The God of Broken Axes

Second Kings chapter number six will be will we will be this evening for just a few moments and again to our graduates do congratulate you and parents. Thank you for the privilege of being able to invest in them. They are very special group of my wife and I've grown to love them and that they are precious and that they know the word of God, but even more precious is that they profess to know the God of the that we glorify the Lord. Thank him for for them. Everyone is read a story or watch the show where there is a young boy or girl who was sitting alone on the steps that are perhaps underneath some tree watching the sun go down. Is there taking of their crushing holding a daisy in their hand and picking off the paddles and thinking to themselves. He loves me he loves me not. And while this may make for a cute scene concerning this heartfelt affection of this young boy and his rush. It does not make for good Christian living.

Yet there we are here we are as we go through life riding the roller coaster that awaits us. We find ourselves thinking God loves me he loves me not to go up and down the roller coaster, which is this life this evening as we examine second Kings chapter 6 we will see the story of a young student who grew tired of his cramped dorm room and decided to start what turns out to be an extremely stressful building project.

We will also go for to find ourselves in the midst of a great conflict where we find Israel's intelligence agency, wrongful display, and we find arguably the same college student in shock as he is rubbing the dust out of his eyes.

Behold, an army encompassing him and as we look at this passage together. It is my desire that we would keep our eyes open to behold the God of broken axes and battle cries as we take a look at this text, I would like for us to highlight and learn three things. First that there will be the presence of troubles. Second, that we may rest in the province of God and third from the behavior of the man of God in Scripture with the finance some practical implications from this man who definitely rest in the province of God and so I would first like for us to divan in behold the story of the accident here with me one more time in verse number one in the signs of the prophet said to Elisha, see now the place were read well with you was too small for us.

Please let us go to the Jordan, and let every man take a beam from the beam from there and let us make there a place were we made well so we answered go then one said police consent to go with your servants and answered I will go so we went with them and when they came to the Jordan.

They cut down trees. But as one was cutting down a tree. The iron X fell into the water and he cried out to settle last master, for it was Barbara so the man of God said where did it fall and he showed them the place so we cut off a stick and threw it in their and he made the iron float. Therefore, he said pick it up for yourself. So he reached out his hand and took first let's notice the presence of troubles here with the broken acts as we look here verses one through seven. Reread the story of one of Elisha's prophets in training who decides to speak up to address the issue of the cramped living arrangements that they have at Elisha school of Yahweh, and it seems that allies should accept both his proposal to break ground on a new project as well as the invitation to join them down by the Jordan River.

So the student borrows an action this would be student profit now becomes a lumberjack, but it seems it out as he is chipping away at the tree. This accident flies off the handle and into the Jordan. And as we look in verse number five. Fill with me. The trembling in his voice all last master, for it was borrowed now in this day, that would not be a big deal.

We will simply make our trip to the nearest Lowe's or Home Depot and will buy ourselves a replacement. But that is not simply an option for this young man at this time. Some scholars speculate that the cost of this act, said at this time would have been priced similarly to a vehicle today know my first vehicle was in 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe with 350 small block the and the only money that I made when I first got that was cutting my grandparents grass once a week and at that time gas was about the same price that it is now. And so, as I would hit the accelerator to get onto the interstate I would. I would watch the handle go down that gas gauge as so would my heart go with it and as I was running late to school one day I decided I was in a take a shortcut as I was taking that shortcut a little bit too speedily.

I found myself kissing the front of the Mustang inside.

As I got out of the vehicle and examine the destruction of that beauty. I called my dad said I got an accident as he came out there. He was most gracious to me. Think about your first accident or your first mess up of the time that you find yourselves in the shoes of someone like the summit.

Let's step into his shoes.

In our modern-day lenses. You're a young broke college student who's borrowed your buddy's car for the day and you're driving down the road as you reran a guy and you totally scar. Could you imagine the worry of having not only did call and tell said friend that your cars going but also to try and figure out how you broke college student are going to afford to reimburse him for this. Can you feel the worry that is in this young man's shoes. See that's where we find ourselves here in this passage of Scripture Exodus chapter number 22 verse 14 says if a man borrows anything from his neighbor, and it becomes injured or dies, the owner of it not being with it.

