The Gospel B.C.
“Discovering God’s Redemptive Plan”
Naaman Part 2 of 2
“Holding On to the World”
2 Kings 5:14-27
Introduction
Men who trap animals in Africa for zoos in America say that one of the hardest animals to catch is the ring-tailed monkey. For the Zulus of that continent, however, it’s simple. They’ve been catching this agile little animal with ease for years. The method the Zulus use is based on knowledge of the animal. Their trap is nothing more than a melon growing on a vine. The seeds of this melon are a favorite of the monkey. Knowing this, the Zulus simply cut a hole in the melon, just large enough for the monkey to insert his hand to reach the seeds inside. The monkey will stick his hand in, grab as many seeds as he can, then start to withdraw it. This he cannot do. His fist is now larger than the hole. The monkey will pull and tug, screech and fight the melon for hours. But he can’t get free of the trap unless he gives up the seeds, which he refuses to do. Meanwhile, the Zulus sneak up and nab him.
In our faith, there are some things that we must let go of. We have to let go of our plan for our lives, and trust in God’s plan. We have to let go of our understanding of how things are supposed to work, and trust in His wisdom and His understanding. This morning we will look at a man who saw many miracles and worked right beside a great prophet, but could not let go of greed in his life, and it greatly affected his life.
Prayer – Lord, show us this morning where we are holding on to things that we need to let go of, and give us the wisdom to cling even tighter to your promises found in your word.
A Repentant Man’s Faith Displayed (vv. 14-19a )
“14 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 15 Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant.” 16 But he said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused. 17 Then Naaman said, “If not, please let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth, for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the Lord. 18 In this matter may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon your servant in this matter.” 19 He said to him, “Go in peace.”
Notice Naaman’s process and display of faith; First, Naaman goes down to the Jordan and dips seven times. He follows the instructions that were given to him. If you dip seven times, you will be healed – so he does and he is.
The same process is true for us today, how are we to be ultimately and completely healed? Romans 10:9 “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Second is a confession of faith “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel.” He believes this because it was only the Lord that could heal him. Jesus begins his public ministry and it is the mention of Naaman and this declaration that causes the Israelites to try and throw him off a cliff.
Jesus said; Luke 4:23-30 “And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘“Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’” 24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, he went away.”
When Jesus is speaking to the crowds they understand that he is rebuking them, because of their lack of faith in Him. Others on the outside were experiencing being fed, while they starved. God’s own people were not living a life of faith that pleased God, so others (from the outside) were being healed.
When God’s people stop living a life based on faith, and begin to live in their own strength based upon what they can see, they become powerless and lack the one things that makes them different. God’s people were embracing other gods that could not heal. But God, will show His glory.
Third, upon experiencing healing (which was free), His heart’s desire is to commit himself to God in new ways. He tries to give Elisha a gift as a way of saying thank you, which indicates his gratitude for the human instrument of healing. He no longer desires to purchase his healing through someone else’s God, he wants to worship his God by giving gifts to Him, because of a cheerful heart.
Luke 17:11-19 “On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers,6 who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
Fourth, Naaman says this, “please let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth, for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the Lord.” He is desiring to take dirt home, in order to build an alter for his home, so that he can worship God where he lives.
Where Naaman lives, there is no place for him to worship God. All the temples in his homeland are to foreign and false gods, who do not heal. He wants to sacrifice and worship God the right way, and to be able to present proper sacrifices. We know that Naaman’s faith is genuine because he desires to worship regularly.
Fifth, there is conviction of sin and a need to figure out actions in his life, that he needs to seek permission and advice regarding, “In this matter may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon your servant in this matter.”[1]
Naaman has already announced his belief in God, as the one and only God – he believes that there are no other gods and that he will never worship another god. So Namaan is not worshipping Rimmon. But he finds himself in a career, in which he has to be apart of assisting his king, in helping him up and down, during worship. Part of this assisting requires that he bow before a statue, and rise again.
When a person makes a genuine commitment to follow God, through Jesus, he immediately begins to become convicted of sin in his life. An example would Zacchaeus in the New Testament. Jesus had pointed him out of a crowd, gone to share a meal in his home. While the crows calls him a sinner, Jesus saves him. Luke 19:8 “And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”
Sixth, Naaman has peace in his life. The peace that Naaman receives is not just because of the physical healing, it is also because of the restored relationship between man and God. Jesus says in John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
“This text contains one of the great Gentile conversion accounts in the Old Testament. Like Rahab (Josh. 2:9-13), Ruth (Ruth 1:16-18), and the sailors and Ninevites in Jonah (Jonah 1:16; 3:6-10), Naaman believes in the Lord. From Genesis 12:2-3 onward, God desires to bless all nations through Israel.”[2]
Naaman placed his trust in God,
followed His plan for His healing, and leaves having peace in his life.
