Title: Go Down the Mountain
2 Kings (4) Go down the mountain
(2 Kings 2:15-25)
<Elisha went to Mount Carmel>
When Elijah ascended to heaven, seeing the majestic delegation of the successor from afar, the students of the prophetic school in Jericho across from him made a strong request to Elisha that they would retrieve Elijah's body (verse 16). Elijah's ascension to heaven had a slight doubt. In the end, 50 warriors sent by the students of the prophetic school searched for Elijah's body for three days, but they could not find it (verse 17). As a result, the historicity of Elijah's ascension and the authority of Elisha were further solidified.
After the delegation of the successor was completed, Elisha threw salt into the bad water of Jericho and turned it into good water, and then went up to Bethel. Then the children came out of the city and mocked Elisha (verse 23). “Go up bald! Go bald!” When the children taunted the children by stating the part they usually felt the most inferior to, Elisha could not stand it for a moment and turned and cursed them in the name of Jehovah. Immediately two female bears came out of the forest and tore 42 of the children to death (verse 24).
That incident left a huge scar on Elisha, who was just starting her ministry in earnest. He could not have foreseen that his words would have such dire consequences. You must have felt guilty and even wanted to give up the prophetic ministry. He must have been afraid of himself, who had killed so many children, of the people who had driven him to such a place, and of a city where there were many people. At that time, leaving Samaria a few hours away, I went as far as my footsteps led me to Mount Carmel.
If he wanted to have peace of mind and to turn his back on the world and ministry for a while, would he have gone to Mount Carmel on the Mediterranean side to the west of Jordan instead of going to his hometown, Abel-meholah, east of the Jordan? Mount Carmel was a suitable place for relaxation and meditation. Also, as Elijah's main activity site, he must have gone there to inform Elijah's acquaintances of Elijah's ascension into heaven and to taste the spiritual scent left by Elijah. You must have often remembered the time when Elijah had entrusted you with a succession as you rested there and prayed continually.
While praying on Mount Carmel, he finally realized that God's will was to go down the mountain, and he boldly left Mount Carmel and returned to Samaria (verse 25). And in Samaria, he carried out the prophetic ministry according to his mission. In the end, unlike Elijah, who performed prophetic work in seclusion, Elisha performed prophetic work centered on Samaria, the capital of northern Israel, where the royal palace is located, and later came to the position of acting as a counselor or advisor to the king (Ki 6:9). ; 8:4). A saint must be good at climbing up a mountain, but he must also be good at going down a mountain.
< Go down the mountain >
It's easy to become a crustacean life if you only like being on the mountain. Crustaceans have a hard shell that protects the fragile organs inside. However, while the hard shell has the advantage of protecting the inside, it also has the disadvantage of blocking communication with the outside. The Pharisees are the crustacean life. They live with pride in their own frame and form, but they do not accept others well, reject others based on their own standards, and do not know how to respond to the pain and sorrow of others.
The crustacean life is a judging player. He accused John the Baptist, who lived ascetic, as possessing a demon, and Jesus, who lived with people, as a scoundrel. They used a label favored by tyrants to stamp Jesus out, labeling Jesus as “a glutton and a wine drinker.” The thing that ancient and medieval pietists were most wary of was gluttony. That is why, while attaching such a label to Jesus, he committed annihilation by public opinion.
They also label Jesus as “a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” In fact, Jesus drank wine and got along well with tax collectors and sinners. Why? It was to teach that life on the mountain is important, but life below the mountain is also important. Being on a mountain and judging what happens under the mountain is never a blessed attitude. The front view of the mountain descending to shine even a small light in a dark world is more beautiful than the back view of entering the mountain because the world is dizzy.
Elisha also wanted to stay on Mount Carmel and live in peace without any greed, but she had a unique mission. It is to go to Samaria, the den of sin, and shine a light. I couldn't ignore that mission, so I ended up going down the mountain. If you have received grace on the mountain like that, go down to the bottom of the mountain, and if you have served well at church on Sundays, go out into the world of people on weekdays and live a life of light. So, become blessed people who can change the world and have a good influence even on the king like Elisha.