Radio Broadcast – Bible Study - Part 6

Now, if you have your Bibles, turn with me today to 2 Kings chapter 5. We are speaking, as you know, on the double portion ministry of Elisha the prophet. And I suppose one of the best known of all the miracles recorded in the Old Testament is that which is recorded in 2 Kings chapter 5, the healing of Naaman the leper. Now I can only just give you a brief summary of so many of the precious truths that are found in this chapter. I'd like to suggest three things to you today. First of all, the condition of Naaman. The Bible says he was a leper. And then the second thing that strikes you as you read the chapter is the compassion of the maid, this little maid of the servant of the wife of Naaman. And then the command of Elisha when he tells Naaman, go and wash in Jordan seven times. The condition of Naaman, the compassion of the maid, and the command of Elisha. Now first the condition of Naaman. Verse 1 says so many good and wonderful things about this man. He was great, he was honorable, and he was mighty. It seems he had a combination of virtues, but he was a leper. In spite of all the good things that are said about him, he was a victim of this terrible disease of leprosy. Now leprosy was the most dreaded of all diseases, and no words could describe the horror that came to those who discovered leprosy on their bodies. When a person first saw that white spot of leprosy, terror would grip their hearts. It was the most dreaded of all diseases. And then leprosy was the most deadly of all diseases. Once it got hold of a person, a slow, terrible, certain death was the result. And leprosy was dealt with by most drastic measures. It meant separation from the family, from loved ones, and when anyone even approached a leper, he had to cry out with a loud voice, unclean, unclean. And as I think of this, oh what a true picture we have of sin. Sin is the most dreaded of all diseases, and the most deadly. You see, the Bible says the wages of sin is death. And then sin separates, not only separates us from loved ones and from friends, but finally sin separates man from God, brings about eternal separation. Now it said of this man Naaman that he was great and honorable and mighty, but he was a leper. Then let me touch briefly on the compassion of the maid. You read it for yourself in this wonderful chapter. You know it's amazing what results transpire from a simple, sincere witness and testimony. It was through this little maid's testimony that this great man Naaman was healed. You notice that she witnessed to those who were actually her enemies. The Syrians had come in and taken her captive, torn her from her loved ones, from her parents, and oh how easy it would have been for her to have been resentful. But no, she saw a desperate need and willingly testified to the power of God, even to those who were apparently her enemies. And then she witnessed with a sincerity that touched the hearts of those who heard it, and she witnessed with such confidence that one ran in and told Naaman what this young maid had said. Oh, I like the way it's put in the word of God. This maid didn't say maybe he would get healed. Notice the definite, definite assurance that's in her testimony. She says, Would God that my Lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria, for he would heal him of his leprosy. Oh, thank God, hallelujah, for such an assurance, for such a sincere testimony. But now let me talk about the command of Elisha. Go and wash in Jordan seven times. That was the command that Elisha gave to Naaman. You know, when you read this chapter, there's so much misunderstanding, it seems as if the testimony of this little maid would be in vain. It's a chapter full of mistakes. The first mistake is that the king of Syria sends Naaman to the wrong source for healing. The maid had said the prophet, but the king of Syria sends him to the king of Israel, Jehoram, and Jehoram couldn't help him. Why? He's in such a backslidden condition that the Bible says he cleaved to the sins of Jeroboam. And you know what the sin of Jeroboam was? He instituted a man-made order of worship and a man-made priesthood. And let me say, man-made ritual and religion never will have the answer to the cry of needy hearts. And all that Jehoram saw in the coming of Naaman was that the king of Syria was seeking to make a quarrel with him. And he said, Am I God to kill or to make alive that he doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? But oh, bless God, Elisha, the man of God hears that the king had rent his clothes and he sends word to the king, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? Let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. You know, most people, if they'd heard Elisha say that, they would have called it presumption. But this isn't presumption, it's real living faith, and living faith is fearless. And in spite of all the odds that seem against it, faith is able, amen, to speak with assurance. And so Naaman comes with his chariot and stands before the house of Elisha. And here comes the second mistake. Naaman takes exception to the method and to the prophet's message. You see, Elisha didn't even come out of the house. He just sent a messenger to tell the great Naaman, if you please, what to do, to go and dip seven times in Jordan. And Naaman was wroth, why he didn't even come out to see me. And you know, there are many people who are missing healing and deliverance and salvation today because they take exception to the methods some of God's servants are using. Naaman took exception to, not only to the method, but to the message. And I think we should be fair to Naaman. You see, what the prophet said to him presented an intellectual difficulty. He could well have reasoned, how can dipping in water cleanse leprosy? And if I've got to dip in water, why can't I go back? There are plenty of lovely clean rivers in Damascus, and why do I have to dip in this dirty water of Jordan? And so the Bible says he went away in a rage, and it seems he would miss his healing and deliverance and go back the same way and in the same condition that he came. And you know, there are people today who are missing God's salvation and God's healing power because they can't understand how Jesus, dying on a cross two thousand years ago, can cleanse their sins today, how Jesus took our infirmities, bared our sicknesses, and that by his stripes we today can be healed. You see, it's because the natural mind cannot comprehend the things of God, and so many people turn away from the very source of salvation and healing because they can't understand it with their natural mind. Now fortunately for Naaman, there were some faithful servants who gave him the best piece of advice he had ever received in his life, and they said to him, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldst thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean, and here's the secret in verse fourteen, Then he went down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God, and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. You see, there are two things here, there is humility, he went down, and there is obedience, he did according to the word of the Lord through the prophet. Let me say as I close today, that it is obedience to the word of God, and you are taken that simple place of humility that will bring salvation and healing to you too.