2 Kings 6:1-23 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 2 Kings 6:1-23. Let’s go!
2 Kings 6:5-6 (NIV)
5 As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. “Oh, my lord,” he cried out, “it was borrowed!”
6 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.
On verses 1-6: The number of prophets Elisha is discipling is growing, so Elisha’s disciples propose that they build a new facility for them to meet near the Jordan River. They begin to cut down trees in the Jordan. While one of the young prophets is cutting, his ax head flies off its handle and falls into the water. The young prophet is distraught because the ax head was not his, but was borrowed. Elisha asks the young prophet where the ax head fell. Elisha throws a stick in that vicinity and the ax head floats to the surface, enabling the young prophet to reach out and recover the ax head.
What can we learn from this? The ax head is like the power of the Holy Spirit, who enables us to serve and build projects for God’s glory in cutting edge ways. If we want our serving to be effective and cutting edge, we need the ax head of the Holy Spirit. Serving without the power of the Holy Spirit is like trying to cut down a tree without an ax head: you will exert much effort with little effect. Pretty soon you won’t just be knocking your handle on the tree, but your head as well in frustration. As Ecclesiastes 10:10 (MSG) says, “Remember: The duller the ax the harder the work; Use your head: The more brains, the less muscle.”
God made us to serve with a sharp ax head called the power of the Holy Spirit. This power does not come from us; rather God lends it to us. Just like the ax head that the young prophet was using, the power of the Holy Spirit is “borrowed” (v5).
Have you lost your edge, the power of the Holy Spirit in your ministry? I could imagine that the young prophet was not paying close attention to the condition of his ax when he was cutting the tree. He did not notice that with every hit, the ax head was loosening from its handle. In the same way, sometimes we lose the Holy Spirit’s edge because we are careless. We do not pay attention to how tightly the handle (that is our lives) is attached to the ax head (the power of the Holy Spirit). Like the young prophet, we need to carefully monitor the condition of our ax to make sure that the handle (our spiritual life) is tightly connected to the ax head (the Holy Spirit). How? By protecting your time with God, by setting healthy boundaries around your heart, thoughts and time, and by nourishing yourself with life-giving things. That’s how you keep your ministry ax sharp, tight and edgy.
Now what should you do if you’ve “lost your edge”? Ask the same question Elisha asked: “Where did it fall?” That is, take some time to retrace your steps and find out at what point you got careless. At what point did you take on too much, or stop guarding your heart, or stop protecting your private time with God, or stop meditating on God’s Word?
Fortunately, the young prophet was in great company. He was with Elisha his teacher and his other prophets. Together they would often spend time in God’s presence. By being in God’s presence with God’s people this young man was able to quickly receive supernatural help from God. Similarly, as you spend time in God’s presence with God’s people, and as you cry out to God for help, He will supernaturally cause your edge to re-surface. As Isaiah 40:31 says, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.”
2 Kings 6:7 (NIV)
7 “Lift it out,” he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it.
On verse 7: The fact that Elisha gets the young prophet to reach out and take the floating ax head himself teaches us one more lesson: when you get into God’s presence, God can cause amazing truth and understanding to surface before you, but it’s up to you to reach out, grab it and use it. When you hear a powerful sermon, or you see a powerful truth in Scripture while having your GAME time, don’t stop there. Grab that truth and start applying it.
2 Kings 6:16-17 (NIV)
16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
17 And Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
On verses 8-23: This passage is one of the most powerful Biblical passages on the importance of vision. Here are just a few of the many powerful lessons we can learn:
1. Elisha’s servant went from being full of fear because of the enemies around him to not being afraid at all. That’s because God opened his eyes to see that “those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (v16). We lose our fear when we know God is near.
2. Just as God struck the Aramian army with blindness and had Elisha lead them by his voice into the kingdom of God’s people Israel, sometimes in order for God to take you to where He wants you to be, He needs to blind you first. That is, sometimes God will prevent you from seeing everything that is in front of you, so that you would learn to trust Him and His voice more than in yourself and your circumstances. So if you can’t see in front of you, it’s because God is teaching you to trust in Him.
3. Instead of killing these prisoners of war, Elisha tells the King of Israel to extend grace to them, setting a lavish banquet before the very soldiers who were bent on killing him. That’s what Jesus did for us. Jesus in His wrath could have easily chosen to destroy us for our sin against Him. Instead, He chose to spare us, serve us and show us lavish grace. His kindness converted us from enemies of God to friends of God.
Heavenly Father, thank You for all these powerful lessons we can learn from Your Word. Please help me and my friends to keep our axes sharp and our edge well maintained for Your glory. Thank You that because You are near there is no need to fear. Thank You that we can trust in Your faithful guidance even when we can’t see what is in front of us. And thank You for showing us lavish saving grace when we deserved the opposite. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
