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Did Elisha stay long looking up
to Heaven? No; when he could see no more, he took up the mantle,
which had fallen from Elijah, and went back to Jordan. Then he smote
the river with the mantle, and the waters parted again, and Elisha went
over on dry ground. Was Elijah's spirit upon Elisha now? Yes;
God had heard Elijah's prayer, and given Elisha what he wished. He
gave him all the wonderful power which He had before given to
Elijah. The sons of the prophets at Jericho saw what Elisha did, and
they said, "The spirit of Elijah rests upon Elisha." Elisha
stayed a little time at Jericho. It was a pleasant city; but the
water there was very bad, and the ground barren. The people of the
place came to Elisha, and told him this. They were troubled about
their land, and their corn; and they thought, that perhaps Elisha could
help them. Then Elisha desired them to bring a cruse of salt; and he
went to the spring of the waters, and threw the salt in there, and said,
"Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters; there shall be no
more dry and barren land." And the waters were healed; but it
was not the salt that healed them; it was not Elisha's power; it was God
who did the miracle; and He honored His servant Elisha very much in
attending to what he asked. Elisha
then went away from Jericho, to go to Bethel. There were a great
many little children at Bethel; not holy children taught in the prophet's
schools to know and fear God; no, these children had been taught to
worship idols, and to despise God, and His prophets. When the
children saw Elisha coming, they went out to meet him. Why?
Did they want him to teach them about the true God, and to ask questions
about Elijah, and to hear the wonderful things Elisha could tell
them? No; these children came to laugh at Elisha, and to mock him;
they cried, "Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald
head." Elisha heard what they said; and he turned back, and
looked upon them gravely, to warn them of their sin. What was their
sin? Despising God's servant. It is very wicked to laugh at
holy people, and holy things. God is angry with those who are unkind
to His people; for He loves His people, and He will not let the wicked
hurt and despise them. His eyes saw those naughty children, and He
punished them for their sin. Elisha cursed them in the name of the
Lord. He was not angry because they were disrespectful to himself,
but because they tried to dishonor God. How did God punish the
wicked children? He sent two bears out of the wood, and they tore
forty-two children to pieces! God can make the animals do what he
pleases. He could send a lion to kill the disobedient prophet; now,
He sent the two bears to punish the wicked children. They could not
escape. They could not run away, nor defend themselves. They
saw that God honored Elisha; and they felt how wicked they had been; but
it was too late to ask for forgiveness now. There was no time to run
to Elisha, and tell him how sorry they were, and ask him to pray to God to
forgive and spare them. God
looks upon children now. He knows who try to love Him, and who
despise Him, and do not care for holy people and holy things; and He does
not love those who forget Him; His blessing is not upon them; they cannot
have His smile, and His love. Perhaps He may soon strike them dead
in their wickedness, before they grow up to be men and women.
Perhaps they may die in some dreadful way, without having time to repent
and turn to God. He is willing to save them, if they will come to
Him. Jesus says, "I love them that love me, and they that seek
me early shall find me." Proverbs 8:17.
"Suffer the little children to come unto me." Luke
18:16.
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