2 Kings - Chapter 5

The story is about Naaman, a commander from Aram who had leprosy. He was advised by a young girl from Israel to seek the prophet in Samaria for a cure. Naaman went to the king of Israel who was unable to help him. Elisha, the prophet, instructed Naaman to wash in the Jordan River seven times, which angered him at first but eventually led to his healing. Naaman offered gifts to Elisha, but he refused. However, Elisha's servant, Gehazi, lied and accepted the gifts. As a result, Gehazi became leprous. The story is referenced in the New Testament by Jesus to highlight the faith of Naaman, a foreigner, compared to the lack of faith among the Israelites. It emphasizes that God blesses people of faith, regardless of their nationality. I am Julie Callio, your host, and thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to tune in with me today. If by chance you want to contact me, you can do that at vab.bc.pc at gmail.com. Today our story is about Naaman, a commander of the king of Aram, who had leprosy. This is found in chapter 5 of 2 Kings. We are still during the time of the divided kingdom, and the northern ten tribes of Israel started and continued throughout their existence in idolatry, which is why the Lord raised up prophets to be, quote, policers of the law. Now Aram was also called Syria, which is where the city of Damascus is located. It is located on the northeast border of Israel. Ever since the divided kingdom, the countries around Israel have fought over boundary lines. During David's reign, we find in 2 Samuel, chapter 8, verses 5 and 6, when the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadazar, king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 of them. He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans were subject to him and brought tribute. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went. So at one time, this was the land of Israel, but it is no longer. In 1 Kings, chapter 20, Ben-Hadad, the king of Aram, attacked Samaria, the capital, but Ahab defeated him. In chapter 22, verse 1a, it says, For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel. But that changed, and during that fight, Ahab was killed by a random arrow. One of the reasons for the peace between Israel and Aram was because a larger world power was growing and causing concern, and that was Assyria, so they were doing forces against Assyria. So at this time, it seems to be a time of peace, sort of. Chapter 1, verse 1 says, Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man, in the sight of his master, and highly regarded, because through him, the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy. Now I was reminded in my studies that the term leprosy could take many forms, and since he was able to work and not be an outcast, he must not have been contagious, but it was still probably painful. Verses 2 and 3 say, Now bands from Aram had gone out and taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman's wife. She said to her mistress, If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria, he would cure him of leprosy. On one of Aram's raids, they took this young girl, but she does not seem bitter or angry. Instead, she was a faithful servant to her mistress. Plus, she was a woman of faith who knew that God could heal her master through the prophet of the Lord. In verses 4 through 6, we learn that Naaman decided to take her advice, and he went to his master and asked if he could go, and he responded, By all means, go. One thing that Paul our house said in his commentary, He does not know that true prophets do not work for money, nor are they paid by the king, nor does the king have authority over them. Thus sending Naaman to Israel's king does Naaman no good. He went to Samaria with a letter to the king of Israel, plus silver, gold, and ten sets of clothing. The letter said, With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you, so that you may cure him of leprosy. Now how do you think the king of Israel reacted? Verse 7 says, As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me? Well, when news got to Elisha that the king had ripped his clothes, he sent word to the king, Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me, and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel. Then Naaman, in all his grandeur, went to the door of Elisha's home, and Elisha sent a messenger out to tell him, Go wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored, and you will be cleansed. At this Naaman was furious, how rude! He couldn't even come out and tell me himself, he didn't wave his hands or call on the name of the Lord, and the Jordan river, ugh, that filthy river! The rivers of Damascus are better than those! He turned away in rage, but thankfully his servants calmed him down and said in verse 13, My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he tells you wash and be cleansed? At this Naaman went to the Jordan, dipped seven times, as the man of God said to do, and his flesh was restored like that of a young boy. Naaman in all his attendance went back to Elisha's home, and this time he stood before the man of God and said, verse 15, Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel, please accept now a gift from your servant. Elisha would not accept the gift, and my ESV study bible said, for Elisha to accept a gift is to risk the impression that he is personally responsible for what has happened. Naaman asked two things of the prophet of the Lord, first he asked to take two mules worth of Israel's dirt back to Aram, so he could make a burnt offering and sacrifices to the God of Israel on the land of Israel. He then asked for forgiveness, because his job required him to be with his master when he enters the temple of Raman, and he bows down with his master because he leans on his arm, and he asks the Lord to forgive him of this. Elisha said, Go in peace, verse 19a. Naaman traveled a while, heading home, when Gehazi, Elisha's servant, ran up to him. He had seen all the goods Naaman was willing to give to Elisha, and he lied and said Elisha changed his mind, because some young men have come unexpectedly to Elisha, and they needed a talent of silver and two sets of clothing. Naaman was thrilled to give, and he gave two talents of silver, which filled two bags, plus two sets of clothing. Gehazi took them and hid them, and then he went in and stood before his master Elisha. Uh oh! Elisha asked, Where have you been, Gehazi? He lied and said he didn't go anywhere, verses 26 and 27 say. But Elisha said to him, Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money, or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, flocks, herds, or men's servants and maid's servants? Naaman's leprosy will cling to you and your descendants forever. Then Gehazi went from Elisha's presence, and he was leprous, as white as snow. It even sounds worse than what Naaman had. This makes me think of what my worship professor said, the Lord's punishment fits the crime. Just a reminder ladies, the Lord knows everything already, so it never does any good to lie to him. That only hurts ourselves. In the New Testament, Jesus speaks of Naaman in Luke chapter 4, when he is teaching at the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth. He read from the book of Isaiah, which said, The spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. Then Jesus said, Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. The people were anxiously awaiting what else he would say, but instead he told them of their lack of faith in him, and then added about how in the Old Testament the Lord sent Elijah to the widow of Zarephath, a city in Phoenicia, instead of to a widow in Israel. And then he says in verse 27, And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed, only Naaman the Syrian. At this the people tried to kill Jesus, because he was saying they weren't faithful, but people in nations outside of Israel were blessed by God because of their faith. Ladies, from the very beginning, with the covenant with God and Abraham in Genesis chapter 12 verses 1-4, the Lord said, I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse. And all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. Even through the bloodline of Jesus there were people from various nations, like Rahab the Canaanite and Ruth the Moabite. We also learn that the Lord set up laws that protected the alien living among them, and they were allowed to live with them as long as they believed in their God and their ways. The Lord's people are people of faith, no matter what nationality or social income. The Apostle Paul said in Galatians chapter 3 verse 28, There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. Do you belong to Christ? Are you of Abraham's seed? Are you an heir to the promises of God? Naaman the Aramean was. If you have heard his voice today, like Naaman did with his servant girl, please, please don't harden your heart like Gehazi. That never ever, ever ends well. Instead, let's be women who hear from the Lord and obey. Until next time, and thanks so very much for listening.