God’s grace goes international. Let’s read 2 Kings 5:1-19.
God remembers His own and cares for His own, but His own does not mean only the people of Israel.
• It refers ultimately to everyone who is willing to acknowledge God, believe and worship Him, as the one and only true God.
• So God’s grace is not going to be confined within the borders of Israel. God wants to bring the world back to Himself, starting with Israel.
We see here the grace of God extending to a foreigner, an Aramean commander of the Syrian army.
• Naaman had everything – position, status, fame, success – and leprosy.
• The last one spoilt everything. With leprosy, the rest matters little. He has a need that is beyond him.
The author wanted us to see this. Look at the words he used to describe his good life – a great man in the sight of his master (King), highly regarded, gained many victories in battles, and a valiant soldier.
• He is a great man, with great reputation, great capability, great courage, great accomplishments, AND a great sickness.
• The author ended the trail of accolades with “and he had leprosy”.
He needs God. At the end of the day, what we really need isn’t what this world can offer us.
• Naaman needs a miraculous cure for his leprosy. He needs God to heal him.
• So the story goes, he went seeking for God’s help, through a prophet of Israel.
That’s at first glance. A casual reading give us this picture of a man seeking God.
• But on closer reading, it is more accurate to say, God is reaching out to him.
• The author says God has been giving him victories in battles.
• 5:1 “He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, BECAUSE through him the Lord had given victory to Aram.” (5:1)
• His reputation was given by the God, because his successes were given BY God. This is the GRACE of God. God showed him favour.
And then we see another of God’s sovereign act. A young Israelite girl was captured in one of those Aramean raids and ended up as a servant for Naaman’s wife (5:2).
• This girl became the critical bridge for Naaman to be introduced to the prophet of God in Samaria. Ultimately, to God Himself.
• The whole story hangs on the role she played and the words she said, and we do not even know her name.
• You don’t need a name to serve God or doing something significant. And I hope we don’t serve God for a name too.
• Be amazed at how God works to fulfil His will. He can surprise us. This young servant girl’s words were brought before the King!
• Naaman used her words to ask for permission to go seek for this prophet. The King and the commander of the army took up the girl’s suggestion!
The King gave him an official letter to see the King of Israel. They might have thought that such a great prophet must be working in the King’s court.
• The King of Israel was taken aback and read this as a possible excuse for the Syrians to start a war, for failing to heal their commander.
• The plan almost back-fired until Elisha heard of the outburst and sent a message. The King did not look for the prophet. He doesn’t know what to do next.
• Again we see the providence of God. God works at every step of this story to make this encounter possible.
Naaman was re-directed to see the prophet, with his entourage of horses and chariots (5:9). We can imagine the grandeur of this visit.
• But when he arrived at the door of Elisha’s house, a messenger came out and gave him a blunt order: “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.” (5:10).
• It was a test of faith moment. But this was unacceptable to a reputable man. Elisha did not even greet him when he was already at his door.
5:11-12 “But Naaman went away angry and said, "I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be cleansed?" So he turned and went off in a rage.
• Naaman had certain expectations. He had already written God’s script for Him: “This is what you should do and how you should do it.”
• This sounded so familiar because very often, we come to God in the same manner – with a certain set agenda and script.
• We have our own idea of how God ought to do things, and when the things don’t sync with our expectations, we become disappointed, not at the circumstances but WITH GOD.
Moreover, going to river Jordan isn’t that simple. They are now at Samaria. It would take a while and some travelling (40km away).
• It would be so much easier to wash in the rivers nearer home.
• In the spur of the moments, he decided to leave.
His servants stepped in and talked some sense to him. Again the providence of God!
• What do you really want? To save face and uphold your reputation? Or to get yourself healed? If that is what you want, then just do this simple thing – “wash and be cleansed!” (5:13)
• This instruction carries with it a promise. Elisha did not say, “You go wash at Jordan and see what happens.” Like what some doctors say.
• But the promise was given: “… and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.” (5:10).
The challenge is, can Naaman trust the words of the prophet fully. It’s a crisis of faith. Can he obey what God has said?
• By God’s grace, Naaman did what he was told and he was completely healed – “his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.” (5:14).
His change wasn’t just physical. We saw a change that was spiritual.
• Naaman came back to thank Elisha and in the short discourse we see him addressing himself as “your servant” – 5 times in 5:15-18. No longer the proud commander with great accolades.
• He saw his true self before a true God. He confessed his faith in God: “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel…” (5:15)
• And asked for forgiveness from God for having to accompany his King when he enters the temple of Rimmon (5:18).
We see the reach of God’s grace. God extended grace and this foreigner received it and believed God.
• In a time of great apostasy when most within Israel would not want God, this foreigner believed that Israel’s God is the only true God.
• Jesus made this comment in Luke 4:27 “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.” This foreigner was willing to believe God.
Naaman was grateful and wanted to give the prophet some gifts.
• Elisha refused any reward, obviously and rightly so, because this has nothing to do with him.
• It has been the work of God from the beginning, and everything happened by the providence of God. This has been a display of God’s amazing grace!
• And that explains why what happened next is such an aversion to God.
Let’s read 2 Kings 5:19-27.
Elisha was adamant in refusing Naaman’s gifts, but his servant Gehazi was eager to get them. In fact, he ran after them, literally.
• If this has been the work of God’s grace, then no one could take credit for it. No one should take reward for this and rob God of His rightful glory.
• Gehazi’s actions robbed God of His glory and marred the character of God.
Firstly Gehazi’s action itself transgressed half of the Ten Commandments.
1st - You shall have no other gods before Me.
3rd - You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
8th - You shall not steal.
9th - You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour. (He lied a few times.)
10th - You shall not covet.
But his most serious offense was the distortion of the truth about God.
• His behaviour ran contrary to all that God represents, giving the impression that the healing can be paid for and we can buy God’s favour.
• That’s precisely the distorted thinking of pagan worshippers, that man can bribe or manipulate their god into giving them what they want.
The message that Elisha conveyed – that this healing is free, it is the grace of God, it is the work of God and you don’t have to give me anything – was destroyed by this greedy act of Gehazi.
• Naaman was made to “pay”, so it seems, for the healing that he had just received. And Elisha was the one asking for it, on the pretext that he had visitors.
• It implied that the God of Israel was a “taker”, just like Baal and the rest of the pagan gods.
• But God is HOLY (set apart, separate, distinct) and unlike any other. He has no comparison or competition.
Gehazi’s action pulled the character of God down to the level of pagan gods.
• He was undoing what God has done – showing goodness and grace to Naaman – revealing Israel’s God as very unlike other gods.
• Gehazi put a price on the goodness and grace of God. God’s honour was tarnished and His glory robbed by Gehazi sinful act.
• Hence the judgement of God. It is fair and it is right. It more than just about greed and lying; it is about the holiness of God.
• God upholds His Name and glory. His judgement could be worse. He was gracious.
We have tasted God’s goodness and grace today. We’ve come to know Him and what He has done, through Jesus.
• Let us rejoice and give thanks. Let us bow down and worship Him. Let us honour and glorify Him in every way possible.
