Thus the New Living Translation has The place where we meet with you is too small

Transcription

1 1Kings 6:1-7 Dear children of God, brothers and sisters in Christ, and guests, our text this morning is a good story, heart-warming. But what s the point of it? Why was it considered so important by the Holy Spirit that even we, who live almost 3000 years later, are told of this event? In studying this passage I read a number of sermons I found online. One sermon figured that the point of the story is the stick which Elisha cut off and threw into the water. Moses once threw a stick into water to make brackish water fresh and drinkable. Wood saves. Christ was hung on the wood of a cross. So the stick points us forward to the cross of Christ. Sounds rather farfetched, doesn t it? Another sermon I read had the catchy theme Losing the cutting edge. This sermon figured that the point of the story is how people try to do great things for God but mess up as they do so. God needs to give us the cutting edge. It sounds neat. It s very practical. But where s Christ in this? And have we not changed a historical event to a fable? What s the point of this text? I didn t find it easy to determine that. Thankfully, we today may work with centuries of reflection on Scripture, also of reflection on how to understand Scripture. One thing the Holy Spirit has taught us over the centuries is to search for at least three things. Three things. What does the passage say about God? What does the passage say about Christ? What does the passage say about salvation, the salvation of people? God, Christ, and our salvation. Or if you prefer the technical terms: theology, Christology, and soteriology. Look for God, for Christ, and for our salvation in the text and you will come to understand what God is revealing in a particular passage. That s what we ll do this morning. We hear the Good News of Salvation proclaimed this morning with this theme: God does the unthinkable to save. We ll consider first the event as described in our text. And then we ll hear the significance of what God reveals to us. 1) The event There s no chronological context for our passage. We generally assume stories are told in the order in which they occurred. But people of the Ancient Near East don t do it that way. They string stories together in a more thematic way. Not chronology but something else tends to determine the order in which things are told. So the event of our text may well have happened before Naaman was cleansed. What was happening? Somewhere in the Jordan canyon lived a group of prophets who found their quarters too tight. We re not entirely sure what these prophets were. The expression sons of the prophets likely suggests that these were prophets in training. Seminary students. Young men preparing for the ministry. However, the expression could also be used more generally to indicate those who were prophets by profession. Son of man is a biblical expression for human being. Likewise son of the prophets could simply mean a prophet. In northern Israel prophets filled the void created when faithful priests and Levites, fired by King Jeroboam, went to Judah. It would seem that these prophets lived, like the Levites before them had, in various towns throughout northern Israel. During Ahab s reign Elijah had kind of become their leader. When Elijah was taken by God to heaven, Elisha became the leader. Elisha would travel throughout the land to instruct and supervise the prophets. We know from the Bible of a rather large group of such prophets in Jericho when Elijah went to heaven (2Kings 2:16). There could have been upward of 100 prophets, include wives and children the community is even larger. Since Elisha was on better terms with the royal house than Elijah had been, the prophets enjoyed more freedom. It makes perfect sense for the number of the prophets to have grown quickly

2 early on during the ministry of Elisha. The place where the prophets lived and studied was becoming too small. It was becoming so small that a simple expansion was out of the question. It was time to relocate. By the way, it s not clear from the text what was too small. The word translated dwell by the ESV can also be translated sit. 1 Some scholars figure there was a housing problem. Others figure the problem was the lecture hall where the prophets would sit as they listened to Elisha Dr. Elisha taught. The problem, these scholars figure, was that the classroom was too small. Living quarters or school, you can t really tell which it was. We do know where they wanted to build. The building they would be constructing would consist of brick or clay walls. The logs they were cutting would be used to support the roof. Transporting logs especially large logs to span a classroom ceiling would not be easy. Since clay was abundant in the Jordan canyon it made sense to relocate to wherever the trees were. And that was by the edge of the Jordan River. One does get the impression from the account that Elisha wasn t too happy about it all. That s a conclusion some draw from the fact that Elisha has to be asked to come along. Someone figured that was a point this story is making: you shouldn t withdraw from the city and build your compound or monastery away from the people. I figure that, too, is making the story say too much. If God was not happy with this plan of the sons of the prophets, Elisha would have said so. If Elisha was indeed reluctant it might simply be related to the question: to what extent should a prophet be involved with a building initiative, especially if he s the nation s leading prophet and the building initiative is local. The trees by the river Jordan. The river Jordan is not a huge river, certainly not like the Fraser River. The Nooksack or Skagit rivers south of the border or the Nicola river by Merritt come closer. But, like the Fraser, the river Jordan does flow through valleys and canyons. The waters are often murky, the bottom is rock in some places, sand, clay and silt in others. In some of the valleys one could find thickets of trees mostly poplars. Not the greatest building material but still good enough to cut log-beams from. The cutting happened generally with axes. The word translated axe head is actually the word for iron. Iron was not all that common back then and thus an axe with an iron head was quite special. This axe wasn t cheap. In modern money not even a chainsaw compares. Think rather of someone s pick-up truck. That axe-head in the water is like totalling someone s truck. The axe head was of iron but the handle was not. It was not uncommon for an axe head to come lose. In fact, it s so common that in the laws of Moses an axe head flying of the handle killing someone serves as an illustration of accidental homicide (Deuteronomy 19:5). An experienced timber man might check his axe regularly to make sure things were still safe. It seems like this prophet didn t, or if he did, missed something. As he swings the axe, the head comes lose and there it went: splash! The prophet does know where to turn. Elisha had been urged to come along and so he was there. In fact, some scholars figure that the repeated use of one suggests the prophet who asked Elisha to come along was also the prophet who lost the axe head. I m not sure you can press the text that far. But it is clear that the prophet who lost the axe head figured only Elisha could help. The statement Alas, my master! It was borrowed. is an implicit cry for help. People of the Ancient Near East tended to communicate more by implication than by being explicit. The prophet turns to Elisha. I ve mentioned it before in sermons one thing that is striking about the Elisha narratives is the role which names play. Everybody has a name but in stories the names of some people are never mentioned. In our text it s like that too. The only person named in our text is Elisha. The prophet with the axe goes nameless. Elisha. Remember, boys and girls, what his name means? It s been a while, so a refresher is good. El 1 Thus the New Living Translation has The place where we meet with you is too small

