As we begin Chapter 6 we study another miracle performed by Elisha through the power of the Lord. This miracle demonstrates for us that no problem is too small for the Lord to care about. We've witnessed Him doing astonishing miracles on the pages of the Bible, such as parting the waters and making manna fall from the heavens, but now He solves a more ordinary type of problem.
"The company of the prophets said to Elisha, 'Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.' And he said, 'Go.'" (2 Kings 6:1-2) The last time we were informed of Elisha's location he was staying with the company of prophets at Gilgal and I assume the settlement at Gilgal is what's being referred to as "too small". There are so many prophets meeting there and residing there that they have outgrown their accommodations. That's a wonderful thing! The Lord always has people faithful to Him in every generation. Idolatry is widespread within the northern kingdom at this point in the Bible but so many men have answered the Lord's call to be a prophet that the current size of their dormitory at Gilgal cannot comfortably shelter them all.
Elisha gives his agreement for the project. He's been staying with them at their shelter in Gilgal long enough to know how cramped the quarters are. Making larger accommodations is practical and necessary, not only to allow more room for the prophets already there but to be able to take in all the prophets the Lord will call in the future.
"Then one of them said, 'Won't you please come with your servants?' 'I will,' Elisha replied. And he went with them." (2 Kings 6:3-4a) One of the men wants more than Elisha's approval for this endeavor; he wants Elisha to come with them. I think this is probably due to how much he respects Elisha and how much he wants to make sure the building efforts meet with his approval. It will turn out to everyone's benefit that this man asked Elisha to accompany them.
"They went down to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. 'Oh no, my lord!' he cried out. 'It was borrowed!'" (2 Kings 6:4b-5) The prophets of the Lord are poor. They are not being supported by the government of Israel like the prophets of Baal and Asherah were during the reign of King Ahab. We were previously told that the royal treasury was keeping up eight hundred and fifty idolatrous prophets, but the prophets of the Lord have very few belongings in this world. They must perform with their own hands the work of cutting down trees and constructing larger accommodations for themselves---accommodations which I am sure were very rustic and very much lacking in anything that could be considered a luxury. They don't even own enough tools for this work, since at least one of them had to borrow an ax.
This man utters a cry of dismay as the axhead comes loose and falls into the muddy flowing waters of the Jordan. This is a double tragedy, for now they have one fewer tool to work with which will slow down the project, plus the ax didn't even belong to them. His cry of dismay reveals a great deal of concern for the person from whom he borrowed the ax, displaying the godly attitude of caring for his neighbors. The Bible instructs the children of God: "In humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:3b-4)
Elisha is as concerned about this situation as the unnamed prophet. "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. 'Lift it out,' he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it." (2 Kings 6:6-7)
What a marvelous example this is of the Lord's concern for all of our problems, whether they are big or small! Here we find Him stepping in to help the company of prophets and the unknown man from whom this particular ax was borrowed. You've probably heard the expression, "The God of the mountain is also the God of the valley," which is often used to express how present and available He is to us in both good times and bad times. But I want to add, "The God of the big problems is also God of the small problems." If something is important to us it's important to Him! It doesn't matter whether our problem seems important to our fellow man or not; if it matters to us it matters to Him. Have you ever had anyone belittle your concerns? Have your family members or friends ever let you down by not sharing your worries about something that's bothering you? Well, you never have to fear that the Lord will belittle you or let you down.
To put it another way, if your child or grandchild came to you and expressed feelings of worry or fear, would you make fun of them? Of course you wouldn't! You'd take action as quickly as possible to comfort them and, if it's within your power, you would fix their problem for them. In this same way our heavenly Father---who is the God of all comfort and the God of limitless power---takes swift action on our behalf. Sometimes He takes the problem away and other times He gives us the strength to bear our circumstances. But you and I can rest assured that when we bring our cares to Him, He is going to do something. So whatever is troubling you today, don't ever think that your concerns are too small to take to your Father. He cares about everything you care about; I promise you that.
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