MOTIVATE

I’ve had the privilege of preaching at several churches in 4 countries, extended teaching a handful of churches, but serving as a pastoral staff member at only 4 churches.

One unique experience at churches is what is known as “potluck.” There have been some great potlucks in my Christian life, but few surpass the experiences from down south. One church in Zebulon, NC used to love serving “Hot Reds.” Basically, they were hot dogs with red dye. When you boiled them, the water was blood red. It was a sight!

It reminds me of the end of 2 Kings 4 where Elisha travels to a church (sorta) with a potluck. And unfortunately, someone cooked a large pot of stew with wild gourds, unknowingly that they were poisonous. Apparently, some people eating it were getting sick and people warned Elisha not to eat because “there was death in the pot!”

So, Elisha instructs the cooks to throw some flour into the pot and miraculously cures the poison, so everyone can safely eat the stew.

In all, this was a picture of Israel. The nation was going about their life eating, drinking, and being merry, but not realizing that their life and worship was mixed in with the poison of idolatry. Their allegiance to misplaced priorities and their affections for improper relationships caused them to be severely separated from God, and on the path toward destruction. This leads to our text today where enemy nations experience the consequences of idolatry, and their only cure is unmerited grace.

EXAMINE    2 Kings 5

¹ Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor,

Naaman is gādôl – significant substance. He’s gādôl in position as a commander in the king’s army and gādôl in physical power as a mighty man of valor. Women swoon/Men salute.

but he was a leper.

Yet, Naaman was not gādôl in health.

• In OT times, leprosy was a dreaded disease ranging from mild skin rash to a deadly disease, something akin to how cancer is today.
  • Skin patch discoloration
  • Skin patch spread externally with oozing sores on body.
  • Tissue disintegrates to deform hands/feet.
  • Tumors appear with impact to internal organs and destroying nerve endings.
  • Also, highly contagious.
• Leprosy was so feared that anyone having the disease was banished from society and unfit to worship God.^[1] Leviticus 13:45-46 “The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, Unclean’. He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.”
• So, society understood Naaman to be a famed warrior – the best candidate to represent their nation. But, the reality was that the more you looked at Naaman and understood his circumstances, people discovered he was a wounded warrior, and unfit for office and rank.
• We also note the LORD’s sovereignty over nations. At times, God raised up enemy nations like Syria to discipline Israel. God’s judgments are not to pay us back for wrongs, but to bring us back in relationship.

² Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman’s wife.

War is always ugly. In ancient times, one of the consequences of war was enslavement or exile. So, a tragic victim of war was a little girl captured from her family and forced to serve the family of Naaman. Yet, we note that God is still weaving the story of redemption behind the scenes. 

³ She said to her mistress, “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

We hardly know anything about this little girl, but we see that she is undeterred in her faith. She could be bitter or wishing ill toward Naaman and family, but instead her resiliency leads her to stand out and speak up for God’s power through His prophet. She was able to see that healing cannot come from wealth, war, or revenge but in humbly seeking the LORD.

⁴ So Naaman went in and told his lord, “Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel.” ⁵ And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. ⁶ And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

Naaman requests his Syrian king (Ben-Hadad) to work diplomacy with Israel’s king (Joram) to employ their prophet for help and healing. Naaman must have been very important, because the king sends a massive gift: ~750lb of silver and ~110lb of gold^[2], with 10 changes of clothing (think royal or Oscar-wearing type outfits) = $3.5 million.[3]

And this is the typical response of the rich and powerful: seeking to buy what cannot be purchased. Riches cannot buy health or happiness. Power cannot fulfill a soul or force love. Before God, we all stand on level ground.   

Riches cannot buy health or happiness. Power cannot fulfill a soul or force love. Before God, we all stand on level ground. #2Kings5

⁷ And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.”

The Israelite king reads the letter and thinks it’s another ploy for more war and bloodshed. He knows enough faith-language to say that God gives life and takes it away, but he doesn’t want to get involved with how faith ministry intersects the lives of messy problems. The king only sees politics, while the prophet’s role is focused on a greater purpose.

⁸ But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

Elisha overhears the request and wonders why the king of Israel isn’t taking advantage of an opportunity to display the greatness and grace of God. He welcomes the conversation.

Have you ever noticed some people see problems as obstacles and others view them as opportunities? Israel’s king had seen God’s hand to defeat Baal’s prophets (1Ki 17), and defeat enemy Moabites (2Ki 3), and heard reports of Yahweh’s works to feed widows during a famine and resurrect the dead. Yet, the king lacks confidence because he’s worried about “what-ifs” instead of the “how great” of God. Christians often have a king’s mindset when they should have a prophet’s perspective.

Christians often have a king’s mindset when they should have a prophet’s perspective. #2Kings5

Elisha’s goal should be our goal as followers of Jesus: “that people know there is a Christian in our community.” We don’t want to arrogantly self-promote, but neither do we want to hide. We want our communities to say, “We may not agree with everything that church believes, but we’re glad that church exists in our community because they genuinely care and are serving tangible needs of our people.” That we are shining God’s light, so that “others may see our good works and give glory to God in heaven” (Mt 5:16); that there is “great joy in our city” because we’re providing help, healing, and hope (Ac 8:7-8).

⁹ So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. ¹⁰ And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.”

Naaman arrives on the scene with a herd of horses and chariot spectacle. Yet, Elisha doesn’t seem impressed. He sends a messenger to go speak to the army commander. Even more, Elisha’s instructions for healing were simplistic and insulting.

