February 16, 2024

Passage Read: 1 Kings 22 - 2 Kings 3
Meditation Verses: 2 Kings 1:9-12

Thought

Elijah and Elisha are a lot more cavalier about the lives of others than seems right. Elijah seems to casually say that if he is a man of God, then let fire come down and consume the soldiers and their commander. And he does so twice! Then not long after, Elisha curses some boys who mock him, and they are mauled by a bear! Where is the love and compassion of God? Either this is out of character for God, or we don't correctly understand the character of God. God is much quicker to take the life of those who disregard Him than we think is right. So we let people mock God left and right and disregard Him and reject Him, when we should be promoting the worship of God, even striking fear into their hearts so that those who remain revere Him as He deserves. We love those who hate God more than we love God.

Application

Oh to have the courage to warn those who curse God or make little of Him. Jesus didn't allow James and John to call down fire on the Samaritans who turned them away, but it seems we've gone too far the other way. Perhaps I shouldn't curse those who mock God, but I don't have to chase after everyone who shows no interest in God. I don't have to beg and plead with them to believe in Jesus. Proclaiming the Gospel is right, and working with those who respond in obedience and respect toward God is correct. But chasing after those who show no interest or sign of repentance is unnecessary and possibly even wrong because it sends the wrong message, making man more important than God.