NAAMAN’s SEVENTH BATHE:
We can see that the story of Naaman is not just about healing the physical body but also the soul. It is one of the Old Testament revelations of God’s plan to take the gospel to the Gentiles. It is a story of salvation, one which illustrates the spiritual salvation man finds only through God’s grace.
Naaman and Leprosy:
Naaman had a great position in his country. He was the captain of the Syrian Army – a heathen (pagan) nation surrounded by spiritual darkness. The man was a valiant warrior but he had a dreadful disease call leprosy.
“Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valor, but he was a leper.” (2 Kings 5:1)
It is obvious from scriptures that Naaman had a lot of prestige and was well respected in his country. He was a national hero because he was victorious in battles and made his country strong and prosperous through the victories of war. However, he didn’t understand that his victory did not come from his own strength. It was all a plan of God, which must have been motivated by Israel’s Idolatry; a nation that should have known better, given all the privileges they had as God’s chosen people. We face battles daily with the devil. Are we victorious or constantly being defeated? It is good we examine our lives before God. If the conscience excuses us, we can rejoice and praise the Lord but if the conscience accuses us, then it is good to make things right with God. Israel did not listen to the prophets who brought her the word and because of her sins lost many battles to her enemies. We see how God uses a leprous man to defeat his own people. We Christians should learn from Israel’s past not to abandon the way of Yahweh and to worship the one true God.
Despite the popularity of Naaman, there was something also that he had that will bring him very low in the society – Leprosy. We read about Leprosy in many places in the Bible and the humiliation the leprous people suffer. It was an incurable disease. A horrible skin disease that will make red spots to appear on the person’s skin in its initial stage. The red spots will develop into white splotches all over the body. The skin would then begin to eat away and would leave open wounds and scars. The skin was basically rotting away and people would lose their legs, fingers and even leave the face completely deform, as the disease got worse. The person suffering from leprosy will eventually die. Leprosy was not only an incurable disease but it was also very contagious and that is why people with the disease were not supposed to live together with others. In the Bible times when the priest examines someone and discover that the person has leprosy, the person will be separated from his family and kept in an isolated place.
Naaman did not live in Israel and the Syrians may have had their own tradition dealing with people with the disease and for this reason, Naaman could still live with his family and mingle with people. Or, was it because of his popularity and the battles he won? Nevertheless, the leprosy must have been a concern for the King and the people around him. Although he had been highly favored the lives of others too were at risk and time may have been running out for him to continue to stay with others as they too must have been afraid of being infected by the disease. There was no cure for leprosy, and no hope for lepers. People feared lepers as much as they feared the disease. Naaman’s future would become a one of loneliness and isolation. The hero would become the outcast. Naaman was in a terrible situation.
The world is in a terrible situation today as a result of the fall in the Garden of Eden. Leprosy is a type of sin and the wages of sin is death. Those who have been affected by leprosy could only be allowed to integrate with their families only after they have been cleansed and examined by the priest. Sin is a disease and God cannot allow sin in his presence. It alienates us from the family of God and we are not considered sons and daughters of God. In the Bible leprosy is a picture of what sin does to man. Whenever the Lord Jesus healed a leper he always pronounced the person, not healed, but cleansed. Leprosy was incurable by man in Bible times just as Sin is incurable by man. There is nothing man himself can do to deal with his sin problem. Leprosy like Sin begins within and manifest in the flesh. The inherited nature of sin can be seen manifesting in several ways in humans.
There are many reasons in the Bible why people get sick or are afflicted by a disease. The disciples saw a man who was blind from birth and asked Jesus if it was the man who did sin or his parents. Jesus answered and said, neither has the man sinned, nor his parents but that the works of God should be made manifest in him (John 9:1-3). But in Naaman’s case the situation may have been different. He worshipped Baal in the heathen country of Syria. However, it is obvious that not only Naaman worshipped Baal in Syria. God had a plan to bring light to the heathen Country full of Spiritual darkness, and for the gospel of salvation to reach the Gentile race.
The Little Maid in Syria:
The nation Israel was constantly being defeated by their enemies during this time. She has not been listening to the Prophets and God was fed up with her idolatry. The Syrians had gone out in one of their raids and brought many captives from the land of Israel and among them was a little maid. How terrible the experience must have been for the little girl. The Hebrew girl has become nothing but a slave – the spoils of war. Yes, Heaven has seen oceans of tears shed by slaves and it is for this reason God had to send people like Abraham Lincoln. Down in the slave market of Damascus the lone Hebrew girl may have wept, prayed and looked towards Jerusalem for an answer from Yahweh. We see the Hebrew girl taken to a home that will treat her well. Naaman came to secure the little girl and she became the servant for his wife.
