This section of the story in 2 Kings chapter 5 focuses on Naaman. We know that Naaman was the commander in chief of the armies of Syria and possibly the right hand man as he was incharge of strategic, political and warfare and security. This was a very prestigious role that Naaman had earned. Some Jewish Rabbis say that his ruthlessness and his power resulted in God punishing Naaman with Tzaraat which is translated as Leprosy. For the sake of these notes, I would consider the word Leprosy.
Naaman was powerful and wise. In fact, it was God who had blessed him from the start. The verse says that Naaman was a powerful and influential man valued by the king greatly. His victory was a gift from God to Aram. Why would God bless a foreign nation to attack the Israelites? In Deuteronomy chapter 28, Moses tells the people that God would make the enemies of Israel punish the people of God if they are disobedient. Jehoram, the then king of Israel was the son of Ahab. Ahab and his wife Jezebel lead a time of unfaithfulness and evil in the land till they both were killed. So, it was God who raised Naaman up to punish His Own People.
The Bible also says that Naaman was a valiant soldier. This meant that he worked his way up the ranks. He is someone who has been respected for his work, his nature and his skills in leading and creating strategic plans. This was his nature. A man who earned his way through, a man who demanded and gave respect. A man who is self made and bold and courageous. He was ill but despite that he either bandaged up his wounds or did not create a place for sympathy. Do you not think that Naaman had sought doctors for his healing? He had the means and the reason and he would have. This too was God doing. You see God is interested in Naaman. Thus a slave girl caught from Israel by raiders found her way by the divine act of God#s providence to Nammans house and later befriended Naaman’s wife. This too is God’d doing. For a slave girl to speak, to tell of her wishes for her master to be healed, this is the grace of God. Many a times we walk without seeing how many grace drops fall around up holding us, changing our path and way and leading us to the right people, the right place and the right time. This is why the wise man in Proverbs say, every random action like casting a die though it seem random and chaotic is indeed ordained by God. So much is his care for you.
The next section is Naaman finding the longing for the cure and asking leave to go to Israel. Although the lands are at some kind of peace, Naaman going to Israel has to be with the written permission from the King of Syria and with a letter to the King of Israel. The letter must be official as if that were not the case, and Naaman sneaked his way into Israel, he would be killed by the King of Syria. This is who Naaman is. He is the commander to the King. Everything Naaman does in the land of Israel plays a huge part in the geopolitical nature of the countries. This is why Naaman approaches the King and tells him of the need.
Naaman does not go to the Elisha or Israel as we think he does. Naaman is not pious or in sack clothes. He is in his royal attire and with his royal crowd. He brings with himself 340 kgs of silver i.e. 2,5 Million Euros, about 70 kgs of Gold which alone is in modern times 4,4 Million Euros, and additional gifts. Naaman is not going for prayer or miracle. He is going for medicine and healing. He is going as one goes to IKEA or MediaMarkt to buy the best item they have. This is purely a purchase. This is who Naaman is.
Where does Naaman then go to? To the king of Israel. Why? That's what the letter says. Naaman is a very theoretical and methodical man. He does not see the reason to go and find a prophet. It is not logical. How many wise men have fallen for the same trap? You see for Naaman, his duty was to report ot the king. He was an official dignitary. He needed to be treated how he would have treated his counterpart if they came to Aram. I believe Naaman walked right into the court of the king, found a place to sit and sat on it and demanded the king to heal him. This was his right, for he was a powerful person. Naaman had got all this way in life by demanding, fighting and reasoning and making decisions for himself. He was not ready to change.
We are going to go on a side note here. The King of Israel is a bigger fool. He has fallen for Naaman’s words. He had forgotten about the God he serves and forgotten to ask Naaman how he knew of a healing in Israel. He forgot about the God of Israel and the prophets God had called to serve him for the nation. Praise God that Elisha sent the message and the messenger reached before the king made a bigger fool of himself. The king had reason, the king of Israel was in front of the commander of the armies of Aram. He could not refuse him. The king knew that this was a trap and the failure to help Naaman may lead to a war.
