Miracle of the Floating Axe-Head

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces the passage in 2 Kings 6:1-7 and reminds the congregation that all historical accounts in Scripture are segments of the unfolding promise of Genesis 3:15…

Studying Scripture is not about isolated snippets but segments of the great unfolding drama of redemption, beginning with Genesis 3:15, preparing the world for Christ.

with us in the beginning part of this series of studies, for their sakes in particular, I would announce this principle, namely, that whenever we come to study any section of the historical account of God's dealings with His people in Scripture, we are not studying an isolated little snippet with some interesting facts about God and His people. We are studying a segment of the great unfolding of the promise made in Genesis 3 and verse 15. Peter had our first parents sinned when God came announcing in these words His great purposes

2:34 - 3:16 Read in full sermon

The point: Read the scriptures systematically, both privately and publicly, to behold God as He has revealed Himself as a God of severity and goodness.

The judgment on Gehazi (severity) and the recovery of the axe-head (goodness) are presented as examples of God's dual nature, underscoring the need for systematic Bible reading.

But when the Spirit of God guided the inspired writer to compile the materials, a connection is made between the frightening judgment upon a false servant of Jehovah. And this wonderful intervention of God on behalf of a true servant of Jehovah. in its setting. We see that it sets before us a wonderful example of what the scripture means when it says, behold the goodness and the severity of God. The severity of God has been seen in the

7:53 - 8:33 Read in full sermon

The point: Engage in systematic expository preaching, letting the content of scripture dictate emphases, to avoid false theology.

The 'homely' axe-head incident placed before national conflicts reminds us that God is concerned about both individual needs and the great movements of nations.

put this little, homely, intimate incident, this familial, this family incident, prior to this great sweeping national interest concern that follows, to remind us and underscore for us again that in the midst of the great movement of nations and the ongoing of the sovereign designs of God with respect to the rise and fall of nations, God is still the God of the individual, concerned about one man who loses one accent, and that's the same God who is seen at

10:33 - 11:10 Read in full sermon

The point: Understand that spiritual leadership requires both esteem/respect and deep intimacy/friendship, without one excluding the other.

Elisha's relationship with the sons of the prophets demonstrates that spiritual leaders can maintain both respect/authority and deep intimacy/friendship, a balance often misunderstood.

And he was pleased with it. There was great esteem and respect and spiritual submission on the one hand, coupled with the deepest intimacy, friendship, and shared confidence on the other hand, showing us that those two things need never be exclusive. And it's a tragedy that so few men understand this. They feel that if they are to be recognized as the man of God, they must maintain an aloofness.

14:11 - 14:35 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sons of the prophets express that their dwelling/meeting place is 'too straight' or constricted, indicating a problem of growth in their academy and among the faithful…

The problem of the meeting place being 'too small' is likened to contemporary church growth issues, making the ancient problem relatable.

often the word dwell is translated in the Old Testament sit, and no less an authority than Edersheim says that this is the proper rendering of the passage where we sit before thee. Now, what was the problem? Well, the problem was simply a problem with respect to a building that was too small for religious purposes. Sound contemporary? The place where we sit before thee is too small

15:55 - 16:22 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: While felling a tree, one of the men loses his axe-head into the Jordan. His cry of 'Alas, my master, for it was borrowed' reveals his despair, poverty, and the significance of…

The young man's cry of 'Alas!' upon losing the axe-head is compared to a child crying 'Daddy!' after losing five nickels down a storm sewer, illustrating his despair.

No sooner does he see that axe head disappear out of sight, but he cries like a little child who's on his way to the store with his five nickels clutched in his hand and the dog comes by and scares him and his hand opens up and all five nickels go down the storm sewer. And the minute he watches and it dawns on him, he cries out, Daddy!

23:52 - 24:12 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Elisha, without scolding, asks where the axe-head fell, cuts a stick, casts it in, and makes the iron swim. This miracle serves as a fresh revelation of God's heart, an assertion…

Martin suggests Elisha was likely working alongside the sons of the prophets, raising calluses and singing psalms, rather than merely barking orders, to show his humility and fellowship.

And so the young man says, right over there. And the prophet does a strange thing. He either takes the axe with which he himself has been working, for the whole climate of this passage seems to indicate that Elisha was not there as the foreman barking orders. But he was probably there raising a few fresh calluses on his own hands, working along with the sons of the prophets, probably singing psalms and hymns of praise to God to make the time pass faster.

26:05 - 26:34 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Elisha, without scolding, asks where the axe-head fell, cuts a stick, casts it in, and makes the iron swim. This miracle serves as a fresh revelation of God's heart, an assertion…

The miracle of the floating axe-head is contrasted with the 'dead, dumb, deaf idols' of Baal worship, asserting Jehovah's livingness and power over nature.