“And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captives out of the land of Israel the little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife.” (2 Kings 5:2)
A slave is a slave no matter where the slave is living. This little girl was still a slave but she was spiritually free. It was her faith that enabled her to live with optimism, courage and love in a foreign land despite all what she has been through. Although the majority of Israel had given in to idolatry there were a few sincere people in the land and this little girl was certainly one of them. We see how she clung to her faith in the living God and sought to share her knowledge of Him with others. The home from which she was abducted must have been a Godly Hebrew one – one which honored God and His servant Elisha was respected. The little girl served Naaman’s wife faithfully and she must have become fond of her. Reading between the lines, we have the feeling the woman treated her kindly. The Hebrew girl was not burning with hatred considering what has happened to her. All things work together for good to them that love God. This is biblical truth that many Christians take for granted and instead complain too often in their difficulties. This little girl is remembered throughout succeeding generations. The slave had good news for Naaman. There is going to be hope for a hopeless situation.
Doesn’t her fascinating story, brief though it is, teach us no matter how insignificant, God can always use a humble heart to do His service? As the Hebrew girl dutifully waited upon Naaman’s wife, the captive maid came to know that his master, the great and respected soldier had the dreaded disease – Leprosy. She must have seen the distress in her mistress’s face and probably a sign of desperation as the disease was incurable. She must have felt sorry but again felt some relief as her thoughts went back to the land of Israel. She knew there was a man there that can turn on the light and the dark shadow of death will disappear from her master. What a pleasure for her to bring the Good News to her mistress.
“She said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria for he would recover him of his leprosy.” (2 Kings. 5:3)
Don’t ignore the voice of that little church in your neighborhood telling you to come for worship. It may change your life physically and spiritually.
The Journey to Israel:
What must have been the reaction of Naaman’s wife after hearing the good news? Of course it must have been a one of excitement. There was hope for her husband’s condition. The pity and yet faith in the face of the Hebrew girl didn’t escape her, and she immediately told the leprous man of the good news her maid has spoken. Naaman believed what the captive maid had said, and took her word to the King of Syria.
“And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel. And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have there with sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.” (2 Kings 5:4-6)
But why would Naaman believe a slave girl? Her life must have been such a testimony that it gave credibility to her words. We see once again the expression of God’s love. How He reaches out to people in utter darkness and uses their afflictions to draw them to Himself. King Benhadad was also impressed with the testimony and wrote a letter to the King of Israel that read like this: This letter will introduce to you my servant Naaman, I want you to heal him of his disease.
Salvation is obtained by grace through faith and not diplomatically. We see in the verses above an excellent illustration of how salvation cannot be obtained. The King of Syria thought that since his nation has defeated the nation of Israel physically and was subjected to him, he could ask for Naaman’s healing as well. After he heard the testimony of the slave girl, he wrote a letter for Naaman to go and give to the King of Israel. King Benhadad didn’t get the little girl’s message very well. The king of Israel had nothing to do with the healing of the diseases but the Prophet of Israel. Many people go to the wrong places with their troubles, pain, sorrows and sins. There are many things earthly power cannot do. You have heard people say money can do everything. Then why do rich people die of cancer? The rich man built a beautiful 30 inches fence round his home but the disease still came and attack him in his bedroom. Money cannot buy love or give one peace. The rich man in his authority may have great power but the poor man too through prayer can move mountains and bring many blessings which no rich man can bring. What we have today in Christendom are many kings but very few prophets. They have made themselves kings because, they have subdued the people one way or the other. It is unfortunate, that instead of people trying to seek the prophetic word to guide them, they go about looking for kings who will conquer and subdue them in to traditions.
The King of Syria sent with Naaman, ten talents of silver, six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. If one could estimate the value of all these things to day in American dollars, it will amount to some big cash. The ten changes of raiment too were not ordinary clothing. This was not clothing that was fit for the peasant but for the king. It must have been the good clothing made of silk and other fine linen. They did cost a lot of money. It shows the worth Naaman was to the king. It is obvious that Naaman did not make the journey alone but with an escort. First, the gold and silver coins would have weight quite a lot and the King of Syria is not going take chances of having an enemy attacking on the way. Thus, Naaman must have been accompanied by many horses, chariots and some men of the Syrian army. Yes, Naaman was worth a lot to the King. The human body is worth about two hundred Cambodian riel. It is not up to 10 cents. Why? Because it is all dust. The 600 dollars suit one puts on it, or other costly articles worn doesn’t change a thing. However, the soul is worth everything to the Lord Jesus. He can heal the body but he cares more for the soul.
