2nd Kings 5:1-19 (NLT) – The Healing of Naaman
The king of Aram had great admiration for Naaman, the commander of his army, because through him the Lord had given Aram great victories. But though Naaman was a mighty warrior, he suffered from leprosy. At this time Aramean raiders had invaded the land of Israel, and among their captives was a young girl who had been given to Naaman’s wife as a maid. One day the girl said to her mistress, “I wish my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria. He would heal him of his leprosy.” So Naaman told the king what the young girl from Israel had said. “Go and visit the prophet,” the king of Aram told him. “I will send a letter of introduction for you to take to the king of Israel.” So Naaman started out, carrying as gifts 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing. The letter to the king of Israel said: “With this letter I present my servant Naaman. I want you to heal him of his leprosy.” When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in dismay and said, “Am I God, that I can give life and take it away? Why is this man asking me to heal someone with leprosy? I can see that he’s just trying to pick a fight with me.” But when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes in dismay, he sent this message to him: “Why are you so upset? Send Naaman to me, and he will learn that there is a true prophet here in Israel.” So Naaman went with his horse and chariots and waited at the door of Elisha’s house. But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.” But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me! Aren’t the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than any of the rivers of Israel? Why shouldn’t I wash in them and be healed?” So Naaman turned and went away in a rage. But his officers tried to reason with him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn’t you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he says simply, ‘Go and wash and be cured!’” So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child, and he was healed! Then Naaman and his entire party went back to find the man of God. They stood before him, and Naaman said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.” But Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept any gifts. And though Naaman urged him to take the gift, Elisha refused. Then Naaman said, “All right, but please allow me to load two of my mules with earth from this place, and I will take it back home with me. From now on I will never again offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to any other god except the Lord. However, may the Lord pardon me in this one thing: When my master the king goes into the temple of the god Rimmon to worship there and leans on my arm, may the Lord pardon me when I bow, too.” “Go in peace,” Elisha said. So Naaman started home again.
Verse 1 tells us quite a bit about the main character in this passage – Naaman the Syrian.
He was commander of the army
His king had great admiration for him
He was given great victories (by the Lord – as He uses whoever He wants to make His plans and purposes happen)
He was a mighty warrior
He had leprosy
He was well known, powerful, influential, but had one trait that was going to ruin everything
Leprosy!
Verses 2 and 3 tell us how Naaman hears about a way to cure his disease. During one of the raids across Israel’s border a young girl was taken captive and was given to Naaman’s wife to be her maid-servant.
This young girl did not allow her surroundings – her circumstances to stop her from sharing her faith or from telling those in charge of her about life changing – life saving information.
Do we allow our circumstances – our surroundings – our emotions – our jobs – our school – our coworkers – our classmates – our fears – etc. to prevent us from telling others about our faith – from telling others about God’s life changing power?
Verses 4-6 tell us about the exchange between Namaan and his king. Since there was an official peace from the two countries a letter would be sent to inform the king of Israel what was going on – to tell him that this was not a trap – not a trick – that the reason for Namaan’s visit to the country was to be healed of his leprosy.
Naaman brought 750 lbs. of silver, 150 lbs. of gold, and 10 sets of fancy clothes.
With today’s value of silver and gold, that would be a great fortune.
The silver would be worth $15.69 x 750 pounds x 16 = $188,280.
The gold would be worth $1,320 x 150 pounds x 16 = $3,168,000
Naaman brought 10 sets of the fanciest clothing and nearly 3.5 million dollars.
Not being Hebrew and having a mindset of pagans, it was a common belief that to be healed – to seek the favor a god – that you had to do a great feat or provide a grand offering. Naaman was trying to purchase healing from God.
Verse 7 shows the lack of faith that the king of Israel had. He either did not believe in God or His prophet or did not want to take the time to inquire of them. He just thought the whole thing was a trick – a trap to start another fight, to start another war.
Verse 8 tells us that word made its way to Elisha, the prophet, and that he told the king to send Namaan to him and that there was a true prophet in the country – that there was someone there that knew God and knew what He was capable of.
Verse 9 tells us that Namaan and all of his traveling companions, along with the valuables, traveled from the king to Elisha.
Verses 10-12 tell us what happened once the band of travelers arrived. Instead of coming out to meet them in person, Elisha sends out his servant with the remedy.
Naaman thought something else was going to happen.
How often do we get that in our heads?
We think things should go one way and when they go another way we get upset.
We want or expect things to happen our way and when they don’t we walk away.
Naaman thought he was going to purchase this healing.
He brought the valuables with him.
He thought Elisha would perform a ritual and the disease would be gone.
Naaman did not like the solution to his problem.
He thought his way would be better – that the Jordan was beneath him – that anything Israel or Samaria had to offer surely could not be worth the price he had brought with him.
Verse 13 tells us many things and can be looked at in a few ways.
Naaman’s own men who had great respect for him had the courage to stand up to him and make him question what he was truly upset with. They had him think about the remedy and if it was truly worth walking away from.
Naaman’s own men questioned him about why he did not want to do this simple task.
They asserted that if the prophet had told him to do something great – an amazing feat – that he would not have hesitated. Why then should Naaman not do something as simple as taking 7 baths?
Are we not the same way sometimes?
If God would ask us to do something great – something major – would we hesitate or jump at the opportunity?
If God would ask us to something easy – something minor – something that may not get us recognition would we be as willing to do it?
If we are believers, are we as excited to serve in minor roles as we are in major ones?
If we are not believers, why do we keep rejected the simple way to salvation? As Paul told the jailer, all he had to do was believe and he would be saved – nothing extravagant – nothing to pay – no laundry list of things to do – just believe in Jesus as your Savior and that He lived a sinless life and died and rose again.
Verse 14 tells us that Naaman reconsidered and did as Elisha instructed. He went down to the Jordan took those 7 baths. After the 7th time he went under the water he was healed of his condition and his skin was like new – like that of a young child.
Verses 15-16 tell us that after Naaman was healed he had a change of heart – that he knew that the only god in the entire world was the God of Israel.
Even with this acknowledgment of that God was the only real and true god, he still thought he had to pay for this blessing.
He urged the prophet, but Elisha knew better than to take anything for this could give Naaman the thinking that he paid for God’s favor.
Verse 17 gives us insight into the thinking of the people of this time as well. It was thought that you could only worship your god if you were in that country. This is why Naaman wanted to bring back soil so he could worship on it.
Fast-forward to the book of John, chapter 4, verses 19-24 – where Jesus is speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well.
“Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?” Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jesus know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. But the time is coming – indeed it’s here now – when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
In closing, we need to think back about two very important and crucial items …
#1 – If you are not a believer, do you see your disease – your leprosy – your sin?
All humans are born into sin and there is only one cure – that being Jesus!
Everyone here that is a believer came to this realization.
#2 – If you are not a believer, are you willing to accept the remedy?
It is simple – all you have to do is believe.
You must believe that Jesus is the Son of God – that He came to earth, live a sinless life – that He willingly gave His life for all who will believe and that He rose from the dead – we need to repent of our sins (turn from them) and make Jesus our Lord and Savior – living for Him and His Kingdom.
#3 – Are you like the servant girl?
Are you willing to share your faith regardless of your circumstances, your surroundings, emotions, or who you will be talking to?
#4 – Are you willing to do whatever it is that God would ask of you?
Regardless of if it is small or great? – Regardless of if you will get recognition or not? – Regardless of it is how you expected it to turn out or what you had in mind?
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