Lessons From The Story Of Naaman

Serving – July/August 2020 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Lessons From The Story Of Naaman

The Lord Jesus, as He taught in Nazareth, referred to what happened to Naaman in the days of Elisha the prophet (Lk. 4:27, see 2 Ki. 5:1-14). In 2 Kings 2, “Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so” (vv.9-10 KJV ). A short time later, Elisha saw Elijah taken up into heaven. “He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him ... and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” (v.14). From that time, much happened through Elisha’s ministry.

In 2 Kings 5 we come to the story of Naaman, a captain of the army of the king of Syria. He was a great man, honorable and mighty in valor – one to whom the LORD had given a victory (v.1). God can do this even through a man who was a leper!

A Captive Girl
During his raids against Northern Israel, he and his army brought back a number of captives. One of these was a bright young girl, who served Naaman’s wife. This little maid had faith in Israel’s God and she believed Elisha was His prophet. She also was concerned for the family of the woman she served, saying, “Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him [Naaman] of his leprosy” (v.3). When told by his wife about the comments for the captive slave girl, Naaman listened. How important it is for us, and even for great men, to consider the comments of little, humble ones.

Naaman went and told the king what was heard from the young girl. There was a hope for healing, even though the name of the prophet was not known to them. The king of Syria sent Naaman with a letter to the king of Israel (v.6).

Elisha The Prophet
When the king of Israel received the letter he did not know what to do. He tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? Wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me” (v.7). Of course, the girl was not referring to the king but to the prophet, whom we know to be Elisha. This man of God, upon hearing of the bewildered king, sent a message saying the man should “come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel” (v.8). There was not much faith in the nation at that time.

Naaman came to Elisha’s house and stood at the door. Elisha did not come and greet him. Instead, he sent a messenger to tell Naaman to “go and wash in [the river] Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean” (v.10). However, Naaman perceived this as too crude and simple, and he was furious! The Jordan River was dirty, while rivers in Syria were better. Naaman had thought Elisha would come out, call on the name of the Lord and heal him, but that was not God’s plan. How often do we expect God to act in a certain manner but then He does something else?

Fortunately, Naaman had servants who were compassionate enough to convince him to do what Elisha said. So, he went and “dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean” (v.14).

Healed, Naaman went back to Elisha with the gifts he had brought, but Naaman had to learn that God’s favor is not for sale. He obeyed the instruction of the prophet and was blessed. It was a gift from God – not to be paid for but to be freely received. One might think that Elisha could have accepted the gifts and used them to help those with needs, but that was not God’s intention.

As a result of this experience, Naaman became a worshiper of the God of Israel. He asked for two mule loads of Israel’s soil to take home with him, for he was truly convinced that Israel’s God was now his God. We perceive that Naaman took this soil to provide a proper place for him to worship the LORD through burnt offerings and sacrifice. What a testimony for his wife and encouragement this would have been for the captive slave girl.

Yet, Naaman had a problem. It was his duty to help the king of Syria when he worshiped Rimmon, his god. He asked Elisha to pardon this, and Elisha told him, “Go in peace” (v.19). Naaman was a true convert to the God of Israel.

Elisha’s Servant
Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, did not have the same thoughts as his master, for he believed Elisha should have accepted a gift from Naaman. Therefore, Gehazi went after the man healed of his leprosy to take something from him, even lying about the request. Naaman gave Gehazi more than requested, and Gehazi took those things and hid them in his house. When he returned to his position in service to Elisha, the prophet asked him where he had gone. Gehazi lied again, saying he had not gone anywhere.

Elisha responded, “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?” (v.26). We should hold to the same principle, for we are a heavenly people. It is not the time to center our focus on acquiring the things of this world. After all, what would we want in this wicked world?

In judgment, Gehazi got Naaman’s leprosy. Jesus said no lepers of Israel in the time of Elisha were cleansed (Lk. 4:27), so Gehazi must have been a leper until his death. Covetousness, the desire to have things, was his problem. Christian and servant of the Lord, be careful that this does not become your problem too.

By Curt Darling

Must I go, and empty-handed, thus my dear Redeemer meet? Not one day of service give Him, lay no trophy at His feet?
O the years in sinning wasted, could I but recall them now. I would give them to my Savior, to His will I’d gladly bow.
O ye saints, arouse, be earnest, up and work while yet ’tis day; Ere the night of death o’er-take thee, strive for souls while still you may.—Charles C. Luther (1847–1924)