03.40. Naaman's Preparation for His Journey

Naaman’s Preparation for His Journey The pathetic sigh of the Israelitish maiden, "Oh that my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria!" produced its effect. It is surprising what important results may ensue from a passing and accidental word, be it spoken by whom it may, if only accompanied with the Divine blessing. How could it have entered the mind of this little foreigner in Damascus, to attach such importance to a wish thus uttered by her simplicity! yet what a succession of glorious events gradually proceeded from it! And why did they proceed from it, but because the great Being, who governs all things, designed that thus it should be? Through his own overruling wisdom and goodness it was made a means of shattering the strong holds of heathenism, and of wresting from Satan a portion of his power: and, indeed, who can say in how many other ways this apparently trivial event was to effect good in the world, even unto this day! It may serve, at least, to remind us how valuable is the least connection with any one who is at all connected with that church of God, which is appointed by Himself to be a blessing in the world. His servants are the salt of the earth, and their very words are not uttered in vain. How agreeable will be their surprise, when the Lord shall hereafter discover to them the beautiful plants that, under his blessing, have sprung up in stillness and obscurity from the good seed, which they, by their words and actions, had unconsciously scattered! Then they will perceive that they have not lived in vain with regard to others, and that "their works," which no stream of time can sweep into oblivion, shall "follow them" into eternity. On Mount Caucasus, in Georgia, there is a people, anciently known by the name of Iberians, who in the early part of the fourth century, when all around them was spiritual and moral darkness like the shadow of death, became possessed of the blessings of the gospel in the following remarkable manner. The Iberians having been successfully at war with a neighboring people, among whom Christianity had gained some ground, brought away a young captive Christian maiden, and sold her into slavery. The child was purchased by a reputable family, who as little suspected, as did Naaman’s wife, the value of the purchase they had made. For the maiden was a vessel of Divine mercy, and profusely as her tears might have been shed in secret, she found consolation in her Savior: and quietly and willingly performed all, and even more, than was required of her. By her obliging disposition and great fidelity, which were rare qualities among the Iberians, she soon acquired the confidence and affection of those around her.

It one day happened that, according to the custom of the country, a sick child was carried about the neighborhood from door to door, in hope that some one might be able to suggest a remedy for its disease. But none could render the least assistance, and most people wondered that any hope of the child’s recovery should be entertained; so that the poor parents, with their dying infant, proceeded on their melancholy round with increasing despondency and fear. At length it occurred to them to show the child to the amiable stranger; they thought it possible that in her country a cure for its complaint might be known, with which she might be acquainted; and as no other resource appeared, it was resolved upon as a last resort. The bed was immediately carried to the house where Nunnia, the Christian maid, lived as a domestic slave. On hearing their desire, she remarked, with some embarrassment, that she was but a poor girl, and quite unable to advise them; but, she added, with a smiling countenance, I could direct you to One, who is not only able to restore the child to health, but who, were it already dead, can even recover it to life. The afflicted parents eagerly inquiring who the person was, and where he might be found, she replied, "He is a great and mighty Lord, who fills the throne of heaven, but he willingly humbles himself to those who seek him, and he is all compassion and love." They implored her to fetch him. The maiden immediately retired to bow her knees before her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom she prayed, "Manifest thyself, O Lord, for thine own glory; show thyself, and grant thy help!" And on returning to the child with the joyful assurance in her heart that the Lord had heard her petition, lo, the child opened its eyes, smiled, and was restored! In a transport of joy the happy parents returned home with their treasure, and related to every one they met, what a great and glorious event had taken place. But to Him who had wrought this miraculous cure, the honor was not ascribed; it was given exclusively to the little slave, whom they now regarded as a supernatural being. The report flew quickly through the country, and soon reached the ears of the queen, who not long afterwards herself becoming sick, thought immediately of the little slave. She sent messengers to request that she would visit her; but Nunnia declined the invitation; for she was greatly distressed that they should persist in ascribing to her an honor that belonged to her Lord alone. The queen, however, determined to visit her in person, and ordered herself to be conveyed to the house where Nunnia served. The maiden was greatly affected at seeing her. She prayed again, and the queen likewise returned home in health. Miraus, the king, was overjoyed when he saw his beloved consort return in health, and made instant preparations to send the richest and most costly presents to her, who was thought to have performed so great a miracle. But the princess dissuaded it, assuring him that it would afflict the mysterious child, for that she despised all earthly wealth, and could only be rewarded for her services by their worshipping her own God with her. The king was not a little astonished; but the circumstance made, for the present, no further impression upon his mind. Upon the whole, it appears that the flash of celestial light which these two extraordinary cures had brought into the darkness of Iberia, produced at this period no lasting effects. It happened, however, not very long afterwards, that the king being on a hunting party, and following his game with unusual ardor, lost himself in the depths of a wood. In this situation he was surprised by a dense fog, which quite separated him from his train, and every effort to extricate himself only served to entangle him more in the solitary wilderness. Evening approached, and his embarrassment became extreme. He sounded his horn, but the answer he received was from the echoes of the surrounding cliffs, which increased his feeling of loneliness. It was now he remembered what the foreign maiden had said of the power of her great, invisible King, whose throne and habitation were on high, but who was everywhere present with those that sought him. If this be true, thought Miraus, what is there to prevent his appearing for me? As the thought arose, he bent his knee in the solitary wilderness, and prayed, "O Thou whom the stranger calls her God! Jesus, if thou art, and art almighty, O show it now, and recover me out of this perplexity! If thou openest for me a way of escape, my heart, my life, and all that I have shall be thine." The words were no sooner uttered than the dark mist began to disperse, the heavens appeared serenely blue, and the astonished king, having proceeded a few steps, regained his track, and recognized the place where he was. He returned home in safety, but deeply affected. He related his adventure to his queen, and they no longer doubted that the God of the little slave was the living and true God, for they had experienced and felt him to be so. The next morning they repaired to Nunnia; for they thought that she before all others ought to hear what great things had come to pass. With considerable emotion the king related also to her the wonderful event, and then both the king and the queen kindly took the maiden by the hand, and entreated her to tell them more of Jesus. From that moment the royal pair were seen sitting like teachable children at the feet of the lowly slave, and Nunnia proclaimed to them, with unaffected simplicity, all that she herself knew of her Savior and of his wonderful works. They listened to her words with avidity, and their hearts melted and burned within them. Nor was it long before a still more interesting sight presented itself; for both the king and the queen thought that they could not confer a greater benefit on their people, than by proclaiming to them the blessed gospel which informed them of God, as having been manifest in the flesh. The king therefore preached to the men, and the queen to the women and maidens; the Lord blessed the message, and the people received the good word with gladness. Jesus entered the hearts, as well as the habitations, of these savage hordes, and a new creation sprung up in the gloom of their moral desolation. On the ruins of their idolatrous altars were erected cheerful Christian edifices, which loudly resounded with the praises of Him, who also here had searched for his own sheep, and sought them out. Among the descendants of this people in our days, the Spirit of life has again begun to breathe. Active and anointed messengers have again displayed among them the standard of the cross, and the most gratifying proofs are increasingly exhibited, that the grace which planted this vineyard in so wonderful a manner fifteen hundred years ago, has not departed from it.

