2 Kings: Wash and Be Clean

SERMON TITLE: 2 Kings: Wash and Be Clean

TEXT: 2 Kings 5:1-27 (ESV)

SPEAKER: Josh Hanson

DATE: 11-5-23

TURN MIC ON / WELCOME

As always it’s a joy to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And there’s one thing I want you to know — and this is true if you’re worshiping with us for the first time or are joining us at our North Main Campus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.

SERIES INTRO

We’re continuing our Finding Jesus series this weekend. This is a series where I introduce you to a book of the Bible that you may or may not be familiar with. I’ll give you an overview of the book — followed by a closer look at a particular section of it. And then — and this is what I hope will be most helpful — each week I’ll show you how to find Jesus. I’ll show you how to find the one story the whole Bible is telling — the story of Jesus. Because the whole Bible is ultimately pointing us to him.

And in this iteration of our Finding Jesus series — we’re looking at the books in the Old Testament referred to as the history section. You see — what these books have in common — is that they cover historical events in the life of God’s people. Some of the books cover hundreds of years while others cover a brief period of time — but — together — they tell the history of God’s people. And — today — we’ll be looking at the book of Second Kings. So — if you have your Bible — please turn with me to Second Kings chapter five.

In previous weeks we’ve looked at the books Joshua, Judges, Ruth, First and Second Samuel and First Kings and — this evening and next week — we’ll finish up this series for this year by looking at 1st and 2nd Chronicles.

And — early next year — Lord willing — we will complete our journey through the entire Old Testament. And — on our website — you can search for our Finding Jesus series where you’ll find one sermon on every book in the Old Testament, discover what each of the books are about, and learn how to find Jesus in each of the books. And I hope that you’ll grow to know and love these books and spend time in them — finding Jesus — and the joy that’s found only in him.

BACKGROUND OF SECOND KINGS

Now — let’s take some time to get our bearings in the book of Second Kings — and I hope you’ll see that this is a book you’ll want to go read for yourself.

First, what do we know about Second Kings? We covered this last week — so we’ll do a brief recap for any who weren’t with us. Who’s the author? We don’t know. When was the book written? Most likely during the Babylonian exile some time after 561 BC. What time period does the book cover? Roughly between the years 970 to 560 BC.

Now — it’s important for all of us to understand what’s happened in the history of God’s people leading up to the events in our book. God’s people — after being rescued out of Egypt — are led by Moses to the border of the Promised Land. They sent spies into the land to check out their new home — but the majority of the spies gave a report that caused alarm resulting in the Israelites distrusting that God would fulfill his promise to them. So — instead of entering into the Promised Land — the people wander in the wilderness for forty years until an entire generation dies. Moses — along with Joshua and Caleb — the two spies who trusted in God’s promise — arrive again at the border of the Promised Land — this time with the next generation of Israelites. But Moses’ time on earth had come to an end and God appoints Joshua to be the leader of the Israelites.

Under Joshua’s leadership, the Israelites enter and conquer the Promised Land — which we looked at in the book named after Joshua a few weeks ago. After Joshua — there was a brief period of the people faithfully serving and worshiping the One true God. But then we came to the book of Judges which contains the history of the people turning their backs on God — they commit apostasy again and again. Yet God — demonstrating his love and faithfulness to his people — raises up judges who act as saviors for his people. Delivering them from the consequences of their rebellion. These judges turn the people back to God again and again.

And — it’s during the time of the judges — that the story of Ruth takes place. A love story of an outsider welcomed into the family of God. And the book of Ruth ends by telling us that the son born to her — would have a descendant who would be king of God’s people.

Back in the book of Judges there’s a recurring phrase — “in those days there was no king in Israel” — foreshadowing that a kingship was to come. And the books of First and Second Samuel record the transition between the time of the judges to the time of the monarchy.

