2 Kings 5

Introduction

How many Big-G gods are there?

Is He just the God over Christians or is He the God over everyone?

The story of Naaman, a Syrian, reminds us that God is God over everyone.

Outline

God directs Naaman toward healing.

vv. 1-7 - Naaman heard about a prophet in Samaria (northern Kingdom of Israel) that could cure his leprosy. He heard about from a slave girl who was from Israel. Naaman asked permission from his king and was allowed to go to Samaria to find healing. When the King of Israel heard that Naaman asked to be healed of leprosy, he thought it was impossible and that the King of Aram would hold it against him. The King of Israel thought that if Naaman couldn’t be healed in Israel, then Aram would consider it an insult and war would come.

How did God direct Naaman toward healing?

What is God’s providence? God’s working (often in secret) to carry out his good purposes.

God heals Naaman.

vv. 8-14 - Elisha heard that the King of Israel was upset and told the king to send Naaman to him. Naaman came and Elisha told him to go wash in the Jordan River seven times. If he did, he would be healed.

At first Naaman was upset because he expected some sort of ritual. He though Elisha would come out, call on God, wave his hand over the leprosy, and then he would be healed. He was angry and about to leave but his servants talked him into doing what Elisha asked.

Naaman went down and washed in the Jordan seven times and was healed. God used a little girl to send Naaman to Elisha and now his flesh was healed like the flesh of a little child.

God is the God of all people.

You must become like little children to enter the Kingdom of God.

Naaman worships God alone.

vv. 15-19 - After he was healed, Naaman knew that the God of Israel was the one true God. He offered Elisha a present but Elisha wouldn’t accept it. Instead Naaman gave two mules’ loads of earth (i.e., dirt) to build an altar as a sign that he would no longer makes offering to any other gods.

Naaman was healed by God and he worshipped God but he still had to go back home and serve a king that worshipped the false god, Rimmon. (‘Rimmon’ means ‘pomegranate’. The write of 2 Kings probably renamed this false god to make fun of it. The real name was ‘Rananu’ which meant ‘the thunderer’. This god was also known as Hadad and is usually identified as the same god as Baal.) But when Naaman’s king bowed to Rimmon, Naaman would be expected to bow in the house of Rimmon as well. Naaman asked Elisha if God would pardon him when he bowed with his king in the house of Rimmon. Elisha said, “Go in peace,” which meant that God would overlook Naaman’s bowing in the house of the false god as Naaman served his king.

As apart of his job, Naaman would have to bow in the house of Rimmon but Naaman bowed his heart to the one true God of Israel alone.

Do you think Naaman was doing the right thing by still bowing in the house of a false god? How do we make such a decision?

Gehazi becomes a leper.

vv. 20-27 - Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, thought that he would take the gift from Naaman if Elisha wouldn’t. So, he ran after Naaman and told a lie saying that two sons of the prophets showed up in need and Elisha had changed his mind about Naaman’s gift. With two talents of silver and some new clothes, Gehazi headed back to Elisha but hid the stuff along the way. When he went in to see Elisha, Elisha asked him where he had been and Gehazi told another lie saying that he had been nowhere. Elisha knew what Gehazi had done and said he and his descendents would be cursed with leprosy just as Naaman once had been. Leprosy turned the skin white, so Gehazi left Elisha presence a leper white as snow.

What are the ways that Gehazi lies?

In this case, lying leads to stealing.

What we do for God must be done for God’s glory not for selfish gain.

A man cannot serve two masters.