Naaman was a man of valor and a very accomplished commander of the Syrian army. His great skill as a warrior and his many victories over their enemies won him favor in life and with the king. But despite his many accomplishments, he was a leper (2 Kings 5:1).
Leprosy was a slow and agonizing death sentence. Those who had it were cut off from people because they were considered ceremonially unclean and impure, which meant they were unable to go to the temple to worship where God manifested His presence. Thus, God’s Word uses leprosy as a synonym of sin’s destructive power that puts us at enmity with God, severs relationship with Him, and brings about our destruction. Surrendering to Jesus Christ and walking in obedience sets us free from the wages of sin.
Surrender was not in Naaman’s vocabulary because he was prideful and arrogant. And it is pride that goes before destruction, and a haughty (arrogant, superior) spirit that goes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). But God was preparing all things to bring Naaman to humility and repentance.
A band of raiders from Aram (an area in Syria) had taken captive a young girl from Israel who served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet (Elisha) who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” God used a young Jewish girl to bring hope to Naaman (vs 2). And it was the Jewish Messiah, Jesus Christ, who came to bring hope and eternal life to the world.
Naaman requested permission of the king to go to the prophet. So, the king sent a letter to the king of Israel seeking permission to come. Naaman left with ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. Naaman assumed he could buy his healing. However, God is not interested in our gold and silver for He owns all the gold and silver (Haggai 2:8). He is interested in our hearts, for it is the heart that determines our choices and destiny (vs. 4-6).
The king of Israel was so angry with the letter that he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy?” Butwhen Elisha heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent this message: “Why have you torn your robes? [Send the man] to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” (Vs 8).
Naaman arrived at the door of Elisha’s house.However,Elisha would not come out to meet Naaman but sent a messenger saying, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored, and you will be cleansed” (vs 10).
Naaman was accustomed to being in control and having people respect his authority and obey him. Thus, he was furious that Elisha would not meet him face-to-face, but instead relayed through a messenger, what he believed to be a foolish instruction. “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me (pride, arrogance, and self-importance), and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.Are not the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?’” (Vs.11-12). So, he left in a rage because his expectations had not been met.
Often we respond in a similar way. Unfortunately, those pre-conceived expectations of how God should answer a prayer can lead to disappointment. Realistically, God does not always do things according to our reasoning, will, or wants.
There are times when God will ask us to do what we deem impossible, or like Naaman, ask us to do something that seems foolish. However, I found that when God would ask me to do something that I believed I was unqualified to accomplish, He would encourage me to step out in faith and trust Him. When I obeyed, tremendous blessings followed. Be assured that God will never ask us to do anything that He has not already given us all ability to complete for Him. In turn, He expects us to trust and obey Him.
God requires simple obedience, even if it makes no sense. For God says, My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV). You can be certain that His instructions are His proving ground for revealing to us our level of obedience, humility, and trust in Him.
Naaman’s servants came near and implored him, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean?” (Vs. 13).
Why did God not allow Elisha to pray for Naaman but required him to do what appeared ridiculous? The simple answer is that God was teaching Naaman a lesson in humility and obedience, for obedience is better than sacrifice. Finally, Naaman reluctantly did as the prophet told him and dipped the first time and came up out of the water. The leprosy was still there. He dipped a second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth time and still nothing. But when he dipped the seventh time, he came out of the water completely healed (vs. 14).
Naaman had done all that was asked of him, so His flesh became like the flesh of a child. And that is how God wants us to come to Him—a humble, trusting, and obedient child. And in surrendering to Him with the innocence of a child, not only are we born afresh but we have new hope and direction.
The number seven is biblically significant and appears over 700 times throughout both the Old and New Testaments, and throughout Revelation. Seven is God’s number. It refers to completeness, perfection, and totality.
Naaman returned with his aides and humbled himself before Elisha and said, “Indeed, now I know that there isno God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant” (Vs. 15). But Elisha refused the gift because God’s gifts cannot be bought. Naaman had changed from being a prideful, demanding man who was sure of his own abilities to becoming a repentant and humbled man before God.
If God asked you to do something that you thought was nonsensical, or too difficult, would you obey Him? Jesus certainly did the difficult for our sakes and He was victorious.
God calls each person to be men and women of humility, trust, and obedience (triplet faith). For God always has purpose behind His requests. He will never ask us to do something that He has not already provided the ability to complete. So, in humbling ourselves and obeying, we will see the blessings and fruits from trusting God.
PRAYER: FATHER, help me to be a person of humility, trust, and obedience, who like your Son, prayerfully sought Your will and quickly obeyed You. Give me a greater desire to read and understand your Word that conquers fear, doubt, unbelief, and gives courage and faith to walk in obedience to Your will and purposes. In Jesus’ name, amen.