06.5. An Unexpected Advice

An Unexpected Advice

2 Kings 5:2-9

We saw in the first chapter that leprosy is a figure of sin. We now see how a young girl from the land of Israel showed the way of salvation to the leprous commander of the Syrian army. It also appears here that no man could help Naaman: neither the king of Aram, nor the king of Israel. The gods of Damascus could not bring relief either. Salvation could only be found with the God of Israel. That is why Naaman had to go to Elisha, the representative of the living and true God. A young girl from the land of Israel

Humanly speaking, Naaman’s problem was unsolvable. But, fortunately, his healing makes it very clear that salvation was to be found with the God of Israel. He alone could cleanse Naaman from his leprosy. Yes, He even saves us from the sores of sin. But then we have to come to Him in faith, and not expect our salvation from the "magicians" of this world (cf. 2 Kings 5:11). It is the living and true God who can help us. It is so touching that a young girl from the land of Israel showed the way of salvation to the powerful commander of the Syrian army. In the face of her mistress, she testified very simply to her faith: "If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy" (2 Kings 5:3). Bands of Syrian raiders had kidnapped and sold her at the slave market in Damascus. In fact, that was one of the curses that had come upon God’s people. Moses had already predicted this: "Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people, and your eyes shall look and fail with longing for them all day long; and there shall be no strength in your hand" (Deuteronomy 28:32). In this way, this young girl had come to find herself in the household of the commander of the Syrian army (2 Kings 5:2). Naaman’s wife had become her mistress. God had permitted this and He had also led it this way, for He had His own reasons for it. Fortunately, this girl did not allow herself to be led by feelings of hatred in her new surroundings. Despite her young age and despite the difficult circumstances in which she found herself in the foreign country, she testified to the God of Israel and even loved her enemies. Likewise, we as believers are representatives, ambassadors for Christ and we should be pleased to give an account for the hope that is in us (2 Corinthians 5:20; 1 Peter 3:15). Are we aware of this high calling? This young girl had great faith in her God and in His prophet. How did she know that Elisha was willing and able to heal Commander Naaman of his leprosy? It was only her faith that whispered this into her ear. Elisha had performed all kinds of miracles, but not yet healed a leper. We can read that in the New Testament. Although there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha, none of them was cleansed (Luke 4:27). After all, God had to punish His people because they served idols. Not one of the Israelites was cleansed in those days, except Naaman the Syrian. God’s grace thus extended to the Gentiles. On the way to the king of Israel

Naaman’s wife believed the words of her little female slave, and she passed them on to her husband. And Naaman passed them on to his lord, the king of Syria (2 Kings 5:4). The illness of the commander of the army had meanwhile become known publicly. One thing led to another, and the matter was dealt with in a diplomatic way (even in medical matters, this was not uncommon in the ancient world). The aim of this was that the king of Israel would subsequently approach "the prophet in Samaria" who, after all, was his subordinate according to worldly standards. Naaman had a letter from his king, as well as a generous gift. The king of Syria was willing to personally share from his own wealth in order to help out one of his best subjects. The gift consisted of a quantity of as much as three hundred and forty kilograms of silver, seventy kilograms of gold and ten sets of clothing (2 Kings 5:5). That represented an enormous fortune. The gold and silver had a value of millions of pounds. Naaman arrived in Samaria, with the letter which said, "Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy" (2 Kings 5:6). His arrival caused quite an upheaval at the court of the king of Israel, since he saw this letter as some kind of pretext, a provocation of war (2 Kings 5:7). In despair, he tore his clothes. Such a pessimistic reaction could be expected from king Jehoram (cf. 2 Kings 3:13). The king knew very well that he was not a son of the gods to whom healing power could be attributed (that is how the heathen nations all too often looked at their kings). But he took God’s name in vain by saying: "Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy?" Actually this marked the seriousness of the situation: only God who had sent the mortal ailment could give relief and make the dead one alive. To Elisha

It seemed that king Jehoram did not think of Elisha at all, although in those days the prophet was the channel of God’s blessing. God reached out His saving hand to Israel by means of His servant. But Elisha was not honoured in his home town. Apparently, he lived again in the capital (cf. 2 Kings 2:25; 2 Kings 6:32). He had to take the initiative himself. So he sent the following message to the king: "Why have you torn your clothes? Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel" (2 Kings 5:8 b). So Naaman finally came to Elisha the prophet, who is presented here as "the man of God" (2 Kings 5:8 a). Now he had come to the right person, for "the man of God" was the representative of the living God, who indeed had the power to kill and to make alive. There was still, however, another problem. Naaman was conscious of his high position. He came in his own dignity, "with his horses and chariot" (2 Kings 5:9). Full of pride he stood at the door of the house of Elisha. But we cannot come to God in that way. Naaman could not be helped on his own conditions, but only on the conditions that God offered to him. He had to learn that, as we shall see. But that is precisely what every sinner has to learn: to approach God, in the awareness of one’s own unworthiness. There is no sense in trying to improve myself or to earn salvation by my own merits. I must come as I am, as a lost sinner, and that is how God will accept me. He does so by free grace.

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