2 Kings 5:1-4
Naaman was an important man, the commander of an army. The term 'commander' implies he was one of, if not the, highest ranking in the army. He not only commanded, but he was also a mighty man of valor. This term spoke of strength, courage and skill in battle. The scripture also says he was a 'great man' showing his prominence and social standing. He was highly respected by the king of Syria. However, he was a leper. In the eyes of those who knew him, Naaman didn't deserve this. He was much loved and respected but he had a leprosy that tainted all that he was.
This leprosy becomes a picture of our sin. No matter who we are in the world, we have a condition that taints whatever we might define as good. As there was no cure for leprosy at that time, there is no cure we can take for our sin. A miracle was the only hope; an intervention from on high.
Among his battles, Naaman had brough home a young lady captive from Israel to serve in his household. She spoke to Naaman's wife about the prophet of Samaria and how leprosy might be healed by him.
We can imagine how this wealty and prominent soldier might have received this news from a lowly slave girl. The good news came to Naaman's by the humblest of means. He could dismiss it as insignificant because of the source. Yet, all the wealth, nobility and prominence of his life held no hope. Nathan's affliction wouldn't be healed through normal means; by courage, hard work, money or determination; buy by humility and surrender if his pride.
2 Kings 5:5-8
The King of Syria wrote a letter to the King of Israel stating he would send Naaman to him so he could be healed. Naaman took the letter, along with silver and gold that was a tremendous amount of money. One estimate compares this to over a million dollars in our day. Naaman was attempting to purchase a healing and was willing to pay a great price for it.
The letter upset the kIng of Israel. He had no power to heal leprosy and he had no relationship with the prophets who might be able to. The King thought he was being set up for failure. He asked, "Am I God?" After all, why would the God of the Jews want to heal a gentile of Syrai? While it was clear to the king that only God could intervene and heal leprosy, it was also clear he didn't think it likely. Elisha, hearing the king was distraught over this, sent a message that he would meet with Naaman; the result of which would be that Naaman would know there was a prophet in the land (implying healing).
This story is not likely in chronological order with the rest of 2 Kings. It was likely at a time when tension was not so high between Syria and the Northern kingdom.
2 Kings 5:9-14
Elisha wasn't impressed with all of Naaman's credentials; he didn't even go out of the house to meet him. He simply sent a message to Naaman to wash in the Jordan seven times. Naaman was put out at this; first he wouldn't even come out and meet him face to face but then he also told him to wash in this dirty river. Naaman envisioned something with a little more pomp; something more grandiose. He expected some kind of healing ceremony with lots of people, maybe some music and then maybe Elisha, dressed in flowing robes and standing in an aura of godliness raised his hands and cried out to God.
But the exepectations of Naaman weren't met with these simple and indirect instructions of Elisha. After all, Naaman knew of rivers back home that were much cleaner than the Jordan. He couldn't imagine why one of them wouuldn't be better. Angry, he began to walk away. He had decided if this wasn't done the way he anticipated then it wasn't worthwhile. This is just simple pride.
Then the servants do something amazing. They point out his pride that led to a ridiculous response by simply stating that if the prophet gave him some great work to perform, then he would have pursued it. Would Naaman climb the highest of mountains to find healing? Would he go to battle with the fiercest of enemies? Would fast for days on end or walk to the ends of the earth? I think the answer to all of these is 'yes' and much more. He would have gone to great lengths to heal himself; but he couldn't heal himself. Great works wouldn't heal him. It took humility and faith. He had to swallow his pride and walk into the dirty water of a foreign land. He had to be obedient instead of commanding obedience.
When Naaman set aside these obstacles and went to the Jordan and did as he was told, he was healed. His flesh was like that of a child. We can only imagine the response by Naaman. He went from death to life. His affliction, of which there was no cure, was healed. This has all the appearance of a sort of baptism. An emersion in the waters of death and ressurrection to new life. It points to Jesus. Maybe more importantly for us is that it points to Jesus working in the life of a gentile.
2 Kings 5:15-19
Naaman wanted to give a reward to Elisha but Elisha refused. Although I don't think this is what Naaman was trying to do, this would have too closely resembled the purchasing of a miracle. Freely Elisha was given, freely he gave.
Naaman wanted to take home some Israelite soil. He had come to understand that there were no other gods, but the God of Israel. He saw the ground as holy and desired to take some with him to kneel and bow on holy ground when he returned home. They had the understanding they had to have the soil from the homeland of a particular god to worship said god. I suspect that in time Naaman came to understand that his worship was in spirit and truth and not about the origin of the dirt where he knelt.
It almost sounds as though Naaman was seeking forgiveness ahead of time about worship of Rimmon. This would have been the cultural expectation of Naaman to enter into the temple and bow before the god of Syria with the king and other prominent folks. Naaman would find himself in a difficult position. In his heart he knew there was no other God but the God of Israel but he was expected to enter the temple of Rimmon. Thus starts the process of sanctification and growing in righteousness and holiness.
Elisha told Naaman to go in peace, not answering one way or the other. Naaman would have to grow in the Lord and his heart and desires would be changed to reflect those of the one true God. In time Naaman would know when he could no longer enter that temple in good conscience.
2 Kings 5:20-27
Gehazi must have seen all that gold and silver Naaman had offered. He might have thought of all the good he could do with it. He may have looked at Naaman differently because he was a gentile also. Why shouldn't a gentile pay a little something for the services of the prophet of Israel. We don't know for sure what was on the mind of Gehazi when he did this, but we can know its not far from any of us. Gehzi was the servant of the prophet of Israel. He had seen many things, witnessed God's moving many times. He had seen faith at work and never gone without himself. What drove him to this? It was simply the greed and covetousness that exists in our flesh. None of us are exempts and we must all know we have to guard agaisnt it.
This sin came by way of a lie, "my master has sent me". It was so easy and seemed so harmless. But then it had to be backed up by another lie, "your servant did not go anywhere". Gehazi even brought two servants of Naaman into this sin by carrying this back for him.
Sin, Idolatry and wickedness was prominent in the land at this time. There were no kings in Israel that honored God and Idolatry was rampant. The kings were all guilty of "going the way of Jereboam to make Israel sin." The covetousness of Gehazi lead others to sin and misrepresented the prophet of God and God himself by taking these gifts. It's as though Gehazi grabbed onto the very sins that Naaman had been healed from. He was now white with leprosy, disqualifying himself from being Elisha's servant.
©2016 Doug Ford
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