The company of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.” And he said, “Go.” Then one of them said, “Won’t you please come with your servants?” “I will,” Elisha replied. And he went with them. They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. “Oh no, my lord!” he cried out. “It was borrowed!” The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float. “Lift it out,” he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it. 2 Kings 6:1-7
“Their number increased so that they wanted room…When one of them, accidentally fetching too fierce a stroke (as those that work seldom are apt to be violent), threw off his axe-head into the water, he did not say, “It was a mischance, and who can help it? It was the fault of the helve, and the owner deserved to stand to the loss.” No, he cries out with deep concern, Alas, master! For it was borrowed.
Had the axe been his own, it would only have troubled him that he could not be further serviceable to his brethren; but now, besides that, it troubles him that he cannot be just to the owner, to whom he ought to be not only just but grateful.
Note: We ought to be as careful of that which is borrowed as of that which is our own, that it receives no damage, because we must love our neighbour as ourselves and do as we would be done by. It is likely this prophet was poor, and had not wherewithal to pay for the axe, which made the loss of it so much the greater trouble. To those that have an honest mind the sorest grievance of poverty is not so much their own want or disgrace as their being by it rendered unable to pay their just debts.
Concerning the father of the prophets, Elisha.
1. That he was a man of great condescension and compassion; he went with the sons of the prophets to the woods, when they desired his company, let no man, especially no minister, think himself to great to stoop to do good, but be tender to all.
2. That he was a man of great power; he could make iron to swim, contrary to its nature, for the God of nature is not tied up to its laws. He did not throw the helve after the hatchet, but cut down a new stick, and cast it into the river. We need not double the miracle by supposing that the stick sunk to fetch up the iron, it was enough that it was a signal of the divine summons to the iron to rise. God’s grace can thus raise the stony iron heart which has sunk into the mud of this world, and raise up affections naturally earthly, to things above.”
Matthew Henry (1843-1916) in his commentary on 2 Kings 6:1-7.
Sitting in Cape Town on my last day of meetings, God led me to read the miracle narratives of Elisha. These stories encourage me to remember to trust and depend on God’s power to do the impossible.
God often does not work unless we take a step or faith or do an action that demonstrates dependence on Him and trust that He will work in power. It’s a divine summons. That’s what Elisha did in tossing in the stick.
I feel we must do the same today. In Cape Town, we have mapped plans for GTP work in the EPSA region over the next year as well as plans for rolling out trainings across Africa. Each set of plans is a divine summons.
It’s seeing the challenges in countries crying out for help from places like Tanzania to Ethiopia and throwing a new stick in the water as a divine summons. We are seeing God work in response to acts of bold faith.
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