Naaman and his caravan arrive in Israel and they are granted an audience with the king. The King of Israel was very disturbed when he read the letter. There were many lepers in Israel at the time and he could do nothing about it. Everyone knows there is no cure for leprosy. He had tried to do everything to appease King Benadad but it seems as if all that wasn’t sufficient. He came to the conclusion that the King of Syria was seeking a quarrel to provoke a war.
“And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.” (2 Kings 5:7)
The King of Israel during this time was the son of Ahab and Jezebel. His name was Joram. He was evil but not as his parents. The king of Israel was not ignorant of the power of Yahweh. He must have heard and even witness some miracles in Israel. King Joram kept on testifying with his mouth that only God can recover a man from leprosy to this gentile man who hadn’t no idea if there is a God who can do such a thing, but without turning to him. The best he could do was to rent his clothes and probably begging for pity from Naaman to express his desperation to the King of Syria not to start a war. However, it is easy for many Christian to condemn the weakness of king Joram in handling the situation that confronted him. The land of Israel was supposed to be the light to other nations, and he was the king of Israel. Many Christians have listened to many testimonies and some even have witnessed miracles happening but how many confront situations looking up to God and patiently wait for an answer? We should also understand that although King Joram was the king of Israel, he didn’t receive the Prophet and he that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive the prophet’s reward – Matthew 10:41A. King David did not joke with God’s prophet and he was called a man according to God’s own heart. Take a look at the Kings of Israel who rejected the prophets and what happened to them. The Lord promised to send Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord (Malachi 4:5b). Have you heard and believe his message?
The Prophet Elisha:
What was happening in Israel was big news: The caravan and the Syrian captain in Israel and the king of Israel renting his clothes. It all came to the hearing of Elisha. Even if the king had gone to his bed room to weep over the situation, Elisha would have still known what was happening. Wasn’t the king of Syria suspecting one of his servants was betraying him because his evil plans against the king of Israel was always known? “And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in thy bedchamber.” The prophet Elisha had performed many miracles in Israel. There was this widow who was in debt and she cried to Elisha saying, my husband is dead and was a man who feared God. The creditors have come to take away my two sons to be slaves because of the debt. Elisha said to the woman, what shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in your house? And she said, she has nothing in her house save for a pot of oil. Elisha told her go and borrow as many empty vessels as possible from her neighbors. And when she comes home, to close the door, and she and her sons to pour the oil into all the vessels she had borrowed. The sons brought the vessels and she poured out the oil and set aside the one that was full as Elisha had instructed until there was no vessel left. The vessels were all filled with oil. Then the woman told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest. (cf. 2 Kings 4:7)
There were other miracles that Elisha perform. He made a dead boy came back to life, he made a poisoned meal edible. He miraculously fed a hundred people. The King of Israel must have heard of all these things happening in Israel. He and Elisha were not the best of friends. How can two work together, except they be agreed? Most of the Kings of Israel followed the pagan practices of their surrounding gentile nations and King Joram was no exception. However, Elisha came to help the king out of his perplexing dilemma. It was a humiliating situation. When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent this message:
Why have you torn your clothes? Send the man to me—and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. “And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the King of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? Let him come now to me, he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”(2 Kings 5:8)
The Message:
There was no sign of humility when Naaman came to see Prophet Elisha. Why should he be humble? He was the captain of the Syrian army and had fought many battles and worn. He was well respected in his country and probably feared as a valiant warrior in the surrounding nations. By the way look at how the King of Israel had panicked and even tore his clothes in his presence. Sitting in his chariot and looking at the caravan, he must have been satisfied with the impression. He may have even thought, the nation of Israel was not in a very good shape economically due all the incursions, defeats and pledges. Elisha will certainly need some money too. He will dance more than King David when he will see all these Gold—the man of God they were going to see will jump out of his house and say to him, welcome, sir!
