2 Kings 5 5:1 5:2,3 5:4, 5 5:6, 7 5:8

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1 2 Kings 5 5:1 Why had the LORD given victory to Syria? Because Israel was being disciplined and judged. God was using the enemy of Israel to judge them. NOTE- Regarding leprosy- it was an incurable disease. This would eventually kill Naaman. 5:2,3 This young girl knew that Elisha was sometimes used by God to heal people of afflictions. She was an unwilling captive, and yet still willing to speak well of God and His people. She was a young girl who had presumably been brought up in the ways of God. She is used to witness of Elisha, the man of God. Her witness will lead to Naaman s healing and conversion. 5:4, 5 One commentator, Dilday, believes this to be worth $1.2 million. 5:6, 7 Jerhoram, the King of Israel rightly knew that he himself did not have the power to heal anyone. He saw the letter as an unreasonable demand by the King of Syria. He also assumed that when he was unable to perform the request of healing Naaman that the King of Syria would act against him. He saw the whole thing as a set-up for the Syrian king to pick a fight with him. 5:8 The tearing of the clothes was a sign of grief or loss. The king of Israel rightly felt himself in a troubled position, if the healing of Naaman was being expected of him. Guzik- Why have you torn your clothes? Elisha gave a gentle rebuke to the king of Israel. This is a crisis to you, because you have no relationship with the God who can heal lepers. But it is a needless crisis, because you could have relationship with this God.

2 2 5:9, 10 Naaman had come a great distance to be healed, but he also expected some honor to be shown to him. He was a military general, and a man of valor. Instead of honoring Naaman in a way he wished to be honored, Elisha sent his messenger Gehazi with instructions about what to do. In the end, it was not only healing that Naaman needed. He needed to be humbled, and to have a right relationship with God. Elisha s response set Naaman up to have to be humble, which at first offended Naaman. 5:11, 12 Naaman shows a classic response that many Christians have. 1. They have a legitimate need. 2. They come to God for an answer, or maybe to a pastor for advice, & counsel. 3. They receive the advice from God or a pastor about how God can bring healing. 4. They reject the advice because it doesn t work the way they think it should work. 5. Some people ask for Biblical advice, but then are unwilling to obey it, because at the time, it doesn t make sense to them. They won t obey something unless they can see how it will work. 6. It shows that they want an answer from God for their problem, but that they are still proud. 7. It displays not humility and brokenness, but spiritual pride and arrogance. 8. People often declare that they want things better, but will not come to God on his terms. 9. Unbelievers want God to change or improve their lives, but will not surrender to Jesus 10. Christians want God to solve their problems, but are unwilling to humble themselves and obey God down to the last letter of what He says. 11. Naaman showed that he wanted healing on his own terms. He made two suggestions about how God should solve his problem. a. He wanted God to do it for him, i.e., stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy. b. If Naaman had to do something himself, he wanted it to be something more glorious, and perhaps a little closer to home where people could watch him working towards his own healing. When we come to God for help, we would do well to answer this question first:

3 Am I willing to do whatever God shows me to do, in order to have this thing healed in my life? 3 If we aren t willing to do whatever God would ask us to do, then we aren t sincere in our request. It also means that we are not as sincere in our commitment to Christ as we think we are, and as we need to be. Luke 14: Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26 If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it 29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. 5:13 How wonderful it is to have people around us that will step up to correct us when we are wrong. NOTE- His subordinates probably took a bit of a chance correcting their superior. I have been thankful for people who have corrected me, though they considered me over them in a pastoral role. Proverbs 25:6, 7 Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed. 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. 5:14 Fortunately, Naaman was teachable regarding this need in his life. At first, he reacted in his pride. Then he considered the counsel that his subordinates were giving him. Proverbs 9: 8, 9 Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. 9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. Naaman did indeed prove himself to be a wise man. He was asked to dip not only once, but seven times in the Jordan River.

4 He was obedient, though it required a longer, more drawn out effort. 4 Six dunks in the Jordan would have left him a dying man. Seven dunks in the Jordan made him a healed man. In our difficulties, how many times are we only one more time away from receiving healing for a situation. Forgive one more time. Be quiet one more time. Pray one more time. Die to self one more time. Love your spouse one more time. Ask for forgiveness one more time. Trust God one more time. 1 Peter 5:5, 6 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble. 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 5:15 This method of healing suggested by Elisha brought even more glory to God. One of Naaman s options was that Elisha had to be there and wave his hands over Naaman. With this method of healing, it was clearly seen that it was God, and God alone that healed. Now we see Naaman returning to the man of God, humbly wanting to give thanks. NOTE- Naaman needed not just healing, but humility. Naaman the leprous general was proud, demanding, and dying. Naaman the healed leper was humble, thankful, and able to live. Which best describes you when you are hurting and need God s help? Proud and demanding?

5 Humble and thankful? 5 Naaman now desires to thank the prophet, and support his ministry. 5:16 1 Corinthians 9 teaches us much about a minister being paid or not being paid. NOTE- This is Naaman s first experience with God. He needs to understand that God freely heals people. This isn t a time to receive money from a new believer. 5:17 Naaman seems to have a conversion experience. Guzik- Let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth: Like many new believers, Naaman was superstitious in his faith. He held the common opinion of the ancient world, that particular deities had power over particular places. He thought that if he took a piece of Israel back with him to Syria, he could better worship the God of Israel. (Patterson and Austel) The transporting of holy soil was a widespread custom. Naaman s faith was yet untaught; and with his personal need to follow publicly the state cults, Elisha may have felt that available Israelite soil may have afforded Naaman with some tangible reminder of his cleansing and new relationship to God. 5:18 Though Naaman is now convinced that Jehovah is God, he still feels some duty to his king. He asks to be forgiven for continuing in the temple of Rimmon. 5:19 Elisha understands Naaman s predicament. He doesn t actually say yes or no. He says to go in peace, and leaves the situation to Naaman and his own relationship with God. Sometimes there is great wisdom in this. Letting new believers grow into their own convictions, and not trying to make decisions for them. God knew Naaman s heart.

6 Elisha was able to rest in that. 6 5:20 Gehazi suddenly becomes smarter than his master regarding this. 5:21, 22 Talent- 120 lbs. of silver. It took two men to bring this back. 5:23, 24 Naaman suddenly sees an opportunity to enrich himself by being a part of the ministry of Elisha. First he is greedy, and then he lies. NOTE- Consider Gehazi s position. 1. He is an assistant to Elisha, a prophet of God. 2. Elisha often has knowledge about people that comes directly from God. 3. Gehazi has seen the power of God flow through Elisha. 4. Yet, he gives in to greediness and lying, and presumes he can get away with it. 5:25 What would have happened if Gehazi would have confessed right then? 5:26 Is it time? - Elisha was willing to receive support from others. But this time wasn t a time to receive money. Somehow, Elisha knew to not receive money this time. Ministry can be spirit led or flesh led. Elisha saw this episode through eyes of faith.

7 Gehazi saw it through eyes of flesh. 7 5:27 This was the consequences of Gehazi s sin. Greed and lying, and misusing his position in God s kingdom brought this upon Gehazi. It brought judgment upon his descendants as well. What we do affects others. The servant girl who had first suggested that Naaman see Elisha had pure motives. Elisha had pure motives. Naaman was healed, and responded with pure motives. Those three people were concerned for God s glory. Gehazi tarnished the event by being greedy, and thinking only of himself. For this, he was judged harshly. WHY- The nation was in decline, and needed the voice of the prophet. The nation needed to know that God s blessings were for sale to the highest bidder. The nation needed to know that Elisha wasn t in some special friendship with Naaman, which included lots of money. The ministry of the prophet needed to be kept pure, and well as the reputation of the prophet. What if the people of Israel began to think that Elisha was in league with Naaman, the Syrian General who was, at times, and enemy of Israel? How would that negatively affect their faith in God s word through Elisha? There was too much at stake here for Gehazi to be allowed to tarnish the ministry of Elisha with assumptions of: 1. Being a special friend of the enemy 2. Doing ministry for money 3. Leaving any unanswered questions regarding where the money went. National revival was the great need for Israel.

8 Not a paycheck for a ministry assistant. 8