WHAT’S IN YOUR ACCOUNT?
2 Kings 5:15-27
All of us have heard of the story of Namaan. He was a Syrian who was the commander of the armies of Benhadad II in the time of Joram, King of Israel. Namaan was afflicted with leprosy.
Leprosy! Just saying the word sent chills down the spine and fear struck the heart every time it was said. It was much like the word Cancer, that we hear all too often in our day. Like a spreading, incurable cancer, Leprosy meant incurable suffering and certain death. Nearly every time it is spoken of in the Word of God, is a type of sin.
Leprosy attacked the body, and in those days, was an incurable disease that slowly ate away the skin, causing parts of the body to die and fall off. Fingers, toes, even entire limbs would have to be removed to preserve life. Eventually leprosy would bring certain death. Until death came to bring the final “relief”, those who had leprosy were forever separated from the rest of society since it was such a contagious disease.
Sin acts the same way in the heart of man. Sin eternally separates us from all that is good and holy. We can no longer have communion with God until that sin is taken away by the power of the Blood of Christ. Sin is a “spiritual cancer, or spiritual leprosy” that has no cure other than through a miracle of grace from God. It isn’t as visible upon the outside as much as leprosy was but it doesn’t take very long when you are around those who are living in sin, until the sin on the inside begins to show on the outside as well.
There was a young Hebrew slave-girl that waited on Namaan’s wife who told her of a prophet in Samaria who could cure her master. Naaman had no other hope so he obtained a letter from Benhadad and went to King Joram. The king of Israel suspected that Namaan was only there as a spy against him, and ripped his clothes as a show of both anger and distrust, then he threw Namaan out of his court.
Elisha the prophet hearing of this, sent for Naaman, and told him to dip in the muddy Jordan River seven times. Namaan wrestled within himself but finally came to the conclusion that there was only ONE WAY to be cured so he was cured of his leprosy by dipping himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of Elisha.
This is a type of our way back to God for there is still only ONE WAY to get rid of sin. We can’t chose how it will happen. We can only choose whether we will allow it to happen. The Word of God tells us that the only way to Heaven is through the Blood of Jesus by accepting his sacrifice upon the cross.
Man is ever searching for a different way. If he could find any other way, that would mean that he didn’t have to obey God’s Word and he wouldn’t have to confess that Jesus is Lord.
Dipping seven times meant that he was to fully and completely follow God’s prescribed way to wash away his sin through a full obedience to God’s plan. That’s what it takes to be saved. It takes a full and complete obedience to God’s Plan of Salvation.
Can you imagine the joy and excitement that Naaman felt when his leprosy was gone? Can you just sense the peace in his heart and the gratitude that he had for all that God had done? Do you think that Naaman was still concerned about the fact that he had been washed in muddy water to get well? I can imagine that he was so glad to be delivered from his sentence of death that he would have drank that water if it had been necessary!
I believe we can know that same joy that Naaman felt. Every time a soul is saved from the pits of hell and the sin is washed away, we sense that same joy and excitement of being delivered. Yes, it is an ugly picture to think of Jesus upon that cross, bleeding and dying for us, and then to think that we must accept his sacrifice, and look upon him, and trust in what he suffered for us before we can be saved. We wish that we could be saved by trusting in something that isn’t so gory as the cross! Why could we not just simply believe on Jesus as the Son of God without him having to go to the cross?
There has to be a sacrifice for sin’s debt to be paid and Jesus’ death on the cross is the only sacrifice that is acceptable to our Sovereign and Holy God. It’s either deliverance through the ugliness and disgust of the cross, or no deliverance at all.
After Naaman was healed his first thought was one of gratitude to the man of God, Elisha. He purposed in his heart to go back and thank Elisha for showing him the way. I can just imagine that from that day on, Naaman always had a special place in his heart for that man of God who had shown him the way to life.
I still have those same thoughts for that preacher who I first remember preaching the message of the gospel to me. I have heard some before and many since that day but it was my former pastor, who taught me as a child, that Jesus was my Savior. I will always think kindly of him and remember his ministry with fondness even though I am much older now and I don’t always agree with what he has said and done since then.
The scripture says, concerning Naaman in 2 Kings 5:15, “And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.”
Isn’t it wonderful when those who are saved suddenly develop such a grateful heart and a giving spirit. You don’t have to ask them to pay their tithes or give in the offerings. They do so gladly. You don’t have to ask them to help out around the church or to work in a ministry, they are begging to be used.