He shall surely make it good. So this college student is going to have to pay the price for this, which isn't likely he is going to pay the price. Or he is going to sentence himself to servitude until he can pay it off to can you feel you can you can you feel the worry in his tire little oranges.

It is banging away on a tree and there goes the accident to the river as his voice begins to tremble any shells master. It was borrowed as Elijah comes to his aid. Here comes allies as he throws a stick into the water and overcomes this iron act said floating to the top and the once terrified student is now in all of this miracle, as we hear the story we see here and we can sympathize with this anxiety but we also scratch our heads and wonder what is going and it's a question I asked myself and I believe that if we're going to understand the point of the broken acts story we're going to have to move forward to read the story of the battle cry, which leads us into the story of verses eight through 23, which is the battle cry see as we look at this passage here we see ourselves observing the conversations within the bedrooms of the Syrian and Israelite armies where it seems that every single strategy that Syria comes up with this quickly thwarted by Israel and this leads the king of Syria to begin to investigate whether or not there's a trader in the camp. Upon investigation, in verse number 12 we read here. The king says one of the servants extremely verse number 11.

Therefore, the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by this thing, and he called his servants and said to them, we do not show me which of us is for the king of Israel.

One of his service and none my Lord. Okay, but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel, the words that you speak your bedroom so we find the king and all of his rage here learning of this rallying the troops and sending them out to find the prophet in this leads us up to verse number 15 when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out there was an army surrounding the city with horses and chariots and his servants said to him, all last master.

What do we do we find him walking out in the morning rubbing the just out of his eyes, enjoying the rising sign is is once swollen sleepy eyes are now the size of saucers as they behold the enemies of Israel. Round about his camp and he cries out similarly to the story of the lost accident.

Alas, master. Alas, master, what shall we do, and as we look at this text this season. Prophet who rest in the God of Israel, prays that this young student may see what he sees and that the Army of Syria may be blinded and that's exactly what happened as the Army of Syria is blinded.

Elisha does the unthinkable. Instead of his life, his leader before him. Elijah, who executes God's wrath upon the enemies of God. Here we find Elisha taking the enemies of Israel by the hand and leading them out, and as the king of Israel is flabbergasted by the story.

The king looks at him and says father should we kill them. Should we kill them, to which the command of the prophet is no but you make provisions for them and you feed him will refine Elijah executing the wrath of God the justice of God we find Elisha bringing forth the mercy of God. So what so what if the story of the broken acts may be greatly interpreted in light of the story of the battle cry.

We read both of the stories and we see one of the aid of an elderly prophet to student and then we see the story of God's deliverance of them from the hands of the enemy, but what does this mean how does this fit together and what exactly is going on here will in both scenarios, we read the stories of crises resolved one seeming to be minor in the grand scheme of things.

If I were to tell you the story of 2000 years ago, 6000 years ago that there was a young man who lost an accident and it worried him to death. You would think that is a relatively small story in the comparison of history, but then if I turn in today. The story of a crisis averted. As our two nations going to war, and the battle is averted.

Because of that sign of grace given to the enemy that is a little bit bigger resident and I believe what we see here is history declaring the reality that God is most certainly aware of the trials that you and I face, regardless of their significance regardless of the varying degrees of the troubles in your life.

There is a God who sits in heaven who is aware and who is not a detached father who was present within the conflicts that they'll your life. I have a two-year-old and it is not uncommon as I spend my day either an officer making plans is trying to get some things together for the summer that I will come home and my brain is still in office motors. I'm reading all day and is not unusual as I unlock the door that there was a screeching of daddy running down the hallway to wrap her legs around my dress pants, and they get them staying in it or but there are some days that I can't find the off switch quite as quickly as I would like to and is my child finds her father deliver home. The greatest issue that is plaguing her beloved mind is the fact that her toys batteries have finally exalted them and as I am beginning to study, to stand up and hopefully not to embarrass myself.

