AXE THAT SWAM
2 Kings 6:1-7
Introduction: In the weeks ahead, I will be looking at some miracles in the Bible. These are well documented in the Word of God. I will put a practical application to each of these miracles.
Several questions come to mind when dealing with this subject. First of all, What is a miracle? Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary has this for a definition: an event in the external world brought about by the immediate agency or the simple volition of God, operating without the use of means capable of being discerned by the senses, and designed to authenticate the divine commission of a religious teacher and the truth of his message. It is an occurrence at once above nature and above man. It shows the intervention of a power that is not limited by the laws either of matter or of mind, a power interrupting the fixed laws which govern their movements, a supernatural power.
In the frame that we will be looking, it is the supernatural act of Almighty God. No attempt will be made to explain the miracle as none is needed since it is recorded in the Word of God. All Bible miracles are easy to believe the moment we put God into them. The man who experienced the miracle of the new birth should have no trouble in accepting the miracles of the Bible. It is real futile to try to explain them to the unsaved man. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 2:14 “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
The next question could be this: Do miracles still occur today? Yes, they do but I feel that I must explain some truths that should factor into the equation. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 11:13- 15 “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works”. The apostles did some miracles in their ministry. But Satan’s crowd was in the "miracle" ministry too.
Some may even get spiritual and try to quote our Lord Jesus when He said this in John 14:12. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father”. The greater works that Jesus is speaking here is the work of the miracle of the changed lives of men and women who are saved under our ministry. It is not some miracle like changing water into wine. I have never seen or heard on of those guys doing that. They cannot walk on water. Those miracles that Christ did were important in that showed those Jews who require a sign to see that Jesus was the promised Messiah for Israel. I do not believe it was the miracles of the apostles that brought folks to Christ but the countless changed lives.
Some of the "miracles" that we see today are nothing less than Satan’s crowd working in trying to deceive the masses. I would not give one penny to see this type of garbage. But some people swear by these "man of God". Brother such and such is able to do miracles. What did Jesus say about this crowd? Listen to what He said in Matthew 7:21-23. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
No where in the Bible are we told to expect a miracle today. But I do find these words about some daily activities. Acts 17:11 tells us “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Jesus told us in John 5:39 “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me”. Jesus wants us to see Him, not miracles. Rarely do people pay attention to Jesus in these miracle services. They draw attention to themselves. Peter and John did not and would not take credit to the healing of the lame man in Acts 3. They pointed souls to Christ and God gave them a harvest of souls.
I heard a police officer who said that he believe nothing he heard and only half of what he saw. That is my attitude toward
most of the “miracles” in today’s world.
Most of those men and woman on television are health, wealth and prosperity preachers. They are more interested in your dollars that are sent to them and their ministry than they are in you.
With all that said, lets look at the AXE THAT SWAM.
I. THE PLACE AND PEOPLE
Vs. 1
The first word in this passage ties this chapter with the previous one. Elisha is the prophet that took the place of Elijah. His only request was that he would have a double portion of the power that which Elijah had. This is evidenced in the Bible record of the miracles that Elijah had which was seven and the ones that Elisha had which are fourteen.
In the previous chapter we find a double miracle performed. One is of grace and the other of judgment. The God at the command of Elisha cleansed Naaman of his leprosy by washing in the Jordan River seven times. The one of judgment to the leprosy that Gehazi was given for his sin of deceit and lies.
Elisha had a school, which was know as "the sons of the prophets." It was the Bible College of their day. It was not too far from the river Jordan. When this double miracle took place, the school grew and the old dorm could no longer house the young men.
This type excitement was seen in the life of the first church. It could be here also as we see people saved which is the greatest of all miracles. Changed lives stir up other people’s curiosity like nothing thing will do.
II. THE PLAN
A. It was a scriptural plan.
Let me start by saying what they did not do. They did not organize junk for Jesus sales. They did not sale food plates or have some type of sideshow. They did not even start a building fund. There is not any thing wrong with a building fund. But the time was not right for this. They need space now.
What they did do was to go to work. They did not pray for the timber to come to them; they went to the timber. God’s people working in cooperation were doing God’s work. You would be surprised how much can be done when it does not matter who gets the credit.
B. It was a sacrificial plan. People gave of the one of the most precious commodities that a person has. They gave of their time. It required this sacrifice but much was needed. Mere money does not build a work for God. One preacher said it takes grit, greenbacks and God to build a work for the Lord.
III. THE POWER
It came from their doing God’s work God’s way. God can take our efforts, which are done in His name, which do not entail glory on our part and makes it powerful for Him. Zechariah 4:6
“Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.”
Acts 1:8
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
The Holy Spirit will give His power unto those who are surrendered and serving under His control. These men were working on a place to train preachers for the glory of God. God transmits life and power to those who were dead in trespasses and in sins, and through such accomplishes His work.
IV. THE PROBLEM Vs. 5
You could see where possibly where the phrase "flying off the handle" could have come. Picture with me the scene. The young man is doing the work of God. All the sudden, his axe head comes off. Without the axe head, the stick is worthless.
Several truths can be seen here when you parallel it with other scriptures.