“So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.” (2 Kings 5:9-10)
Naaman came with great pomp but Elisha was not awed by the grandeur of the captain who stood at the door of his house. He didn’t even come to greet Naaman. Instead, he sent a message to him to go and wash in River Jordan seven times to be healed. “But Naaman was worth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.” (2 Kings 5:11-12) Naaman was expecting a charismatic movement. He was expecting to see the man of God make some gestures. As that did not happen, he went away angrily. He started to compare the rivers in his country to the river Jordan in Israel and said the rivers Abana and Pharpar in his country are better and should he not have taking a bathe there instead? That is how many people judge by appearance and miss the target. You remember Portia and Bassanio in the novel, “The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare?” Bassanio almost missed the box where the treasure was if Portia did not hint him by saying, all that glitters is not gold. Naaman would have missed his healing, if he was not with people having a little wisdom to guide him.
“And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?” (2 Kings 5:13)
There are Christians who pick the church they attend depending on how large and beautiful it looks. I know of people who you can show them the scriptures, they see what you are saying is the truth but despise you because you are not a famous preacher and your church is very small and not fancifully built. There are others too who will climb mountains to look for healing from a soothsayer but don’t want to obey the simple word to repent and forgive to expedient God’s healing mercy. Think about the long journey the children of Israel made to the promise land. Victory was already promise to possess a land flowing with milk and honey by a covenant God made with Abraham before the trip. But what should have taken them a few days took 40 years. Many Christians find themselves in this 40 years’ mode because they neglect simple instructions from the word. Naaman could not be healed until he obeyed God. This should be a lesson to us Christians. We should prayerful ask from the Lord and do what He instructs us to do. Don’t lean on your own understanding. Search the scriptures for in them you have eternal life.
Look at how man’s wisdom as the Apostle Paul made comments about in 1 Corinthians chapter two is playing out here. Naaman had contempt for God’s solution and plan. It was not reasonable for him to go and bathe in the muddy River Jordan in Israel when there are clean rivers in Damascus. If the healing has to come by washing in a river, then he thought it is more preferable to use a clean river. However, he was willing to pay any price to be healed of leprosy. He was willing to do any great deed of prowess, willing to make any fatiguing pilgrimage, but he was not willing to obey a simple message, Go and wash in River Jordan seven times.
These servants had the right words at the right time. How wonderful it can be for us to have the right words at the right time for someone in a very difficult situation. Many people are going through difficulties in health, finances, marriages, faith and others. It will be wonderful to be there at the right time to give someone an encouraging word. We see in this story of Naaman how God uses simple people and how a wise and timely persuasion can turn a heart of stone to a heart of flesh. First, there were careful not to instead make their master angrier. They called him father to give him reverence and chose their words carefully that they might persuade him. We have no confirmation that these servants were themselves believers in the God of Israel, all we know about them is that they were servants of Naaman. It tells us that God can use any heart that is open. He was very angry with many of the children of Israel because of their stony hearts of unbelief.
There is a message to turn the heart of the children back to the fathers. It is to bring us back to the word of God after many years of Christian traditions. You can find this prophecy in Malachi 4:5b.
The seventh Bathe:
Naaman had a choice: To take away his pride or lose the blessings of healing and salvation. The devil was trying to hinder Naaman from obeying God. He was trying hard to get the victory, as he does with every person on the point of making an important decision: Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another; that ye may be healed is a simple scripture but how many Christians obey it? It seems as if all is lost, Satan had won and Naaman would go away without healing and the saving knowledge of the Lord. But something happened. His servants urged him to reconsider, and he wisely did.
“Then went he 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.”(2 Kings 5:9-14)
What was the issue here? It was not the washing of course. It was the obedience of faith. It was just the obedience to the command of the prophet that healed him and not the minerals in the Jordan River. Naaman servants helped him in developing that faith in the words of the prophet as he tried to doubt the message. So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan river, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like that of a little child.
The Bible makes it clear that the spirit of Elijah will come to the world 5 times. The spirit has already come four times. First, there was Elijah the Tishbite. Secondly, there was Elisha, who was anointed with double portion of the spirit of Elisha. The one in this story of Naaman we have been talking about. Thirdly, there was John the Baptist, the forerunner of the First Advent of Jesus Christ, whose message was to turn the heart of the fathers to the children (Malachi 4:5a). Fourthly, there was the 7th Church Age messenger, to the Forerunner of the second Advent of Christ. His Message is to turn the heart of the children to the Apostolic fathers (Malachi 4:5a). Malachi 4:5 is a compound prophecy. “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.” (Revelation 10:7) The Message of the Elijah of this day is the voice of the seventh angel. It will take us back to the word to get us ready for rapture. I am going to come back to this Elijah because he has an important message that will precede rapture and just too important for this generation. Finally, the fifth Elijah will be the one the Jews are greatly expecting and whose message will come and restore all things (Matthew 17:10; Acts 3:21) This Elijah will appear after the rapture of the church.
