2 Kings 5:1-14

2 Kings 5:1-14

Moving on to 2 Kings 5 (yes, it is a new chapter!), the story shifts to a man from Syria. Naaman was a commander in the army of the king of Syria, and he was well respected by the Syrians and king. He had led Syria to victory over Israel (because God had granted the victory to Syria), and that victory elevated his status among his people. There was, however, a problem with Naaman. He was a leper. This awful skin disease, which marked Israelites as unclean, plagued Naaman, and he sought relief. Knowing of his condition, a young Israelite servant girl that Naaman had acquired ruing his battles told him that there was a prophet of God in Israel that could heal him. She believed in God’s power and knew that God spoke and worked through His prophets.


So Naaman prepared for a trip to Israel, hoping to find relief from his disease. He took with him a letter from the king of Syria asking the king of Israel to grant him healing. This story is a perfect example of why Israel had been created. God wanted Israel to be a light to the nations so that the surrounding nations would see that there was something different in Israel. This would then lead them to Israel’s God (the only God). But Israel’s unfaithfulness had distorted God’s plans, and they had not lived up to their potential. This young girl, however, recognized God’s power and because of her, Naaman set out to learn more.

The king in Israel, however, became upset with Naaman, knowing that he could not perform this miracle. He wondered why the king of Syria would ask such a ridiculous request of him and thought that it might be a set up of some type. When Elisha heard of the situation, he rebuked the king, reminding him that through God’s strength, the healing of Naaman was not impossible. So Elisha sent a messenger to Naaman with instructions on what he was to do cleanse himself of the leprosy. After washing himself 7 times in the Jordan River, he would find healing.

Naaman became upset with Elisha’s instructions. He was expecting more, something more miraculous. He did not want to have to physically do something. Furthermore, he did not understand why he could not cleanse himself in his own rivers (which were cleaner in his opinion). He was ready to walk away and continue to live in his sickness. Is this not a picture of the lost? They (do not forget that this was once us if we are believers) are given the answer to their problem, sin. They are told to trust in Jesus in order to find forgiveness and salvation. Yet, they want to do it on their own terms, find another way. They are not satisfied with God’s way and turn from Him living in their sin as they try to find healing through their own strength.

That is where Naaman was until his servants confronted him on the issue. They knew he had been given very simple and very specific instructions. All he had to do was obey those simple instructions, and he would be healed. Naaman eventually recognized his foolishness, went to the Jordan, and did exactly what Elisha had asked. In the same way, the Gospel really is quite simple. We do not really have to “do” anything. God tells us that if we believe on Him, that He sent His Son to die for our sins, that Jesus died and rose again from the dead conquering sin and death, and confess our faith in Him, then we can be saved. It is really that simple, and yet we make it so hard. We say that it is too easy or that God could never accept us. We try to fix our lives before we come to God or reject Him altogether. Like Naaman, many people turn from the truth and walk away. But unlike Naaman, there are many who never turn back. No one ever goes back to them to confront them on the issue. No one ever tries to share the Gospel with them again.

May this be a lesson for those of us who are Christians, that we do not give up on a person just because they reject Christ the first time. Continue to get to know those people, love them, and invest in their lives. Continue to share the Gospel with them. They may never come to know Christ, but what would happen if we gave up on them? There is only one way to salvation, and that is through Jesus Christ. There is a world out there that needs to hear it, and we are the ones that God chose to deliver the message.

Matt