Back to Naaman now, Naaman was forced to saddle up and travel to the dingy old hut the prophet lived in. Naaman, already hurt by the previous experience of the prophet and wizards not turning up at the palace, must have been annoyed to be there. Then comes a messenger asking Naaman to take a bath. Naaman was not going to be undignified. He in order to take a bath, would have to undress in front of his people. They would see his scars and disease. Moreover, this is not the way Naaman wants to be treated. You see, God is not going to treat you at your pleasure. He is a master surgeon and not a clown to entertain your whims. God is there to work on your heart and he is going to force you into a place that you are not going to like. It is God’s terms. Naaman wants to be important here. Dear friend, we all are important in our own spheres. Some of us may know how to create the perfect bouquet, others the perfect website. Imagine an intern comes and acts like they know more than you, would your pride not be hurt? Would you not want to be recognised and respected for your experience?
Another reason for Naaman is the cultural trifacta. Naaman came here to buy his healing, but to dip in the river Jordan meant that he had to stoop to the culture of this land and its people. He would rather kill a thousand enemies of Israel than to do this. A story I would like to remind you of is when David wanted to marry Saul’s daughter, David was given a specific challenge that was almost impossible without putting his life into risk. So was Naaman, he would rather fight a dragon than take this step of lowering himself into the culture of this people. As far as Naaman is considered this is not his people, these are not his rivers, these are not his Gods. This is not his tradition and his place. God calls us out many times from who and what and where we are as he is changing us. There is a reason why God does that. The reason is because we love to have a life of God and everything else we are accustomed with. God is not interested in bringing healing for the sake of healing. He is primarily interested in the hearts of people. God is interested in His Glory and His Praise.
This is the heart of the Gospel. It is not for the rich in Spirit or the proud or the self-sufficient. It is for the meek (Matthew 5:5). There cannot be anything that makes the Gospel cheap. The grace and the forgiveness of your and my sin is costly. The lamb of God, untainted, sinless and pure was killed in place of us. There has been a price that has been paid and therefore it is never cheap that Gold or Silver or anything can buy. God says the same in both Testaments. Psalm 50:10-12 God says that all the cattle are His. He cannot be bought with a price. Grace is free. Grace is not a lottery ticket because you buy the lottery ticket. Grace is just given because God loved you. We are not to come to the cross and make bargains that say, if my child gets healed I will come to you or if I pay off my loans I will follow you. Grace is given by the gracious king whose hands are full to the beggar who asks for it. Only those who hunger for righteousness would receive it. This is what Naaman and many fail to understand.
Praise God for giving us good people who give timely advice. There were among them some who told Naaman to reconsider what the prophet had told him. To wash in Jordan seven times. God works in ways we cannot see. Everytime Naaman went in the river, like the same time he would have done back home nothing happened. But at the seventh time, because he obeyed God, he was healed. Do you know where he was healed? Outside yes, but inside too. Peter says in 1 Peter 3:21, baptism symbolises what happened inward by the actions we see out. What happen in Naaman? He is changed? God has moved in him and he too became a child of Abraham. What happens then?
Naaman goes to Elisha, offers him the gifts which elisha refuses. But then he asks Elisha for a gift. He wants to carry as much soil from the land as his mules can. Why? Naaman just did what Abraham did when God called him. Naaman takes his new identity. He is no longer a child - a son of the soils of Syria. He is born again as a child of the soil of Israel. He has a new identity. Why does he not stay here? He would be killed if he stayed in Israel - that is in my opinion his reason. But he does decide on a new life. He will love the Lord of Israel and worship him alone.
Is the cross an offence to you? Do you see how Naaman saw grace as a thing to be purchased? For Naamna nad many the idea of the cross is an offence. We want to give to God something to pay him back for saving us or pay him something to save us. But what can we give? Naaman had enough to pay Elisha for several generations. However there was no healing till the place of obedience and faith that only God can heal and Naaman had just to take a bath. That was the hardest thing for Naaman, What is the hardest stumbling block for your faith today? Is it to trust in the completed work on the cross and could it as grace? Psalms 116:12 asks what shall we render unto God? When Jesus was asked about taxes he said give to Caesar what has his image on and give to God what has His image on. The Bible says we are created in the image of God.
Does the cross offend you? Does it hurt to say that you were a sinner destined to receive the wrath and punishment of God to its fullest? Does it hurt you to say that it was 0% your effort and it as 100% God who is responsible for your salvation (Ephesians 2:8)?
Come to the cross. You are a great sinner and there is a greater saviour. He is the water that washes over you. Isaiah 1:18 , 1 John 1:7 . This is the cross and those who come to it are saved.
Creator:Pieter De Grebber
English: Elisha (right) Refusing Gifts from Naaman Object type painting Date 1630
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