Samuel is a prophet of God who’s called by God to anoint the first king of Israel — his name is Saul. Things don’t turn out well for Saul — he’s a proud man who refuses to repent of his rebellion and sin so God removes his anointing from Saul and tells Samuel to go to the house of Jesse to anoint Israel’s next king — whose name is David. And the books of Samuel record the lives of the first two kings of Israel — which leads us to the content of our book — Second Kings — and its companion — First Kings.

OVERVIEW OF SECOND KINGS

First Kings begins by covering the end of David’s life and then records the history of David’s son — Solomon’s reign as king of Israel. Solomon is the last king to reign over a unified nation for — his son Rehoboam — will make a foolish decision which results in a split. The nation of Judah is formed with Jerusalem as its capital and has the descendants of David as its king — whereas the nation of Israel goes it separate way — with Samaria its eventual capital and Israel will have a long list of evil men as its kings.

We left off last week having mentioned that this time period — in the history of God’s people — is when the role of the prophet becomes really important. And we meet some of these prophets in the books of the kings. The main role of the prophets was to 1) Speak on behalf of God, 2) Make sure the king and the people remember the covenants, 3) Call out idolatry and injustice, and 4) Call the king and people to repentance. The prophets had the Law of God — the writings of Moses — in mind as they fulfilled their role.

The two main prophets — that we encounter in the books of kings — are Elijah and Elisha — they serve in the northern kingdom — Israel. You may be familiar with Elijah because of his encounter with the evil king Ahab and his wife, Jezebel. The king and his wife had led the people into gross idolatry — particularly the worship of Baal. And — there’s this amazing encounter between Elijah and the prophets of Baal — where God rains down fire to prove that he was the true God — not Baal — and that Elijah was his prophet.

As Elijah’s time on earth comes to an end — he hands off his responsibilities to Elisha. Elisha asks for a blessing — to have a double anointing of what Elijah had. And — as if to make this clear — the author of the books of Kings — records seven miraculous acts performed at the hands of Elijah and fourteen miracles performed by Elisha. This takes us through the first eight chapters of our book — Second Kings.

In chapters nine through seventeen you’ll find king after king, conspiracy after conspiracy, betrayal after betrayal in the northern kingdom. The nation of Israel never recovers — if you remember — only evil kings in this nation — leading to the nation’s eventual defeat by the Assyrians and the people being sent into exile. So the northern kingdom is no more.

In chapter seventeen we find out why God allowed the nation of Israel to be destroyed — and it all goes back to the role of the prophet. Israel is destroyed because of its 1) idolatry, 2) injustice, and 3) its covenant unfaithfulness. The kings and the people would not listen to the prophets God had sent to call them to repentance and to turn back to him.

The final chapters of the book — chapters eighteen through twenty-five — focus on the nation of Judah — the southern kingdom — and its eventual demise. Remember, this nation does have some good kings — like Hezekiah and Josiah — but Judah has some horrific kings — like Manasseh — who introduces idolatry and even child sacrifice. Other prophets arise at this time — most notably the prophet Isaiah among others — who call the kings of Judah to repentance. Yet — though there were a few good kings — the evil kings eventually lead the nation so far from God that it too is conquered — this time by the Babylonians. And the book ends with the people of God being led to go live in exile in Babylon. And this all leads us — the readers — to wonder if this is it for God’s people. Have they finally gone so far that God’s done with them? Is it time for a do-over?

MAIN PASSAGE

And — with that as a cliffhanger — we’ll turn to the passage we’ll be exploring more closely. Hopefully you’ve had time to find Second Kings chapter five — we’ll begin in verse one.

2 Kings 5:1–27 (ESV)

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, but he was a leper. 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. 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.” 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.” 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.” 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.” 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.” 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. 13 But his servants came near and said to him, “My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said 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. 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 he said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused. 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. 18 In this matter may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon your servant in this matter.” 19 He said to him, “Go in peace.” But when Naaman had gone from him a short distance, 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.” 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.

