Why did God kill forty-two children
for having a little innocent fun?

Why did God kill forty-two children
for having a little innocent fun?

"Look out! Baldy's coming."

Baldy was Mr. Robinson, our grade school principal, whom we all loved dearly, but whom we feared when we were doing wrong. Of course, this fellow with few hairs on his head did not know we called him Baldy, did he? Dumb question.

To his face he was always Sir, or Mr. Robinson, but when he was not around we lovingly referred to him as Baldy. However, there's a bible narrative in which Baldy was not a loving name, but a taunt toward one of God's prophets.

Elijah had been carried away by a whirlwind, and left his prophet's robe with his successor, Elisha. As Elisha traveled toward Bethel several children came out of the city and mocked him saying, "Hey, there's Baldy. Hey, Baldy you old geezer" (2 Kings 2:23, Author's paraphrase).

A statement in Numbers 32:23 warns, "Be sure your sin will find you out."

Some people wait a while before they pay the consequences of their sin. A man may cheat on his wife for months before she finds out. But find out she will, and the consequences will not be pleasant.

People may eat pork or oysters or mushrooms for years before they suffer a heart attack, or contract cancer from disobeying God's dietary plan (Leviticus 11: 1-31; Deuteronomy 14: 1-21).

But in the case of those who mocked Elisha, their sin found them out in a hurry. Elisha cursed them in God's name, and two she bears came out of the forest and tore up forty-two of them (2 Kings 2:24).

Now wait a minute. The Bible tells us God is love (1 John 4:16). Why would a loving God do such a thing to a bunch of kids having a bit of fun?

Despite the King James Version's translation of the Hebrew manuscript, these were not little children, but likely fellows in their teens, old enough to know who Elisha was, especially by the robe he wore, and old enough to understand what they were doing. They were purposely making mockery of God's anointed prophet (2 Kings 2:23).

Bethel, whose name means "house of God," had become a center of false worship (1 Kings 12: 26-33). Despite its reputation a group of prophets lived there during the time of Elijah and Elisha (2 Kings 2: 3). John Wesley opined they lived there to witness against the idolatry of the city. If such is the case, they no doubt received many taunts from the idol-worshipping population. So, what the young fellows did was quite in keeping with what they learned from their parents.

God is love, but sometimes he needs to resort to tough love, and this was one of those times. The parents and friends of forty-two young people would quickly realize Elisha's God was far more powerful than any of their wood and stone gods. We're not told, but perhaps the event convinced some to worship the true God.

We are told something spectacular will occur at a time yet future. When Jesus Christ returns to this earth, the deceased saints will be resurrected, and together with those who are still alive, will be changed from flesh to spirit composition (1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 John 3:2). Later, everyone still in the graves will respond to Jesus' command and will be resurrected into a magnificent world of peace and love and happiness (John 5:28-29; 1 Corinthians 2:9).

Can you imagine the first thoughts of forty-two teenagers when they awake from death? They will remember the pain and terror of being mauled by the two bears. No doubt Elisha will be there to introduce them to the God they despised. Under those conditions, it won't be difficult for them to realize who the true God is, and gladly turn to his way of life.

God is love, and does not want anyone to lose out on eternal life in his kingdom (1 Titus 2:4). The death and resurrection of forty-two youths may be the catalyst to turn many of their idol-worshipping compatriots to the Almighty God of heaven and earth.