1113. Elisha or the Iron That Swam

Elisha or the Iron That Swam

A Willingness to Serve (2Ki_6:2).

An Accepted Invitation (2Ki_6:3).

The Lost Axe Head (2Ki_6:5, f. c.).

Alas! It Was Borrowed (2Ki_6:5, l. c.).

Where Fell It? (2Ki_6:6).

The Axe Head Restored (2Ki_6:7).

The Iron Did Swim (2Ki_6:6).

There are many colleges for the prophets to-day. There is much in the air about these colleges and their drift from the faith and alas, much of what we hear is true. However the recent theological school is not the only one which has displayed doubt concerning the Word and works of God. Far back in the days of Elijah there was a school where the students doubted God. As Elijah and Elisha were traveling together, they came down to Bethel and there the students, sons of the prophets, came forth to Elisha and said, "Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to-day?" And he said, "Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace."

Elijah and Elisha went on from Bethel to Jericho, and over the Jordan; then Elijah was caught up unto God in a chariot of fire and he went up by a whirlwind into Heaven.

When the sons of the prophets, upon Elisha's return, heard his story, they insisted that Elijah must have fallen upon some mountain side or in some valley. They urged Elisha that he would search for the body of Elijah. "And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send." Fifty young men searched for three days, but they found not Elijah.

After this, it was, that the sons of the prophets the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for began to complain to Elisha saying, "Behold now, us." They were in need of larger quarters. The sons of the prophets, in spite of their former doubting, were a fine set of men. They suggested that they themselves would go and cut timbers and bring them in and enlarge their dwelling. The Prophet gave permission and said: "Go ye." Just here the interesting event of "the axe or the iron which swam" is told. Before their very eyes, a miracle as astonishing as Elijah's rapture, occurred. The very event seems to rebuke the former unbelief of these young sons of the Prophets. May the Lord help us to gather up many spiritual lessons from the lost axe-head and its restoration to the hand of the youth who lost it.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR