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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
Leprosy! Even today with our modern medical techniques and knowledge it strikes terror in our hearts. It is a disease which isolates and devastates its victims. Naaman, a Syrian Army commander during the reign of Benhadad II, was stricken with the disease. But for a set of circumstances in which God had a hand, Naaman would have gone to his grave a leper, but mercifully he was cured of his illness. Today's message will take a look at some of the events surrounding his miraculous healing.
Sometimes men of might such as Naaman come to expect treatment by others in proportion to the power they have. After all, what would an Israelite slave girl know about the healing of leprosy? Nevertheless upon hearing of the possibility, Naaman elected to go to with a letter to King Jehoram of Israel. As was the custom then and now, he carried a letter from his own master, Benhadad, and an assortment of expensive gifts. However it was the official state letter that caused such a stir with Jehoram. Among other things it said, “I [Benhadad] have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.” (2 Kings 5.6).
Jehoram, to say the least, was mightily upset; hear his immediate reaction: “Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me.” (2 Kings 5.7). Meanwhile Elisha the prophet learned of the royal debacle and requested that Jehoram send Naaman to him so that he would know that “there is a prophet in Israel.” (2 Kings 5.8). In response, Naaman went with all his regalia to Elisha's door and waited (perhaps to be greeted and treated in the fashion that the Captain of the King's army had become accustomed). However, if that is what Naaman was waiting for, his wait would be a long one! Elisha did not even so much as bother to come out and meet Naaman; rather, he just sent him word that he should go down to the Jordan and dip seven times for cleansing.
The inspired historian now takes the story: “But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, 'Indeed, I said to myself, “He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.” Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?' So he turned and went away in a rage. And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, 'My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, “Wash, and be clean”?'” (2 Kings 5.11-13; emphasis mine, jb). The commentary becomes simple and straightforward. “So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” (2 Kings 5.14).
Naaman was cleansed because he obeyed what the man of God said. It was not the waters of the Jordan that brought about his healing, nor the dipping in the waters; it was his obedience to the simple commands of God given through the prophet. The command to “Wash and be clean,” made no logical sense to Naaman; he could see no possible connection between the command of the prophet and his desire for healing. But for the insistence of his servants, Naaman would have died a leper. Now his skin was “like the flesh of a child.”
God does not demand lofty things; He demands simple things, things like faith, repentance, confession, and baptism. Maybe we can't see the connection; but then, neither could Naaman. Wash and be clean!
Questions:
1. Why did Benhadad send a letter to Jehoram? What did he ask him to do?
2. Characterize Jehoram's response.
3. How did Elisha get word to Naaman what he ought to do for healing? Characterize Naaman's response.
4. How was Naaman convinced that he should do what Elisha commanded him to do? How does this story apply to us today and God's simple command to obey the gospel (including baptism for the remission of sins)? How else do the lessons of this story apply?
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