The year 2000 was the year I came to hear about the End Time Message. A pastor from a little church came to visit our home. I was in a mess spiritually. The Pastor spoke about a Prophet many times and about the Message God gave him to tell the world. I was curious to go and meet this Prophet like Naaman hearing the good news from the maid. My situation was terrible and the Pastor of this little church came with the good news. I was ready to leave my denomination and travel to the common wealth of Israel – spiritually speaking.
Naaman’s young maid had come to me in the form of a little church’s Pastor who knew about the prophet pretty well and told me about him. The little church had been arrested by Captain Jesus who came in the likeness of sinful flesh to redeem her from traditions and paganism to make her prisoner of Christ. I followed her advice to travel to the foreign country in the spirit to find healing and salvation in Israel. My spiritual leprosy was hurting me real bad and there was no cure.
There was that excitement when I made it to the common wealth of Israel. I heard of many miracles the prophet has done in Israel. Unfortunately, I found too the land of the common wealth of Israel was full of idol worship. Many people were worshiping men, self and serve tables and not God. The kings who presumably knew the prophet and the quotes of the prophet had torn their clothes for trying to interpret them. Therefore, the Kings could not help me and I needed to meet the prophet himself. In my confusion and despair over my leprosy, the voice of the seventh angel came to my rescue. He took me to the prophet who also happens to be messenger of the 7th Church Age. He told me to read about the conditions of the seven churches that were in Asia. (Rev. 1:11) He told me the spiritual condition of the seventh church, Laodicea, is back, in this last Church Age:
“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear;and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:17-20)
He told me this is the age where many false doctrines will flourish and many will catch spiritual leprosy. However, it is also the age where many things will be revealed in the scriptures for people to cleanse themselves by the word and be healed from the Leprosy after their seventh. The Laodicea church Age has grand royal ladies represented by big, fanciful churches. The people are neither cold nor hot and the word for that kind of condition is lukewarm. Some even approve gay marriages. Many have their own prophets appointed by King Ahab and they hate Micaiah. The messenger gave me a simple message to Go back to the word. I started to take my bathe by the washing of the water by word and taking my seventh bathe. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:25-27)
Naaman was a typed of the end time gentile bride. He may have been disturbed when he dipped himself in River Jordan the first time, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth times and nothing happened. It had to take the seventh bathe for him to be made whole – cleansed. It will be difficult for any false doctrine to hide in this seventh church Age. The revealed word will clean up everything but are you are bathing in it? Oh, My! The bathe is doing me good. Do you know it was not the eating of a literal fruit that caused the fall in the Garden of Eden? I now see there are no three persons in one God but God in three manifestations. “There is one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”(Ephesians 4:6) Please come and dip yourself in the word and take your seventh bathe. You will receive the revelation of Jesus Christ.
After Naaman took the seventh bathe, he came out with a testimony. It was a powerful testimony. We all love to hear testimonies but how wonderful it can be if it is your story and you are the one telling it. The word is a treasure, bread of life, Honey, Gold, sword, water, etc. Faith comes by hearing the word of God. Are you a disciple of Jesus? Then to understand mysteries and prophecies in the Bible is for you. I came to understand what really happened in the Garden of Eden, the seventy weeks of Daniel, the seven churches of Asia and their prophetic application, the seven seals just to mentioned a few. My Spiritual leprosy was eating me up so bad but the seventh bathe is washing it away. Please come and take your bathe too. Don’t you know spiritual leprosy is in the doctrines and traditions of men?
Naaman’s Testimony
Naaman must have heard a great deal about the Prophet before he could travel to Israel. The young maid may not have told her mistress about the prophet without sharing some testimonies. Why not? A lot of miracles have been happening in Israel. He must have been convinced that the young maid was sincere, that healing was possible in his condition but he may have had his doubts too as one coming from a pagan nation. But could anyone blame him? There were other lepers in Israel who could not be healed because of unbelief, what about Naaman, a gentile. Well, he was now in Israel and he will be going to his country with a testimony himself but he must first stop at the house of the prophet to see him.
“Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel.”