What think we of this occurrence? Is it not delightful and encouraging? How striking the resemblance it bears to the history of Naaman! Yes! Jesus is "the same yesterday, today, and for ever." How easy is it for Him to accomplish his purposes by the smallest as by the mightiest agents! And how well does he know when and where to find his sheep! "For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall return." "I will call them my people, which were not my people; and in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God."

But, to return to Damascus. When Naaman had heard the declaration of his little slave, he resolved on following the hint which had been given him, and soon received permission and encouragement from his king to undertake the journey. If Naaman asked this permission he did right; though in our visiting the spiritual springs of Israel, it is not necessary for us to confer with man, or to be troubled about the approbation or disapprobation of "those that are without." The king having been informed of what the little Israelitish maid had said, replied, Then go thither! Go to Samaria! The preservation of a life so valuable as that of the distinguished commander of his armies, was all-important to him. Could he have entertained a hope that relief might be obtained from the physicians and priests of his own country, the jealous monarch would not have ceded to the hated Jewish people the honor of the cure. Now, however, he not only does this, but more; he even offers the invalid a letter of recommendation under his own hand. This royal document was immediately written and sealed. It was addressed, "To Jehoram, king of Israel," and was as follows:—"Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy." It must be admitted that this epistle was worthy of its author, as evincing the great blindness of his heart. He imagined that if any one in Israel were possessed of miraculous powers, it must be the king of Israel himself. As if the Almighty judged as man judgeth, or had any respect of persons in dispensing his gifts and graces; or, as if he imparted supernatural powers as an abiding possession, to be controlled and exercised at human pleasure. Oh what folly and absurdity are uniformly exhibited, whenever the ungodly and profane adventure to meddle with "the things of the Spirit of God!" The sick man, after thankfully receiving the royal letters, hastened to make the necessary preparations for his departure, in a manner that became his rank. His most splendid equipages were prepared, and his officers ordered to accompany him, with a numerous train of domestics on camels. Money was likewise abundantly provided. He took with him the large sum of ten talents of silver, or about sixteen thousand dollars, besides six thousand pieces of gold, of which the greater part appears to have been intended to enrich the man who should effect his cure. For the same fortunate individual the ten splendid changes of raiment appear to have been intended. Thus royally equipped, he took the direct route to the land of promise, the land of his hopes. From all this pomp it would appear that the ideas of Naaman were not much more enlightened or spiritual than those of his royal master. He, likewise, expected to find in the prophets of Samaria little more than a kind of magicians and enchanters, similar to those of the heathen world. Of a God who dispenses blessings, and commands them to be dispensed, without money and without price, he had not the slightest conception. And, indeed, it is not natural to the corrupt heart of man to guess at the noble principles of real religion. That persons should be most welcome to the throne of grace who feel themselves most poor and destitute, and most willing to obtain what they desire without any desert on their part, is incomprehensible to "the natural man." How difficult is it to us, even when renewed by grace, to sacrifice to this truth our legal conceptions, our ideas of service and reward! Alas! how often do we approach the Lord, like Naaman, laden with imaginary gifts, or else with vows to present them! How frequently, how imperceptibly do we again fall back upon the foolish thought, that not until we can reckon upon something of our own are we at liberty to enjoy the consolation of the Divine promises! We do not then prostrate ourselves before God, and present our supplications like Daniel, "for the sake of His mercy;" we profess indeed to depend on the merits of our great Surety, but we depend, in fact, on the notion of our own acquirements, subtle as may be the covering that conceals such a notion from us. Yet why do we do so, when it is not only our privilege to ask and to receive "wine and milk without money and without price," but this is even enjoined upon us as a duty? Such is the arrangement before the throne of Jehovah. Oh, let us conform to this blessed regulation!