Elisha's Ministry - The Miraculous Floating Axe Head 2 Kings 6:1-7 Series

(The East India Company and Governor of Bombay, President of the Royal Geographic Society) “On one occasion the wife of General Sir Henry Bartle Frere drove to a railway station to meet her husband. She told the footman to go and find his master. The servant, who had been engaged in Sir Bartle's absence, asked how he should know the General. "Oh," replied Lady Frere, "look for a tall gentleman helping somebody." The description was sufficient. The servant went, and found the General helping an old lady out of a railway carriage. How well it is for men and women themselves, as well as for the world they bless, when they are known by God to be persons who are always trying to help somebody!

2Kings 6 v 5 but as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water, and he cried out and said, “Alas, my master, for it was borrowed.” 2Kings 6:6 Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” and when he showed him the place, he cut off a stick, and threw it in there, and made the iron float, 2Kings 6:7 and he said, “Take it up for yourself,” so he put out his hand and took it.

Now we come to the reason for the story being recorded. It is the record of the miracle that was performed by Elisha. How many miracles were performed by Elijah that are recorded in the bible? Well, there were (check). How many are recorded for Elisha? (check). Elisha did many more recorded miracles than Elijah (the double portion of Elijah’s spirit), and scholars like to think Elijah is a greater prophet. By the way, who was the greatest prophet in the bible? Just think about it. Don’t call out. I don’t think I should embarrass anyone by asking you to indicate your answer. I wonder if anyone was thinking Moses? Who would be thinking Elijah? Or even Elisha? What about Isaiah? Or maybe, the one who is perhaps my dearest Old Testament prophet, Jeremiah? Okay, well the answer has to be the Lord Jesus Christ, for He is Prophet, Priest and King. He fulfills all the Old Testament offices and positions.

Considering Elijah and Elisha a bit further, we might consider what Paul said to the Hebrews about these prophets in the great chapter on the Hall of Faith. These verses cover it –

Hebrews 11 v 32 “What more shall I say, for time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, Heb 11:33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, OBTAINED PROMISES (Promised son for the Shunamite woman), shut the mouths of lions, Heb 11:34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword (Elijah and Elisha), from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, PUT FOREIGN ARMIES TO FLIGHT. (an act of Elisha) Heb 11:35 WOMEN RECEIVED BACK THEIR DEAD BY RESURRECTION (Elisha and Elijah) and others were tortured (Literally means “were broken on the wheel” such as Eleazer the Scribe, and of the Seven Brothers), not accepting their release, in order that they might obtain a better resurrection, Heb 11:36 AND OTHERS EXPERIENCED MOCKINGS (Elisha) and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. Heb 11:37 They were stoned (Zechariah in Chronicles and by tradition, Jeremiah), they were sawn in two (Isaiah), they were tempted (all of them. Temptation is fierce for God’s faithful ones), they were put to death with the sword. They went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute (so many), afflicted (so many), ill-treated (probably all) Heb 11:38 (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves (Elijah, Obadiah) and holes in the ground.”