“Does iron float?” might seem to be in the same category as “Do pigs fly?” But don’t be too sure!
We sometimes come across curious incidents in the Bible and wonder what they’re doing there. The story at the beginning of 2 Kings 6 seems to be one of those. The “sons of the prophets” (v 1), probably from Gilgal, felt restricted by their current living arrangements. So they made two requests of Elisha. “Please, let us go to the Jordan, and let every man take a beam from there, and let us make there a place where we may dwell” (v 2). Secondly, one of them said, “Please consent to go with your servants” (v 3). He answered both in the affirmative, so away they went. I’m not sure how experienced these men were at building, and it can be dangerous wielding certain equipment with others working in close proximity. But one fellow was swinging his ax at a tree when “the iron ax head fell into the water” (v 5). That’s a problem, but it could have been much worse if someone were standing in the flight path! That’s the very danger envisioned in establishing the cities of refuge—inadvertent execution of a fellow worker by means of a flying ax head (Deut 19:5). But the man doesn’t have one problem; he has two. It isn’t just that he is now unemployed. As he cried out, “Alas, master! For it was borrowed” (2 Ki 6:5). Without disparaging remarks, Elisha again adds something to the situation. “He cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float” (v 6). What do we make of this? We all have tools—spiritual gifts—and they are borrowed, so to speak. We will give account for them one day. We mustn’t neglect using them in God’s great building project, but let’s also regularly take some time to ensure everything is in working order. If we neglect our own spiritual condition, things may fly off, leaving us unemployed.