A. The "flying off the handle" can be seen in our tempers or anger. James 1:19-20
“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”
Our anger ruins our testimony probably faster than anything else does. People expect believers to be able to watch their tempers. Think of our Saviour who held His tongue when they spread their lies about Him. They attacked His very nature. Yet not once did He let loose a verbal barrage against them. The two times did He show a righteous indignation was when He cleared the money chargers out of the Temple. We will be told lies about us and against us. Loosing your temper does not help the situation. There has been many times that people has maligned me on my jobs. I did not fly off the handle against them and tell them off. This is contrary to the scriptures.
I have a temper. It seems that I use it against my family most. This does not make it right. It is one of the areas that God deals with me on a regular basis. But I have tried very hard not to display it in the world.
We must work hard in not "flying off the handle". Before going on, let me interject this thought. Many times when we "fly off the handle", we say things, which in them may be true but we would not have said them if we were not having been displaying our temper. We say things that we really do not mean. We just want to get even with the person we are upset.
B. He was hindered by his "flying off the handle". But it most likely hindered those around him too. They probably stopped to see what was going on.
C. Note that he was doing God’s work when the axe head came off. Maybe he was showing off trying to out do the others. Maybe he was saying to himself "I’m out chopping every man on the job."
I have used an axe many times in my life. One thing I know for certain is that you pay attention to your axe head. A loose axe head can be dangerous. This young man was not paying attention to the axe. He was paying attention to the work.
Boasters lose power with God quickly in that they are relying on their own strength.
D. It is noted that he did acknowledge that the axe was borrowed. Every talent that we possess is in reality lent to us by the Lord. That is one reason why you should be very careful in how you use your talent or talents for the Lord.
For some folks, how do not use their talent from the Lord. He will take your talent away from your and give it unto another if you do not use it or misuse it.
V. THE PROCLAMATION Vs. 5
At least he had the good sense not to try to continue doing the job without the axe head, he told Elisha of the problem. He confessed his failure. I do not see a lapse in time between the time of his "flying off the handle" and telling it to Elisha.
At least he did not try to continue on as if nothing was wrong. That is exactly what Samson did. When he finally gave into the trap of Delilah, his hair was shaved off. When Delilah told him the Philistines were there, he got up as if nothing had changed.
Judges 16:20-21
“And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him. But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.”
One of the lessons that we can see in this passage is go to the place where you lost your power with God and confess it as it is. It is nothing less than sin. If "flying off the handle" is the sin that caused you to lose your power from God, confess it as the vile, wicked, dark, devilish and dirty sin that it is. After all, it is what placed Christ on the cross. 1 John 1:9
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Proverbs 28:13
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
Too often we are too proud to tell the Lord we have sinned against Him. If we confess our sin to the Lord, we may have to do the same to someone else.
Our attitude toward our sins plays a part in our real reason for confessing them. If we are relent, we are not really repenting of that sin. If we are not really convince that this thing is really a sin, then we are not really confessing our sin. But if our attitude is like that publican in the parable, the Lord will hear and forgive. Remember when you were a child and you got into a fight with your brother or sister. Your mom or dad would tell you to tell that other sibling you were sorry for fighting with them. You would say, "I’m sorry." even if you meant it or not. You did it to get out of trouble. There was nothing less involved. That is the same attitude many of us have when we are confessing our sin to God.
Recently I heard a radio broadcast where the preacher was making reference to this poor publican. Why is it that he would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven? Because he knew if he did, he would be looking into the face of Holiness and he knew he did not measure up.
VI. THE PRESENTATION Vs. 6-7
Some of those who do not believe the Bible literal will scoff at this miracle. "How can an axe head float?", they ask. It does not violate the laws of nature. We see large pile of metal that weighs literal thousands tons float every time we go to the ocean or see them on television. (We call them ships.)
The same God who allows the axe head to float also allows the ships to sail daily instead of going to the bottom of the ocean to a watery grave. This was no great deal for God. None of His miracles are great deals.
Conclusion: Let’s see if we can find some of the practical in these account for real life lessons.
1. That cold piece of iron is a picture of the sinner. The sinner tendency is to sink deeper and deeper. The longer it remained the deeper it got. Sin will take you farther than you wanted to go. Sin will keep you longer than you wanted to stay. Sin will make you pay more than you were willing to pay. James 1:15
“Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”
2. Jordan is the type of death. The word itself means this. From its rise in the snow-capped mountains of the north through its rapid rushing descent to its final resting-place of the hot salt sea, it pictures the dying of a sinner, the fallen creature who was created in God’s own image.
3. A living tree that was cut down and cast into the water raised the iron. It does not take a leap of faith to see this as the picture of the very life, ministry, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Saviour. It is through Him that takes fallen man and goes to where he is and bring him out of the death that faces every man.
Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Remember the same God who caused this axe to float can lift your souls out of death and give it life eternal.
John 5:24
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
One more application that I believe you can make here is this: God used the man Elisha in this situation. He was in the place he was suppose to be, doing what he was supposed to be doing. God used him as an instrument of His. God wants to use you and I to lead folks to Christ. Remember some thing I said early in the message, the greatest of all miracles was the changed lives.