• Imagine, Mike Elias & Cal Ripken from Orioles or Eric DeCosta & LJ from Ravens / pull up in your driveway. Are you sending out the maid or even your child to greet them, or are you going out yourself?
• And Naaman’s probably like, “Elisha, You know I can see you inside your house; how dare you not come out to see me!”
• Further, Naaman knows his leprosy can swiftly worsen & wreck his body. So, being told to take a bath in the Jordan River appears offensive.

¹¹ But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. ¹² Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.

Rage = screaming, spitting, flinging hands, kicking things / everyone moving out of the way

¹³ But his servants [probably drew short straw / or maybe just wise enough to believe in LORD…] came near and said to him, “My father, it is a great [gādôl] word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” Maybe the prophet isn’t crazy… try it.

And this is a direct challenge to unbelievers. You hear Christians talk about “being saved,” “forgiven of sin,” “living a new life.” But you think: “It can’t be that simple. Don’t I need to pay money; or do some good works before I can be cleansed/healed?” OR you hear things that for whatever reason you can’t believe to be true. But there’s someone telling you: “Trust. Take the step of faith – and see if God will not open the windows of heaven and pour out blessing.”

Something is telling you: “Trust. Take the step of faith – and see if God will not open the windows of heaven and pour out blessing.” #2Kings5

So, if you’re not a believer in Christ yet, let me say very clear that God’s love is for you and forgiveness is available to anyone willing to trust the promise of God. A person doesn’t go to hell because of their sin but because of their self-righteousness. The good news is that Jesus loves sinners and it’s only sinners who can experience God’s grace. So, God can save anyone who admits their need for a Savior by repenting of sin, believing in the Jesus of the bible (not one made up with human bias), and commits to follow Jesus as Lord of life.  

¹⁴ So Naaman 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.

God’s promises are true. God’s word is faithful. You may get confused or frustrated with how circumstances God, but God will not fail you. “Everyone who believes in the Lord will not be put to shame” (Ro 10:11)

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 Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.

Grace always runs counter to human nature. If someone pays for our lunch, we want to pay for theirs the next time. If you’re in a drive thru and they say the person in front of you paid for your order, then you’re likely to be inclined to pay for the order behind you. And while it’s honorable to show gratitude, the reality is grace is opposed to being earned. Gratitude must be unaccompanied with a sense of guilt to repay; because the moment gratitude becomes transactional, we have ruined grace. So, we grow in grace and gratitude simply by being close to Jesus; and the overflow of that relationship will result in good works organically, not a formula of forced/required actions.

Gratitude must be unaccompanied with a sense of guilt to repay; because the moment gratitude becomes transactional, we have ruined grace. #2Kings5

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.

Naaman is still confused and wants soil samples, believing his miraculous healing is tied to the place.^[4] But God reminds us that worship is not tied to a location but anywhere in spirit and truth (Jn 4:24).

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.” You can almost hear the background noise climaxing in suspense – and the audience thinking, “Don’t do it Gehazi!”

 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. ²⁵ 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.

Gehazi is revealed as a fraud.

• He was greedy to seek reward for something he did not deserve.
• He lied about the request for money being for Elisha, when it was for himself.
• He concealed his greed and lies with more lies to Elisha – – but Elisha knew the truth.
• He manipulated God’s grace into a business transaction to a wealthy person rather than a free gift available to anyone, rich or poor.
  •  There’s a story about a daughter who traveled to Europe and found an elegant diamond-starred necklace, but the price was just as exquisite. She sent a text to her parents explaining her wishes and the cost. However, their text back was, “No, price too high!” However, autocorrect changed the message and left out the punctuation, so it read “no price too high!”^[5] While there was elation in Europe, there was angst by the parents. – – – Likewise, Gehazi clouded the clarity of the gospel message that Elisha preached with clothes & cash.
• Naaman’s outward leprosy could be healed because he was willing to be make it visible to God. However, Gehazi’s leprosy of heart metastasized and becomes a death sentence because he hid behind pride.

1Tim 6:9-10 “those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction . For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

APPLY/ TAKEAWAY

Naaman had a problem that could not be solved with money, or military strength, or legal power, or any human intellect. And God sent a cure through Elisha, but Naaman questioned it. At first, he didn’t really want to be cured, he wanted to be coddled.

Sometimes, when we are confronted with a spiritual solution to our problem, we doubt it will work and list all the possible excuses for why we can’t move forward. But God doesn’t budge. He waits. He stares. And He repeats the invitation to help, but it has to be on His terms and not yours.

• Jesus offers salvation.
• God offers wisdom and guidance.
• God’s Spirit offers profound peace amid pressures of life.
• Trusting God begins with open ears, humbled heart, and surrendered will.

Sometimes, when we are confronted with a spiritual solution to our problem, we doubt it will work and list all the possible excuses for why we can’t move forward. But God doesn’t budge. He waits. He stares. And He repeats the invitation to help, but it has to be on His terms and not yours.

@dave_dwb

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^[1] Chad Brand et al., eds., “Leprosy,” Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 1025.

^[2] J. Gary Millar, “1-2 Kings,” in 1 Samuel–2 Chronicles, ed. Iain M. Duguid, James M. Hamilton Jr., and Jay Sklar, vol. III, ESV Expository Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2019), 749.

[3] Amount noted by Skip Heitzig sermon on this passage.

^[4] Dale Ralph Davis, 2 Kings: The Power and the Fury, Focus on the Bible Commentary (Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 2005), 93.

^[5] Illustration adapted from Dale Ralph Davis, 2 Kings: The Power and the Fury, Focus on the Bible Commentary (Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 2005), 97.