By Dustin Allman
Pastor, The Fort Church, Kingsport
Focal Passage: II Kings 5:1-14
Naaman is the story of one man’s miracle and how he was healed from leprosy. It’s not a long story, but it is rich and rewarding in its account. Naaman was a great man, but he had a great need!
If this happened today, there would be some kind of headlines in the Jerusalem media. “Syrian man healed by Israeli prophet!” It was especially unthinkable back then.
Naaman was a Syrian general and finds out there’s a God in Israel who can do things that his local gods couldn’t do. He discovered what a lot of us want to discover when we follow Jesus: This journey will cost something, but what he gets in exchange is eternally significant!
God loves to use ordinary means to accomplish eternal purposes. In this powerful narrative of faith, forgiveness, and healing, we also find a young, unnamed servant girl — most likely captured in a raid. She is the vessel God used to initiate a chain of events which led to Naaman’s miraculous healing from an incurable disease.
Allman
Elisha’s ministry included “previews of Jesus.” Jesus’ miracles were foretastes of the Kingdom to come. His miracles weren’t a violation of the laws of nature but the restoration of the laws of nature. We can’t forget we were spiritual lepers until Christ cleansed us from sin.
Naaman had expected royal treatment. Surely, Elisha would come out himself and deal with this! Naaman is important! But Elisha doesn’t come out. Naaman brought his chariots and horses expecting Elisha to wave his arms and cast a spell.
Elisha stays inside. We don’t know why. But Naaman is humiliated. Elisha sends a message to go wash in the Jordan seven times. Naaman is insulted, loses his temper and refuses.
To be healed, we must leave pride behind. It comes across as humiliating, embarrassing and pretentious. I imagine he’s thinking, “I’m a general! I’m not stooping that low. There’s a limit to my humility and that’s just too much.”
Following God requires humility. The gospel must humble us before it will heal us. Paul tells us many will stumble over the cross. Some will scoff at the message of a bloody cross while others will sing of it.
Unfortunately, many are still figuring out a way to save themselves without the cross.
His servants finally begged him to reconsider. He was left with no other options. This would be a sickness in which there was no cure. Dip or die. He dipped and was delivered!
He had been worshiping a local Syrian god named Rimmon. But he learned something about Rimmon that day: he may look fine sitting there in his shrine, but he’s not much good when it comes to leprosy. Naaman recognizes THIS GOD is different! THIS GOD of Israel HEALS!
In chapter 5:15, he calls himself Elisha’s servant, offers Elisha a gift offering confessing The One True God! That’s a shift in heart! Naaman, works out a way of worshiping this God. Then he prepares himself for the compromises he may encounter as soon as he gets back home. We may still have to live with the old world, but we are no longer at ease in it! We must remember we were made for another world where there is no sickness, fear or tears. B&R
