#124: The Laborers Multiply

Published by Ben Stahl on November 14, 2020November 14, 2020

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.

Parents will likely testify that when children are given a job to do they may do it well over time. However, when their mother or father joins them in the task the work is often done quicker, with a better attitude, and with greater zeal than when on their own. There is encouragement for the whole group when many hands join in the labor. It seems a similar situation is in mind in our passage today.

God called his prophets to go labor on for His kingdom and sometimes that work was physical work so that better spiritual work could be carried out. We should always be ready to put our hands to manual labor to assist those in need or to provide for ourselves. The minister, elder, teacher, deacon, and Christian are not ‘above’ or ‘better than’ honest physical labor as Elisha and the prophets so readily teach us here. Let every man work honestly with his hands for the glory of the Lord.

Who knows what the Lord will do as we serve Him in the variety of callings He gives. 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.

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