THE IRON DID SWIM

2 KINGS 6:6

A. BACKGROUND TO OUR SUBJECT
  1. A building project by the prophet Elisha and his students:
    1. They needed more classrooms.
    2. It was to enlarge a student project, allowing them to have a part in the construction of the school for the prophets.
  2. A borrowed axe fell into the water which brought some anxiety to the student that had used the axe to fell the trees:
    1. That shows character on the part of the student.
    2. He felt responsible for the loss of the axe.
  3. The man of God knew how to retrieve the axe:
    1. He had them cut off a branch from a tree.
    2. The young man showed to the prophet the place where the axe had fallen.
    3. The prophet used the stick to touch the axe, and upon touching the axe it came above the water, it actually swam.
B. THIS UNUSUAL DEMONSTRATION OF THE SUSPENSION OF THE FUNCTION OF THE LAW OF GRAVITATION OFFERS SOME WONDERFUL LESSONS:
  1. It shows that:
    1. A man, connected with the Lord, finds a solution to the problems that beset us so often in this life.
    2. He is the man of the hour in time of difficulties EXAMPLES -
      1. David, the army of Israel, and the challenge of Goliath - 1 Sam. 17:1-54
      2. Joshua and Caleb and Israel in the hour of confusion in the congregation - Num. 14:6
      3. Queen Esther and her Uncle Mordecai in the hour of great crisis for the Jews - Esth. 4
  2. He relies upon the power of God, and here is his great secret:
    1. "Not by might nor by power" - Zech. 4:6
    2. "Without me ye can do nothing" - John 15:5
    3. This was the secret of making the iron swim; Elisha knew that God is above the law of gravitation.
  3. The iron did swim:
    1. Unexpectedly.
    2. Just like the water burned - 1 Ki. 18:30-39
    3. All through the supernatural power - John 2:7-11
  4. God has always had persons that did exploits for God;
    1. Paul - Acts 27:33
    2. Moses - Num. 12; 13; 14;
C. THE SPECIAL LESSON FOR US TODAY
  1. We see so little of the supernatural:
    1. The world knows a lot about the working of the natural laws; but knows very little about the supernatural operation.
    2. Even God's professed people are more able to demonstrate the things based upon the natural laws than those resting upon the spiritual laws.
  2. Too many have had the axe fall into the water:
    1. They have lost all ambition to work for perishing souls.
    2. They reason from cause to effect.
    3. You hear very little about God's special intervention in behalf of His work.
  3. Well might we ask the following searching questions:
    1. Where is the modern Paul when dangers beset the church of God?
    2. Where is the modern Caleb when a spirit of defeatism plagues the church?
    3. Where are the modern Elijah and Elisha that can make the water burn and the iron swim?
  4. Our opening text proves that our Lord was very right when He spoke the following immortal words:
    1. "With men this is impossible"
    2. "But with God all things are possible" - Matt. 19:26
    3. "All things are possible to him that believeth" - Mark 9:23
    4. "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you" - Matt. 17:20


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