We seem to kind of the issue that is plaguing said child see as we find ourselves within this life, we do not want to think of God as that detached father figure who does not care about the varying degrees of worry that plagued your mind and live as we look within this passage of Scripture. The first thing we notice is there is the presence of troubles within our lives within the midst of those troubles. There is the Providence, beloved, it is my desire today, but the cries of our anxieties may be hushed by the cradling arms of province UCR God is not an uncaring father who is detached and unconcerned for those for whom he died in the midst of the issues of life that plagued you. It is not a burden for you to cradle yourselves up into the arms of Christ, you are not burdening here for whom he has diabetes diet for you. You are not burdening him by running onto him, rather, Psalm 121 versus four tells us that this father is our sleeveless watchman behold, he who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep PA as the pilgrims companion in Genesis 2815 behold I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land.

For I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken.

Beloved, he is our refuge in the storm.

Isaiah 25 four for you have been a strength to the poor a strength to the needy and the strengths of refuge in the storm shade from the heat for the blast of the terrible winds is as a storm against the wall. Our father is the one who guides all things and is he who wrote the proverb just trying to think of exactly how involved the father is within our lives. He thinks of the most random thing possible and writes down in Proverbs 6.

The lot is cast into the lap, but it's every decision is from the Lord. That event in your life. It seems most random and insignificant is not one that is escaped itself from the hand of Providence as you go home tonight and you rest and you open your eyes in the morning as the beams of light are making their way through the window in the morning you may see little bits of dust particles that are floating in the air and may think yourself. I can't believe I breathe but is not significant in this illustration. Beloved, there is not a single one of those dust particles that is broken out of the will of God.

There is not a single car they drive by your house as you make your way to and from the church that is escaped itself from Providence. In Matthew 1418 through 21, we find that this very God who controls the cosmos and even the dust particles in your room and even here he is the very God who cares about specifics. Matthew 14 we read the story of the Lord feeding the 5000. Now it would've been nothing for the Lord to turn them all away.

After all, this simply isn't one meal for them out of the thousands that they will enjoy over the long course of their existence on this planet but I think that's the point here. Indeed, Christ can make multiplicities out of small things, but I believe that also.

We understand that he is a God cares about the matters of life, both big and small, that the godless form the cosmos come down and dare to treat you to enjoy this heavenly banquet before him. He is a God cares about those issues and that he has chosen you, as his elect before the foundations of the world but he is also that God that orders the particles that fly around you and I write now in second Kings 617.

The student whose perspective was once one of fear and dread. Now he has a new perspective since the Lord has opened his eyes, we never hear him complaining that fearing again. We never hear from him again and I find that quite interesting. As he has had himself no issue with crying out to his master.

Whenever there is improbable and just as his perspective on life was changed by the opening of his eyes to behold the mighty hand of Providence around him. We too should live in an altered perspective of life as we open our eyes to behold the promises of God within his book to assist people's version set our keen would have his subjects to give their hearts to his love and service and not worry themselves with anxiety is well for us that we have these daily wants because they lead us to our heavenly father. But if we grow anxious they are turned from their design and made into barriers to shut us off from if he is the one the Lord tells us in Matthew six, who feeds the sparrow, if he is the one the Lord tells us who clothes the lily that even Solomon in all of his array cannot match. If he cares enough to close that lily, which will be soon burned in the oven if you will close it with matchless beauty. How much more does he care how much more invested.

Is he in the life of those for he died church. I say it again. Let the cries of your anxieties be hushed in the cradling arms of divine Providence. For he works all things for your good. So as we look at the stories one seemingly small once more severe. Let us be reminded that the Lord gives us gospel reorientation in the times of our trial to rest in his watch care and we can rest assured today beloved. He cares for you and for me there is one enemy, one trial, one Army that can pluck us from the hand of our most beloved sovereign. He cares for you and I and as you find yourself played with a series of events that approached you whether great or small, you may rest knowing that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose. Beloved, there is Providence that is lacing every event that comes before you yesterday, today and tomorrow. Whatever makes its way before us, God has placed it there to draw us closer to him, that our eyes may be open to behold his work, regardless of the fear that we have if we allow the troubles and trials of this life to divide us from resting in the Lord.

