mega churches.
I didn’t realize this, but the passage makes sense in this context:
“These men actually left the city to intentionally mock Elisha; this was no accidental encounter!”
I’m glad to hear you realized that from reading this post! That’s actually encouraging to hear! How are you Frank?
Amen 🙏❤
Great Post and Lesson. It’s something that should not happen, yet we see it all the time and many of us have experience the bigotry and insults. Yet, no one endured more insults and mockery than our Lord Jesus Christ, and He still asked His Father to forgive them. That;s a hard one for many of us.
Amen. How are you Willie?
How are you Brother? I’m doing the best that I can. Not doing to good but leaning and trusting on the Lord to be with me and help me in times of struggles, sorrows, anxiety, and everything else going on. Where I am weak, He is Definitely my Strength …
You can usually tell best who is leading a Christian group by who has the most arrows in his (or her) back (with the possible exception of Sunday School leaders for kindergarteners through second graders — after that, leaders seem to be free game).
This comment minister to me with things I”m going through; thanks
As I reflect upon this testament and teaching, I have a renewed appreciation in the faith leaders of the coming generation. May these blessed lads mature into humble, yet righteous men of faith.
Thanks for reading this
Excellent teaching, as usual. I always thought it was young children but you clarify this for me. These young men intentionally knew what they were doing. Also, it shows the seriousness of being a true prophet of God. Most of these modern day prophets are cursing people to justify their own wrong deeds but i am glad these curses fall by the wayside because they are not true prophets from God.
Thanks for reading this. That point is something I hear come up again and again from others when I preached this passage and you are not the only one that said this!
You are welcome.
Thank you!!