WWUTT 509 With Faith Like a Child?

Faith Like a Child and the Introduction to Naaman

Jesus said that in order to enter the kingdom of God, we must become like children. We must have the faith of a child, dependent upon our Heavenly Father for everything, when we understand the text.

This is When We Understand The Text, a daily Bible commentary to help encourage your time in the Word. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday we feature New Testament Study, an Old Testament book on Thursday, and our Q &A on Friday.

Now here's your teacher, Pastor Gabe.

Thank you, Becky. We continue with our study of the book of 2 Kings. This week we're up to chapter 5. So last week when we were in chapter 4, we saw Elisha performing a series of miracles among the people of Israel, specifically those who had never bowed the knee to Baal.

God told Elijah, who was Elisha's mentor, that he would reserve for himself 7 ,000 in Israel who had not worshipped Baal and had not kissed him. In other words, their mouths had not sung the praises of this false god or prayed a prayer to him.

They had remained faithful to the Lord. And because of their faithfulness, God would show himself faithful to them. And Elisha went to them and performed these miracles. He had the miracle that was done for the widow to pay off her debts with the jars full of oil.

That was at the start of chapter 4. He promised the Shunammite woman a son, and she gave birth to a son. Then her son died, and Elisha raised him to life. Then there were those who ate a deadly and poisoned stew, and Elisha purified the stew and also gave them more food than they could even eat.

So God's showing his presence with these faithful people of Israel through these miracles that were performed by his prophet. So here what we're going to get to in chapter 5 is we will not only see that God is God over Israel, but he is also God over foreigners.

We saw Elisha perform miracles among the Israelites, and now we are going to see Elisha perform a miracle for a foreign man named Naaman. 2 Kings 5, verse 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. Now it's significant here that when we're introduced to Naaman at the start of this chapter, he's described twice here in this first verse as being a mighty or a great man.

That's significant, and we'll understand why as the story goes on here. Notice that it says the Lord had given him victory. It doesn't say who he was victorious over. It was likely the Israelites. We read in 1 Kings 22 about how the Syrians were successful over the Israelites.

We know they were in conflict, and it's likely the Israelites that Naaman had success over. It just doesn't mention that in the text. That would be speculative, but nonetheless, they were the dominant enemy over Israel at this particular time.

The Lord had given success and victory to Naaman. Typically, whenever a foreign nation had been successful, they would claim the success had gone to their false gods. But here, as part of the narrative, we know that the only way even a foreign enemy would be successful over Israel is if God had given them the victory, particularly as a judgment against Israel.

So that's why Naaman had been successful in his military campaign. So we go on here in verse two. Remember that he's a great man, but he's a leper. Verse two. 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.

She said to her mistress, would that my Lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria. He would cure him of his leprosy. So Naaman went in and told the Lord thus, and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel.

And the king of Syria said, go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel. So again, Naaman has this little servant girl which came from Israel, and she has mentioned the prophet Elisha. If Naaman had gone to the prophet Elisha, he would cure him of his leprosy.

So Naaman goes to the king of Syria and says, is this all right? I know that Israel is our enemy, but the king says, I'll send a letter to the king of Israel. And that's to suggest that he may receive you, and you can go see this prophet who will heal you of your leprosy.

So he went, taking with him 10 talents of silver and 6 ,000 shekels of gold and 10 changes of clothing. Now, 10 talents of silver is actually more than 6 ,000 shekels of gold, at least in weight. But 6 ,000 shekels of gold is more in value.

As a matter of fact, it is worth a year's wages among 600 common men combined. That is a significant value of gold. So this is how much Naaman's health means to him, that he would be cured of this leprosy, that he would pay such a great price for this miracle to be done for him.

Elisha Sends Naaman to Wash in the Jordan

So verse 6, 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. 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 was seeking a quarrel with me. So it's like he's asking me for something so absurd that I can't even deliver, so that I will have to say no, that way the king of Syria will make war with me over this refusal for this request.

And so that's why the king is lamenting so over this. And notice that he says here in verse 7, am I God to kill and to make alive? So the king of Israel recognizes that the power to heal a man of a disease such as leprosy is as miraculous as if somebody were to bring the dead back to life.

The two are really quite equal. So to heal a serious disease such as this would be the same as if you were able to raise the dead. And of course, we see Jesus and his apostles doing that very thing in the New Testament.

They're not only healing diseases, but they are also raising the dead to life, showing the power of God in these men, well, in Christ, of course, because he is God, but then also in his apostles, so that it would be recognized that the message that they carry is from God himself.