I can remember only a short time ago, when some of our youth were first saved. Some of them came to me and said, “Pastor, can we come to the church more often. Can we do something every night so that we can be here all the time?” Sad to say, that when we begin to lose that kind of zeal for the House of God, it is a clear indicator that we are losing our excitement and on the road to backsliding. Some would say this happens just because we get complacent and settled, or because we get “in the groove”. Let me say that I’ve been there too, but we all know, I know, you know, that we loose that zeal because we aren’t as close to God as we should be and we have lost some of that gratitude for what God has done.
Preachers love it when someone comes up to them and gives them a “Pentecostal Handshake”! That’s when there’s something in that hand besides warm greetings. Who among us doesn’t like receiving a blessing from other people? There’s nothing wrong with giving and receiving a blessing unless the motive for giving it or receiving it is wrong.
Namaan’s motive was right in offering Elisha the blessing because it was offered out of a heart of love and gratitude. Elisha’s motive was also right because 2 Kings 5:16 gives us his words in reply to Namaan’s offer, “But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.”
Elisha knew the ways of the Lord.
In Matthew 10:7-10 Jesus said these words to his disciples, "And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat."
How many preachers are behind the pulpits in our country today simply because the church will pay them a big salary that allows them to live a life of ease and luxury at the expense of their congregations? How many “Hirelings”, as Jesus calls them, are acting like preachers of the gospel with no real call of God upon their lives, just so they can get out of it what they want? How many of them would continue to preach if they weren’t paid, or their expense accounts were gone, and they had to work and preach too.
I’m not saying that all are bad, but there are many who are only in it for the money and power. I know that statistics still say that something like 70% of all preachers are bi-vocational but even a lot of them are preaching only for the extra income. If only one preacher is there for that reason, that’s one too many.
Naaman then made what seems, on the surface, to be a strange request.
2 Kings 5:17, “And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules’ burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.”
I want two mules loaded with Samarian dirt to take back to Syria! What would he want to carry dirt around with him for? Naaman wanted that dirt as a place to build an altar, or to kneel upon, to ever remind him that it was the God of Israel that had delivered him. He purposed in his heart to never worship another idol.
My prayer is that we will all develop the mentality of Naaman in desiring the things of God. Lord may we ever carry you with us wherever we go and whatever we do, let your presence be with us. I don’t need to carry around dirt as a reminder. I just need to bow my heart before the Lord, hide his Word in my heart, and let the Holy Ghost reign in my life. Jesus said that he would never leave us nor forsake us, but we can leave and forsake Him. Lord, help us to stay close to you always.
2 Kings 5:18 contains Namaan’s prayer for forgiveness of his idol worship, and even for the fact that he may be required to enter into that idol’s temple during the course of his duty as Benhadad’s commander, “In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing.”
That’s a man with a right heart. Oh that we all could feel that same sense for sin in our lives. How often do we go back into the idol’s temple without feeling a sense of dread? All too often I see those who continue to return to their old hang outs, to lapse back into their old lifestyle, sit around drinking their “adult beverages”, smoking on the “cancer sticks”, laughing at the dirty jokes, reading their “adult books”, or watching a TV program or a movie that isn’t fit for human eyes, then they come to church and act so spiritual.
I know a lot of people who wouldn’t be caught dead entering a movie theater to watch an R-rated, or even some PG-13 rated movies because they don’t want anyone to see them there but they will rent them and bring them into their own homes to watch. Don’t we know that God still sees in our homes, not just at the theater! Don’t we know that it’s not the place we go, it’s what we put into our heads and hearts that is wrong! And movies aren’t the only thing. There are a lot of things that we allow into our lives that shouldn’t be there.
Lord help us to have Naaman’s dedication to do the right thing. Don’t allow us to become desensitized to sin and allow it hang around without repenting of it.
Elisha indicated that God would forgive Naaman for fulfilling his duty as long as his heart was right with God. 2 Kings 5:19, “And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.” There are a lot of people who love Jesus who are working in jobs that vex their souls. They wonder if God will hold it against them for being a deliveryman who carries immoral cargo along with the groceries that they must deliver to earn their living. I do feel that there are jobs that we should not be involved in but I am also convinced that God will give us a better job if He isn’t pleased with the one we have. I also believe that God will not hold it against anyone who has to do things that vex his spirit as long as that man’s heart is right and he doesn’t partake or encourage others to partake of the cargo he must carry.