WASH AND BE CLEAN

So there are a couple of individuals who are key in our story. You’ve got Naaman — a general in the army of foreign invaders who will eventually destroy the nation of Israel. You’ve got Elisha — one of the prophets I mentioned earlier. And — finally — there’s Gehazi — Elisha’s servant.

The story is straightforward. Naaman has leprosy — and through an Israelite servant girl who worked for his wife — he learned of a prophet in this girl’s homeland who could heal his disease. He tells his boss — the king of Syria — and the king sends a letter to the king of Israel basically saying, “Here’s payment for the healing of my servant Naaman.”

This greatly disturbed the king because he’s not the one able to cure people of leprosy. I’m not sure if the Syrian king misunderstood the servant’s girls instructions or where things got mixed up — but the king of Israel is some serious hot water. If Naaman isn’t healed — this will mean serious trouble — thus the whole tearing of his clothes.

But Elisha hears about all of this and tells the king of Israel not to worry. “Tell the guy to come to me — everything’s gonna be OK.” So Naaman goes to Elisha and is seriously unimpressed with this prophet of God. Elisha doesn’t even come out to meet him — how rude! And he’s told to go wash seven times in the muddy, ugly Jordan River — doesn’t this prophet know that the rivers of Syria are so much nicer?

Well — after some wise advice from his servants — Naaman concedes — washes in the Jordan — and is healed of his leprosy. And Naaman makes a profound statement of faith.

2 Kings 5:15b (NLT)

15b “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.”

And it all looks like a “and they lived happily ever after” kind of ending. Elisha refuses the gifts that Naaman offers to him and — instead blesses him with the words, “Go in peace.”

None of this sits well with Elisha’s servant — Gehazi — who — thinking he was being sneaky — rushes after Naaman and makes up a story about Elisha changing his mind about the gifts. And — because of his greed — not only he — but Gehazi’s descendants — were cursed with leprosy.

FINDING JESUS

The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record a moment in Jesus’ life where he’s approached by someone with the same skin disease that Naaman had — leprosy. Here’s what we read in Matthew’s gospel.

Mark 1:40–45 (NLT)

40 A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said. 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” 42 Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed. 43 Then Jesus sent him on his way with a stern warning: 44 “Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.” 45 But the man went and spread the word, proclaiming to everyone what had happened. As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and he couldn’t publicly enter a town anywhere. He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to him.

According to a first century historian, someone with leprosy was considered a walking corpse — so curing someone with leprosy was the equivalent of raising them from the dead — because there was no cure.

And if someone discovered they had the disease, they’d immediately become an outcast of society. They’d have to yell “Unclean, unclean, unclean” so people would know not to get near them because — to touch a leper — was to become unclean yourself. So lepers were kicked out of the towns and villages — forced to live in desolate places — away from all the clean people.

To make things worse, the disease was considered to be punishment from God because of a sin you committed — so not only was a person a physical outcast — they were a spiritual outcast as people would wonder what sin they must’ve done to deserve such a punishment.

So when this leper came to Jesus — he’s breaking all kinds of rules. He comes into the city, which was a big no, no. And the leper approaches Jesus and begs to be healed — putting Jesus — and everyone around him — at risk of getting the disease — of becoming unclean.

And what does Jesus do? Jesus doesn’t say, “Get away from me.” He doesn’t even just say, “Be clean.” What does He do? He reaches out to the man, touches him, and then says, “Be clean.”

To touch a leper was to make yourself unclean — but not for Jesus. In touching the leper, Jesus makes the unclean man clean. He heals him. He raises him from the dead.

We’re told that Jesus “was moved with compassion.” And Jesus’ compassion — his pity, his love, his great affections for this man — compelled him to reach out with his hand, touch him — and say, “Be clean.”

And — if you read the gospels — you’ll find Jesus — because of his compassion towards people — healing many who are sick. Jesus even said that he came to our world not to call those who think they’re healthy, but he came for those who know they’re sick and need someone who can heal their soul — who need someone to make them clean.