3 I Sha. El means God. Add I to a word and you re saying my. So Eli means My God. And Sha is from the Hebrews word for to save or salvation. Elisha: My God Saves or My God is Salvation. That s certainly the role which Elisha plays in the event told of in our text. Elisha saves the young prophet from financial ruin by recovering for him the axe head. Elisha is also called by a different name. Or maybe title is a better term. Two actually. The first is the polite form of address used by the prophet: master, lord, or sir. The second is more special: man of God. It indicates that Elisha is the special representative of God. What Elisha does is what God is doing. So the focus shouldn t be so much on the person of Elisha, but on the person of God. It means that the miracle which Elisha performs is God s miracle. The prophet shows Elisha the place where the axe-head flew into the water. The Jordan is a murky river, often meandering, deep in many places, even close to shore. There s no way you re going to find an axe head in that. It s by means of a miracle that the axe head is restored to the prophet. Elisha cuts a piece of wood and throws the piece of wood into the water. The axe head floats to the surface and the prophet reaches out from the bank to grab it. How relieved he must have been! Years of debt had been avoided. We can be sure he d learned his lesson of being careful with his tools, especially borrowed ones. An intriguing and heart-warming story. We ve considered the event in some detail, fleshed out the picture somewhat. A group of people faithful to the Lord have been blessed with expansion that they need to build themselves new quarters. During the building process one prophet breaks an expensive tool he had borrowed, and loses part of it in the process. Thankfully the man of God under whose supervision they work is able to restore the lost property to the prophet. What s all this mean? What is it telling us about God, about Christ, and about our salvation? What did it mean to the prophets, to Elisha, and to God s people back in those days? What does it mean for us, 21 st century Christians? 2) Let s consider that in the second place. The significance of what our God reveals to us. God. Christ. Our salvation. What do we learn about God in our text? I noted before that Ancient peoples tended to tell events in a thematic way, not necessarily a chronological way. One tends to compare what one hears or reads with what you ve just heard or read. What s striking is how the previous narrative ends with Gehazi, a man who was a servant, sought to become very rich at the Lord s expense, and is punished by the Lord. Our text this morning tells an opposite story. A poor man works in service of the Lord, even runs risks in doing so, and is saved from the debt he incurred. There s a contrast between Gehazi and the young prophet. The end of the previous passage made clear to us God s justice: Gehazi wants to profit from serving the Lord and is punished for his greed. Our text tells of a prophet who goes beyond his means, borrowing an expensive axe, to serve the Lord. In the text we see how God is a merciful and good God. Actually verse 1 already tells us that. The ministry of Elisha in Israel has seen church growth. There s a seminary by the Jordan which, now that Dr. Elisha is teaching there, is bursting at the seams. What a contrast with the prophet Elijah on mount Horeb: I m the only one left who still serves you. Already then God said: I have reserved 7000 for myself. It would seem there s more than 7000 in the days of Elisha. Though God s people had taken leave of Him, through His servants the prophets God has drawn His people back to Himself and worked true faith in their hearts. That s God s mercy! True faith, for the prophets that study under Elisha are quite willing to shoulder their responsibility. Their quarters are too small. So they band together and head to the river to chop down trees: each man a log. The initiative is a display of the fruit of faith. These are not consumer believers, these are believers willing to go to great lengths for God s kingdom. One man even dares to borrow an iron axe, not cheap.

