Elisha Two Bears And A Youth Gang

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Elisha

• A double portionof Elijahs spirit

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Who was Elisha?

• His name Salvation of God
• Son of Shaphat, a farmer
• Lived in Jordan Valley
• Only a young man when called

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Dating Elishas Ministry2 Kings 1-13

• Elishas ministry started in the last years of
  King Ahabs rule (1 Kings 19) and ranged from
  about 850-800 B.C.
• The prophet served faithfully during the reigns
  of Israelite kings Ahaziah (853 B.C.), Jehoram
  (852 B.C.), Jehu (841 B.C.), Jehoahaz (814 B.C.),
  and Joash (798 B.C.).

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Who was Elisha?

• parted the waters of the Jordan (2 Kings 211-14)
• made bad water wholesome (219-22)
• for mocking the prophet, 42 boys attacked by two
  she-bears (223-24)
• miraculously provided water for thirsting armies
  (313-22)
• provided a widow with an abundance of oil to save
  her children (41-7)
• the Shunammite woman and her son God raised the
  boy (48-37)
• made a poisonous pottage edible (438-41)
• fed a hundred men by multiplying limited
  resources (442-44)
• healing of Naaman the leper (51-14)
• afflicted Gehazi, the dishonest servant of
  Elisha, with leprosy (515-27)
• made an iron ax head float (65-7)
• Syrian soldiers were blinded, then made to see.
  Then God foiled the Syrian siege of Samaria
  (68-720)
• played a major role in Hazael becoming king of
  Syria (87-15)
• anointed Jehu as king of Israel (91-13)
• when a dead man was thrown into Elishas grave
  and touched his bones, he revived, and stood up
  on his feet (1321)

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Elisha Two Bears and a Youth Gang
An old bald-headed prophet was trudging slowly up
the main street of Bethel when he chanced upon
some innocent little children merrily playing
together. In the midst of their merriment they
spy him and shout, more playfully than
tauntingly, Go up, you baldhead go up, you
baldy! Instantly the old prophet becomes enraged
with their childish banter, and with eyes
flashing in anger he whirls around and curses
them in the name of the Lord. Suddenly, as if in
direct according with his curse, two she bears
rush out of the nearby forest and devout
forty-two of the little children.
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Elisha Two Bears and a Youth Gang
My Paraphrase And as Elisha worked his way up
the steep and rugged road which led to Bethel,
the seat of Baal worship and the headquarters of
idolatry, a large mob of young hooligans, urged
on by the townspeople, waylaid him. And they
began to jeer and ridicule him saying, Ascend,
you baldhead -- just as you say your master did!
Away with you, you troublemaker! Ascend, you
baldy, if you can! Ha! Ha! And he turned around
and looked at the offspring of apostasy and said,
May the Lord God reward you according to your
deeds just as Moses has written. And two
vicious she-bears rushed out of the nearby forest
and mangled forty-two of the derisive young
renegades, just as the Lord had warned would
happen.
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Elisha Two Bears and a Youth Gang

• Parents Hate Their Children When They Dont
  Properly Train and Supervise Them
• God Sets His Face Against Those Who Revile and
  Dishonor the Teachers of His Word
• The Young are Accountable for their Behavior
  before God
• God Will Punish the Young Sinner as well as the
  Old Sinner

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Will You Become A Christian?
Hear The Gospel (Rom. 1017) Believe That Jesus
is the Son of God (John 824) Repent of Your
Sins (Acts 1730) Confess That Jesus is the Son
of God (Acts 837) Be Baptized for the
Forgiveness of Sins (Acts 238) Live Faithfully
Until You Die (Rev. 210)