Perhaps as we are laboring in uncommon ways, God may even make iron to float. May the Lord help us to labor diligently in His kingdom in whatever form that labor may take so that we may see many converted and entering the Kingdom.
And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we dwell with you is too small for us. 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.” So he answered, “Go.” Then one said, “Please consent to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I will go.”
II Kings 6:1-3
Jesus said, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matt. 9:37).
II Kings 6 begins with good news and a challenge. The good news: the prophets laboring in Israel were multiplying. The challenge: the place they were living in with Elisha had become too small for the growing number. In order to do their work well in the plentiful harvest, they had the very practical need of a larger living space. Some commentators suggest the place spoken of here was Gilgal as it was near the Jordan river but it seems it could have easily been Jericho which was also very near the Jordan river. In any event, the sons of the prophets requested approval from Elisha for their building project and he consented (vs. 2).
What can we learn from these sons of the prophets? They did not think of themselves above manual labor. They who were learning the Scriptures and ways of the Lord from the Lord’s prophet were quickly willing to put their hands to physical labor to construct a new dwelling place. God’s people, especially those ordained as leaders and examples to the flock must never think themselves above hard work as if it is a task for others but must always be willing to labor with their hands as the need arises.
Even Elisha was willing to go with them. Some say Elisha went to oversee the work, but the text does not say that. It seems in all likelihood he went to help the men with the work. In times past Elisha plowed fields with a dozen oxen. He was a strong man. He would be a great encouragement and help to the prophets in this construction project and so he quickly consented to going with them.