So Elisha also has been gifted with this ability to not only cure a person of their disease, but also to raise the dead. And so Naaman has faith based on the testimony of this little girl, that Elisha will be able to cure him of his leprosy.

And so he was merely asking for permission to enter into Israelite territory, considering that he is a well-known military general, so that he might find Elisha and be cured of this disease. But even the king of Israel noticed he does not even have the kind of faith that Naaman has.

He's not even aware that what Naaman is asking for is to visit with this prophet of God. But when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, this Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.

Elisha's response to him is basically, why are you being so dramatic? You should know exactly what it is that he is requesting and who can fulfill this request for him. Am I not the prophet of God? And so he requests for Naaman to come to him.

So verse nine, so Naaman came with his horses and chariots. He has entered into Israel like a general, showing greatness and his own importance as he comes before this prophet. He comes to the door of Elisha's house, and there he stood.

Verse 10, and Elisha sent a messenger to him. Now we're meant to recognize the contrast here. He rides up in chariots. He's got his entourage with him, and there he stands before the door of Elisha and expects to be able to meet with this man personally.

I'm important enough that I should have a personal audience with Elisha. But how does Elisha respond to Naaman? Elisha sent a messenger to him, even though he stood there at the door of his house saying, go and wash in the Jordan seven times and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.

But Naaman was angry and he 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.

Are not Abana and Farpar 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. So he's pitching a fit now, just like the king of Israel had pitched a fit.

So Naaman is upset that instead of Elisha performing a miracle by waving his hand like he would expect a magician to do, one of the pagan magicians to wave their hand and perform some great sign or wonder.

Instead of that, what Elisha told him to do was go do a ritual cleansing in the Jordan River, because according to the law of Moses, Naaman was unclean because of his leprosy. So go to the Jordan, wash seven times and then you will be healed.

Now, numbers actually have some significance in the Bible. Numerology is the study of numbers in the Bible, which are often symbolic. So for example, the number seven is the number of perfection or completion.

So for Naaman to cleanse himself seven times in the waters of the Jordan would be to perfect his flesh from the disease that it presently has. So there's even a significance to this number that Elisha has given to Naaman as to how much he is supposed to cleanse himself.

He should dunk himself in the river seven times in order to be cleansed. For seven is the number of God. And Naaman is a pagan who has worshipped false gods. And so by doing this, he is displaying his faith in the true God that he would obey the man of God, the prophet of God, Elisha.

So Naaman, of course, doesn't quite understand what it is that's been said to him. He expects to receive a little bit more respect and honor from Elisha than he's gotten. So he's storming off in a rage.

But verse 13 says 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? He has actually said to you, wash and be clean. So Naaman is so self-absorbed that he did not even hear what it was Elisha said to him.

He wanted to be treated with importance. He wanted Elisha to come out and wave his hand and just be clean. Instead, he has to go do this ritual symbolic thing in the Jordan River in Israel rather than going back to his fresher waters in Damascus.

But the servants heard what it was that Elisha said. They were so greatly encouraged by it that they went back to their master and said, didn't you hear? He said, if you wash, you'll be clean. So Naaman gave in.

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. Now, I said to you that at the start of this story, Naaman is described as a great and a mighty man.

And he has this servant girl from Israel that is working for him who says to him that he needs to go to the prophet of God and be clean. So then once he has dunked himself in the Jordan River seven times, it says his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child.

Well, the phrase that's used in Hebrew for little child is actually a play off of the Hebrew phrase for little girl. It's just like the phrase that we saw to describe the little girl earlier in the chapter, but with a slight variation to it.

So it's not it doesn't exactly translate as little girl. But somebody who is reading this in Hebrew would identify the contrast. This great and mighty man of valor had to become like a child in his faith in order to be cleansed in the Jordan.

He had to become like the little girl who told him to go see the man of God. She had the faith and he did not. And he listened to her. And with faith in God, like a child, he was cleansed and restored of his leprosy.

In Matthew 18, the disciples came to Jesus and said, who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called to him a child and he put him in the midst of them and said, truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children like this child, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. In other words, a child cannot do anything without the care of their parents. And so Jesus is saying that you must realize you can do nothing without the love and care of your benevolent heavenly father.

