Did You Know? - Pt. 5

 

Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there.” And he answered, “Go.” Then one of them said, “Be pleased to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I will go.” So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, “Alas, my master! It was borrowed.” Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float. And he said, “Take it up.” So he reached out his hand and took it. (2 Kings 6:1-7 ESV).

 

Today’s reading is taken from the life of Elisha. You may remember that he is the prophet that was chosen to carry on the ministry of Elijah. Elisha’s ministry was every bit as powerful as Elijah, who you may remember defeated all the prophets of Baal while calling on God to send fire from heaven to consume an offering all the while ridiculing the false prophets who proved their impotence (cf. 1 Kings 19). Elisha became very popular as a prophet and teacher. In fact, so many young men began to follow him that a bigger house was necessary (v. 1). As they were cutting wood to construct additional housing, one young follower, who had a borrowed axe, lost the axe-head as it came off the handle and flew into the river. This was no small matter. The integrity and honesty of the entire group would be in danger should it not be returned.

 

Loss can occur while you are doing something good. And what you lose can both be what you need to continue on and, due to the circumstances under which the loss occurred, can seem irrecoverable. It is also a situation that each of us can face. In the process of building, working, living, we can lose an “ax head.”  The “ax head” can be our strength, peace of mind, joy, purpose, trust, or hope. And the water which swallowed it can be any human experience which overwhelms, devastates, destroys, or produces an outcome that is unbearable.

 

Thankfully, in these moments, when we cry out to God, our Father, He is able to restore what was lost.  However, notice how He restores. He has “a stick that makes iron float” (v. 7). Doesn’t it strike you as odd that Elisha used a simple stick to raise the axe head? I’m convinced this is a picture of the greatest work of restoration God could ever have performed. It was also accomplished with a “stick.” That was the death of Jesus on the cross. Out of this work of grace He is able to restore what we lost and enable us take hold of whatever the “iron” or “ax head” is that is necessary to have final victory over death and restored eternal life!