I don’t know of any job on this earth that is perfect in every way. All of us must do things that we don’t agree with or don’t like to do. If it is illegal or unethical that’s one thing but we can’t keep from every appearance of evil or else we would have to leave this world.
Keep your heart right with God and live according to your personal convictions with a pure heart before God. That’s all that God requires of you. Your job is often the best method that God can allow you to be used to be a witness for him.
Now comes the part of this story that I find most disturbing.
God has miraculously delivered Namaan who is a brand new convert. Naaman’s giving heart is full and he has a love for God and man that he has never known before. He is at his most vulnerable place in his walk with God. He becomes an easy target for those who are in God’s house who have their own best interests at heart and not the best interest of other people or who don’t care who they hurt, just so they can have their own way.
Naaman drives his chariot just a little ways from the door of the house of Elisha. He is less than a mile away when he stops to reflect upon the events of the past few days or to perhaps get his bearings on the way to his own home. That’s when he is taken advantage of.
It doesn’t take long, after someone is first saved, until the devil begins to come against them. The baby Christian, who doesn’t understand the ways of the Lord and who has a heart that is open and ready to receive is the easiest person in the world to deceive with a lie. They become easy targets for preachers and unscrupulous people in the church who prey upon their willing hearts.
2Kings 5:20, “But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.”
In Gehazi we see the heart of the hireling. He is only in ministry for his own gain. He could not believe that Elisha would allow this Syrian spy to leave, having received his healing and deliverance, without giving something in return. Gehazi could not, or would not understand the concept of ministry. Real ministry is giving without expecting anything in return but gratitude and respect. Real ministry expects no reward from men but from God. Gehazi liked the idea of being called a student of the Prophet of God, and he loved living around the holiness and presence of God, but his heart was more after the things of this world.
Elisha already had God’s greatest blessings upon his life. He was cared for, loved, protected and God provided all of his need. He would not accept payment for what God had done because God had done it, not him. Elisha had been given a free gift and it was his duty, honor and pleasure to give it away at every opportunity.
2 Kings 5:21-22, “So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.”
A newly converted Christian is easy to approach. They will welcome anyone, especially those who are a part of the church. They are gullible, novices who don’t know yet that there are people in God’s own house that will take advantage of them.
I know one man who is a Christian who refuses to do business with other Christians because he feels that they will cheat him quicker and in worst ways than people of the world. Some Christians use the name of Jesus to take advantage of others. One of the places of business that is labeled Christian is most Christian Book Stores. In my opinion, many of these stores that I have been in are overpriced because they can do so without much competition. It’s not often that I can walk into a Christian Book Store and walk out without feeling as though I’ve been taken advantage of in the name of Christ.
It’s a shame and disgrace that those who call themselves the Children of God can’t even trust one another to do what is right! There is an indictment against the true heart of that man who will cheat his own family.
2Kings 5:23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bore them before him.
I think that Gehazi was surprised with Naaman’s response. He had only asked for one talent of silver and two changes of rich clothing because he figured that he could handle that much with no trouble. He never counted on the fact of Naaman’s generosity. More importantly, he never counted on how fast Satan will overload you with the very sin that you desire. Sin always takes you farther than you want go and deeper than you can climb out of.
Gehazi could carry one talent easily. A talent of silver only weighed between 80 and 90 pounds. He could do that. He could get it, carry it, hide it, spend it and no one would ever know. But Naaman gave him two talents! How would he ever carry 200 pounds of silver and the heavy clothes by himself? What was he going to do now? He was trapped by his own greed and suddenly found that his sin would be much harder to hide!
Satan always provides a way for you to sin if you want to. He will even use innocent people to help you get what you want. No man sins alone. There are always those who will suffer with you when you purpose to do what is wrong. Your life affects every other life that you come into contact with. Naaman’s servants were now drawn into Gehazi’s sin, as was Naaman. Now the servants had to bear the burden of carrying the silver back to the house of Elisha. Now Gehazi had to worry about whether he could continue to hide his sin with others involved.
