The Lost Ax Head

THE LOST AX HEAD

II Kings 6:1-7

II Kings 6:6 “And the man of God aid, ‘Where fell it?’ and he showed him the place, and the man of God cut down a stick, and cast it thither, and the iron did swim.”

INTRODUCTION:

By way of introduction, the house which was home to the sons of the prophets had become a bit crowded. They decided to build on an addition. Shouldering their axes they went to the woods to cut down some trees for their building project. One of the men had borrowed an ax. As he used it, the ax head came off and landed in the Jordan river with a splash. The man became panic stricken and turned to Elisha, the prophet and pointed to the place. Elisha cut down a stick and threw it to the place. The ax head came to the surface and the young man retrieved it.

I. We have here one of Elisha miracles.

There is a sharp contrast between the miracles of Elijah and Elisha. Elija’s miracles seem to be on a natural scale while Elisha seems

concerned with common place, everyday needs. Before Elijah was taken up into heaven, Elisha, his understudy asked for a double portion of his spirits, and it was granted to him, and he began to use that power in behalf of others.

Hearing of a place where a spring is sending forth bitter water, Elisha works a miracle and the water loses it’s bitterness. He learns of a

woman who is about to be sold into slavery for debt. He hurries to her home to inventory her possessions. She has nothing except a small container of olive oil. He send her to her neighbors to borrow all the empty containers

they can spare. Then he tells her to fill all the containers with oil from the little bottle. She filled them all and sold the oil to pay her debt and her home was filled with rejoicing. On another occasion he is met by a

woman who tells him that her son has just died. He hurries to her home,prays for God’s help and life return to the boy. This is so like Elisha. He

was always concerned about the needs of individuals, so when a man loses his ax head it is only natural for him to turn to Elisha and say, “Alas Master,

for it was borrowed, and for Elisha to say, “Where did it fall?” And when Elisha saw the place he cut down a stick and tossed it there and “the iron did

swim.” But you might say, “Iron will not swim or float.” The statement of the text is contrary to all natural laws. But let me remind you we are not

dealing with natural laws in this text. We are dealing with supernatural laws. Is anything too hard for God the Creator and sustainer of the universe? Causing the iron to swim would not be impossible with God. The Bible states that the iron did swim, and I believe the Bible, and there are many

similar incidences portrayed in the word and out of it, that....

II. He is the God of the Impossible

In the New Testament there is a story of a woman who for 15 years could not straighten up. Jesus saw her and said, “Woman, you are loosed from

your infirmities.” and she who had been bowed together straightened up. In her case, “the iron did swim”. Also in the New Testament I find a woman accused of gross sins. She is hounded by those who profess great virtue and are ready to kill her because of the broken law. I see her seeking refuge at the feet of Jesus. His heart of compassion went out to her He stooped down and wrote something in the sand with his finger. I do not know what he wrote but likely it had something to do with morality. They

dropped their stones and left and Jesus speaking to the woman said, “Does no man accuse you?” She said, “No, Lord.” He said, “Neither do I condemn

you. Go and sin no more?” She rose to her feet, forgiven of her sin and became of a new creature. What the law had failed to do, Jesus did. In her

case the iron did swim.

I think of another impossibility from my own experience. A relative of mine was a very profane man. When someone disagreed with him or got in his

way, profanity flowed from his mouth. He was vicious that I hated to be in his presence. After leaving home I lost track of him. Sometime later I

went back to visit my folks in Ohio and he came to call. After he had gone, I asked, “Does George still curse like he use to?” Mother said, “You better