 Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 5:2-14 NASB95
Now the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. [3] She said to her mistress, “I wish that my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.” [4] Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus spoke the girl who is from the land of Israel.” [5] Then the king of Aram said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” He departed and took with him ten talents of silver and six thousand shekels of gold and ten changes of clothes. [6] He brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, “And now as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” [7] 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 is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But consider now, and see how he is seeking a quarrel against me.” [8] It happened when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Now let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” [9] So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots and stood at the doorway of the house of Elisha. [10] Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.” [11] But Naaman was furious and went away and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.’ [12] Are not Abanah 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. [13] Then his servants came near and spoke to him and said, “My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” [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. The story of Naaman makes several points concerning healing clear:
What an amazing story. Through the proxy of Elisha, a prophet of Israel, God healed Naaman. The method by which the healing took place was rather unorthodox. Elisha did not pray over Naaman; in fact, when Naaman came to the door of Elisha's house, Elisha did not even meet with Naaman. Instead, Elisha sent his servant to deliver some special instructions. Naaman was furious and probably frustrated. He was expecting Elisha to put on a show. Naaman was angry enough that he was not going to follow Elisha's instructions. Naaman's servant posed a question to Naaman: (My paraphrase) "Naaman would you rather have a show and die from leprosy or follow the instructions of the prophet and be healed?" Naaman decided he would humble himself and do as instructed. Down to the muddy Jordan River Naaman went to dip himself seven times. (What a crazy thing to do? Or maybe not...) Naaman was healed! We need to remind ourselves that God does not always work according a formula or as we expect Him to do. I also think that we need to realize that perhaps God wants to heal people who are not people of faith. God heals so that faith is birthed in the hearts of those that do not believe in him. In the case of Naaman, the intervention of God could not be denied. Questions to be Considered:
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