God does not share his glory with any one. These were the first words that came out from Naaman’s mouth when he met the prophet: “And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: Now there, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.” (2 Kings 5:15)
The obedience of faith that led him all through to the seventh bathe did not only cleanse his leprosy but also his soul and Yahweh became visible in plain view. When we are completely washed by the water of the word, all deceptive doctrines will be removed and we can never be confused as to who is the absolute, for Christ Jesus will appear in plain view. Naaman confesses his faith in Yahweh and was now a believer. He wanted to give a gift to Elisha from a grateful heart to express his appreciation for what God has done but Elisha would not take it. Naaman insisted and this is where some men of God have fallen for there are times to receive a blessing and times not to. A blessing received at the wrong time and place can turn out to be a curse. Elisha received a blessing from the shunemite woman, why would he not receive it here: The two cases are very different. There were other implicating issues that would be compromised for Elisha to receive a gift at this time, isn’t that true? The new convert and his servants needed to learn more about salvation first – it is free and cannot be bought with money.
“But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.” (2 Kings 5:16)
Elisha was not like the greedy heathen priests in the service of Baal who would grab donations even from temple prostitutes. He had to protect and project the image of what he stands for. “And Naaman said, shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules’ burden of earth? For thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifices unto other gods, but unto the Lord.”(2 Kings 5:17)
The exact reason why Naaman asked Elisha permission to take two loads of soil back to his country, Syria is not very clear. Could it be that he wanted to erect an altar to Yahweh for a memorial or witness to the God of Israel in his own land? He could have taken the soil anywhere in the land of Israel but why would he need the approval of the prophet? Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophet.” (Amos 3:7) It is obvious that God must approve any place He is to be worshipped and who was the better person for Naaman to inquire if that can be possible in Syria other than Elisha. Naaman knew that he would have to go back to his old community and live in the midst of idolatry and wanted to take a stand. He was now the servant and the prophet the master.
“In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: When I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing. And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.” (2 Kings 5:15-19)
Naaman indeed went in peace but how unfortunate for Gehazi who became leprous in Naaman’s stead for taking the gift and lying to his master – Elisha. This is another message of its own. What a terrible thing to happen to someone who instead should have had but a portion of Elisha’s spirit. Elisha’s goal was to have the spirit of his master Elijah and he got a double portion of it. But Gehazi’s goal was to have the material things in the ministry and he ended up with leprosy.
The Church In Syria:
But from every indication of the word, King Benhadad will not learn a lesson to leave the children of Israel alone. He gathered his troops again, went up, and besiege Samaria as we read in 2 Kings 6:24:7. There became a great famine in Samaria as people were scared not to leave the city walls and go to farmlands. Nothing here is mentioned about Naaman. The new convert may have tried to advice the King but he would not listen. He misses the spoils of war that may have made his country rich and provided plenty to eat. Greed must have made him forget the healing of his one-time captain he sent to Israel to be healed of leprosy.
The people of Samaria could not leave the city for fear of the Syrian armies who had surrounded it. They were dying of hunger but could not leave and go to their farms to get food. The hunger was so bad that a story is told of a deal made by two women. The first one offered her child to be killed so that she and her neighbor could have a meal. But when it came the time for her neighbor to kill her own child as they had agreed, she did but went and hid herself and ate her son alone.
God used a leper in Syria to defeat the nation of Israel because of her idolatry but when the King of Syria despite the healing of his general from leprosy did not fear God and stop attacking Israel, the Lord used leprous men in Israel also to defeat Syria. There were five leprous men at the entering in of the gate. They counsel among themselves that if they go inside the city, famine is in the city and they will die there and if they continue to sit still they will die also. Therefore, the best option was to go to the Syrian camp and if they spare their lives they will live, but if they kill them they will die. They rose up in the twilight, to go to the camp of the Syrians but when they came to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no one there: The Lord had made the host of Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host. The Syrians thought the King of Israel has hired the Kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians to come against them. Therefore, they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their dear lives.
The Lord used four brave leprous men to defeat the whole Syrian army. He made the weak, harmless steps of dying lepers to sound like the matching of a great army battalion. Don’t think you are sick, weak or small to fight any battle in the Lord Jesus. Just have faith. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. The healing of Naaman was a living testimony in Syria but did her master King Benhadad change from idolatry to worship Yahweh? However, a seed had been planted in Syria and it must have received plenty of water. A messenger for the gentiles in the name of Paul went through Syria about 100 centuries later confirming the Churches. Leprosy is a type of sin. Naaman was cleansed from leprosy after his seventh bathe. Let us take our seventh bathe to be cleansed from the Spiritual leprosy of false doctrines. You don’t have to go to Jordan and deep yourself in the river. You just have to go the Lord to lead you into all Truth, and fill you with His Spirit.
