Shirley H. Supporter prayer warrior

It seems to me that the miracle figured to strengthen trust in Elisha as God's 
Chosen prophet. If you refer to 2 Kings 2, we see that the sons of the prophets were unsure of Elisha' s appointment as Elijah' s successor.

I believe that there is also another meaning for us today. 2 Kings 6:6 says
"And the man of God said, 'Where fell it?' And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim."
Now we all know that iron does not float! 

2 Kings 6:7 "Therefore said he, 'Take it up to you,' And he put out his hand, and took it."

The stick that was cut down is representative of our Christ. By accepting Jesus with faith, any and all things are possible as God wills! AMEN.

February 14 2015 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Kenneth Heck Supporter

The stick represents the scepter of rulership of God. (Christ will rule with a rod of iron). The axe head represents technology that men depend on in daily life. When technology fails (as it will, since it is associated with man) we can be left in a much worse state than if we didn't possess it. 

The meaning of the story is that God can miraculously remedy any failure with man's technology since he rules over the earth and everything in it. No technology is too advanced to be beyond the power of God.

February 15 2015 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Danny Hickman Supporter Believer in The Gospel Of Jesus Christ

When I look out into the expanse and see the sun moon and stars hanging there with nothing to hold them up, it tells me that the One who put them there and sustains them, is the One the psalmist wrote about when he said 'He stretched out heaven like a tent curtain.' Psalms 104 tells us of the greatness of God. 
For God to cause an axe head to float is like having Babe Ruth hit a home run off of Pee Wee Herman. We'd yawn and wonder what the exhibition was all about. What would it prove? 

2 Kings 6 tells the story of the prophet Elisha and the students at his "seminary" going out to cut down trees at the Jordan River to use to build more living space for themselves. One of the young men had his axe head fall into the water. No worries, he tells Elisha, Elisha makes the axe head float, and the young man retrieves it. What's this all about?
Compared to some other miracles of scripture this is not worth mentioning. Jesus healing a man born blind (Jn 9:1-12), walking on water (Matt 14), feeding the multitude (Matt 15, Mk 8), a miraculous catch of fish (Lk 5), a coin in the fish mouth (Matt 17), and in my opinion the most amazing, raising Lazarus from being dead (Jn 11). But, these were all done by Jesus in service to people with a serious need. 

What is it about this axe head? It's just an axe head. Get another axe head for the handle, put it on the handle and keep it moving. Why are we told about an axe head? 

2 Kings 5 has already told us of the grace of God's annointing on Elisha when Naaman, captain of the Syrian army, is healed of leprosy by the word of Elisha. We're already convinced of his ministry and the power of God available to him. 

"Alas, my master, for it was borrowed."(vs 5). This, I believe, is the part of the story to ponder. This young man isn't building a home for himself, this is ministry. This is no private matter. These young men are referred to in verse 1 as "the sons of the prophets." They are servants of God and God's responsibility. To lose an axe head that belongs to someone else sounds innocent enough until this is considered:
"The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow." (Deut 28:12) This promise is contingent on keeping the commandments being retold to them here. And if they disobeyed, "the alien among you shall rise above you.... he shall lend to you, but you will not lend to him." (vs 43, 44). 

Borrowing and lending was a serious matter for Israel. God keeps close watch over the culture and habits of His children. 
In this narrative, I believe we're being alerted to how God viewed their getting help from anyone other than Him. And, since this young man was serving God in earnest, God is showing His faithfulness to those in His service. 

The method of recovery, tossing the handle in the river, is undoubtedly a teaching point also. We all know the handle didn't make the axe head float. The handle is of no use without the axe head, however. It's like having a form of godliness but no power. 

Power was restored, and the young men were taught that they could depend on the Almighty in a time of need when they were in service to Him. This promise is still true today.

April 13 2019 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Pamela Wells Supporter

These men were working together to build a new house for their ministry. I believe the fact that the tool this one young prophet was using was borrowed from someone else is significant because it speaks of using another's tools to build your own ministry. There is nothing wrong with this, but you must acknowledge those who have given you the tools to do your work, or the Lord will stop you from being able to do your part until you acknowledge the one(s) who have given you the ability to do the work. 

Elisha raised the axe head only after the young prophet admitted that he had borrowed the axe. We must never fail to acknowledge those who have trained us and given us the tools to be successful ministers in the kingdom. The axe head may also represent the Word of God. If so, then this young man was using a tool (faith) that had not yet become his own. 

By God's mercy, Elisha stretched forth the stick representing Christ and allowed the man to continue working until faith was birthed in his own heart to do the work of the ministry.

October 26 2021 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College graduate and Dallas Seminary graduate

Great question, Jerry! The community of young prophets was growing. That was a good thing—but it also meant their living quarters were getting tight. "The place where we dwell is too small for us," one of them said. They weren’t lazy students sitting around. They wanted to build—literally. With the blessing of Elisha, their teacher, they made plans to cut timber near the Jordan River and build a bigger space.

As the group made their way to the river, axes in hand, they were united in purpose. These were men committed to learning the Word of God and preparing to teach it. They didn’t wait for miracles—they picked up tools.

One young man, maybe newer than the rest, raised his axe over a tree. It wasn’t even his own—he’d borrowed it, maybe from a neighbor or fellow prophet. As he swung, the unexpected happened: the iron head flew off the handle and disappeared beneath the muddy waters of the Jordan.

His heart dropped faster than that axe head.

"Alas, master!" he cried to Elisha. "It was borrowed!"

To us, it might seem small. Just an axe head. But to him, it was a crisis. Tools were expensive, hard to come by. And it wasn’t even his. The sense of failure, embarrassment, and helplessness must have hit hard.

Elisha didn’t rebuke him. He didn’t say, “You should’ve been more careful.” Instead, he simply asked, “Where did it fall?”

The man pointed to the spot. Elisha walked over, cut a stick from a nearby tree, and threw it into the river at that very place. And then—the iron floated. It swam. Heavy, sunken iron rose to the surface like a leaf on the water.

Elisha turned to the young man. "Pick it up for yourself."

He reached down and took it. Restored. Problem solved. Crisis over. But there’s more here than just a lost-and-found tool.

We often look for God in the earthquakes and firestorms of life. In the wars and wonders. The battles of kings and the healing of generals like Naaman (2 Kings 5). But here, we see God show up over a borrowed axe head.

Because that’s who He is.

God saw the stress of one unknown man who was trying to serve Him. And He cared. Not just about the work of prophets—but about the tools they used.

There’s a lesson here for me.

Sometimes I feel like I’ve lost my edge—spiritually, emotionally, even physically. I drop something important—a gift, a calling, a relationship—and watch it sink out of sight. I panic. I cry out.

And then God asks, “Where did it fall?”

He takes me back to the place I lost it. Maybe a moment of compromise. Maybe a long, tired season where I let go of joy. Or maybe I was simply swinging hard in obedience, and something just gave out.

But the good news is: God restores what I thought was gone. Just like that iron, He can make hope float. He can lift up what’s buried.

Yet He also tells me, “Take it up.” I have to act in faith. Reach out. Believe He still works in muddy waters and small miracles.

3 days ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report