4 God s mercy and goodness come to the fore all the more when the man with the borrowed axe loses the axe head. In a most unexpected and miraculous way God has His servant restore the axe to the prophet. God is good: even in the simpler things God cares. He is Yahweh He s there. And He saves people from trouble. Elisha s name said it and God s actions proved it. For those prophets sweating it out on the bank of the Jordan this would really have been encouraging. One can imagine the axes swing a little harder as word gets around. There s positive energy, the energy of God s Spirit having done great things! With God nothing is impossible. God is good, God is kind, God is great. What do we learn about Christ in our text? First of all, he is prefigured in Elisha. Elisha went with the prophets. Likewise, the Son of God came to be one of us. Elisha, as man of God, helped out a prophet when he was in need. Likewise, the Son of God helped us, humanity, out as we were in need. Elisha and Jesus, as I ve indicated previously, their names are almost identical. Boys and girls, Elisha means? My God Saves. And Jesus means? The same as Joshua: Yahweh Saves. Elisha is the kind of person that the Christ of God would be. It mean for the Jews of Jesus day, people who knew their Bible, that they would see Jesus being similar to Elisha. And Joshua for that matter. Moses was followed by Joshua. Elijah was followed by Elisha. John the Baptist to everybody obviously the Elijah to come had his Joshua or Elisha in Jesus. There s a pattern being developed here. That pattern is further established by what Elisha does and what Jesus does. Elisha performs a miracle. So does Jesus. Some point out that Jesus miracle is even greater than Elisha s. Elisha makes an iron axe head float. But Jesus, He has Himself walk on water. There s certainly something to do that. Looking back the people of Jesus day should realize that someone greater than Elisha is present among them. There s a third link yet. God does the unthinkable to help the poor prophet out. In fact, God does the unthinkable by blessing His disobedient covenant people with an awakening or reformation of sorts under Elisha. When God acts, He does things one would not expect, things that are marvelous. And the most unexpected thing of all is the sending of Christ. In 1Corinthians 2(:9-10a) the apostle Paul kind of quotes the prophet Isaiah: What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him these things, [writes Paul] God has revealed to us through the Spirit. That s a reference to the great things God did and does by having the Son of God become a human being, dying on the cross, rising to life and ascending to heaven. A floating axe head because a stick is thrown into the water: who would have thought of that? Mankind saved from condemnation because the Son of God became a human being: who would have thought of that? The person and work of Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, our Lord and Saviour. It runs counter to all man s thinking. But it s true. For it s consistent with how God always works. What do we learn about our salvation from our text? One thing we learn is how complete our salvation is. It s not just spiritual: the repentance of God s people creating such an increase of seminary students that a larger building has to be built. It s also material: a borrowed axe head is restored. God is involved with the service that people render Him. He is indeed with them as they labour and sometimes watch their work come to nothing or go to pieces. God can save in every way. Does this means no harm ever comes to God s people? No set-backs? No frustrations? No sins with all their miserable consequences? No, it doesn t mean that. Elisha went along. But the presence of Elisha did not prevent the axe head from flying lose. Thankfully it fell into the water. It could have also killed someone The presence of God does not mean a smooth journey. But it does mean a safe arrival. Whatever our hands find to do, we need to give it our best, all the while recognizing that nothing succeeds without the blessing and involvement of God. That s true for all areas of life. Our text talks of a seminary expansion. We here in Abbotsford are talking about an elementary school expansion. About a church expansion. A new mission project. The Stephen

5 Mentoring program. And going to the more personal context. For some there s the battle with cancer or heart disease. Some marriages aren t going too well. Maybe there s tension between parents and children. Some fight against alcohol, pornography, materialism. In all of life we have to deny ourselves and give it our everything. Risks may be necessary in the course of self-denial risks such as the borrowing of an expensive axe. But in all our battles we should never despair. We are reminded by our text of the truth which the Spirit had Paul articulate so eloquently in Romans 8(:37-39): In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. What does this mean? Neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, no height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. The prophets were sure that with Elisha along, things would be okay. God did not disappoint them. My God Saves did save the day for that one prophet. It tells us to never give up on God. After all, God didn t just save us from an inconvenience here or there. God has saved us from our sin! God has saved us from eternal condemnation! The price God paid to save us is unimaginable. In comparison with this salvation, all other matters become nothing. The present suffering simply does not compare with the glory to be revealed. Our faith in God does not depend on a borrowed but lost axe head being restored to us. We can always take the loss, because we have seen the Christ, we know the victory is already ours. God does the unthinkable to save. God is the powerful, the good and the kind God. The unthinkable is a floating axe head, is the Son of God becoming one of us to take our place. Salvation is solving the problem that threatens to destabilize life: we call it sin. What an encouraging message for Elisha and the prophets, and also unfaithful Israel, some 3000 years ago. You can rely on God to help you! An encouraging message for the Jews, also after the exile, as they read their own history. A clear indicator that Jesus is the Christ when our Saviour walked this earth how foolish the people were for not seeing it! Thankfully the Spirit has opened our hearts that we see it! And now, encouraging for us. The projects we undertake for the Kingdom of God can count on God s blessings, for God has already invested much, much more in us than we can ever imagine. Let s put our shoulders to the tasks that lie before us, knowing that God is executing His great plan as we play our little roles in the various corners of His Kingdom. Let s be focused on what our activities mean for God and thus trust Him to bless us. To say it with the words of the Apostle Paul (Ephesians 3:20-21): Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.