In The Master's Chambers

In The Master’s Chambers

2 Kings 6:1-12

1 And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.

2 Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.

3 And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.

4 So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.

5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. {axe head: Heb. iron}

6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.

7 Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.

8 Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp. {camp: or, encamping}

9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.

10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.

11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?

12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber. {None: Heb. No}

It seems that the unbelief registered in chapter 2 concerning the sons of the Prophets seems to at least have given way to some faith.

Prayerfully their association with Elisha had done a lot to direct them to the Lord.

Elisha had had a great teacher in Elijah, what Elijah had he had passed down to his servant Elisha.

There had to be a teacher who could say I saw that, I saw God when He did this and that.

Of all the things that the sons of the Prophets studied in this school, their association with Elisha was by far their greatest instruction.

2 Kings 6:3 says:

3 And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.

One of the sons of the Prophets was not satisfied with the Prophets mere approval of the enterprise, but he wished for actual presence; Elisha granted the request.

Elisha now goes with them to the river Jordon and they cut down wood.

As they were cutting down wood, the ax head falls into the water, and they cried, “Master, the ax head was borrowed.”

2 Kings 6:6 says:

6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.

The stick, no matter how crude, was symbolic of the Cross of Jesus Christ.

What we learn from this tremendous lesson is the power of Calvary.

Every single blessing received by the child of God comes through Calvary.

Elisha applied the Cross to the problem.

The world needs to be taught that without what Jesus did at the Cross, and without it not being applied to our situation then nothing will take place.

There needs to be teachers who will rise up that are willing to take what has been taught to them and impart it to the church world and the world.

The ax head floats and it is retrieved.

This morning, I want to focus on being in the Master’s chambers.

In verse 8, the Syrians are warring against Israel, and the King took counsel with his servants.

2 Kings 6:9

9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.

Despite Israel’s spiritual degeneracy, the Lord helped them through Elisha.

He was a man who was in tune with God and he revealed 3 or more times, the plans of the King of Syria.

Deuteronomy 29:29

29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.