We have surly robbed them of their most vicious treasure. It was Spurgeon who says I have learned to kiss that rock are that way that throws me against we find ourselves in the midst of a life that has the presence of troubles, letters, rest in the province of gun. This leads us to a few practical implications here today, just as the father is caring over the issues over our lives. We should be that way towards others. As we look within the life of Elisha the life of a man who is the prophet of God in the time in which it is not popular, we find that as his servant has just the mistake of losing an ax head we find the immediate response of the prophet and just as our father is caring over the issues of our lives. I believe that we should also be that way towards others of father as you make your way home from a long day of work. Indeed, we may reorient the mind of our children is in the. The issues of batteries and toys is not that severe. But if it matters to them what a great opportunity. It is to minister to them and show them the gospel and that the father cares of the minuscule events in our life and so too should their fathers care over the of theirs. We have found ourselves in a nation that is ripped apart and it finds itself playing with mental health crises. Indeed, if there is a father who is caring of the minuscule events of life, may we to find ourselves to be a warm welcoming hand to speak with those who are burdening the leg with the issues that they face.

Not only may we care over the small things he cares for us, but I believe that we may rest in Providence and that in that rest we should aim to come for our brethren are playing weaker brethren in word and in prayer for as we find this most distraught student. The prophet does not bemoan the situation. He does not grow weary with the screeching of the student and he does not lose his mind either, but his aim is one who keeps his eyes on the hand of Providence is to comfort this young man with word and prayer that his eyes may be open in this perspective may be changed as you and I are walking through life and those who we are building relationships with approach us with a mind that is playing with a heart that is burdened mainly to be so careful to aim to comfort them with the ministry of word and with prayer. For indeed, it is easy for you and I to begin to say rest in Providence as the trials of life are not drowning us out, but may we put ourselves in their shoes and show them the grace that God the father has shown us, and as he has illuminated our eyes to his Providence and is granted us a pillow to rest and with that, may we also run after to provide the same nourishment and care to those around. And lastly seeing that we are surrounded by the mighty hand of God's care. We may also show mercy even to our enemies for justice, Providence has brought us to mercy with God is also called us to show that same mercy to others around us, just as God cared to call Elisha in the make him that most beloved prophet who stories we enjoy justice. He called him to be one who is tasted of mercy. Elisha goes forth to show mercy to those around him and is the father is been pleased to guide us and to himself that we might taste and see that the Lord is good. May we to be trophies to this world around us, that they may also taste good.

We are trophies of grace trophies of grace and so students were going to school those whose issues may have been derailed by injury or those who are about to move away from home for the first time rest knowing that every issue that will plague you as you move away from home or as you graduate and move on from ACS know that everything that finds itself within your past place there by the loving hand province and that where there is the presence of troubles.

There is the caring hand of your most beloved men as Lord, you have been most caring, gentle and kind with us this day, may we be overwhelmed with your kindness to us or what beloved thing it is to know the before eternity even began. You set your love upon us in the each of the events that plagues our life or brightens our life is an event that is in place there to draw us closer.

The Lord as we rest. Indeed, as we make our bed within the arms of your care. May we also go out to encourage those who are plagued around Lord I love this. Your church and I love your word and I pray that you would not allow it to return void as you have promised it will not arrest that this is the word of God for the people of God at this time. Lord asked. She would bless this evening and that you continue to work in our hearts to make this biblical truth a reality should find itself, not merely lodging within our ears was seeping forth from every aspect of our lives. You are Lord who cares most intimately for us and how much more can it be known, and that you knew everything about me, yet you set your love upon me, you have adopted my sin, you have laid it upon yourself as you for all of my shame upon Calvary's tree made that invigorate the house they that invigorate us. We love you Lord, you bless us as we departed to Christ