And so the prophet says, and he said, take it up to thee. Man, don't stand there. This miracle not only constituted a fresh revelation of the heart of God, it constituted a fresh assertion of the livingness of Jehovah in contrast to the deadness of all idols. All around these men, and no doubt even in the brief trip from Jericho down to the waters of Jordan, they saw the signs of Baal worship on every hand.

27:46 - 28:19 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that the only credibility for spiritual leaders is the present endowment of the Spirit of God and living communion with Him, not just past experiences.

The message of God's livingness conveyed by the floating axe-head is said to be as powerful as if God had split the heavens with a thunderbolt and trumpet sound, like on Mount Sinai.

And now he makes that thing which should under no circumstances come to the surface, swim to the surface, float to the surface, to tell his servants, I am the living God. And that message was as powerful as if God had caused the heavens to split with a thunderbolt and trumpet sound as they did upon Mount Sinai. That man looking down with his fellow sons of the prophets and seeing a sunken piece of an iron axe head floating on the top of a river with tones that could not be heard any clearer am the living God.

30:06 - 30:50 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that the only credibility for spiritual leaders is the present endowment of the Spirit of God and living communion with Him, not just past experiences.

A quote from Edersheim explains that Elijah and Elisha were 'prophets of the prophets' to vividly present Jehovah as the living and true God amidst abounding Baal worship.

Edersheim in his comment on this passage is bold to say that this is the essential message of the passage. He says that Elijah and Elisha were to be prophets of the prophets if we may use the expression in order that this great truth which alone could have saved the people might be presented in a concrete and vivid manner namely that Jehovah was the living and the true God ever present with his own whether for blessing or in judgment and this must always be kept in view when studying this history. You ask the question why so many miracles in conjunction with the ministry

30:51 - 31:36 Read in full sermon

The point: Believe in the miraculous as an integral part of revealed and saving religion, as it underpins the incarnation, resurrection, and atonement.

Martin recounts absurd naturalistic explanations for the axe-head miracle (e.g., Elisha seeing it, throwing a stick with accuracy, the stick making it float) to highlight the 'anti-supernatural prejudice' of the human heart.

and so when Elisha said where did it fall he was able to see it on the bottom of the river bed so he cut down the stick that was long enough and like a man who had great accuracy with a spear he threw it in and even now you see he must have had like fish eyes because he could take care of the refraction in the water he threw it in and it found the place right in the eye of the axe head and then the stick was big enough to make the iron float to the surface you laugh intelligent men with earned doctor's degrees have come up with that explanation so blinding is the anti-supernatural prejudice of...

36:47 - 37:32 Read in full sermon

The point: Understand that devotion to God does not exempt believers from severe trials, poverty, or suffering in this life.

Paul's distinction between 'hunger often' and 'fastings often' is used to illustrate that even devoted servants of God experience involuntary want and suffering.

of the sense of grief grips him in his cry alas but it was begged and this man learned what every one of us must learn that the people most devoted to the service and glory of God are not exempt from the most severe trials in this life the apostle Paul above all others in his generation was utterly devoted to the service of God and yet he said I have learned how to be in one he said in hunger often sometimes that was self-imposed hunger he went on to say in fastings often but he made a distinction between hunger and fasting

42:41 - 43:25 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not despair when trials come; instead, turn instinctively to Christ, your well-known, trusted, and proven Friend, building on a previously cultivated intimate relationship with Him.

The prophet's turning to Elisha in crisis is likened to a believer cultivating an intimate relationship with Christ in 'days when the axe head is firmly fixed,' so that in crisis, they can build upon that established fellowship.

about the cruelty of God the moment it dawned on him that his axe head was gone the text says that he cried out to whom verse 5 alas my master he turns to a proven friend with whom he has had previous intimacy of relationship a trusted friend who has power with God and oh my friend to me this is the glorious gospel picture in the passage the greater than Elisha is here and when we've walked with him and talked with him in days when the axe head is firmly fixed on its shaft

47:07 - 47:51 Read in full sermon

The point: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, let your requests be made known to your gracious Master, knowing that no concern of yours is too small for Him.

A couplet by John Newton ('Not one concern of ours is small...') is quoted to summarize the message that God cares about all our concerns, however small, as demonstrated by the axe-head miracle.

because it is only the people of God who can afford the wonderful spiritual luxury of saying come what may live or die I am the Lord's and he is mine John Newton penned some words based on this miracle did you know that I didn't know that till my preparation there's this little couplet not one concern of ours is small if we belong to him to teach us this the Lord of all once made the iron to swim Newton got the message of this miracle

52:11 - 52:56 Read in full sermon