Have you ever experienced something like this in your life? Have you ever thought to yourself, I can handle going to the night club, I can handle watching an x rated movie, I can handle going to the wild party or some other “secret sin”. I’m strong enough, mature enough and spiritual enough to still live for God and do those things. Then suddenly you see other people you know and you become fearful that everyone will find out what you are doing. Suddenly, that light load becomes a very heavy burden and your peace is gone. That secret sin isn’t just your little secret anymore; there are others involved in your secret sin now and that causes you great concern – but you are trapped. You can’t stop now or you will look foolish. To stop now would mean that I would have to confess the whole thing and be humiliated. Worst of all, I couldn’t get what I wanted in the first place.
2Kings 5:24, “And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.”
I’m sure that, at that moment, when the servants of Naaman departed, Gehazi breathed a big sigh of relief. Phew, I’ve done it. I put the ill gotten gains in the “bank”. It’s out of sight and no one will ever know. The only witnesses are gone! I’ve done it and gotten away with it! Now God, don’t bring judgment on me. I’m going to pay you tithes off of this silver so don’t get mad. I’ll even give a liberal offering to Elisha at some point down the road so that your kingdom will be blessed by my little indiscretion.
2 Kings 5:25, “But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.”
Don’t you hate it when the Holy Spirit comes to you and says, “Where ya’ been? What’ya been doing? You get that dreadful feeling because you know He already knows the answer to those questions! The Holy Ghost within you just asks a simple question or makes a simple tug on your heart and it’s your own heart that convicts you because you know you’re wrong. But you don’t want to admit it so you just dismiss the question with a quick, “I didn’t do anything. I didn’t go anywhere. I’m innocent.” We start screaming our innocence before we are even proven guilty because we have already condemned ourselves in our own hearts.
Have you ever played that game with God? Have you ever had that kind of conversation with a teenager when they come in late at night? Have you ever had that kind of talk with a child whose hand is full of cookie crumbs?
I’ve heard it said that the first thing you learn when you become a prison guard is that there are no guilty people in prison. No one ever thinks that they deserve judgment but it comes anyway. We can point the finger of blame at someone else. We can plead innocent all we want, but God already knows we are guilty and we know it too.
2Kings 5:26, “And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?”
Elisha was a prophet of God. Didn’t Gehazi think that God would show his own prophet what Gehazi was doing? How could he think that he could get away with it? But he did!
Satan has a VERY powerful weapon in his arsenal. It’s called DECEPTION! It’s more powerful than all the atom bombs that man possesses wrapped together. Deception is the greatest cause of lost souls from the time that Adam and Eve were deceived in the garden, until the last men on earth are deceived at the Battle of Armageddon. Deception into believing that no one will know. Deception into believing that God doesn’t know or that he won’t bring judgment on you because he is a loving, merciful God. Deception into believing that you can commit sin and get away with it just because God doesn’t judge quickly.
Don’t be deceived! Your sin is judged the instant you commit it. The sentence may be suspended for a little while but the conviction has already come. God has judged you and found you guilty. The sentence of death is only waiting while you live out your life on death row. Your only way to escape your sentence is to repent while you can or death will surely come.
Gehazi’s sin was already judged too. He thought that he had gotten away with it but God’s eyes are always upon us and nothing is hidden from him. God revealed to Elisha what had happened and God gave Elisha the power to pronounce quick judgment and sentencing upon his sinful servant.
2 Kings 5:27, “The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed forever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.”
The same sentence that fell upon Adam and Eve and all mankind in the garden was typified in the sentence that fell upon Gehazi.
All of mankind has been under the guilt of sin since that day. Sin has clung to the human heart like leprosy would forever cling to the body of Gehazi and his children forever. It was incurable, deadly and everlasting.
Gehazi lived for some time after he became a leper. He was relegated to living in leper colonies, in caves and dens of the earth, slowly and painfully dying as his body rotted away in the stench and filth of his leprosy. There is no record that I have found that Gehazi was ever given another chance. I’m certain that he is in the flames of Hell right now, remembering those stolen talents of silver and the life that he gave away because of the devil’s lies. While Satan laughs in his ear, he is ever in torment for believing that lie.
What about you and I? Have we been deceived by Satan’s lies. Are we living under God’s sentence of death for sin, slowly watching our body die with age, waiting for moment that our already condemned soul will be next to Gehazi in the flames? Your torment will be ever so much greater than his for you don’t just know about Elisha; you know about Jesus and his cross!
Turn that secret sin over to the Lord right now! Come clean with him while you can and repent of it! Do it now! Don’t wait! Tomorrow may be too late! Jesus is standing here right now as your loving Savior! Don’t force him to become your angry judge tomorrow! I invite you now to turn it over to the Lord!