A Man’s Unguarded Heart Is Compromised (vv. 19b-24)
But when Naaman had gone from him a short distance, 20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “See, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not accepting from his hand what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.” 21 So Gehazi followed Naaman. And when Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is all well?” 22 And he said, “All is well. My master has sent me to say, ‘There have just now come to me from the hill country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’” 23 And Naaman said, “Be pleased to accept two talents.” And he urged him and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and laid them on two of his servants. And they carried them before Gehazi. 24 And when he came to the hill, he took them from their hand and put them in the house, and he sent the men away, and they departed.
If there should be anyone in the story other than Elisha whose heart should be at peace, it should have been Gehazi. He worked, ministered to and with, and served the Lord beside a prophet. He had every need taken care of, and he saw regularly the miraculous hand of God.
But, there is a lack of peace that we see in the heart of Gehazi. He gets to be apart of healings, and miracles as Elisha’s assistant, but he is not gracious over this – for him it is a job, and believes he should get paid every time he is “working.” He should “get something.” What he doesn’t realize is that he is getting something, he is getting to be apart of God’s work.
There was a lack of peace in Gehazi also because he has allowed his heart to become compromised. He undermines Elisha’s desire that they not receive payment. Gehazi, didn’t agree, so he waits until a good time, and then lies to Naaman. Then he hides what he has done, by placing the goods in the house, and sends the men away. One sin, leads to another, and then another, and then another.
Gehazi’s character is described to us as being, greedy, not respectful of authority, he is a liar, and deceptive. Working in ministry and even seeing and being in the group where God’s Spirit is moving – doesn’t mean that you are where you need to be spiritually, or that your character cannot become contaminated and diseased. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”
This whole process began with a thought, and I believe it began when Naaman appeared at the door the first time – “wow, look at all those chariots full of stuff.” Clothes, silver and gold – we have hit paydirt.” “we are going to be rich!” But instead of dealing with the greedy thoughts, he allows it fester within him. One sin leads to another, and he finds himself running after the chariots.
(v. 21) “And when Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him.” Earlier in the chapter when Naaman went to prophet’s door and a servant appeared before him he was angry, but now when a servant comes after him, he stops, and gets down from his chariot[3] – showing again Naaman’s heart change – contrasted with the heart of a person who should be forever changed.
Gehazi allows his own greed to potentially
compromise Elisha’s teaching of healing ministry.
A Selfish Man’s Reward Is Given (vv. 25-27)
“He went in and stood before his master, and Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant went nowhere.” 26 But he said to him, “Did not my heart go when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Was it a time to accept money and garments, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male servants and female servants? 27 Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence a leper, like snow[4].”
After all that he has done, he then goes and “stood before his master Elisha,” as though he has done nothing wrong. Elisha asks, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” He gives him one last chance to confess his sin. – but he lies again. “Your servant didn’t go anywhere.”
If God is going to punish Gehazi for his greed, why did He give him leprosy? “. . . the leprosy taken from Naaman on account of his faith in the living God, should pass to Gehazi on account of his departure from the true God. For it was not his avarice only that was to be punished, but the abuse of the prophet’s name for the purpose of carrying out his selfish purpose, and his misrepresentation of the prophet.”[5]
Naaman was supposed to learn that “there was truly a prophet of the One true God in Israel.” Gehazi threatened that realization, and stood do discredit the name of the Lord. How many people have not placed their trust in the one true God, because someone has discredited the gospel by greed and deception. The message becomes contaminated by how those that are supposed to be healed live are though they are not.
Naaman comes as an unbeliever who has leprosy, and leaves a believer being healed of leprosy – he goes home in peace. Gehazi begins as a believer, but he leaves the story having inherited the leprosy and disease – a lack of peace. The love of money becomes a corruption in his heart. Gehazi inherits Naaman’s leprosy, and Naaman seems to inherit Gehazi’s faith.[6]
It is possible to be a believer in Jesus, and still live an absolutely miserable life, because you refuse (like the monkey’s fist in the melon) to let go of sin in your life.
2 Kings 5 shows us that Gehazi remains Elisha’s assistant in ministry. He is able to continue to do ministry, but the consequence of his sin (leprosy) remains. When we don’t guard our hearts, and sin, we can seek the Lord’s forgiveness, but the Lord does not take away the consequences. Gehazi’s reward for his greed is that he has the problems that the unhealed world has – and it controls his life.
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[1] “Rimmon is another name for Hadad, the storm god and the national god of Aram. He wants to avoid any appearance of unfaithfulness to the God to whom he just committed himself.” David T. Lamb, The Story of God Bible Commentary, 1-2 Kings (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Academic, 2021) 329.
[2] Paul R. House, The New American Commentary, 1, 2 Kings (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995) 273.
[3] John Gray, The Old Testament Library, 1 & 2 Kings (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Westminster Press, 1963) 458.
[4] Exodus 4:6-7 “Again, the Lord said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. 7 Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh.” God used leprosy as a sign to show his prophet to be authentic.
[5] C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Commentary om the Old Testament in Ten Volumes, Volume III (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1983) 323.
[6] House, 274.