You must be dependent upon him for everything. And Naaman even demonstrates this in the story when he when he listened to the word of the man of God and he obeyed it. And he humbled himself in the Jordan River, not exalting himself in his own lands, but humbled himself in what he considered to be a dirtier river, a land that was not as glorious as his own and did what a prophet of God commanded him to.

And then with the faith of a child, he was cleansed of his leprosy. His flesh became like the faith of the little girl who told him to go talk to the prophet of God. I love this story. I just think I just think it's absolutely beautiful and a reminder to me constantly to humble myself before God and know and know that I can do nothing without him.

I must be fully dependent upon my savior for forgiveness and the cleansing of my sins, which is given to me by the washing of water through the word and the Holy Spirit that has been placed in my heart by Jesus Christ who poured his spirit upon me.

What a gorgeous story and what a great savior. Verse 15. Then Naaman returned to the man of God, he and all of 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.

Naaman’s Confession of the God of Israel

So now look at look at how this man has been given faith. He knows that the only God is God in Israel, no longer even interested in his pagan gods. They've never done anything. Even when he gave celebration to those pagan gods for his military success, there is only one God who has ever shown himself to be real and true, and that is the God of Israel who has cleansed Naaman.

He knows that. So he says there is no God in all the earth but in Israel. He knows and is praising the name of God. And then he says, So accept now a present from your servant. So here he was going to give the riches that he came with.

But Elisha said, verse 16, As the Lord lives before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it, but he refused. And 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. In this matter, may the Lord pardon your servant when my master goes into the house of Ramon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow myself in the house of Ramon when I bow myself in the when I bow myself in the house of Ramon.

The Lord pardon your servant in this matter. And he said to him, Go in peace. Now, the house of Ramon is a temple to Baal. It's just a different name for Baal, the thunder God. And so whenever Naaman has to go into the temple with the king of Syria, the king's going to expect him to bow and he should.

But Naaman is asking that the man of that the man of God appeal to God for him and that he would be pardoned because of having to do this thing. Naaman is saying, I'm not bowing to this false God. I'm not doing it, but I have to serve my master.

So may the Lord pardon me and know that my heart is not actually for this false God because I don't even believe he's real. I'm giving praise to the God in Israel. And so when Elisha says in verse 19 to go in peace, it's to say the peace of God will be upon you.

You will not be struck down because your heart is not bowing before this false God. So when Naaman had gone from him a short distance, verse 20, Gehazi, remember Gehazi? He was Elisha's servant, 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. 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.

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.

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 he laid them on two of his servants and they carried them before Gehazi.

So Naaman was more than happy to give his gift. That's what he wanted Elisha to take. So he was ecstatic to hear Gehazi come back to him and say, oh, hey, by the way, we do need a little bit of silver for two sons of the prophets.

And Naaman's like, well, sure, I'll give you double what it is that you that you have asked for. He was more than willing to give talents, believing that he was serving God by giving to Gehazi what it was that he gave him.

Gehazi's being dishonest in this case, not Naaman. Verse 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. 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. But Elisha 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?

Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever. So Gehazi went out from his presence, a leper like snow. Gehazi forgot the Lord, his God in the midst of this and sought to try to make himself rich.

I mentioned to you when we started our study of first and second Kings, that there were numerous references in these two books to the book of Deuteronomy. And this is actually one of those times when we see in the heart of Gehazi that he has forgotten the law of God.

When God said through Moses in Deuteronomy chapter six, verse 10, and when the Lord, your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob to give you with great and good cities that you did not build and houses full of all good things that you did not fill and cisterns that you did not dig and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant.

Notice that Elisha mentioned olive orchards and vineyards here. When you receive all of these things from God, take care lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt and out of the land of, out of the house of slavery.

It is the Lord, your God, you shall fear him. You shall serve. And by his name, you shall swear. And Elisha forgot the Lord, his God, and tried to cash in when he saw Naaman come with all of these treasures, which Elisha didn't take.

Boy, he was just watering at the mouth, had to have some of it. And so came up with this line to try to get just a, just a portion, just a small amount of what it was that Naaman came with. And he was struck with a curse and his whole household as a result.

So may the Lord keep our hearts from being led astray by all of the, the wealth and abundance that we see in the world around us. The desire for that wealth to try to compromise our values, our, our righteousness, just a little bit so we can have a little bit of that wealth.

May it not be. May the Lord keep our hearts steadfast and our eyes fixed heavenward and our longing for the things of Christ. Lord, forgive us our sins and keep our hearts faithful. We pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Gehazi’s Greed and the Curse of Leprosy

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