2 Kings 6:1-71And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. 2Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye. 3And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go. 4So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. 5But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. 6And 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. 7Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it. (2 Kings 6:1‑7)
Some young men who were staying with Elisha wanted a larger house and asked him to go with them to the Jordan River where they could cut down trees to build a new house. As one man was cutting a tree close by the river, the iron head of his ax came off and fell into the water, and of course it would sink at once to the bottom. The man was very distressed and called to Elisha, “Alas, master, for it was borrowed!”
But Elisha came to help: he asked where the axe had fallen, and cut a stick of wood and threw that in at the same place; the ax came to the surface, “the iron did swim”, and came close to them, so Elisha told the man to get it, and he reached out his hand and took it.
So those young men who believed to the Lord, again saw a great wonder done for them by the power of God through Elisha.
We so often read of the Jordan River in the Bible Stories, that you will like to know more about it. From what is told of it in the Bible, we know its course was the same then as now, and you can find it on any map of Palestine. It is not as beautiful as many rivers are, yet in some places it has high, rocky banks and trees which make it very pretty. The water is clear, but the earth below is muddy, and perhaps that was the reason Naaman did not want to bathe in it.
The word Jordan means “to descend”, or “go down”, and it is a suited name. for it begins high up in the mountains, and flows clown unto lower and lower land, making many short turns, dropping with swift rapids. When the mountain snows melt in sunnier, so much water flows down that the lower banks are overflowed, as when the Lord divided the waters for the great company of Israel to cross (Josh. 3:1515And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) (Joshua 3:15); see also 1 Chron. 12:1515These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west. (1 Chronicles 12:15) and Jer. 12:55If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan? (Jeremiah 12:5)).
At last this river flows into the Dead Sea, where the land is so low, it is below the level of the ocean. No fish can live in the Dead Sea, because of the great amount of minerals. So the Jordan River is like our own lives, which begin well, but, by nature, end in death. Since the first sin of disobeying; God, by Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, there have been sin and death in the world.
But God’s great power to save from sin and death was also shown at the Joan: Naaman was there saved from hit.; dreadful disease, and the people of Israel and Elijah and Elisha were safely taken across Jordan.
Notice these verses about sin and death: “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death is passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Romans 5:1212Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12).
ML 06/25/1939