Bald Head

“Bald head” - 2 Kings 2:23

Here, we have an interesting type of the “time of the end” and the “great tribulation.”

Elijah has just gone up in a type of mid-tribulation rapture (those watching amd waiting - not the church who left in a pre-Trib rapture) and Elisha is left behind with the “spirit of Elijah” for the type of the great tribulation, which is “fourty and two” months, pictured by the number of children that “mocked” Elisha, were “cursed” by Elisha, and attacked (“tare”) by “two she bears.”

It has been said that these children mocked Elisha for having no hair (“bald head”), but the context of what Elisha being bald meant was found earlier in the chapter (verse 3), where the “sons of the prophets” in Beth-el told Elisha that his “master” (Elijah) would be taken away from his head. Elisha was bald in that Elijah was the “covering” (hair) of Elisha, and now that Elijah was gone (hair being removed/cut/shaved) Elisha was uncovered (“bald”) and without protection.

This may seem as far stretched as assuming Elisha had no hair at all, except Paul addresses this concept in 1 Corinthians 11:1-12. The obvious doctrinal caution or admonition is connected as far back as Genesis 6 where the “sons of God (angels) saw the daughters of men,” but the practical/spiritual connection being found in 2 Kings 2.

It can be spiritually dangerous and overwhelming getting out from under the protection of those who have disciples or trained you in spiritual growth for life or the ministry. The Bible warns in 1 Timothy 3 that a “bishop” not be a novice because of the temptation of pride for being“mocked” and made “ashamed” which can become snares of the devil. But when God has called a man, equipped, enabled, and put him into the ministry, he can no longer rely upon the covering of his teachers, but he must learn to rely solely upon the covering and protection of God, as Elisha did.

If you aren’t called into the ministry of leading a church as a Pastor, missionary, or evangelist, let me encourage you to keep your head covered where you are until God moves you onto the shoulders and body of another local church and under the “hair” of another Pastor.

Pastors, never use your responsibility of covering and protecting as a tool of control and authority. That rests with God. The hair controls nothing. It is there as comfort, help, blessing, and covering to help beautify and nothing more. God could shave us off like Samson if we begin to think the power is in the hair and not in God.