In Second Kings, chapter two, verse twenty-four, to avenge the honor of the Lord, Elisha pronounced upon them divine judgment expressed in the covenant law of blessing and cursing, as in Leviticus twenty-six, verses twenty-one through twenty-two, and Deuteronomy thirty, verse nineteen, respectively. God judged the depraved children by sending the two bears in Galatians six, verse seven. The judgment at Bethel is a warning to Israel that God’s covenant curses awaited them if they persisted in rebellion against God, as in Deuteronomy thirty, verses fifteen through twenty. The bears injured the children but did not kill them.
The boys, after the manner of boys, were following him, hanging upon him, not daring to draw too near, hooting him from behind, as ill-bred and ill-intentioned youths are apt to do. The forty-two may be a definite for an indefinite number. It shows that the mob of young persons beset the prophet was considerable. The action from a Christian point of view: Christians have no right to curse anyone. But we can understand that, under the old covenant, a prophet newly installed in office and commencing his ministry might deem it right to vindicate the honor of his office by visiting such conduct as that of these misguided youths with a curse.
Romans twelve verse fourteen declares Christians should bless and curse not. The previous verse did not say how far the lads were injured, whether fatally or not. But the punishment, whatever its severity, came from God, not the prophet. For “shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” A severe example may suffice under these circumstances, with a new generation growing up in contempt of God and religion. However, the sin of the lads was not a small one but indicated their determination bent of the will against good and preference for evil, which often develops early and generally goes on from bad to worse. As often with the case of parental delinquency, the children end up suffering.