Naaman was cleansed of his leprosy by washing in a river — though he didn’t like what he was first told — eventually he took a prophet of God at his word. But this leper — and all who cry out, “If you are willing, heal me and make me clean” — will have Jesus come to them and touch them and wash them clean from all their sin and shame.

CONCLUSION: A MOST TIMELY MESSAGE

As you know, on Tuesday the citizens of our state will vote on whether or not to make abortion a constitutional right. Abortion is an atrocious sin where — like some of the kings of Israel and Judah’s past — where we sacrifice the lives of our children on the altar of “so called” freedom. I say “so called” freedom because the freedom abortion promises ends up becoming a prison and enslavement like few other sins of our day.

And I say this knowing that there are women among us who chose to abort a child and men among us who have forced a woman to have an abortion. I also know that there are women among who were forced to have an abortion and men among us who did not want your child to be aborted. And — if this is you — I want you to know that just as Jesus was gracious towards this man with leprosy — and just as he was compassionate towards many who we read of in the gospels — know that Jesus is willing to heal you and make you clean. The scars — physical, relational, emotional, spiritual — may not go away fully in this life — but Jesus will reach out and touch you with scarred hands — scars that are proof of his love for you.

Romans 8:1 ESV

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

No condemnation — period — no condemnation no matter our past — for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Yet we are blessed as citizens of our country to be able to vote on this matter. And — for followers of Jesus — there is no debate on this issue. There is no theological wiggle room. There is no pragmatic reasoning to be had. Jesus is the Lord of Life and Satan is the one who delights in murder. So — to follow Jesus — is to vote “no” on this proposed amendment. To follow Jesus isn’t to sit idly by in this moment in our state’s history.

But — we vote — without our hope being in politicians, the political process, and not even in how this vote goes. Jesus is for life — today — and he will be for life once all the votes are counted. This is why so many of you showed up to support the Women’s Resource Center at their annual fundraiser in August. Nearly thirty percent of those in attendance were from this church. Gateway — I’m so thankful for you making it obvious that we are a church that is for life. And us being for life is why the elders blessed the Women’s Resource Center with a gift of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars a little over a month ago. And that fact that we’re a church that is for life is why your elders set aside one hundred thousand dollars for scholarships for families in our church — or an affiliated church — who adopts a child within Ohio.

So get out and vote — but just as importantly — let’s demonstrate that we are a church that is for life. Who will adopt a child? Who will come alongside these families to be aunts, uncles, and grandparents? Who will volunteer at Women’s Resource Center, or City Mission, or Chopin Hall, or the many other partners we have here in Findlay who are helping our community be for life? Gateway the time is now — Jesus has placed us here in this community — to hear the cries of those who are desperate, who are hurting, who feel like an outcast, who think of themselves as unclean — he has placed us here and now so that we are so moved by his compassion for them — that we say, “I am willing, Jesus, to reach out and be your hands who will bring healing and hope to those who are hurting.” Let’s pray together.

BENEDICTION (Prayer teams available)

Heavenly Father, you are the Creator of life. If not for your Word — none of us would exist. You breathed life into us — in creating us — and by the power of your Spirit — your breathe new life into all who believe in your Son. You are life and you are for life — all life.

Spirit of God, you wash us with the Word — you wash us by applying the blood of Christ as the payment for our sins — you wash us and make us born again — not giving us skin like a baby — like what happened to Naaman on the outside — but you give us new hearts — like you did to Naaman evidence by his profession of faith. Spirit, may you wash all who feel unclean. Who feel untouchable. Who look at their past and see sorrow and pain either of their own choice or by the choice of others. Spirit you can do this — you’ve promised to do this washing — so wash your people — make us clean — make us pure.

And — Jesus — we can ask these requests in confidence because our hope is in you. The one who has compassion towards us. The one who reaches out to touch us with scarred hands of love — love that cost you your life — a life of infinite value — a life you chose to give — so that we’d choose life — choose to be pro-life — for more to receive the promise of there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. May more receive this promise. We pray this in your name. Amen.

God loves you. I love you. You are sent.