The Seat of Scoffers
No matter what you do, no matter how careful you are, no matter how much you seek to honor the Lord, some people will just not like you. Such is the case for Elisha, fresh off the healing of the Waters of Jericho he comes to Bethel. He is retracing the steps he took with Elijah before the ascension. What was wonderful ministry and impact in one city becomes a place of disparagement in the next. That is how it can be at times:
2 Kings 2:23–25 (ESV) He went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”
What you have here is a group of worthless sons who see no value in the prophet or those older than they. They pick out his appearance and vent their disrespect. Scripture identifies them as scoffers.
Psalm 1:1 (ESV) Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
Our world is filled with scoffers. Men and women who entertain by ridiculing others who disagree with them or come from a different side of American life. The sad reality is how often our country eats up this content without thinking about the ramifications of society regularly devaluing humanity and the image of God.
I'm all for comedy and laughter. I feel the best humor is usually self-deprecating. People can relate to it and it brings you down so that others are not warded off by a haughty spirit in you. But when we mock and ridicule others we only set ourselves on high and glorify our own opinions over the value of others.
Let us look at Elisha's response:
2 Kings 2:23–25 (ESV) He went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”
What you have here is a group of worthless sons who see no value in the prophet or those older than they. They pick out his appearance and vent their disrespect. Scripture identifies them as scoffers.
Psalm 1:1 (ESV) Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
Our world is filled with scoffers. Men and women who entertain by ridiculing others who disagree with them or come from a different side of American life. The sad reality is how often our country eats up this content without thinking about the ramifications of society regularly devaluing humanity and the image of God.
I'm all for comedy and laughter. I feel the best humor is usually self-deprecating. People can relate to it and it brings you down so that others are not warded off by a haughty spirit in you. But when we mock and ridicule others we only set ourselves on high and glorify our own opinions over the value of others.
Let us look at Elisha's response:
2 Kings 2:24 (ESV) And he turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. And two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys. 25 From there he went on to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.
Here we have a picture of a proper response to those who disrespect God's word with blatant scoffing. Elisha unfurls a curse "in the name of the Lord." He doesn't simply curse them and what this entails we do not know but we know it was a curse that Elisha felt comfortable with doing "in the name of the Lord."
After the curse, the Lord brings judgment as bears maul the boys. God has his vengeance stored up for those who disrespect His servants and mock His word. You may not like the image we have here but let us remember the ultimate story to which this story points: The religious leaders and Pharisees belittled Christ. Then the soldiers mocked and ridiculed Him as he went to the cross. He bore the shame of mockers and died for us.
1 Peter 2:23–24 (ESV) When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
Right now the world uses the name of Jesus in mocking fashion. I saw a Netflix show where a character had no problem calling Jesus a curse word while a little boy laughed. Cheap humor that disrespects the Lord Jesus Christ can anger us but we do not have to worry. The Lord will come and enact vengeance on all His enemies. We are reminded in this passage that our chief concern is to let the Lord take care of His enemies, we must carry on in ministry.
After the curse, the Lord brings judgment as bears maul the boys. God has his vengeance stored up for those who disrespect His servants and mock His word. You may not like the image we have here but let us remember the ultimate story to which this story points: The religious leaders and Pharisees belittled Christ. Then the soldiers mocked and ridiculed Him as he went to the cross. He bore the shame of mockers and died for us.
1 Peter 2:23–24 (ESV) When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
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